Discovering Santiago

Santiago is the island you must understand to truly grasp Cape Verde. As the largest island (991 km²), it not only hosts Praia, the capital and political center of the country, but also the cultural foundation of the Cape Verdean people. Here lies Cidade Velha, the first European settlement in the tropics and the hub of the transatlantic slave trade. Here, Kriolu, the Creole language, emerged from the encounter of Portuguese and West African languages. Here, the Batuku music developed, the most primitive and African rhythm of Cape Verde.

Santiago is the least touristy of the main islands — and that is precisely what makes it so fascinating. No all-inclusive resorts, no spruced-up tourist zones, just the real, unfiltered life of Cape Verde. In Praia, market women mingle with business people, loud haggling takes place at the Sucupira Market, and in the neighborhoods of Platô, Morna and Funana resound from the bars in the evening.

The landscape of Santiago is surprisingly green — at least in the rainy season. In the center, the Serra Malagueta rises over 1,000 meters, with dense cloud forests and spectacular hiking trails. In the south lies the fertile Ribeira Seca valley, the breadbasket of the island. Plan 3–4 days for Santiago: one day for Praia, one for Cidade Velha, one for the Serra Malagueta, and one for the rural hinterland.