Santo Antao Island Porto Novo, Cape Verde
Cape Verde

2 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Silversea Cruises (2 Cruises)


Frequently Asked Questions

At the Porto Novo quay on the island's east coast. The quay was extended in 2013 to take cruise ships, so vessels come alongside directly with no tendering required.
Not much, and the town makes no attempt to charm. A black-sand beach near the landing, a few cafes, the ferry traffic to and from Mindelo, and horseback rides along the shore. The real Santo Antão hides behind the peaks.
Cross the pass on the Estrada da Corda and come back. The climb takes about forty minutes and the landscape flips completely: bare rock gives way to cultivated slopes, then to ridges snagged with cloud. Crossing the island and returning fills most of the day.
By organized excursion or by aluguer, the local shared taxi, negotiated as you step ashore. Agree clearly on route and return time. Given the length of the trip, the ship's excursion is the safer bet for not missing departure.
An old cobbled road that switchbacks up to the island's dividing ridge. Every bend opens a new view over deep valleys and sharp peaks. Local drivers know the safest pull-offs for photographing these gorges.
Hanging agricultural terraces growing sugarcane, bananas, yams and coffee, irrigated by stone channels running along the mountainside. The Ribeira Grande and Paúl valleys hold the best of it, along with the hamlet of Fontainhas clinging to a ridge above the sea.
That is its worldwide reputation. Even a short call gives you a taste: excursions often combine the drive with a walking section in the Paúl valley, the lushest in the archipelago, among terraced crops, mango trees and isolated houses.
Good shoes, a hat and water. The sun bites from mid-morning even when the summits stay wrapped in cloud, and stops are often at the roadside with no shade and no shops.
The Cape Verdean escudo, pegged to the euro; bring cash, since cards rarely work outside Porto Novo. Portuguese is official and Crioulo is the everyday language, including at the Ribeira Grande market.
Not for anyone wary of mountain roads. The switchbacks are relentless and the drops impressive; travellers prone to motion sickness should prepare. Staying in Porto Novo means seeing little of the island: it rewards those who go up and look.