Santiago Island
Filled with historic attractions and beautiful scenery, was the first island to be settled after the discovery of the islands. With an area of 992 km2, is the largest and most populous of the islands sheltering more than half the population of Cape Verde.
The mountainous interior, suitable to the practice of mountaineering, presents sinuous and deep valleys, some with permanent sources of water, and two imposing mountain ranges, one of which, the Pico d'Antonia, the highest point of the island, 1392 meters, and other Serra Malagueta. The rugged coastline is generally steeper, black reefs, interrupted in places by small sandy beaches. Very rich seabed, especially in the eastern part, give this large island possibilities for spearfishing and scuba diving practice. The mild climate, more humid and lush vegetation in upland areas and in certain valleys, which contrasts with the dryness of the middle and lower zones. |
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Santiago island is the administrative, economic and political headquarters of the country. Its capital, Cidade da Praia, gathers about half of the island inhabitants. The center, built on a basaltic plateau known as the "Plateau", which dominates the Bay, lets guess, in most of its buildings, the Portuguese colonial architecture.
The fort and its cannon pointing out to sea are relics that testify to its historic past. Its gardens and sidewalks give it a particular charm. The city center corresponds to the Alexandre Albuquerque Square, one of the most typical places and the meeting point of the local population. In the late afternoon, people gather in pubs and the terraces. Around the square, there is the Parish Church, the Court and the Town Hall. |
The city of Praia offers a rich range of attractive curiosities such as Fair Sucupira typically African, where, is found a bit of everything. The Avenue Amilcar Cabral, the main artery of the Plateau, bordered by trading houses and major businesses, gardens and terrace cafes where you can quench your thirst, worth a visit. Well located near the Market, filled with goods, especially agricultural, gathered from the orchards of the interior of the island. A stroll along the beaches of Gamboa, Mulher Branca, Prainha and Quebra-Canela complete the picture.
From the original urban core, the city had a remarkable growth since the country's independence in 1975. This growth is due in large part to the migration of people from the countryside and other islands in search of work and resulted in several neighborhoods.
The island's economy, of an essentially agricultural base, developed through the hand labor originating from Africa. Assumed as a trading post on the triangle composed between Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, the island assimilated, more than any other the influences, which embossed their African identity. In its traditional festivals in its peoples very vivid clothes in the music and habits it can be seen the link to the continental root.
Featuring a good network of paved roads, the Santiago Island can be explored quietly for long and different ways either by the coast or inland. A tour inside the 70 km route between its endpoints in the south and north, the city of Praia and Tarrafal, possessing the most inviting beach of the island and also the notorious Jail named Chão Bom allows an accurate picture of the beauty of this island.
In the return by the coast to the east, passing by Calheta, Santa Cruz, Pedra Badejo, where vast plantations of banana, papaya and coconut trees, and other typically tropical crops, demonstrate where there is water, especially after a generous rainy season (from August to October), the fertility of the Capeverdean soil. Santiago is a mainly agricultural island even more so, in nowadays with the construction of several dams where pontificates that of Poilão (the name of the largest tree in the archipelago), which irrigates a beautiful valley.
An interior road leads to localities of particular interest, like São Jorge do Orgãos, is where, in the midst of lush greenery, is located the only botanical garden in the country. Rui Vaz, halfway from the highest point of the island where you get an unrivaled panoramic view. By the way, a stop at Assomada center of the Municipality of Santa Catarina in rapid urban growth, and known as the granary of Cape Verde. Its market is the first in the country, to it converges people from all over the island.
Due to its geographical relief, Santiago presents itself speckled with quiet and cozy bays and coves. The one at São Martinho, near the city of Praia, where landed the seaplane, which took Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral on their trip to Brazil, the beach Praia Baixo and the beautiful Sao Francisco Bay, are also worth a visit.
The Old Town
In the opposite direction, in the Cidade Velha (Old Town), the cradle of nationality, today a World Heritage site, and voted one of the 7 Portuguese Wonders in the World the fortress of São Felipe, Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Convent of Sao Francisco and the Pillory , relive a past history in what was the first capital of the Cape Verde archipelago, that acquired the city status in 1533.
The food is rich, the local specialty is "Feijão pedra guisado com carne salgada de pilão" (a kind of bean and meat stew) and "Catchupa" (based on chicken meat, beef, pork and sausages and vegetables, corn, beans, cabbage and potatoes).
Festivals
St John (June 24), celebrated on all the islands of the cape Verde archipelago.
From the original urban core, the city had a remarkable growth since the country's independence in 1975. This growth is due in large part to the migration of people from the countryside and other islands in search of work and resulted in several neighborhoods.
The island's economy, of an essentially agricultural base, developed through the hand labor originating from Africa. Assumed as a trading post on the triangle composed between Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, the island assimilated, more than any other the influences, which embossed their African identity. In its traditional festivals in its peoples very vivid clothes in the music and habits it can be seen the link to the continental root.
Featuring a good network of paved roads, the Santiago Island can be explored quietly for long and different ways either by the coast or inland. A tour inside the 70 km route between its endpoints in the south and north, the city of Praia and Tarrafal, possessing the most inviting beach of the island and also the notorious Jail named Chão Bom allows an accurate picture of the beauty of this island.
In the return by the coast to the east, passing by Calheta, Santa Cruz, Pedra Badejo, where vast plantations of banana, papaya and coconut trees, and other typically tropical crops, demonstrate where there is water, especially after a generous rainy season (from August to October), the fertility of the Capeverdean soil. Santiago is a mainly agricultural island even more so, in nowadays with the construction of several dams where pontificates that of Poilão (the name of the largest tree in the archipelago), which irrigates a beautiful valley.
An interior road leads to localities of particular interest, like São Jorge do Orgãos, is where, in the midst of lush greenery, is located the only botanical garden in the country. Rui Vaz, halfway from the highest point of the island where you get an unrivaled panoramic view. By the way, a stop at Assomada center of the Municipality of Santa Catarina in rapid urban growth, and known as the granary of Cape Verde. Its market is the first in the country, to it converges people from all over the island.
Due to its geographical relief, Santiago presents itself speckled with quiet and cozy bays and coves. The one at São Martinho, near the city of Praia, where landed the seaplane, which took Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral on their trip to Brazil, the beach Praia Baixo and the beautiful Sao Francisco Bay, are also worth a visit.
The Old Town
In the opposite direction, in the Cidade Velha (Old Town), the cradle of nationality, today a World Heritage site, and voted one of the 7 Portuguese Wonders in the World the fortress of São Felipe, Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Convent of Sao Francisco and the Pillory , relive a past history in what was the first capital of the Cape Verde archipelago, that acquired the city status in 1533.
The food is rich, the local specialty is "Feijão pedra guisado com carne salgada de pilão" (a kind of bean and meat stew) and "Catchupa" (based on chicken meat, beef, pork and sausages and vegetables, corn, beans, cabbage and potatoes).
Festivals
St John (June 24), celebrated on all the islands of the cape Verde archipelago.