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Capital and chief port of Mozambique

Maputo

Maputo is the capital and largest city of Mozambique.

Plan a trip to Maputo→From Mpaka

Located near the southern end of the country, it is within 120 kilometres of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. The city has a population of 1,088,449 distributed over a land area of 347.69 km2 (134.24 sq mi). The Maputo metropolitan area includes the neighbouring city of Matola, and has a total population of 2,717,437. Maputo is a port city, with an economy centered on commerce. It is noted for its vibrant cultural scene and distinctive, eclectic architecture. Maputo was named Lourenço Marques until 1976.

Get in

Getting to Maputo

  1. 01
    Maputo

    Most international flights to Mozambique use Maputo's airport.

  2. 02
    Maputo

    One of the grandest stations southern Africa, this Neoclassical terminus was completed in 1916.

See

Worth seeing

A recommended walk is along Avenida Julius Nyerere. Start from the Hotel Cardoso or Natural History Museum along R Mutemba to Nyerere then left (north) to the Polana Hotel. Boutiques, restaurants, curio vendors, video stores, etc. to be seen in the relatively-upscale Polana neighborhood.

  1. 01
    Maputo Fortress

    Remains of a Portuguese fortress, built in 1785.

  2. 02
    Tunduru Botanical Gardens

    A very pretty (albeit small) botanical garden.

  3. 03
    Maputo City Hall
  4. 04
    Mercado Central

    The Mercado Central in the Baixa district has fresh fish, crabs, calamari, fruits and vegetables, and many household staples.

  5. 05
    Praça dos Trabalhadores
Do

Things to do

Visit some beautiful beaches, such as Catembe and Ponta d'Ouro. It is very jovial in these atmospheres and are generally safe, but beware of pickpocketing and avoid bringing valuables with you on a beach stroll. Ponta D'Ouro and Ponta Malongane have some beautiful scuba-diving spots, with either campsites or chalets right on the beach. Take in a wedding. Beautiful tribal singing and women ululating.

Eat

Where to eat

The local cuisine is a mixture of African, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and Indian/Pakistani cuisine. All these different cuisines are served at various areas in the city. Any number of small cafes serve simple dishes and juices that are affordable. Unless you are adventurous, stay away from most roadside stalls especially if they are serving meat.

  1. 01
    Cantinho do Brasil

    A good place to enjoy a snack, good coffee and good internet.

  2. 02
    Mercado Janeta

    Many food stalls inside the market with a standard roster of dishes, consisting of a lot of starch, a piece of meat, and a lot of sauce.

  3. 03
    Mamma Mia

    Avenida dos Mártires da Machava (Parque dos Continuadores), toll-free: +258 84 410 5524.

  4. 04
    Mimmos

    Tuesday features half-price pizza (takeout only) and commensurately long waits.

  5. 05
    Piri Piri

    Serves grilled chicken and also very good prawns.

How locals move

Getting around Maputo the local way

  • Get inThere is a minivan/taxi from Manzini to Maputo.
  • Get aroundYango is a popular app to order taxis / moto-taxis or tuk-tuks and probably the best choice in town.
  • Get around"Tuk-Tuks" are also a great way to see the city.
  • Get aroundThe minibuses are always packed far beyond their originally intended capacity, seats are frequently broken, and many travelers have to stand up while riding, though there are no handrails or appropriate places to hang on like in a larger bus.
  • Go nextTake the short ferry ride across the bay to visit Catembe.
  • Go nextDay trips out to Inhaca are easy to do on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
  • Go nextJust catch the local ferry at 07:30 and after a couple of hours you will arrive close to Inhaca.
  • Go nextThe ferry leaves from the same ferry at about 15:00.

From Wikivoyage: Maputo, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.