Lobamba

Lobamba is Swaziland's spiritual and cultural heart, located in the picturesque Ezulwini valley (Valley of Heaven). Swaziland's monarchy, as well as the country's most important buildings, are housed in this laid-back town.

Actually, it shares the title with Mbabane down the valley, but it's here that visitors will find all of the state's machinery: the gorgeous Lozitha Palace, which is home to the Queen Mother; the Swaziland Parliament; and the honorific memorials to King Sobhuza II, the country's freedom hero. If you're still looking for something to do, travel to the interesting National Museum of Swaziland, where the collections include stories from the British colonial period, and one colorful head of the Indian god Krishna tells of trading tales across the Arabian Sea.

The monarch has audiences at the huge Embo Official Palace, and the majestic State House, completed in 1978, is primarily used for ceremonial and other state events, albeit none of these structures is open to the public. Visitors can, however, take a tour of the Parliament Building. The Somhlolo Stadium, also in Lobamba, hosts significant cultural and sporting events, as well as state celebrations, concerts, dance performances, and kingly speeches.

Location: Ezulwini valley