Referred to as the city with a split personality, Lilongwe was named after the river which runs through it and which joins the nearby Linthipe River on its Lakeward journey. Today this young City is known both as the
Capital City and the Garden City add to those the Old and the New Town and you'll know exactly where the nickname originates. At the turn of the century it was decided to create a new administrative centre in the area of present-day Lilongwe. 
Camp was set up on the west bank of the Lilongwe River and soon after the settlement was joined with Dedza in the south. The eastern bank, formerly part of a game reserve was rezoned in 1906 to allow the settlement of the first Asian traders.Lilongwe's initial population of 30 grew to 20,000 and in 1966 the town became a municipality. Lilongwe, as the second largest centre, was the obvious choice for the country's new capital as it was centrally situated at the crossroads of Malawi's road and rail networks.
Lilongwe nestles in the central African plateau, mountains and hills dot the landscape around the City and many of these are well worth visiting if only for the breathtaking panoramic views they afford. The City itself has been carefully designed with modern architecture complimented by carefully tended public gardens. These boast a wide array of brilliantly coloured tropical blooms and plants. During March and April rows of dazzling yellow acacia trees line the city streets and in winter bright red poinsettia add splashes of colour to the landscape, soon followed by the lilac of jacarandas in bloom.
In the centre of Lilongwe, between the Old and New towns, the Lilongwe Nature Reserve, an area of 120ha, was established to give visitors an idea of what the area looked like before construction of the city began. The sanctuary is not a city zoo and when walking along the footpaths visitors should be as alert as in the bush, especially as leopard and hyena have settled here.Many small animals can be spotted here, including porcupine, civet, serval, vervet monkeys, bushbabies and squirrels as well as larger game such as bushbuck, duiker and bushpig who now inhabit this pocket of green surrounded by a growing city.
From the imposing administrative centre of Capital Hill to the lively bustling atmosphere of the Asian quarter, Lilongwe is a city of contrasts. Tailors decorate pavements with colourful garments while at sunset the air is filled with the sounds of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer in the mosque.
No visit to Lilongwe is complete without a visit to the old market in Malangalanga Road. The air here is rich with the smell of dried fish mingled with fresh vegetables. Here visitors can purchase anything from live chickens to dustbins artfully crafted by tinkers on the spot.
