Santo Antao will take your breath away!
Reached by a 1 hour ferry trip from the island of Sao Vicente, its giant jagged peaks loom up straight from the sea to a high point of just short of 2000m. Its inhospitable looking terrain is linked by an awe inspiring network of roads that criss cross steep valleys and terraces with hairpin bends that would rival the Tour de France stages.
Arriving at Porto Novo harbour, you are greeted by a cacophony of colour and sound as people race to load up their baskets of fruit, vegetables and local sugar cane liquor, grogue, for the journey to the markets of Sao Vicente.
Santo Antao is the garden of Cape Verde thanks to the moisture from the clouds that shroud its peaks and it’s these green fertile valleys that provide some of the best walking in Cape Verde – from the magnificent cobbled trail down from the Paul crater to the spectacular coastal path between Cruzinha and Ponta do Sol which contours the water’s edge at the bottom of 1000ft high cliffs.
But perhaps my favourite walks are those trails that link the tiny farming settlements; where you might get invited in for a home-grown cup of coffee, sold crystallised papaya sweets by a resourceful child or follow an elderly woman carrying a heavy load of food for her goats on her head. You’ll fall in love with the scenery, but it’s the people you’ll remember.
Santo Antao – Cape Verde Holidays
If you’re looking for a great holiday in Cape Verde you should definitely consider the island of Santo Antao!
At Archipelago Choice, our small friendly team of island holiday specialists has been organising tailor-made holidays to the Azores since 1998 and more recently to Cape Verde, Saõ Tomé and Príncipe. Over this time we have developed the most comprehensive, flexible and fairly priced holidays to these beautiful islands.
All the holidays we organise are put together with great care using our extensive knowledge of the islands and our experience of travelling around them. We try very hard to give the most choice and flexibility possible combining activities, accommodation and island hopping so we put together holidays that best suit our clients.
So whether you want to go whale watching, walking, canyoning, kite surfing or just relaxing on the beach, you can be sure our team of island holiday specialists will be able to help.
