Travel Guide Fianarantsoa

Located 415 kilometers from Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa, literally "The city where good is learned", is the gateway to the south. Royal capital of the Betsileos sovereigns, this historical city became in 1830 the administrative capital of the region by the will of the colonial administration. Rather large, spread out on several levels and with about 200,000 inhabitants today, it does not present an obvious attraction, but conceals some architectural pearls, cottages of a moving beauty (especially in the colors of the late afternoon), as in the upper town which sheltered the old Rova. Let's bet that one day, this architecture (especially on the road to Ambalavao) will be classified as a World Heritage Site.Today, Fianarantsoa is an economic, cultural and religious center (it is one of the places of Madagascar where one finds the greatest number of churches per square meter), where the elegance of the Betsileo people will not escape you (a straw hat and a lamba draped on the shoulder, giving proud appearance). The traffic is rather fluid, some green spaces contribute to make the city a finally pleasant break on the RN 7, while waiting for a train to the east coast. The big market of Anjoma is held here on Fridays. Don't miss to get closer to the association of guides, whose head office is Chez Domm (nowadays at Deckie's actually), they will be of a great help to organize you excursions in the (superb) surroundings of Fianarantsoa.