Africa / Madagascar
Places to go. A little room to wander.
THE SHORTLIST
Antananarivo
The palace of the prime minister during the reigns of the last queens is now a museum with an exhibition of precious items saved from the fire of the Rova in 1995, such as the red jacket of Radama I, the royal coral jewels, various royal portraits and the diadem of the last queen.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Antananarivo
Royal palace complex and former residence of the rulers of the Merina Kingdom. A cab ride (or very long walk) from the hotel district, but be warned that it has been severely fire damaged by suspected arson in the late 1990s, and only the stone shell remains, together with some outbuildings, statues and a chapel (the latter rebuilt with American money). Inte and then native Tana guides (usually university students with good English or French) may give a good account of the Rova's features in return for a gratuity.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Antananarivo
A lane and main shopping street with several hotels, restaurants and offices. There is a nearby national monument that commemorates the events of the Malagasy Uprising against French colonial rule in 1947.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
Regional outing · 16 km from Antananarivo (straight line)
Located on more than 3 hectares of plants, trees and flowers of Madagascar. You can watch the crocodiles, 80 other species of animals (turtles, snakes, lemurs...) and the smallest chameleon in the world. The best time to see crocodiles in action is during feeding time. And for the brave, the Croc'Farm restaurant preparing several crocodile meat dishes and favorite dish is the "Croc burger". As the park also breeding crocodile for leather goods, you'll find in the shop belts, bags but also the Malagasy crafts.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
A note before you go. Treat Croc Farm as a separate regional outing from Antananarivo. Arrange the outward and return journey before adding another visit on that day. The suggested days are an editable grouping, not a timed tour. Visit allowances exclude transfers, meals and queues; confirm the exact entrance and current visiting arrangements for Croc Farm before setting off.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. Suggested days and time allowances are editorial starting points. Check the linked visitor information for opening hours, access, and reservations.
BEFORE YOU SET OFF
The city centre is focused on Avenue de L'Independence. Restaurants and shops line both sides of the road and it's the place to go if you want to visit a restaurant or decent cafe, including a good pizzeria and a take-away pizza restaurant. There are also internet cafes and photo-printing facilities. There are three main methods of navigating the capital: taxi, bus and on foot. Taxis are preferred by most tourists and can be found easily. There are no meters, agree the rate with the driver before entering the taxi. You can bargain.
Prime Minister's Palace and Rova are about 0.3 km apart in a straight line. Use the route link to compare the actual streets or transport connections before putting both in the same morning; the measurement is not a walking distance or a transfer estimate.
A LITTLE STRUCTURE. ROOM FOR DISCOVERY.
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Geographic reference: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0.
This city guide includes selected, abridged material by Wikivoyage contributors, adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted guide text is available under the same license; photographs and website design retain their separate terms. Selected and abridged reference descriptions; operational prices and timetables omitted. Elsewhere added the shortlist, geographic grouping and planning notes.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. It is community-edited background, not firsthand reporting or a live opening-hours service.
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