Cape Verde Hidden Gems – Gentle Walking

Itinerary

DAY 1
Arrival to Lisbon

We start our journey in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, a vibrant city rich in history and cultural heritage, known for its sunny climate.

Your leader will welcome you, and after meeting your fellow passengers, an introductory walk to Lisbon will be available if time allows.

 

DAY 2

Transfer to Santo Vicente

Early morning transfer to Lisbon airport and flight to São Vicente (4h flight). After landing, we transfer to our accommodation in Mindelo (15 min).

After settling at the hotel, we can take a walk around to feel the town. Known for its live music scene, Mindelo is Cape Verde’s second-largest city and the birthplace of the world-renowned morna singer and national treasure Cesária Évora, honoured with a massive mural by the Portuguese contemporary artist Vihls.

The city is nested in a deep-waters bay surrounded by mountains, and the marina is perfect for enjoying the sunset or a drink. On the urban beach of Laginha, you can take a dip in the warm turquoise waters.

 

DAY 3

São Vicente – Monte Verde Natural Park

In the morning, we pack our bags and take a drive up to the summit of Monte Verde, the island’s only natural park. At the highest point of São Vicente, we have a chance to have a bird’s view over the farmed slopes and take in the impressive vistas over the island and the Ocean.

On a clear day, we can see Santo Antão, our next destination, São Nicolau, Santa Luzia, Ilhéu Raso, and Ilhéu Branco, as well as the stunning coastal beaches of Mindelo!

While at the top, enjoy a cup of delicious locally grown tea or coffee, or try a tea liquor while soaking up the views.

In the afternoon, we hop on the modern ferry from Mindelo to Porto Novo in Santo Antão, a journey of about one hour.

 

DAY 4

Santo Antão – Cheese route

If Cape Verde were a jewel, Santo Antão would be its rarest and most valuable diamond. Lush vegetation, mountains, cliffs that run along the sea or that descend along volcanic and agricultural slopes.

Santo Antão is a lost paradise, the complete opposite of other Cape Verdean touristic islands, better known for long sandy beaches and closed luxury resorts. It’s the true traveller’s dream!

Our first adventure is a cultural and gastronomic route to appreciate the local cheese, queijo di terra. Regarded as a delicacy, its unique flavour derives both from the milk of goats that graze on the island’s fertile volcanic lands and the artisanal production.

There are many ways to enjoy it: eaten on its own, with bread, paired with local jams made of tropical fruits, in salads, or cooked dishes.

The warm hospitality of the Cape Verdean people is especially genuine on this island. Come and experience the essence of “morabeza” in this gastronomic route!

 

DAY 5

Grogue Tour

Today, we take a cultural and sensory journey when we visit some local producers of grogue. Santo Antão is a famed producer of this spirit, the local rum, reputed as the best in Cape Verde. The grogue production is still mainly artisanal, in a device called trapiche.

We will not only visit production areas but also experience living museums which use ancestral techniques of sugar cane grinding. The extracted juice is fermented in large wooden barrels, followed by distillation in a copper still, where the wood-fired fire gives life to the grogue.

The dedication and knowledge passed through generations guarantee the exceptional quality and authenticity of this much-loved product.

Explore and taste a cultural treasure, speak with local producers, and get a bit more of the essence of Cape Verde through its flavours and stories while exploring the island from Ponta do Sol to Tarrafal de Monte Trigo.

We will travel along beautiful roads that pass through steep ravines with views of small candy-toned villages perched on rocky slopes. At the top of those vertiginous ridges, there are viewpoints with stunning views of the valleys below.

 

DAY 6

Paúl Valley visit with typical lunch

A transfer will get us to the verdant valley of Paúl (marsh), a landscape of cultivated terraces carved in the steep hills.

The legend says that Cape Verde is the crumbs God brushed off his fingers after creating the world. The inhabitants of Santo Antão don’t have an easy life, fighting the defiant geography to obtain their livelihood, but Mother Nature returns their efforts with abundance and astonishing beauty.

In this valley, the locals grow coffee (Arabica), oranges, guavas, and all sorts of vegetables, depending on the season. The sugar canes grow as tall as 5m high, and the grogue from Paúl Valley is considered one of the finest in Cape Verde.

At lunch, we prepared a treat: a local family will welcome our group to eat their organic homegrown produce. Take this opportunity to connect with people from Santo Antão and enjoy the proverbial Cape Verdean hospitality and a homecooked meal.

Our return will follow the road along the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean.

In the afternoon, we say goodbye to Santo Antão and hop on the ferry to return to Mindelo.

 

DAY 7

Mindelo

In Mindelo, we have a free day to enjoy the beach, shop, or take an optional tour with a guide (not included) to visit Salamansa, Calhau and the famed Baía das Gatas, where the biggest Cape-Verdean music festival takes place on the first full-moon weekend in August.

There is a surprising amount to do and see in this small town with brightly painted colonial facades (royal blue, yellow, candy pink). It features an attractive combination of faded grandeur with a bustling cosmopolitan ambience.

Discover the Municipal Market with a series of handicraft shops on the first floor, set in a charming building dating back to 1874, where you can come into contact with Cape Verdean products and chat with vendors selling baskets, fresh produce and medicinal herbs.

Being a port city, Mindelo has a great fish market, and at Praça Estrela, a multitude of traders offer their goods (clothes, shoes, electronic items, bric-a-brac, but also fruit and vegetables, which come from Santo Antão).

The Belém Tower (a small-scale replica of the Lisbon one) is worth a visit, as the National Centre of Art, Crafts and Design, a striking building covered in vibrant and colourful circles that resemble drum lids.

At the end of the afternoon, we propose a traditional match of Oril, followed by a typical local drink to say farewell to Cabo Verde.

 

DAY 8

Return to Lisbon
Transfer to São Vicente Airport to take the return flight to Lisbon.