Travel Guide Gaborone

Gaborone, or Gabs for the regulars, is the political, economic and administrative capital of Botswana. It is booming. You can be sure that between two visits, new malls, businesses and neighbourhoods will have come to fill the empty spaces of this sprawling city. Keep in mind that, with about 250,000 inhabitants, it is still the size of a medium-sized provincial town, although it stretches 15 km from east to west. Gabs is rarely at the top of Botswana's list of places to see. Without a historical or cultural centre, it appears to the visitor as a collection of unconnected and soulless neighbourhoods. However, as the country's largest city, it has attractions that justify a quick visit. For readers of McCall Smith's novels, of which Gaborone is the backdrop, a visit to the city is a must! The choice of accommodation has become much more diverse in recent years, and Gaborone now offers a wide range of establishments in all categories and for all budgets. However, it is advisable to make reservations, as hotels in the capital are often fully booked. Restaurants have also multiplied, ranging from fast-food restaurants in malls to restaurants serving exotic specialities. As for the nightlife, it is not the most intense. Gaborone is still a young capital that suffers from the lack of a truly dynamic urban centre. Bars, gaming halls, cinemas and nightclubs are scattered throughout the city.