Trip Snapshot

Discover 2 Islands with 2 different moods. Sao Vicente, Cultural capital of Cape Verde, city of musicians, Mindelo distils an undeniable charm. This is where Cesaria Evora lived, singing from bar to bar for years before becoming an international star. This is also the place where the carnival and the Baia das Gatas festival take place, two events full of festivities and music. You can enjoy strolling from the fishing port to the beach on the other side of the bay, past colonial houses with colourful facades. The atmosphere is festive and lively: as evening falls, with a grogue in hand and a morna in their heads, a small captain, a young musician and a foreign traveller talk about their vision of the world as they contemplate the the light that sets over the bay. Santo Antao, An hour by boat from Mindelo, we arrive at the port of Porto Novo on the island of Santo Antao. There is no sign yet of any lush vegetation... Patience. We have to reach Ribeira Grande, in the north, by a paved road that crosses the mountain. Soon, with the altitude, pines and eucalyptus appear while the landscapes are unleashed with beauty. A succession of peaks, precipices, deep valleys lead us to the long-awaited green ribeiras. There, mango trees, papaya trees, avocado trees, bougainvillaeas, sugar cane plantations and grogue factories, the local rum, are not a mirage!