Maputo Flights:
Flights to Maputo
Mozambique’s capital and largest city is Maputo, in the south of the country, located on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Maputo is a busy city yet it still has some beaches, and a great assortment of architecture that reflects the many cultures that have been associated with Maputo over the centuries.
Flights to Maputo arrive at the Maputo International Airport (airport code: MPM), which is also still known as the Lourenco Marques Airport, and it is just 3 kilometres outside of the city. Airline service is limited, but you do have two options for non-stop flights to Maputo from Johannesburg. Flying with either South African Airways or Linhas Aereas de Mocambique takes only around one hour. You can also get a direct flight to Maputo from Cape Town with South African Express, or from Durban with Airlink.
Book a Flight To Maputo:
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The Tourist Attractions of Maputo:
Being right near the border with South Africa you’re going to see plenty of South African influence when you visit Maputo, but there are still many remnants from the Portuguese colonisation and the Bantu culture, as well as hints of other cultures including Indian, Chinese and Arab, so Maputo really is a melting pot. This makes a visit to the city interesting if nothing else, as you’ll have many different cuisines to try out, and a mixture of different architectural styles to see.
Colonial Architecture of Maputo
Maputo’s colonial architecture is the main attraction for many visitors, and includes work by Gustav Eiffel. The Railway Station is a major landmark and looks as though it could be the work of Eiffel himself though in fact this grand and ornate building was designed by a team of three other French architects, and was built between 1913 and 1916. A building that Gustav Eiffel did design is known as the House of Steel, or sometimes as the Iron House. It was designed specifically for the governor of Maputo in 1892, but it was unbearably hot inside and so the governor never actually moved in!
Maputo Cathedral is one of the Portuguese built churches in the city, though it striking architecture may be far from what you would expect. It’s quite a modern looking cathedral, and officially named the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1944 to serve the Roman Catholic population of the city.
One of the oldest buildings in Maputo is the Portuguese built fortress with architecture typical of Portuguese fortresses of the time. You can visit the fort as it’s home to a military museum.
Tunduru Gardens
The small botanical Tunduru Gardens are a popular attraction in Maputo, because although the gardens are small they are very attractive and provide quite an oasis from the city. They were designed by a British gardener named Thomas Honney in 1885, and include mature trees as well as plants and flowers. Another feature of the gardens are tennis courts!
National Museum of Art
Maputo also has several museums worth visiting including the National Museum of Art which ahs some very good exhibits on Mozambican art. There is also the Museum of the Revolution, and the Money Museum to visit.
When Should You Visit?:
Hot all year round is the defining characteristic of the weather in Maputo; though during the winter the temperatures are comfortable, with average highs between 24 and 27C. Winter is the driest time of year too, so this a good time to visit. The rainy season lasts between November and March and the hottest month of the year is February with an average high of 31C.