With colonial Mediterranean-style architecture, a seafront with wide avenues, hotels, cafes, restaurants and a bustling cultural scene, Maputo is one of Africa's most attractive and charming capitals. Founded in 1782 as Lourenço Marques, it was renamed Maputo after Mozambican national independence in 1976, a decision by then President Samora Machel. After Portugal rule, the city received an intense migratory flow, due to the civil war waged in the interior of the country (1976-1992) and the lack of infrastructure in rural areas.
Visiting Maputo is essential for understanding Mozambique (and Africa), albeit in a brief stop before heading to the northern beaches. The Maputo Railway Station, built between 1913 and 1916, is one of the most important colonial buildings on the continent and a trademark of Maputo. Museums should not be underestimated, as well as Ilha da Inhaca, Maputo Special Reserve and Machangulo Nature Reserve, ecological sanctuaries close to the capital.