The following list of the top 10 things reflects what we saw, read about and heard about during our stay in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Some points are general and could be done in other cities, too.

1. Do couchsurfing
After our visit to Bamako, capital of Mali, we were lucky again in Ouagadougou. In the countries we are visiting, it is a lot easier to find couchsurfers in big cities. In smaller cities, there are rarely any offers. So, if you visit the capitals, couchsurfing is always the best option to get not only a place to sleep, but to explore the culture and meet the local people.

The author and her friend having breakfast in one of the pâtisseries in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

We had contacted a young man who couldn’t host us in the end, but who showed us around the city for two days. This was very valuable for us, since the city is huge and it would have taken a lot more time and effort to find all the places by ourselves. For sleeping, he referred us to another couchsurfing family, which hosted us very warmly. We cooked, had typical meals together and exchanged our ideas and cultural backgrounds in great evening discussions.

2. Have breakfast in one of the pâtisseries

Ouaga (as Ouagadougou is known locally) has lots of excellent cafés and pâtisseries to offer. Have a coffee, delicious pastry or freshly made yoghurt and enjoy life going by.

3. Pay attention to the traffic circles
Each traffic circle has a story to tell through its statues in the middle. One is decorated with the symbol of the United Nations, while another spotlights Ouaga’s film culture with the statue for cineasts.

A traffic circle in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

4. Go see a film at the cinema
Ouaga is the capital of the African film scene, especially through the established film festival called FESPACO every two years. Even beyond the festival, the city has a lot of cinemas you can go to and watch a local film.

5. Go visit the market
Walk through the Grand Marché and you will find lots of fruits and vegetables. Walk further and you will be offered clothes, jewelries and everything else you can or cannot imagine.

6. Take a rest in one of the parks
Flee the city’s pollution and massive heat and sit under the trees in Bangr Weogo Park.

Fruit in the Grand Marché of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

7. Go see and/or buy crafts at the Village Artisanal
There are numerous craft markets all over the city. During the dry season, arts festivals like the SIAO complement the experience.

8. Go visit the sculptures in the open-air museum of Loango
If you have a car, drive out of the city and visit the huge open-air gallery with stone sculptures near the town of Ziniaré. International artists come and create their artworks directly on site, integrated into the landscape.

9. See an opera at the opera village
It is not yet finished, but we got a glimpse of what it will look like. Inspired by the famous German director Christoph Schlingensief, it will be an opera surrounded by an arts school, studios, a sports area and residences. The architect, Francis Kéré, a Burkinabe (native of Burkina Faso), studied and taught architecture in Germany and now brings his knowledge back to Burkina Faso and other African countries. In addition to the opera village, he has built schools and training centers.

Having a beer at Jardin de l’amitié of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

10. Have a beer at Jardin de l’amitié
The Jardin de l’amitié is a culture park with artists offering their drawings, and a café with a very relaxing atmosphere. At night, bands play and percussionists come together to offer performances.

The article above is part of a series on on the pocketvillage blog called Ela’s Interative West Africa Travel. Ela Schaffart is a 26-year-old documentary filmmaker from Stuttgart, Germany, who is currently working in Cameroon on a film project with the small local organization called ASYOUSED (Assembly of Youths for Sustainable Environment and Development). She will produce several small clips about environmental education, including topics such as waste management, tree cutting, overexploitation and poaching of rare species. Ela slow travelled to Cameroon and the blog series documents her travel, letting reader choose what Ela should do next.

Continue reading this article on the pocketvillage blog