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The capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo meaning ‘city of a thousand’, was founded in 1625 by King Andrianjaka and takes its name from the number of soldiers assigned to guard it. At 1400 metres above sea level and located in the centre of the country, ‘Tana’ has an interesting mix of Asian, African and European culture as well as maintaining a distinctly Malagasy flavour. Built on a series of hills, the city was captured by the French in 1885 and today is a fascinating mix of cobbled streets, rice paddy fields and busy market stalls. Although steep in places, the city is a fascinating place to wander around; you will discover art shops, craft boutiques, the President’s Palace and the ruins of the Rova, the former Queen’s Palace which burnt down in 1995.


Located south of the capital, Antsirabe is a delightful colonial spa town and which still boasts a faded grandeur from its glory days of the past. The baths are still here and hundreds of people a day still visit to bath in the hot spring waters. This bustling town has pleasant tree-line boulevards and colour is added from the busy markets and many passing tradesman.