Vibrant, alive and chaotic, Antananarivo, usually termed by its colloquial short hand Tana, is the capital city of Madagascar and its political and economic powerhouse.
Located in Antananarivo Province, this commanding city is usually the first stop for visitors to Madagascar, being home to the International Airport.
However, to pass through Tana without stopping to explore would be to miss out on understanding the core of Madagascar’s psyche.
With a population of about 1.4 million, Tana is divided into two distinct regions; Lower Town and Upper Town. Upper Town is shrouded with purple jacaranda trees in the summer, and here you will find arts and crafts markets and intimate jewellers. Lower Town is much busier, with more people, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.