Sightseeing

The main centers of interest of Mindelo are within walking distance from the residence. If needed a map of the town is available within the "Directions" tab of this website to help for directions.

Passing through the famous Praça Nova take a stroll towards the Palácio do Governador and check its architecture. Also check other buildings in the Pracinha de Igreja area.
Get a taste of the typical atmospheres of the famous Café Lisboa in the street with the same name, of the covered market just nearby and of the fish market further south. In so doing cross the Praça Estrela and discover artists' workshops and studios that often open their doors to the public.
Walk up the Avenida Marginal all the way to the Porto Grande harbor, then follow the road till you reach the Laginha beach.

If you have a vehicle, visit the villages of Baía das Gatas, Norte Baía, Calhau and São Pedro. Climb on top of the Monte Verde from where you will get a fantastic view of the Mindelo bay.

Music

Live music in Mindelo is not as widespread as some advertising companies or tour operators would like potential tourists to believe. This said, many talented Capverdean artists (and there are plenty, especially when including emigrants!) regularly give performances. With a little luck you could attend fantastic concerts in convivial ambiances, sometimes intimist (the reason being that the fare are hardly affordable for the local population…) Places to check on week-ends include:
- Café Musique, rua de Lisboa;
- Mindel hotel, praça Nova (or praça Amilcar Cabral), bay side;
- Porto Grande hotel, praça Nova (or praça Amilcar Cabral), hill side

Some restaurants, among them the Archotte (Alto São Nicolau near the Cave night club), the Nella's (rua Lisboa, above the famous Café Lisboa) and the Club Nautico (avenida 5 de Julho) regularly have live bands to accompany your meals. Also, small and improvised concerts sometimes take place in one or the other open air restaurants located along the Laginha beach.

Finally, the Baía das Gatas festival occurs every year in August during a full moon week-end (dear to Vasco Martins, one of the funding members.) Internationally known, this festival attracts numerous artists from the Capverdean scene, but also from the African, Caribbean, Brazilian and European horizons

Eating

Mindelo abounds in restaurants, some so discretely signaled that they are difficult to spot, but you shouldn't have too much problem for finding one to your taste. To date (July 2006) "big tables" do not exist but excellent "cuisine" can still be found. Prices range from 5 €uros for a traditional "cachupa" (meat stew with corn and black beans) to 30 €uros for a more complete and elaborated meal (grilled lobsters, wine and dessert.)

Here follows a few of our favorite addresses sorted from the lowest to the highest price:
- Pica Pau, 42 rua Santo Antonio, a small street (a bit shabby at night) in the continuation of the avenida 5 de Julho going towards the Praça Estrala. Excellent sea-food rice and grilled lobsters (when available.) Leave a personal message on the wall before leaving :-) Very reasonable prices.
- Nella's, above the "Café Lisboa" (the entrance is located in the street perpendicular to the Lisboa street, the café being at the angle.) Nice atmosphere and musical ambiance with local live bands, good menu (taste the Fogo wine!), all the ingredients for a pleasant evening. Excellent quality-price ratio.
- Archotte, Alto São Nicolau (area located behind the praça nova that you pass when walking towards the harbor) near the Cave night club, excellent sea food and wines with live music every nights.

Swimming

The water temperature varies between 21 and 24 °C depending on the season.
Swimming can be hazardous at some beaches due to strong currents and undertows. Unless you are an excellent and skilful swimmer please select watched beaches.
Other beaches are perfectly safe, even for young age children, but these are the busiest. On these beaches in particular you need to be aware of the presence of (a few) pickpockets. Thus keep your personal belongings in your field of view or leave them to someone when you go bathing to prevent from unpleasant surprises. But don't get paranoid, you are very far from Copacabana…
When going to desert beaches (it still exists!) try to get information from locals before jumping into the water to know the hazards associated to the spot, if any. Usually these are always about currents and undertows; we never heard a bad story about animals with sharp teethes or poisonous…

The beaches:
- Laginha : located in the city of Mindelo just beyond the Porto Grande harbor. This beach is not magnificent but still nice and very conveniently located. It is also the busiest. Watched during the day it is very safe for all ages. Perfect for an improvised and quick bathing.

- Salamansa : on the road to Baía turn off left 2 kilometers before the village towards Salamensa. Long and beautiful white-sand beach, some parts dangerous with strong currents. This beach is not watched so use caution if you decide to swim!

- Baía das Gatas : this is a natural swimming pool, big and roughly circular, with white sand. Quite nice off-season, it is less attractive in summer and worse after the festival when it is almost insalubrious… During high-season (July-August) it is recommended to go on week-days as it can get crowded on week-ends: it is one of the favorite destinations of the "Mindelenses". No particular hazards if you stay within the limits of the swimming pool, suitable to all ages.

- Norte Baía : on the road to Baía turn off right to a little dirt track some 500 meters before entering the village. Very beautiful white sand beach, with the arch dreamed up and designed by Vasco Martins that dominates the area (check pictures on this website.) There is current and this beach is not watched, so please use caution if you decide to swim!

