Saint-Louis sits where the Senegal River meets the sea, four hours north of Dakar. The old core — a long, thin island linked to the mainland by the Pont Faidherbe — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: peeling colonial facades, art galleries, and one of West Africa's best jazz festivals every May.
What to see
The Pont Faidherbe is a Gustave Eiffel design and worth crossing on foot. The Musée du CRDS covers the city's history. Langue de Barbarie National Park, the thin sandbar across the river mouth, is a serious bird sanctuary.
When to come
May, for the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival — one of Africa's biggest — if you can book ahead. Otherwise December–February for cool, dry weather.