Casa das Ilhas

Run by a Belgian/Cape Verdean couple, Casa das Ilhas is a quirky guesthouse.

Halfway up Santo Antão’s most famous valley, the Ribeira Paúl. It’s a great base for walkers being on the path down from the crater Cova de Paúl.

It has nine simple rooms set out in cottages on the steep mountain terraces. Five are en-suite rooms while the other four share two showers and three toilets between them.

As it’s fairly remote, we’ll include dinner. The tasty breakfasts and full set menu evening meals are served around a communal dining table. These are often traditional Cape Verdean cuisine and make great use of homegrown fruit and vegetables.

The abundance of sugar cane also allows the owners to make their own grogue, the drink for which Santo Antão is famous. But there is an honesty bar too where you can get beer and wine.

During the day, the owners run a kindergarten for local children and we encourage guests to take out stationery and children’s clothing to donate while they are there.

Please note that the property is accessed via a steep, ten-minute walk, though arrangements can be made to collect your luggage and bring it to the Casa.