- Praia Grande : on the road to Calhau turn off left to a dirt track a few hundred meters before the village entrance. You will end up in a beautiful long and white-sand beach. It is watched, but the shore break can be quite impressive at times. For experienced and skilful swimmers only.

- Praia Palha Carga (a.k.a. Topona) : on the road to Calhau you will need to find "the" dirt track to your right that will lead you to this beautiful black-sand beach, which is not watched.

- Flamengos : drive towards the airport and turn left about five kilometers before reaching it towards the windmills. Drive another kilometer then turn right and follow up to the end. Beautiful white-sand beach, with rocks. It is not watched, remote and fairly dangerous, for sunbathing only.

- São Pedro : superb long and white-sand beach close to the airport. It is watched on one side (North end only) but fairly dangerous with well known currents. Use caution if you decide to swim.

There are other beaches to discover. Most notably a thread on a Forum mentions Flamenguinhos that would be located on the South coast, difficult to access, with pebbles but also fantastic natural swimming pools… To your 4WD!

Kite/Windsurfing

São Vicente offers good waves and excellent wind suitable to a public ranging from beginners to experts. If we had to justify our investment in this Hotel kitesurfing would be a significant one…
Trade winds blow from November till June and it is very rare to have 7 consecutive days without good conditions to go on the water. The predominating wind is the Nordeste, which strength usually ranges between 14 and 25 knots and which is regular (very few gusts.)
Wave conditions varies depending on the spots. Water temperature ranges between 21 et 24 °C depending on the season and a short-sleeves suit is recommended (we use "shorty".)
To date (December 2009) it is not possible to rent Kite gear on the island, you need to bring your own along. There is a windsurf school at the São Pedro beach but we strongly recommend to navigate on this spot (see below.)

The spots are :
- Salamansa : starboard side-shore wind, perfectly parallel to the shore. Over one kilometer of white-sand beach, very rare swimmers. Waves are small and reach a maximum height of 1m50 except exceptional sea conditions. A few rocks, some currents, but the place is safe and unless you happen to loose your board far away from the shore hardly anything bad could happen. This beach is not watched. For advanced riders.

- Natural swimming pool of Baía das Gatas : port side-on shore wind. Practicable in winter only (from October till June) and preferably on week-days as it is likely to be too crowded with swimmers in summer and on week-ends. For beginners.

- Fishing harbor of Baía das Gatas : port side-on shore wind. It is really a shame that there are so many rocks lying underwater, otherwise this spot would be just perfect for beginners. No particular hazards beside for your feet and ankles, and make sure to land your kite on the sand when you come back to the shore as it is fairly rocky. For intermediate riders.

- Norte Baía : wind port side-on shore. The beach is smaller than Salamansa and has occasional swimmers. It is actually better than Salamansa when the wind is North and strong, the sea can be stronger (stronger currents and waves) and there are a few rocks. This beach is not watched, so use caution. For advanced riders only.

- Praia Grande : side-on shore wind, more "on" than "side". Wide beach where you may meet occasional swimmers in summer. A few big rocks easy to locate. The waves and shore break can be really strong, so use caution, even if that beach is watched. For motivated and expert riders.

- Calhau : port side-off shore wind, rocks, very few patches of sand. Occasionally beautiful waves that finish their run on the rocks. This beach is watched. For motivated experts!

- Sandy Beach, Topim, Praia de Palha Carga (or Topona) and all the South-Est coast : off shore wind, for the waves' addicts. Those beaches are not watched and remote. Don't go out in the water alone! For motivated and expert riders !

- Baía São Pedro : close to the airport. Straight off-shore, the wind is accelerated by an additional 5 to 15 knots thanks to a venturi effect resulting on the passing through a natural mountain corridor. There is also the presence of strong currents. Safety boat mandatory for riders or you will end up drifting somewhere in between Africa and America in no time in case of problems… For the speed freaks. All the others please don't ride there.

Our residence is equipped with batidas (200 liters barrels) to rince the gear and has space for it to dry.
The Salamansa, Baía das Gatas and Calhau spots are fairly easily reachable by public transportation. Alugers (very cheap minibus) leave from the Praça Estrela (square of the stars) located 15 minutes walking away from the residence. There is a start…as soon as the minibus is full!
The Norte Baía and Praia Grande spots are also reachable by the same mean but you will need an additional half-an-hour walk after the minibus stop to get to the beach…
To get to the spots located to the South/Southd-Est coast (mainly surf) there are no other means that car rental or taxi or…walking (but be aware that the nearest, Sandy Beach, is 4 kilometers away from the road.) You can try to negotiate the fare of the taxi. A two-ways trip will cost you 30 €uros at the cheapest. Agree of a return pick-up time with the driver on the way in so that he can drive you back to town later in the day

Surfing

São Vicente offers nice waves for beginners to advanced surfers.

The spots are :
- Norte Baía : waves are not far from the sandy beach thus easily accessible. The biggest I ever saw was two meters, but it is rare. Usually waves are just less than 1 meter. There is a little current, a few rocks, but unless loosing your board there is no serious dangers. This beach is not watched. For beginners to intermediate.

- Praia Grande : waves a little similar to Norte Baía but bigger. The beach is large, mostly sandy and you might meet swimmers. A few rocks, easy to locate. This beach is watched. For intermediate to advanced.

