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
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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.
