Speciale Dossier Capoverdenews:
trip to Sao Vincente

Sao vicente is 227 km wide and a popultion of 200.000 islanders, most of them living in the capital, Mindelo.
Arid and with a lot of mountains, this island is only 14 km far from Santo Antao.
The beautiful harbour town of Mindelo is the lifest and more cosmopolitan center of all Cape Verde islands.
Mindelo is a small pearl of old West African style, very quite during the day light, with its colonial style historical center, it's surely the cleanest town
of all archipelago.

Mindelo is placed along the wide bay ending with "Ilheu dos Passaros".
The buildings from the seaside up to the hills, run near Mount Cara, so called because of its profile which recalls a human face. The town architecture has been influenced by english colonial style, examples of this are numerous buildings like the ferry ticket office and the siege of the Portuguese Consulate.
Proceeding to the fortress where a beautiful view of the Laginha sanded beach and the deep blue ocean. Laginha is the most famous beach, very crowded during week ends, when young locals play football, bech volley, surfing and bodyboarding.

One of the most charming place is the "Mercado Municipal" always crowded and colourful where perfumes of local fruits and vegetables create a magic atmosphere or the Fish Market where you can buy any kind of fish and sheel fish. But the real "movida" of this town is during the night. At Mindelo the night is magic! Lights and sounds are the caractheristics of the capoverdean night, locals meet in the main "praza", going from one bar to another, drinking caipirinha, listening to the neverendless local music.

Every evening there are life concerts, parties.... the only thing you should know is the right place to go, because in Mindelo every day of the week has a special bar or place. Ask taxi drivers or locals for suggestions. After 02:00 a.m. youngs go to disco where they dance till early morning.

Going to the east there is a small fisherman village, Salamansa, and after few km the marvellous beach of Baia da Gatas, very well known for the international folk music festival of Sao Vicente, very famous in Africa and South America, which takes place every year in August. Artists from every part of the world come here for 3 days no-stop music. Locals and tourists dance of day under the moonlight. If you wish to attend this special event, book the flight several monthes in advance.

And we cannot forget Sao Pedro, not far from the airport, on the west side of the island, is another fisherman village, next to a very windy bay, where the waves during some periods of the year reach 4/5 heights. It was here that two years ago a french windsurfers registered the new speed world record.
This island and above all the town of Mindelo is one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen in the archipelago of Cabo Verde. it's not a dangerous place, as many people think.

GENERAL INFORMATIONS

Arriving
Flights fare from Sal/Sao Vicente is around 140 euro. Contact us for special and updated fares from Italy.

Restaurants
Chave d’ouro: a small restaurants in the heart of Mindelo, near the central praza, a little bit too much "retro'" but cheap and good cuisine.

Taxi Didi: tel. 00238-957976 (available all day for tours of the island)

Night Taxi : Koluca ­ Tel. 914068

Disco
O’Astro: is the disco for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, very quite. Local capoverdean sounds (slow music).
A Cave: Disco for Thursday and Saturday, the ost serious and quite, people of all age come here to dance and listen to the local sound. Very charming atmosphere.
Fantastic: Go here only on Mondays and Saturdays, this is without any doubts the "hardest disco" in town. Better get inside together with locals. otherwise keep out!!
Hi Step: not far from "Fantastic disco", the best nights are Friday and Saturday, better go with locals friends.
Siryus: Open Tuesday to Sunday, only 20 mt far from Praza Mindelo, a very quite disco, which during week ends become a temple of young locals coming from every part of the town. Without any doubts the nicest disco in town.

Holidays
For any information about travelling to Sao Vicente from Italy, or accomodation (from every part of Europe) contact:
gio@capoverdenews.com