Antananarivo holidays

Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar. Founded by King Andrianjaka in approximately 1625, it’s name means ‘The City of a Thousand Warriors’ after the soldiers that King Andrianjaka assigned to guard the city. Commonly referred to today as ‘Tana’, it is built on a Y-shaped granite mountain surrounded by rice fields. The Rova (royal fort) sits atop the highest point and houses a historical museum of the ancient Malagasy queens and kings. All trips generally begin and end in Tana, a city of tiered streets, with a maze of narrow alleys and stairs that crisscross the town and a jumble of houses that cover the steep slopes. Visit the Rova, which is being carefully restored, to enjoy the panorama over the rest of the city and wander the cobbled streets, which will take you to pretty churches, craft shops, top-end jewellers, traditional Malagasy restaurants, museums and the Presidential Palace