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ANTANANARIVO
Antananarivo is the ideal stopover if you want to experience the unexpected, meet some extraordinary people and discover a fascinating land. It is the capital city of Madagascar in every sense of word. Antananarivo is located in the topographical centre point of the country and rests atop a Y-shaped highland at 690 ft. It is just 90 miles away from the eastern coast of Madagascar and is well connected by railroads to the chief port city of Toamasina and Antsirabe. The city limits also houses an international airport, making it easier for holidaymakers to drop in. Taking into account all these advantages, tourism has developed in a gushing speed in Antananarivo. The city is now equipped with well-planned itineraries and plush accommodations. From luxurious five-star hotels to premium bed and breakfasts, the city offers diverse accommodation facilities, something for every taste and budget.
Antananarivo, often abbreviated to Tana, has restored its past quite possessively in face of fierce aggression of modernisation. Founded around 1625 as a principal village of the Hova chiefs it gradually elevated as the capital of the Merina kings. During the reign of King Radama I, Antananarivo became the capital of almost all of Madagascar and later became a part of the French Protectorate in 1895. The city still holds on to the distinctively French flavour and atmosphere through the construction of streets and architecture of houses and terraces. Antananarivo is built on three levels. The Queen’s Palace and associated Royal Village or Rova is situated on the top of the highland slopes and dominates the city skyline. Then the residential and administrative neighbourhood of the city scattered over the slopes. However, tourists prefer to take apartments for rent or board in affordable hostels at the lowest level, the marketplace and commercial centre. The Zuma Market here in Antananarivo is claimed to be the second largest in the world and certainly worth a visit.
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