FreetownCapital
Sierra Leone · Country profile
Freetown is the crowded, dramatic capital of Sierra Leone, a city of West Africa that climbs the green mountains of the peninsula and spills along the long Atlantic beaches at their foot. It is the proud foundation of the freed slaves of the empire, a community that gave the city its name, its welcomed traditions and its famous warmth, and the oldest surviving settlement of the recaptured of the Atlantic world. The capital mixes the congested markets and the port of the historic harbour, the colonial churches, the cotton tree of the founders and the small museums of the national memory, with the paradise beaches and the wildlife of the coast around the peninsula. Loud, resilient and unstoppably friendly, Freetown is the beating, hopeful heart of its country.
About Freetown
Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone. The city's documented population is around 1,056,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +232.
The Peninsula Capital and the Cotton Tree of the Streets
Freetown is a teeming hillside capital where the central energy of the markets, the port and the famous beaches of the coast dominate the visitor’s days. The historic walk takes in the cotton tree of the centre, the national museum, the old houses of the freed community and the state house on the hill, while the peninsula beaches, from the golden crescents of the west to the coves of the south, supply the classic escape. The market of the city, the fish wharf and the famous octopus spots of the beach restaurants set the local rhythm, and the ferries of the port reach the nearby islands. It is a city of the legendary welcome, and its warmth turns the challenges of the daily traffic into a thoroughly human experience.
The Harmattan, the Rainy Season and the Ferry Boats of the Port
The climate is tropical with the dry season of the harmattan from the late autumn to the spring and the heavy rains of the summer, with the dry months the sensible window for the beaches and the interior. The leone is the currency, the English the language with the Krio running the streets, and the taxis, the ferries and the boat trips of the coast cover the movements of the region. The museum, the beaches of the peninsula and the chimpanzee sanctuary of the hills anchor the main days around the capital. The cash dominates the local payment, the mosquito repellent matters in the rainy season, and the light, bright dress suits the tropical heat of the city.
The National Museum, the Beaches and the Hill of the State House
The cotton tree memorial, the historic landmark under which the founding settlers of the city gathered, stands near the central museum and the colleges of the oldest free community of the continent. The national museum of the city preserves the artefacts of the peoples and the colonial era, while the state house and the churches of the hill of the centre complete the historic circuit. The beaches of the peninsula, the lumley and the famous river number two with its lagoon and its film-star shoreline, give the great escape of the capital, and the sanctuary of the Tacugama in the forest of the hills, caring for the chimpanzees of the region, completes the extraordinary range of the little city.
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- Country
- Sierra Leone
- Population
- 1,056,000
- Capital
- Freetown
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +232
- Country code
- SL
Entry requirements for Sierra Leone
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Sierra Leone for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone?
Yes — Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone.
What currency do I need in Freetown?
The local currency is the Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL). Languages spoken in Sierra Leone include English.
What is the dialling code for Sierra Leone?
The international dialling code for Sierra Leone is +232.
Do I need a visa to visit Sierra Leone?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Freetown? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.