Colonial Waterfront Streets

Inhambane's colonial streets retain an atmosphere that much of Mozambique has lost in the decades since independence. The old town — a loose grid between the cathedral, the waterfront, and the market — is lined with 19th and early 20th-century buildings: wide verandas, wrought-iron balconies, faded plasterwork in ochres and blues, trees growing through cracked pavements.

The best walk is along the waterfront road from the dhow harbour toward the cathedral, then inland through the market to the main square. The central market sells fresh fish, cashews, coconuts, and grilled street food. Most of the interesting buildings are unmapped and unlabelled — the pleasure is in wandering and noticing. Bring water; the streets offer little shade in the midday heat.

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A story
Inhambane was one of the earliest Portuguese settlements on the East African coast and served as a major slave-trading port in the 18th and 19th centuries. The grand houses with their high ceilings and shuttered windows were built partly on the profits of that trade. The cashew and mango trees that now line the streets were planted by Portuguese settlers — the cashew tree itself was introduced to Africa from Brazil by the Portuguese, and Mozambique is now one of the world's largest cashew producers.