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
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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!
