Nigeria has long been one of Africa’s most dynamic cultural destinations, and the global art world will be paying close attention as a major institution unveils its first phase this November in the western province of Edo. Following the repatriation of looted Benin Bronze statues and other valuables from European and American collections, the long-awaited arrival of the Museum of West African Art in Benin City is a milestone event, celebrating the restoration of lost cultural heritage. Designed by Adjaye Associates, led by famed Ghanaian British architect David Adjaye, the campus will include a Rainforest Gallery with 15,000 square feet of gallery space, an Art Guesthouse for visiting creatives, and an Artisans Hall that spotlights craft traditions from the region. While this museum’s opening may anoint Benin City as a buzzy new destination for art pilgrimages, Lagos, a 90-minute flight away, has long been a cultural capital in its own right. Each year the city hosts festivals that celebrate creativity and culture, including the Art X Lagos fair, the banner event on the calendar, and electrifying music events like the Lagos International Jazz Festival in April and the one-week Fela Kuti Felabration at the New Africa shrine every October. And there are new lodgings that will soon call the city home: In early 2025 Hyatt Regency will debut in the thriving commercial hub of Ikeja, followed by the plush Koko Beach Resort Ilashe Lagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, which will open its doors on Ilashe beach. In addition to a new Radisson hotel in Benin City gearing up to welcome travelers next year, the brand is set to open new properties in Abuja and Lagos. Flying to Lagos will also get easier courtesy of Delta Airlines, which revives its daily service from New York City in December, complementing its existing flights from Atlanta. Meanwhile, Nigerian carrier Air Peace, which launched a route to London Gatwick this March, also plans to debut flights to New York and Houston by the end of 2024.
How to plan it: United and Delta fly direct to Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed Airport from Washington, DC, and Atlanta; Delta flies direct from New York. From December to February, warm weather in regions like Lagos and Calabar make for a great time to explore the beach, vibrant cultural festivals, and city life. —Harriet Akinyi
Seychelles
Go for: island hopping with a side of beach soccer
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