The island of Gorée is of volcanic origin and served during the 15th to 17th century the shipment of about 20 million African slaves. Preserved is the former slave house and a French fort, which was built on the highest point of the island. The island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. On the small island where about 1300 people live and many artists have set up their studios, time seems to have stopped. Colorful colonial houses, baobab trees and palm trees, but no cars. The island, which is only three kilometers from the coast, can easily be covered in a two-hour walk. At the highest point of the island there is a fantastic view of the Dakar skyline and here you can see guns from the time of the First World War. The steep coast of Gorées served in 1961 as the setting for the Oscar-winning film "The Cannons of Navarone".