Ouémé Department · Benin
Porto-Novo travel guide
Porto-Novo is a city in Ouémé Department, Benin, home to about 234,000 people.
- Best months
- August
- Nearest airport
- COO29 km · Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Porto-Novo
- Language
- French
About
About Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo is the capital and second-largest city of Benin. The commune covers an area of 52 square kilometres (20 sq mi) and as of 2013 had a population of 264,320 people.
It is an easy one-hour car ride from Cotonou, and only 20 minutes from the beach. Porto-Novo, named by the Portuguese in the 1500s, still shows significant Portuguese influence. For its size, Porto-Novo has quite of bit of culture and tourist attractions. Ouando, a district 3 km north of the city center, has a large market and pretty good nightlife.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Porto-Novo
See
The unique and perhaps most colorful building in West Africa is the 19th century Brazilian style church now converted into a mosque. A must-see.
- Ethnographical Museum of Porto Novo
- Honmé Museum
- Jardin Place Jean Bayol
- Governor's Palace
- Museé da Silva
- Celestial Church of Christ's Headquarters
- Lycée Behanzin
- Great Mosque of Porto-Novo
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Porto-Novo
1 hotel within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Résidences Ouadada | 2.1 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Porto-Novo
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Porto-Novo are August. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; June is the wettest, with about 301 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Porto-Novo: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO), about 29 km from the city centre in a straight line; Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS, 79 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Although its capital of Benin, you must fly in to Cotonou and take a taxi to Porto Novo. Minibuses and taxis go to Cotonou regularly and are cheap for the 45-minute trip). You will most likely end up at the big market Dantopka in Cotonou unless you choose to descend somewhere before that. It can be quite intimidating getting out there especially in peak times. You will be immediately surrounded with people wanting to give you rides. They will grab your bags and start to usher you to their moto or car, so make sure you have a good handle on things before stepping out of the car.
Getting around
Traffic isn't overwhelming as in Cotonou. However, like Cotonou, the best way and easiest way to see Porto Novo is by zemidjan.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
COO · Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport
LOS · Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Questions
Porto-Novo: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Porto-Novo?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Porto-Novo are August. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; June is the wettest, with about 301 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Porto-Novo?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO), about 29 km from the city centre in a straight line; Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS, 79 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Porto-Novo?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Porto-Novo
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.