Sao Vicente Cape Verde: The Travel Guide You Need

They say if you don’t know Mindelo, you don’t know Cape Verde. I agree with that statement based on my personal experience visiting 4 Cape Verdean islands in 2018. You’ll feel the stress-free Cape Verdean way of life as you walk the streets of Mindelo, or sit on the terraces of one of its many cafes. Sao Vicente doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves especially when compared to Sal and Boa Vista. I have a feeling that’s about to change! Whether you have one day or a few days in Sao Vicente, this guide will be your best guide to exploring this island.

Quick Facts About Sao Vicente

• Sao Vicente is home to some of Cape Verde’s best musicians and artists
• Its capital, Mindelo, is the cultural capital of the country
• Although 93% of the population lives in Mindelo, there’s much more to Sao Vicente
• There’s lots of colonial architecture in and around Mindelo

Festivals In Sao Vicente

Sao Vicente makes a great destination year-round but these two festivals are worth highlighting:

Mindelo Carnival

Why go to Brazil when you can experience the most colorful event of the year in Sao Vicente? Also known as the Creole festival, the Mindelo carnival is the heart of this Cape Verdean carnival. It is a colorful spectacle of music, dance, costumes, and processions. The parades start on Sundays in January leading up to Shrove Tuesday. In 2020, the carnival is scheduled for 22^nd to 26^th of February. There will be spontaneous street parties, street food, and live music. It will make you think of Brazil but with the added local creole flavors and Portuguese influence. Now this sounds like something to experience! The creole carnival is held on all Cape Verdean islands but Mindelo’s is the biggest and the best. If you can’t make it to Sao Vicente, then the island of Santiago is next recommended.

Baia Das Gatas Festival

Can’t make it to Sao Vicente in February? How about August? The Baia das Gatas music festival is held over the full moon in August. It is a 3-day extended weekend of music, dancing and aprties attracting artists from Cape Verde and beyond. This is one of the largest open-air music events in West Africa and it is help on the beach at Baia das Gatas. There are several food stalls, and lots of beer and grogue to drink.

8 Things To Do In Sao Vicente

1. Hike Or Drive Up Monte Verde

Monte Verde is the highest point on the island of Sao Vicente. At almost 2,500 feet, you will take in the view of the city of Mindelo on a clear day. You’ll see the village of Baia das Gatas, and the slopes and coastlines of Sao Vicente. It is a narrow road with sharp turns leading to the top of Monte Verde, and it can get windy at the top, but the views are absolutely worth it.

2. Visit Local Markets

If you’ve read any of my itineraries, you’ll know that if there’s a market, I’ll visit. To be clear, it’s not for the shopping. Markets provide a great opportunity to see everyday life in a country, meet or observe people, to get a sense of it all. There are a number of markets in Mindelo that you should add to your itinerary. Mercado Municipal (my favorite with fresh fruit, veggies and a clean bathroom), Mercado de Piexe (a colorful and bustling Fish Market especially earlier in the day), and African Market on Saturdays has traders from other African countries (mostly West African).

3. Visit Calhau

Calhau is a fishing village on the east coast of the island of Sao Vicente. Calhau is known for excellent fish/seafood restaurants, some of which include Restaurant Hamburg and Chez Loutcha. Chez Loutcha offers live music on the weekends. I had lunch at Restaurant Hamburg and it was quite good. You can take a taxi to Calhau, make it a stop on your tour of the island (like I did), or catch an Aluger (public bus) for a 30-minute ride from Mindelo.

4. Visit The Pink Palace

The Palácio do Povo (People’s Palace), is a building located on Rua Unidade Africana (formerly Rua Lisboa) is located and is located north and eastward. This pink building has a beautiful colonial architecture and it features around eight to ten columns. When I visited it was just reopening as gallery/museum with a collection of art and artifacts from across the African continent. While I arrived close to the end of the day, I looked around for about half an hour but got to have a quick chat with the owner/collector and hear stories of his travels.

5. Listen To Live Music

Morna is the traditional sound of Cape Verde and Cesaria Evora was the queen of Morna until her death (you can visit her home in Mindelo). Morna is a fusion of Portugese, African, and Brazilian influences and its home is Mindelo. Listen to live music at Casa Café Mindelo, or Casa da Morna.

6. Get To A Beach Or Two

While I did not spend a lot of time at the beaches in Sao Vicente (I did on other Cape Verdean islands), there are a few to check out. Praia da Langinha is close to the city center and is most easily accessible. There are cafes at both ends of the beach and sun loungers for rent … San Pedro beach is best known for wind surfing. This is a windy beach and isn’t as safe for swimming and Langinha. Praia Grande is located near Bahia das Gatas and is the perfect beach to visit while spending time in or near Calhau.

