The pastel style came from Portuguese builders who worked in Angola for hundreds of years. They brought a tradition of painting buildings in cheerful colours so they would stand out in the bright tropical sunshine. Today, walking through the older parts of Luanda feels like stepping through a giant painting.
The most famous stretch of Luanda is the Marginal, a long seafront road lined with palm trees and old colourful buildings. On weekends, families stroll along the Marginal, eating ice cream and watching ships out in the bay. Street artists sell paintings, and musicians sometimes play under the palm trees.
Luanda is a busy, growing city of more than seven million people. New glass towers have gone up alongside the pastel buildings, making the skyline a fascinating mix of old and new. The city is known for its lively atmosphere, its markets full of fresh food and crafts, and the warm friendliness of its people.