Tete

Tete is the capital of Tete Province and the largest city on the Zambezi River, set in Mozambique's hot north-west. Once a Swahili trading centre, it grew into a Portuguese colonial river port and today serves as a regional hub for the coal-rich Moatize area across the river.

The city's most recognisable landmark is the kilometre-long Samora Machel Bridge, a suspension bridge opened in 1973 that carries road and rail traffic over the Zambezi and links Tete with Moatize. A newer Kassuende Bridge, opened in 2014, adds a second crossing. Historic sites include the Catholic cathedral, old colonial buildings and the partly ruined 19th-century Jesuit church at Boroma.

The compact centre is easy to explore around the riverside, cathedral and municipal market, while viewpoints in neighbourhoods such as Chingodzi look out over the water. Day trips run to the Cahora Bassa dam and lake near Songo, and boat rides on the Zambezi visit islands including Ilha dos Amores.

Mining, energy and logistics dominate the local economy, so Tete attracts business travellers involved in coal transport, construction and regional trade. Riverside restaurants such as A Brasa at Tete Ferry Sun, Portuguese-influenced grills and a cluster of Indian restaurants reflect the city's diverse food scene.

For leisure visitors, Tete offers river scenery, colonial history and a gateway to Cahora Bassa, while business travellers value its role in Mozambique's coal corridor and its improving road connections towards Malawi, Zimbabwe and the coast.