7. Take In Mindelo

Walk the main streets and explore colonial architecture. The main streets of Mindelo are Avenida Marginal (waterfront), and the perpendicular Rua Libertadores de África (former Rua Lisboa). Many colonial buildings from the 19th and early 20th century are preserved in the city center and can be seen by exploring these streets on foot.

You’ll walk by the former Customs House, now the Cultural Centre of Mindelo, built 1858-1860, it houses a gallery that exhibits the work of local artists every month. It also houses a bookstore and café.

Watch the fishermen bring in the catch while the women negotiate on the prices before they’re sold at the fish market (Mercado Piexe) Right next to the little Torre De Belem, under the shed, you’ll see fishermen playing different games as the day passes on. It’s okay to stop and watch. By the fish market you’ll see the Torre de Belém, on the waterfront, a 1918-1937 replica of the Belém Tower in Lisbon. 

8. Visit The Home Of Luis Baptista

Luis Baptista is a guitar maker and musician. Plan a visit to his atelier, and you may not only watch him make guitars but also see an impromptu performance.

Full Day Tour of Sao Vicente

I was short on time in Sao Vicente so I opted for a full day tour, during that tour, I got to do most of the activities listed above. I joined a group tour (myself and a Spanish family of 3), and we saw so much in one day. I could not have experienced so much of the island in one day on my own. The additional touch of a local made it absolutely perfect, this tour was one of my highlights of my time in Cape Verde. I booked my tour with Green Line Tours. If you’re short on time or would like the guidance of a local, I highly recommend this tour.

Day Trip To Santo Antao

Santo Antao is the island of mountains, wind, and water. A day trip to the island of Santo Antão is a must. A good number of visitors to Cape Verde spend a few days hiking and taking in the views in Santo Antao. The Inter Ilhas ferry operates two ferries daily from Mindelo to Porto Novo (Santo Antao) at 7am and at 4pm. You can spend the day exploring Santo Antão before heading back on the afternoon ferry. Ferry schedule here. 

• Travel Time : 50 Minutes
• Cost : 800 Escudos
• Purchase Tickets:Arrive at the port early In Mindelo at Cais Maritima to purchase tickets

While in Santo Antao (the day trip deserves its own post), go hiking, fishing, see craters, take in views on the drive across the island, and please try grogue. Grogue is a Cape Verdean alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane.

Where To Stay On Sao Vicente

I personally chose to stay in Mindelo as I did not rent a car and wanted to be at the center and within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Other areas popular with visitors are Baia das Gatas and Sao Pedro.

In planning my trip I did a bit of research on hotels and Airbnb in Mindelo, and I settled on boutique hotels (as I always do). Here are three boutique hotels I would recommend:

Casa Branca Eco Chic Hotel

This sophisticated minimalist/eco-chic hotel was my top choice but it was just slightly outside my budget for this trip, but it is quite reasonably priced. I visited for drinks during my trip and regretted not staying there.. The hotel has a lovely terrace with excellent views of the Harbor. It is the first eco chic hotel in Cape Verde with a focus on sustainable tourism. It is also a convenient 7-minute walk from Praia Laginha. I found the hotel on booking.com here

Casa Cafe Mindelo

This is a remodeled building that preserves the spirit of ancient times and of the family home. It is in the center of Mindelo and is a meeting point for many. I was drawn to it but it was fully booked for my dates, so I did the next best thing and visited its café for my first taste of Cape Verdean food once I arrived.

Thanks to its affordable price policy, Casa Café Mindelo attracts Cape Verdeans and foreigners alike. With a touch of sophistication and functionality present in the foundations of this project, this house offers a unique atmosphere in Mindelo’s everyday life.Learn about the hotel and restaurant here.

Morenos Boutique Hotel

Also excellently located one block from the main drag, this hotel was relatively new (opened late 2017) when I stayed in March 2018. I stayed in the single room and found it to be clean and well decorated, and breakfast was included (always a plus). The staff was attentive and very helpful. Compared to the other two, this hotel does not have outdoor space for guests to enjoy. See the hotel here. 

Getting Around Sao Vicente

I did not try public transportation in Cape Verde. I walked, took taxis, or took tours that provided transportation. Taxi drivers accept Euros or Escudos. To get to Santo Antao, I took the daily ferry described above.

Where To Eat in Sao Vicente

• Casa Café Mindelo
• Restaurant Hamburg (Calhau)
• Chez Loutcha
• Caravela Restaurant
• Bar Lisbao
• Casa Branca (for drinks, spa treatment)
• Nautilius Restaurant & Bar

Other Helpful Posts about Cape Verde:

Planning a trip to Cape Verde? I shared an overall guide to Cape Verde here to help plan your trip and decide on what island to visit. Read this post first.

Want to know about my personal experience? I wrote a post sharing my highlights from my time in Cape Verde. Read that post Here.

Thank you for reading, if you’ve found this post helpful please share and subscribe to the blog here to receive my best travel tips and monthly newsletter directly in your inbox. 

Till next time, 

Dee (Ms. Heels)