In a nutshell

An interesting panoramic tour of the island of São Vicente touching on unspoiled beaches and volcanic landscapes, in addition to a visit to Mindelo, the main city of the island, to explore its traditions.

Main stops

Mindelo and its markets
Câmara Municipal (town hall), church of "Nossa Senhora da Luz" (Our Lady of Light), Monte Verde (Green Mountain) and Praia Grande (Large Beach)

The programme

We leave the port by coach and drive along a road that is flanked by the typical colonial style buildings of Mindelo. The city is on the banks of a gulf that has the shape of a perfect semi-circle and which is also known as Porto Grande de São Vicente. While the city of Mindelo has had noteworthy economic growth, it is also characterized by intense cultural activity which makes it the most important cultural centre of the whole of Cape Verde.
We walk through the typical markets, the fish market, the ethnic market and the fruit and vegetable market, but we also go past the Câmara Municipal (the town hall) and the church of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light); we also have time to explore the secret corners of the city, the colours and the interesting layout of the streets that are always animated by live music.
When we board our coach again, we start a panoramic tour as we drive towards the highest mountain on the island, Monte Verde (Green Mountain) (774 m.), driving through volcanic landscape. Depending on the weather, from here we can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the island's various landscapes as our guide gives us a running commentary on Baia das Gatas and the famous music festival.
Back on our coach, we drive along a panoramic route from the agricultural valley to the coast and specifically to the unspoiled beach of Praia Grande (Large Beach), which is well known for the contrast between its white sand and the adjacent volcanic rocks.
At the end of this combination of a panoramic tour with a city tour of the lively and fascinating city of Mindelo, having appeased our senses with the wonderful colours and aromas of the island, we go back to the ship.

Good to know

Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. We recommend that you book early because only a limited number of places are available.