Luanda

Luanda Province is Angola's smallest by area (about 18,826 km²) but by far its most densely populated, centred on Luanda city — the national capital, largest city, main seaport, and administrative, industrial, and cultural centre of the country, with a metro-area population above 8 million. Luanda city was founded in January 1576 by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda and became the administrative seat of colonial Angola in 1627; for centuries it was also a major outlet for the trans-Atlantic slave trade to Brazil. The province's geography is a narrow coastal plain giving way to tableland cut by the Kwanza River and smaller coastal streams. Since independence in 1975, and especially after the end of the civil war in 2002, Luanda has grown rapidly as Angola's oil-fuelled economic centre.

May to October is the dry season and the best time for travel. November to April is the rainy season.

Roads connect the main towns. Buses and shared taxis operate between major centres. A 4x4 is recommended for rural areas.

• Fortaleza de São Miguel — the 16th-century Portuguese fortress overlooking Luanda Bay, among the city's oldest colonial structures.
• Ilha do Cabo (Ilha de Luanda) — the sand-spit peninsula enclosing Luanda Bay, known for its beaches and waterfront restaurants.
• Marginal de Luanda — the redeveloped bayfront promenade along the city's harbour.

Angolan cuisine features funge (cassava porridge), moamba de galinha (chicken stew), grilled fish, and fresh tropical fruits.

Angolan culture blends African traditions with Portuguese colonial influences. Music includes semba, kizomba, and kuduro.

• Walking the Fortaleza de São Miguel's ramparts for views over Luanda Bay.
• Spending an evening on the Ilha do Cabo, Luanda's beach-and-restaurant peninsula.
• Tracing the city's four-and-a-half centuries of history, from its 1576 founding through the slave-trade era to today's oil-driven boom.