What to see and do in the Médina
The Great Mosque of Dakar. On the edge of the Plateau, on allée Pape Gueye Fall, the Great Mosque is the landmark of the whole district: its minaret, nearly seventy metres high, can be seen from afar. Inaugurated in 1964 by King Hassan II of Morocco and President Léopold Sédar Senghor, it bears the stamp of Moroccan craftsmanship. On Fridays the faithful spill out into the neighbouring streets: watch discreetly.
Tilène market. It stretches for several blocks along avenue Blaise-Diagne, on the very spot where the Médina was founded. Fruit and vegetables outside; inside, spices, kitchenware, second-hand clothes, jewellery and above all fabric, from wax to bazin. A market for Dakar’s residents, not for visitors: that is its whole appeal. Our page on Dakar’s iconic markets sets it alongside its big neighbours.
The tailors. Once you have chosen your fabric, just cross the street: the Médina and neighbouring Gueule Tapée are lined with tailors’ shops that make boubous, two-piece outfits or shirts to measure in a few days. Before the major festivals, the machines run day and night.
Wrestling. The neighbouring district of Fass is one of the cradles of Senegalese wrestling in Dakar: you will come across wrestling stables, and in the evenings neighbourhood tournaments, the mbapatt, where future champions make their name. To understand the national sport from the inside, nothing beats a coached taster session.
Music. A district of artists, the Médina is where Youssou N’Dour, the global voice of mbalax, grew up; it remains home to musicians and dancers, the natural setting for a drumming or dance workshop.
Soumbédioune, Gueule Tapée and Fass: the Médina’s neighbours
To be precise: Gueule Tapée and Fass are not part of the Médina. Together with Colobane, they form a neighbouring municipality, Gueule Tapée-Fass-Colobane, which runs down to the Corniche Ouest. The name Gueule Tapée comes from a small lizard with a red-spotted throat, as if wounded. The bay of Soumbédioune, “between the Médina and Gueule Tapée”, falls administratively within this neighbouring municipality, even if people readily associate it with the Médina in everyday speech.
Soumbédioune is worth the detour in the late afternoon, when the pirogues come back and the fish is landed on the beach: grouper, threadfin, sole, prawns. Women grill your purchase on the spot. Right next door, on the Corniche, the craft village brings together sculptors, leatherworkers, jewellers and basket-makers; the Soumbédioune tunnel has made it less visible from the road. Be careful about swimming, however: the bay receives water from the city’s canals and is not meant for bathing.
When to go
From November to May, the dry season makes walking pleasant; during the rainy season (hivernage), July to October, the heat is heavy and some streets turn muddy after a storm. On Fridays, avoid driving near the Great Mosque in the early afternoon. During the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), from 31 October to 13 November 2026, the Iba-Mar-Diop complex on avenue Blaise-Diagne hosts events: expect heavier traffic.
Getting there and around
From the Plateau, walk north. From elsewhere in Dakar, give the taxi one of two landmarks every driver knows, “Grande Mosquée” or “marché Tilène”, and agree the fare before you get in. From the airport, the TER drops you at Dakar station, a few minutes away by taxi. Once there, forget the car: the numbered streets are far better explored on foot.
Practical tips
Covered clothing, closed shoes, small notes in cash. At the market, prices are always up for discussion, with a smile. Ask before photographing anyone, and keep your phone out of sight in the crowd. To plan your day around prayers, check the prayer times in Dakar.
Nearby
The Médina pairs well with the Plateau and the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art, then with Gorée Island, another, darker chapter of history. Further north-east, the Hann Forest and Zoological Park offers a green break. For the bigger picture: our Dakar page and the three-day Dakar itinerary.
Book an activity in the Médina with QFS
To discover the district, start with the guided cultural tours. To get hands-on, try Senegalese cooking classes, drumming workshops, African dance classes, Senegalese wrestling, crafts & traditional skills and dyeing, textiles & sewing. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day. For the district itself there are no additional official fees; any official fee (a museum, the Gorée ferry) is payable on site and not included in the price. If you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the district called Médina?
Founded in 1914, the village was meant to be called Ponty-Ville. El Hadji Malick Sy named it Médina, after Medina, the second holy city of Islam.
Can you visit the Great Mosque of Dakar?
It is best appreciated from the outside first, from allée Pape Gueye Fall. To get closer, come outside prayer times, in covered clothing, ideally with a guide.
Is Soumbédioune part of the Médina?
Not administratively: the bay falls within the neighbouring municipality of Gueule Tapée-Fass-Colobane. But it is just a stone’s throw away, and you can visit both on the same day.
Can you have an outfit made during your stay?
Yes: buy the fabric at Tilène market and take it to a tailor in the district. Allow several days, more before the festivals.
Do you need a guide to visit the Médina?
You can wander on your own, but a local guide opens up the courtyards, the workshops and the history, and spares you constant solicitation.
How much time should you allow?
Half a day for the Great Mosque and Tilène market; a full day with Soumbédioune and a workshop.
