Central Madagascar and the northwest coast

Antananarivo (known locally as Tana), is situated in the central part of the island of Madagascar. The city is dramatically set around three hills with a ridge, that rises to above 1400m, bisecting the city. The city was founded as a fortress in the early 17th century by the Merin rulers, and the Queens Palace that overlooked the city from the top of the ridge was a spectacular monument until it was recently destroyed by fire. The ruined palace is well worth a visit, along with the central market and Botanical Gardens, which contains a large collection of bizarre lemurs, mammals and flora endemic to Madagascar.