Capital of the Ivory Coast from 1893 to 1896, at the time of French colonial domination, Grand Bassam has been a UNESCO heritage site since 2012, thanks to the splendid colonial-style residences overlooking the Gulf of Guinea that shape its urban fabric.

This town, which today is one of the most popular and lively destinations in the Ivory Coast, has experienced a period of great splendor in the past; it was in fact the first French settlement in West Africa and capital of the colony, with large villas with spacious terraces, decorated verandas and precious fixtures. The main attraction of the city lies in its particular atmosphere: a decadent aura, placed as a seal of an illustrious past. Of the colonial buildings, some have been carefully restored, while others, abandoned to the wear and tear of time, have lost their polish, but have acquired an indisputable charm and that particular recognition that has made the city famous, not only as a renowned seaside resort.