Must See Nigeria - Kano

At nearly 1000 years old, the mud-walled Muslim city of Kano is the oldest city in West Africa and sits on the edge of the Sahel (the fringe of the Sahara). Although it's a bustling hive of commercial activity it's still more bearable than Lagos. Its main attraction is the Old City.

Despite the near-complete disintegration of the city walls, the gates have remained intact. The Kofar Mata Gate leads to the Emir's palace and Central Mosque. The mosque is closed to non-Islamic visitors but is worth seeing from the outside, especially during the Friday prayer time (around noon).

Next to the mosque, which attracts up to 50,000 worshippers, is the huge mud-walled Emir's palace, an outstanding example of Hausa architecture. Next door is the Gidan Makama Museum, built in the 15th century and now completely restored and well worth the visit. The Kofar Mata indigo-dye pits, the oldest in Africa, are still operational. The ancient Kurmi Market is a maze of alleyways and stinking lanes but bargains can be found here with some effort.