A quiet island with a heavy history
Gorée is a small island a short ferry ride from Dakar, with pastel colonial houses, bougainvillea and no cars. From the 15th to the 19th century it was a trading post for European powers, and it has become a symbol of the Atlantic slave trade. The Maison des Esclaves, the House of Slaves, with its Door of No Return facing the sea, is the most visited site. The island also has the Castel, a rocky plateau with old gun emplacements, a historical museum in the fort and artists' studios.