Being another beautiful Cape Verde island with incipient tourism, Santo Antão would be an excellent alternative to spend your vacation hiking and seeking adventure in its mountainous territory.
Traveling to Santo Antão Cape Verdeis a unique opportunity to relax and explore its tourist routes.
Despite the fact that it is a relatively virgin area due to its little tourist exploitation, many visitors to its “neighbor” Island of Sao Vicente travel an hour by ferry to admire its fauna and flora.
This island has a population of more than 47,000 inhabitants . A place full of magic and color, which we are sure you will enjoy if you spend your vacation in Santo Antão Cape Verde.
Holidays in Santo Antão Cape Verde
This territory of Cape Verde, one of the most remote in the country (geographically speaking), enjoys a large agricultural economy. It is a beautiful countryside that has a wonderful range of rugged mountains and cities such as Ribeira Grande and Porto Novo.
Many tourists from Sao Vicente visit it because of its proximity. And, although it is small in terms of tourist work, many companies interested in exploiting it for the enjoyment of foreigners are establishing a huge business there. In addition, its beautiful landscapes are a magnet for lovers of photography and adventure . Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!
BEFORE TRAVELLING! Remember to hire the Best Travel Insurance for Cape Verde. Click here to find it!
Main cities of Santo Antão Cape Verde
A vacation on Santo Antão Cape Verdeis a must if you love nature. That is why we will tell you which are its most important cities so that you can know more about your next destination. You will love:
Ribeira Grande
Ribeira Grande, its capital , is not its most popular city, but it is close to the great Atlantic Ocean and certain precipices that allow you to see very beautiful landscapes. However, it is not considered the ideal place to spend the night .
Its population is not very noticeable either, and even several of the traveling birds that visit the island prefer to stay in Porto Novo during their stay.
Porto Novo
Porto Novo is the base of the tourist companies of Isla de Santo Antão . Some establishments have been installed there, such as shopping centers and ferries that efficiently transfer tourists from there to Sao Vicente and vice versa.
On the other hand, this city is very close to the second most populous city in Cape Verde, Mindelo , therefore, it is worth visiting during your stay. The trip only takes one hour. So traveling to Santo Antão Cape Verdewill offer you a wide variety of routes that you can explore at your leisure. Truly, you should not let this opportunity pass you by.
CURIOUS FACT! The Portuguese navigator Diogo Afonso was the one who named this beautiful island. He discovered it on January 17, 1462, according to the name of the saint on the day of his discovery, he named it Santo Antao
Where to stay in Santo Antao Island Cape Verde?
If you have already arrived in Santo Antao , where to stay you will not miss. Because around 43 hostels and pensions await you. Towns like Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, the largest, as well as others like Pinto, open their doors to their hostels and hotels.
Most of them offer beautiful views of the sea that will help you relax. User ratings range from good, fantastic, and exceptional.
Our recommendation is to stay directly in Porto Novo, since it is the one with the most variety of accommodation, and surely the most interesting city to see.
Flights to Santo Antão Cape Verde
To get to Santo Antao the ferry is available as a mode of transport . These vehicles are quite comfortable, fast, interesting and also allow you to capture beautiful images. The latter is already another benefit.
On the other hand, this island is only fourteen kilometers away from Sao Vicente, so the trip by boat will not be long. And, of course, you can enjoy the view of the mountains of this magnificent territory.
How to get from the Santo Antao Island ferry to my hotel?
To get from the ferry to the place where you will be staying, you can take a taxi or a rented car (our recommendation). The need for a guide will become very important to get to know it better and avoid getting lost along the way.
What to do in Santo Antão Cape Verde?
There are many activities that you can do in Isla Santo Antao as a tourist. Here we leave you some recommendations and most popular activities by visitors to Santo Antao :
- Routes around the island by car
- Fishing and sailing days with family or friends
- bike rides
- Hiking through its mountains and natural routes
- surfing and diving
- Relax on its spectacular beaches
How to move around the island?
To have a good vacation in Santo Antão Cape Verdeyou can rent a car to move around the area. Of course, it is essential that you have some guides to show you the most popular places on the island, such as its roads and part of its famous cities. We recommend that you inform yourself at the hotel about all your plans, so they can provide you with any information you require.
Frequently Asked Questions about Santo Antão Island
It has a total of 47,000 inhabitants, which is relatively little if we consider that it is the second largest island, with 779 km2
Its capital is Ribeira Grande. Although the most popular and busy city for tourists is Porto Novo
It is not a very touristy island. Most visitors come from Isla Sao Vicente, as it is only a few km away. In recent years, a lot of Porto Novo hotels are beginning to be built
Citizen security in Cape Verde is normally very high. And the same goes for this island.