Fort Jesus, Mombasa

This 16th-century fort and Unesco World Heritage treasure is Mombasa’s most visited site. The thick walls, frescoed interiors, traces of European graffiti, Arabic inscriptions and Swahili embellishment aren’t just evocative, they’re a palimpsest of Mombasa’s history and the coast writ in stone. You can climb on the battlements and explore its tree-shaded grounds.