TOURISM POTENTIAL

Ile-Ife, the ancient city of the Yoruba is endowed with cultural and natural endowments.  This is reflected in her rich spiritual and material culture as could be observed today in her discovered, undiscovered and untapped historical, archaeological and cultural resources.
The city is wrapped in myths and tales recorded in oral history. But series of researches and archaeological discoveries have thrown more light on history of the ancient city.  Since myths are to convey important truth in a form that will appeal to young and untrained minds, any scholar working on the history and culture of Ife must count seriously on the myths and tales as recorded in our oral history.

Not many works have been done on the tourism potentials of Ile - Ife. Most of the works done have been outdated as a result of the development going on daily in the ancient town.
Therefore, this website is meant to open up the tourism potentials of the city and to assist would-be tourist in enjoying their holiday while in Nigeria.

Contemporary Art Workshops:  Today, we have the living arts and culture in Ife, because most of the traditional artist family still continues with their art works. But we have some artists who are not indigenes of Ife but have contributed and still contributing to the arts and craft of Ife. Among this notable contemporary artists we have, Hassan art gallery along Moore road, Olokun art gallery at Atiba Square just to mention few. At Oke Ayetoro is a family of traditional artists and today there is a renowned artist that carves, mould and cast objects both in wood, bronze and clay. He is the world acclaimed artist, Ben Oluyemi, who for many years worked at the National Museum in Ile-Ife.

Shrines

Festivals

Ancient Architecture:

Blacksmith Workshops: There are numerous traditional blacksmith workshops in the town. One is at Oduduwa College road and another one at Igbodo Street. There are other blacksmith sites but which unfortunately they are no more functioning. Such workshops are the famous Ayibiowu blacksmith site, which was once popular in the ancient city. Infact, the site forms what today is regarded as the `oriki’ (cognomen) of the Ojugbede family of Ile-Ife. (Omo Alagbede kan an ji ro, k’ero Lagere to rin i.e. the child of the blacksmith that comes out early to smith before people going to Lagere comes out))

Art & Craft Shops: Different arts and craft shops abound and many hotels and restaurants where African dishes are served can be found.

Traditional Markets: Major markets in Ife include Oja Tuntun, Olubuse market, Iso Obi – where Kolanut can be bought, Itaakogun market, Oja-Ife and lots of others.

Traditional Restaurants & their local delicacies: There are many hotels and restaurants in the ancient city.  There are numerous local and standard restaurants where you can enjoy the delicacy of the African man. Prominent foods served at the local resturarant include iyan, funfu, eba, amala (oka in Ife dialect) rice, dodo, beans etc.  When you get to the Sabo area of the town (this is where predominantly settled the people from the northern part of Nigeria) you can enjoy the northern delicacy like tuwo, bread and tea with eggs, suya and host of others.