- Calhau : reef wave, sometimes quite nice but finishing on the reefs… This beach is watched. For advanced and motivated surfers!

- Sandy Beach, Topim, Praia de Palha Carga (or Topona) and all the South-Est coast : the most beautiful waves of the island, mostly reef but also sandy. Spots are to be explorerd all along the coastline (4WD mandatory!) Those beaches are not watched. For advanced surfers.

To find out how to get to the spots please refer to the end Kite/Windsurf section above.

Trekking

São Vicente

The following hikes list is issued from the website http://www.mindelo.info of Mic Dax, a French that has been living in Mindelo for the past five years (if you read French you need to check this website as you will find quantity of helpful information and learn a lot about Cape Verdean music):
- Monte Verde,
- Viana,
- Santa Luzia de Terra,
- Mato Inglès,
- Palha Carga,
- Fateixa,
- Joao d'Evora,
- Monte Cara,
- Calheta Grande,
- Praia Grande-Norte Baia.
Those treks can be rated "General Public". Nevertheless keep in mind the usual risks and hazards associated with wilderness trekking. In particular appropriate precautions shall be taken to protect from the heat. Plan to bring sufficient quantity of water, solar cream and to wear hats and proper trekking shoes.

Santo Antão

Don't miss an opportunity to visit this island! Of course, there is the Estrada Corda, the winding road that links the Porto Novo harbor to the North part of the island. It winds up and down through the mountain, passing in the middle of quite impressive precipices during the one hour that lasts the trip. But unless you suffer from vertigo you won't regret it as you will drive through breathtaking scenery! In addition the inhabitants are for the most part charming and genuine.
The Armas boat proposes two rotations a day during week days, only one on Sundays. The Porto Grande harbor in Mindelo is a mere 10 minutes walk from our residence. Once you crossed the channel and arrived at the Porto Novo harbor, don't be impressed by the stir made by all the people and vehicles there. Pick a comfortable Aluguer (minibus) without worrying about the price as there is no need to compare or haggle: they are all at the exact same rate and none will accept to put its price down.

The most beautiful hiking trails are located in the Northern part of the island. The best locations to spend a night for hikers are the cities of Ponta do Sol and Paúl. Ribeira Grande, the administrative capital, is another alternative but the town is not as pleasant as the two others.
In Santo Antão treks are rated from "average" to "expert" levels. A good guide is the "Guia dos Circuitos Turisticos Santo Antão" published by the Luxemburg Cooperation. You can find this book in Ribeira Grande, ask around
Here are two classical hikes, both beautiful, awesome and for which you don't necessarily need a guide:
- Cova crater (on the Corda road) -> Paúl :10 kilometers, 4 hours average, fairly easy, "average" level;
- Cruzinha -> Ponta do Sol : 11 kilometers, 4 ½ hours average, follows the coastline, a bit more difficult than the previous one, especially towards the end. If you decide to go alone make sure to inform somebody of your planned arrival time beforehand as you may not meet many souls.

Need a guide? You won't have any problems to find "tour guides" who will offer their services. All are not professional guides, far from it… but some of them are, most working with European agencies that you can therefore contact before your departure.
If you haven't contacted anybody and still want to go off the beaten tracks to discover unknown landscapes in complete safety, we recommend you contact Eduardo Gomez of the agency Cabo Verde no Limits. There is no a single path in this island that he didn't trample. You'll find him in Ponto do Sol close to the harbor.

Finally, if walking is not your cup of tea, be aware that Eduardo's agency also offers tours of the island in a minivan.

Diving

A diving club run by the unmistakable Eduardo Gomez and his assistant Lea exists in Ponta do Sol on the island of Santo Antão. Eduardo, a Catalan who emigrated to Cape Verde seven years ago will take you on the spots that best correspond to your level and your needs. You will dive in complete safety with almost new materiel and an experienced PADI instructor.

For sport fishing lovers this activity can also be practiced.

All information on the website: http://www.caboverdenolimits.com.

Canyoning/Rock Climbing

On the island of Santo Antão only. Eduardo will offer a large variety of Canyon descents (he opened over 50 of them on the entire island of Santo Antão!), depending on your level and experience. Eduardo was one of the pioneers of Canyoning in the Sierra de Guara, famous spot in the north of Spain. Very well-known in the circle he has authored numerous books on the subject (including topos).

For rock climbing, all levels from absolute beginner to expert are available.

More informations? Always the same website: http://www.caboverdenolimits.com.

Fishing

On board of his powerful "Nha Crêtcheu" boat, Didier Jeanne and his team will offer you unforgettable fishing trips or more simple cruises to discover nearby islands or islets. All information available on his website http://www.pechesportivecapvert.com.

Mountain Biking

The Cabo Verde Bikes agency rents mountain bikes for the islands of Santo Antão, São Vicente and Santiago. In addition to the "basic" rental service, André Szpera offers a wide range of services going from the simple guided ride to the group ride covering several islands for the more adventurous, always keeping in perspective environmental preservation. All information on its site: http://www.cabo-verde-bikes.com

Note that the agency also offers a laundry service.