What to Do in Dakar Between Christmas and New Year

The week between Christmas and New Year is one of the quietest of the year in Dakar: many offices close or cut their hours, traffic eases up a little, and some venues, museums included, adjust their opening hours without always announcing it far in advance. It is a good week to slow down, as long as hours are checked before heading out. A typical day in Point E can follow that slower pace: Ethiopian breakfast at Ge'eza from 8am to 11am, a stop at the gallery, then a coffee ceremony in the mid afternoon.

A city running at a slower pace

Between December 25 and January 1, many offices and some businesses cut their hours or close entirely, and plenty of Dakar residents use the week to visit family outside the capital. The result, for anyone staying in the city, is a more breathable place, with lighter traffic than usual on several routes. It is often the ideal week to visit places that reward a slower pace, without the pressure of rush-hour traffic on an ordinary weekday.

Museums, on variable hours

Museums and cultural venues in Dakar may adjust their hours during this particular week, not always visible far ahead on their official pages. The Museum of Black Civilisations, open since 2018 and devoted to African civilisations and the diaspora, remains a reference point for anyone using a quieter day for a longer visit; our article on the Museum of Black Civilisations gives general background on its mission. Before heading over between Christmas and New Year, a call or an online check avoids a wasted trip.

A typical day in Point E

For a day built around Point E, Ge'eza offers a pace that suits this slower week well. In the morning, from 8am to 11am, Ethiopian breakfast (foul, chechebsa, genfo, enqulal tibs) sets a calm tone for the day; our article on Ethiopian breakfast covers each dish and its price. Around midday, a stop at the gallery, open without an appointment during the restaurant's hours, leaves time to take in the works currently on show. Later in the afternoon, a coffee ceremony, at 7,000 F per person, over about forty-five minutes, closes the day with a slower ritual: beans roasted in a pan, the three rounds, Abol, Tona and Baraka, and house-made dabo.

No Ge'eza event is announced for this week

No Ge'eza event is scheduled specifically for the week between Christmas and New Year at the time of writing. The restaurant, the gallery and the concept store keep their usual hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm, closed on Mondays, outside the public holidays themselves, whose opening is best checked on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07.

A Sunday within that week

If the week includes a Sunday, that day keeps its own place in Dakar's rhythm, with more shops closed than on a weekday and meals that run longer. Our article on Sunday in Dakar covers how to plan that particular day, useful too when it falls during the week between the two holidays.

Falling between the two holidays, that particular Sunday often sees fewer visitors out and about than a typical weekend, since many families are still occupied with their own gatherings. That makes it a good day for a longer breakfast or lunch without the usual wait for a table, especially somewhere with outdoor seating where the slower morning light can be enjoyed at length.

It is also a day when plans can be made more loosely than usual. Without the pressure of a packed weekend schedule, a visit to the gallery, a walk along the coast and a late lunch can all fit into one unhurried day, something that is harder to pull off during a normal working week.

Enjoying quieter shops and markets

This particular week also has an upside for anyone who enjoys markets and craft shops: with fewer tourists around and many residents away visiting family, usually busy spots can be visited at a slower pace. It is a good chance to take time looking around, ask makers questions, or wander through a market without feeling rushed, a contrast with the busier mood of the days running directly up to December 24.

A week to explore beyond the usual neighbourhood

For anyone living in Dakar year round, the week between the two holidays is also a good moment to step outside the usual routine and visit a neighbourhood not normally on the list. Lighter traffic makes journeys more predictable, which makes it easier to head further from the centre without losing a large part of the day to the usual congestion.

Planning ahead despite the calm

Even with the city running slower, some popular spots stay in high demand during this week, especially in the evening. For a meal at Ge'eza, it is best to book on the reservation page, especially in the evening, rather than counting on a table being free without notice.