Cabo Verde
Santiago
The mother island: history, Creole culture and mountain landscapes.
Santiago is the largest island and the cultural heart of Cape Verde. Here you'll find the capital, Praia, and Cidade Velha — the first European city in the tropics, a UNESCO site. This is the island to discover the Creole soul: music, food, and the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
- Best time
- October to June.
- Airport
- Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI)
- Ideal for
- culture history hiking food
Don't miss
-
Cidade Velha (UNESCO)
Cobbled streets, a 15th-century Portuguese fortress and the first Christian church in the tropics.
-
Assomada Market
An explosion of colour, smells and sound — the country's most authentic traditional market.
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Serra Malagueta
A natural park with trails between 1,000 m peaks and waterfalls.
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Tarrafal
A beautiful beach plus a memorial to the former colonial concentration camp.
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São Francisco Beach
A semi-wild beach 20 minutes from the capital.
Where to stay in Santiago
We don't have accommodations listed on this island yet.