Lagos

Lagos, sprawling across islands and lagoon shores on Nigeria's Atlantic coast, is one of the largest and most dynamic cities in Africa and the beating cultural heart of the continent's most populous nation. A place of extraordinary energy, it is the powerhouse of Afrobeats music, Nollywood cinema and a thriving contemporary art and fashion scene, its life spilling across teeming markets, buzzing streets, glittering nightlife and stylish districts like Lekki and Victoria Island. Palm-fringed beaches line the ocean, from lively Tarkwa Bay to quieter shores, while galleries, music venues and street food capture the city's creative pulse. Chaotic, vibrant and utterly alive, Lagos is unforgettable.

What you actually see

• The beaches - Tarkwa Bay, Lekki and the Atlantic shores.
• The music and film - the Afrobeats and Nollywood scene.
• The markets - the teeming markets and street food.
• The art and nightlife - the galleries, fashion and nightlife of Lekki.

When to go

November to March, the drier and slightly cooler season, is the most comfortable for exploring the city and beaches, avoiding the heaviest rains; the city's music, art and nightlife pulse year-round, peaking in the festive December weeks when the diaspora returns and events fill the calendar. The dry months are best for the beaches.

Honest expectations

Lagos is huge, fast-paced and famously congested, so its notorious traffic and sheer intensity can be overwhelming, and getting around rewards local guidance and patience. As Africa's pulsing cultural powerhouse, the home of Afrobeats and Nollywood with beaches, art and irrepressible creative energy, though, Lagos is an exhilarating and unforgettable city for the open-minded traveller.

Nearby

The beaches of the Atlantic coast and the historic town of Badagry lie nearby.