How to Visit Elmina Castle (and what else to do around town)

Stop for a night or two in the bustling town of Elmina to take a tour of Elmina Castle, the largest castle used for slaveholding in Ghana.

Elmina began as a Portuguese gold trading post in the 1400s. Elmina Castle was named Sao Jorge da Mina, (St. Geroge of the Mine), after the patron saint of Portugal. Later, this became El Mina (‘the mine’), and now simply “Elmina.”

The town has plenty of resorts and hotels dotting the coastline for beautiful beach views. However, the lack of sanitation facilities (or their use) by some neighboring communities can make the water unsafe to swim in. Plan to stay at an accommodation with a pool just in case.

We were a little disenchanted by Elmina when we visited. Lonely Planet’s description promised a small, charming fishing town. Charming is the wrong word. It’s a busy town and has a lot of activity and a huge market.

Visiting Elmina Castle

Elmina Castle

Elmina Castle was built in 1482 by Portuguese traders originally to protect their gold trade. The castle is the oldest building built by the Europeans south of the Sahara. It was captured by the Dutch in 1637 and served the Dutch slave trade with Brazil and the Caribbean.

The Dutch West Indies Company sent 30,000 slaves a year through Elmina’s door of no return until slave trading was abolished by the Dutch in 1814. You will find out more about the horrific conditions the slaves endured during your informative tour.

In the late 1800s, the British took control of Elmina Castle. It has since been used as a training center for Ghanaian police recruits and a school. Currently, the castle is a UNESCO heritage site and historical museum.

The site can only be visited with an official tour guide, provided with your entry ticket. The tour took about an hour and cost about USD 7. Our tour took place on the hour, at 10am.

How long should you stay in Elmina?

You can either divide between Cape Coast or Elmina (1-2 nights each) or plan to stay in one city and just visit the other for a day trip. In November 2019, we did one night in Cape Coast and 2 nights in Elmina.

If you’re really short on time, you can visit the castles in 2 nights. Visit Cape Coast Castle on the day you arrive and Elmina Castle the next day, then you can go on to your next destination.

How to get to Elmina

A minibus ride between Accra and Elmina takes around 3 hours. You can take a “VIP” bus, STC bus, or a minibus.

The STC busses are government-run intercity buses. Check the timetable and don’t expect to leave on time. The site boasts that you can buy tickets online or on the app. However, you may need to transfer in Cape Coast or take a taxi from there to Elmina.

We took a minibus to Cape Coast first. It dropped us along the side of the road before it continued along the coast to Elmina. Check with the bus driver to see how far the bus will go when you get on.

We took a taxi to get from Cape Coast to Elmina. The ride is 20 minutes.

Other Things to do in Elmina

Elmina Fish Market

Walk around the Fish Market and check out the shore to see thousands of fish drying in the sun.

Putter around town

Walk to the Dutch Cemetery and St. Joseph’s Minor Basilica. The Basilica has great views over Elmina. Also, stop by the Ahomka Fie Fort.

Take a stroll along the beach

Catch a beautiful sunset and check out the drying fish along the coast at Elmina.

Get a drink at Akomapa Guesthouse

Akomapa Guesthouse is just along the coast. They have a cool bar set up and a performance space. It seemed dead when we visited but someone came out and we got a beer! They host art events and performances but you’ll need to check it out in person to confirm. Akomapa Guesthouse is also a cheap lodging option!

Where to eat in Elmina

We didn’t encounter many places to eat in November 2019. Rather, we chose to eat at our lodgings (The Beach House, more on that below). It seems that most hotels also operate as restaurants for tourists.

Coconut Grove Bridgehouse— Here you can watch the fishing boats enter the cove into Elmina. The guesthouse has a perfect balcony for sighting the world flags on the fishing boats. Coconut Grove also has good food.

Acommodation

There are plenty of hotels, resorts, and guesthouses along Elmina’s coast.

The Beach House—a very pleasant guest house with ocean views. Food is great and is served on the rooftop. No pool. We stayed here in November 2019. It’s about a 20-minute walk along the coast to Elmina.

Lemon Beach Resort—stay in your own little bungalow with views of the ocean and a huge pool. We saw this from The Beach House and it looked really nice.

Practical advice for visiting Elmina

Be warned that we witnessed a lot of open defecation (right up onto the ocean) while we were walking along the beach and so I recommend avoiding the water. And definitely do not swim in it. However, you can plan to stay at a hotel with a pool if you want to take a dip in the water.

Done with the Elmina Travel Guide? Think about combo-ing your Ghana trip with a visit to Togo!