This is a serial site consisting of 3 castles and over 20 forts along the Ghanaian coast.  The castles, especially Cape Coast and Elmina, are huge European fortresses built and occupied by various European colonial powers — Portuguese, Dutch, British — between the late 1400s and the early twentieth century.  Their constant use means that they are still standing today, whereas most buildings from the era are long gone.  The forts were built to protect settlements on the coast, including the castles, and are generally smaller and more strategically located.  One of the important and dark chapters in the 500+ year history of the castles was the transatlantic slave trade.  In addition to housing colonial governors and military, the castles were used to store slaves in dungeons before they were moved to boats for the middle passage. 

Date of Visit: March 2013 (Cape Coast Castle), January 2025 (Elmina Castle, St, Jago Fort)

Rating:  Four stars.  Yes, many of the components are not well maintained and cannot be visited, but the castles are all tourist destinations with good infrastructure that are easy to visit.  Moreover, these sites are an important testament to the colonial history of Africa and the transatlantic slave trade, which is not covered well by many other sites.  Plus, Elmina Castle is the oldest European building built outside of Europe that remains standing — it dates to the 1480s.  The castles are generally near the sea, and so you also get a glimpse of Eest African coastal life by visiting — you see fishing boats and fish markets nearby.

Logistics: I took guided tours with local Ghanaian companies both trips. I will self-drive in many parts of the world, but have not gathered the courage to do so in West Africa.  The castles are generally open 8/9am to 4/5pm.  You can buy an admission ticket and local guides will try to sell a tour.  There is no signage explaining the different parts of the castles, so paying a local guide gives more color and supports the local economy.  The forts are hit and miss — many are not maintained and not really open to visits, though if you show up, a local key keeper may let you in and walk around for a tip.

Sign: There is good (relatively new as of 2015) signage at Cape Coast and Elmina Castles indicating UNESCO status in a standard format.  I did not see an official plaque.