The three capitals you visit are Praia, the capital of all the islands; Cidade Velha, the old capital and Mindelo, the cultural capital.After visiting Sal and spending a day seeing the main sights we head to São Vicente. On São Vicente, Mindelo is a vibrant and exciting city that is generally considered to be the cultural capital of the islands and is rightly proud of its rich traditions in art and music. The cobbled squares, wide streets and 19th century European architecture are reminiscent of colonial times past and there is an afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. You can also take time to travel up the cobbled road to the summit of Monte Verde where on a clear day, the view is a mass of dark brooding craggy peaks and beyond that Santo Antão. While in Santiago you stay in Praia, where you have free time to explore this city built around a plateau of rock and steep cliffs. The main square on the plateau houses some noteworthy buildings including the Palace of the Council, the Presidential Palace and the Catholic Cathedral. A statue of Diogo Gomes, one of the two discoverers of Santiago, stands just outside the square. Or you may wish to explore the large African markets. You spend time in Cidade Velha which was the old capital of Santiago until 1770. Today, the villagers live amongst the ruins of the numerous churches with the great hill fort behind them. You drive through the centre of the island which is quite spectacular, with craggy cliff tops and views into deep valleys on either side of the road. |
