Cape Verde: Santo Antão

April 9, 2023April 19, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

I returned to international travel after a three-year hiatus with a trip to the Cape Verde islands.

My first stop was Santiago, seat of the country’s capital Praia. I then hopped to volcanic Fogo before moving north to São Vicente and the colourful city of Mindelo.

Lastly was a ferry crossing to Santo Antão, an island of rugged mountains and Cape Verde’s greenest valleys. Did I save the best until last? READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

Without an airport, Santo Antão feels less connected to Cape Verde’s other islands.

It’s more sparsely populated and a land where towering peaks and the Atlantic Ocean crashing against its craggy coastline prevail.

Colourful little villages cling to the mountainsides, including unmissable Fontainhas which has even been feted by National Geographic magazine.

But there’s a flipside to Santo Antão’s dramatic cragginess. The Paul Valley is the greenest place in Cape Verde, with its own abundant water source supporting crops and lush vegetation. It’s a memorable place to hike, dotted with rustic homesteads.

Life can be hard here, but to the outsider it appears peaceful, simple and idyllic.

It would be fair to say that like many other visitors to Santo Antão, I was bowled over by its beauty and relative remoteness, unique to the Cape Verde islands I spent time in. It has to be on your itinerary – but please don’t go all at the same time!

I stayed at Pedracin Village with rooms built in the style of Santo Antão cottages (mine is pictured above!) Surrounded by mountains on all sides, this was a quiet place to marvel at the landscape and experience the island’s very relaxed vibe.

A good tour guide can make your visit. This is Samuel Rocha, from Santo Antão and a proud Cape Verdean. He showed me the unique character of his island and did it with enthusiasm and good humour. Samuel was my hike buddy on a trail around the beautiful Paul Valley, which was quite strenuous but a truly memorable experience.

I booked my Cape Verde trip with island specialists Archipelago Choice, a small company based in Cumbria, UK. It was a bespoke tour for one based on their Highlights of Cape Verde holiday. Vista Verde Tours took care of my transport and excursions while I was on the islands. I flew from Manchester to Cape Verde via Lisbon with TAP Air Portugal.

Cape Verde: São Vicente

March 26, 2023March 26, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

My trip around the Cape Verde archipelago started on Santiago, the largest island, followed by a hop to Fogo and its active volcano.

Next was another local plane journey to the islands’ northern flank and a stay on São Vicente.

This is an island of huge contrasts, with a bustling city and some empty, arid landscapes to explore. Is São Vicente worth visiting?… READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

The city of Mindelo is arguably the heart and soul of Cape Verde, even if the seat of government is Praia on Santiago.

It sits handsomely on a large bay and is a patchwork of colourful streets that I could have explored and photographed for many more days.

The place comes to life in the late evenings with live music in bars, restaurants and on the streets. Mindelo was home to legendary singer Cesaria Evora, who gained international fame and is held in high esteem by Cape Verdeans.

This city is full of life and vibrancy which was a welcome escape from the cold and dismal European winter.

It’s an easy walk to sandy Laginha Beach, with views across to Santo Antão island and the promise of some stunning sunsets, while you should visit the fish market further along the bay.

As for the rest of São Vicente, it couldn’t be more different. It’s lofty, arid and sparsely populated with some wild beaches and dunes. I took a jeep tour which was bumpy, dusty but enjoyable.

The pull of Mindelo is irresistible, but it’s worth seeing the other side of São Vicente and its lost landscapes.

The next stop is the fourth and final island of Cape Verde I visited on my trip. Did I save the best for last? Keep your eyes peeled for the next post…

Kira's Boutique Hotel in Mindelo, Cape Verde

Kira’s Boutique Hotel, Mindelo

My base in Mindelo was Kira’s Boutique Hotel, consisting of just 10 rooms named after Cape Verde’s islands. Comfortable, with very friendly staff, a lovely rear terrace and within easy walking distance of the city centre. Fittingly, I stayed in the room named after São Vicente!

Cape Verde: Fogo

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

My memorable trip to the Cape Verde archipelago started in Santiago, the main and most populous island.

The next stop, Fogo, was a short 25-minute plane hop away, just enough time for water to be served to passengers.

This small isle is dominated by the cone of Pico de Fogo, an active volcano which last erupted in 2014. But is that all there is to see? READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

Fogo’s volcano is clearly a huge draw to visitors. Its surrounding lunar landscape, which I hiked around for hours, seems out of place on a small island.

It’s easy to trace lava tracks from previous eruptions, while the village of Portela still bears scars from 2014. It’s being rebuilt despite sitting in the volcano’s shadow.

But Fogo has more to offer, including its main town São Filipe which gently cascades down to a large beach of pitch black volcanic sand.

My base in São Filipe was Melissa’s Guest House with its small but perfectly formed infinity pool and a terrace with views down the hill to the unmissable blue church and across the ocean.

The town has a wonderful mix of colourful, sometimes tumbledown Cape Verdean architecture and has its own bustling produce market like every town across the archipelago.

Evening walks around the town are relaxed and inevitably lead to watching the sun set behind the neighbouring island of Brava before seeking solace in one of the bars or restaurants. I was totally charmed by this little island capital.

Other places well worth seeing in Fogo are an invigorating stretch of coastline around the town of Mosteiros and the arches and rocks at Ponta da Salina. Coffee and bananas grow in the lush uplands around Cutelo Alto – perfect for a sub-tropical stroll.

Fogo feels a world apart from bigger neighbour Santiago, while my next stop in Cape Verde would reveal another face of this small nation. Stay tuned!

Cape Verde: Santiago

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

I finally ended three years without overseas travel with a trip to Cape Verde. This island nation sits in the Atlantic Ocean to the west of Senegal, Africa.

European holidaymakers are familiar with the islands of Sal and Boa Vista, which offer sunshine and relaxation in the depths of winter. But I decided to venture beyond the resorts.

I flew from Manchester to the capital city Praia via Lisbon in Portugal. So how was the island of Santiago, my first stop? It’s the biggest and most populous of Cape Verde, but does that always mean the best?… READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

My home in Santiago was a beachside area to the south of Praia, which sits on a lofty plateau. A picturesque lighthouse, seaside strolls and decent restaurants were close to the comfortable Hotel Oasis Atlantico Praiamar.

Cape Verde’s capital is the seat of government and bustles with life. But it doesn’t pack the punch of another city in the archipelago which I visited later on during my stay.

A road trip around Santiago reveals an island dripping with attractions, from its epic mountain interior to amazing views over the city of Assomada.

Cidade Velha, the former colonial capital of Cape Verde, boasts historical ruins and charming island architecture.

Pretty bays nestle in the north around Tarrafal and valleys lush with banana plantations stand out in these often arid, volcanic islands.

Santiago was the first of four islands I visited on my trip and was a good introduction to Cape Verde beyond the sun lounger. Would its smaller neighbours make a bigger impression? You’ll have to wait and see!

The flag of Cape Verde flying above the capital city Praia

A very large Cape Verde flag flies over Praia

Dune walk

November 30, 2014November 30, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 19 Comments

Boa Vista in Cape Verde seems like a chip of the Sahara that floated out into the Atlantic Ocean. On the west coast, the lush beaches are fringed with sand dunes, ripe for exploration but not too large to get lost in.

In one direction, you’ll suddenly find the chimney stack of an old pottery factory, long since lost to the sand. An old look-out sits on top of a dune, equally abandoned, while the vast Riu Touareg hotel emerges from the desert like a palatial oasis.

Venture south, and you’re only likely to encounter scuttling sandpipers. The prize at the end of the trek is a lovely view of the entire west coast. Worth leaving your sunbed to see…