Three days is enough to get a real feel for Dakar without wearing yourself out. This is the itinerary I give friends.
Day 1: Île de Gorée and Plateau
Take the morning ferry to Île de Gorée (20 minutes from the port). See the Maison des Esclaves, walk the streets, have lunch at one of the small beach restaurants, then ferry back mid-afternoon.
Late afternoon, walk Plateau: Place de l'Indépendance, the exterior of the Presidential Palace, and the Cathédrale du Souvenir Africain. Finish with a drink on the Corniche as the light goes.
Day 2: Markets, museums, mbalax
Start at Marché Sandaga, Dakar's biggest market — go early, it's overwhelming by mid-morning. Lunch at Chez Loutcha for thieboudienne. Afternoon at the IFAN Museum, which holds the best ethnographic collection in West Africa.
Evening: live mbalax at Just 4 U, or Thiossane (Youssou N'Dour's club) if you can get a table. Music starts late — 11pm onwards.
Day 3: Beaches and the Renaissance Monument
Head west to Ouakam for the African Renaissance Monument (the 49m bronze) and the surf beaches at the foot of the cliffs. Lunch at La Calebasse in Almadies, then the afternoon at Plage de Yoff or Ngor, where a small boat (XOF 500) runs across to car-free Ngor Island.
Getting around
Use the Yango or Heetch ride-hail apps — fares across the city run XOF 1,500–4,500, and you set the destination in the app, which sidesteps the language barrier. Yellow taxis work too, but agree the price before you get in.
Where to stay
Almadies is the easy first-timer base — beachside, good restaurants, ten minutes from the airport. Plateau puts you next to the Gorée ferry and the museums. Ngor is quieter and more local.
When to go
November to February is the sweet spot — dry, warm, low humidity, with Harmattan mornings cool enough for a jacket north of the city.
Want the full picture? The Dakar travel guide covers neighbourhoods, restaurants and music venues in depth, and the Senegal holidays guide helps you build Dakar into a longer trip.