Magical Islands 8 Days/7 Nights full board

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  PARIS/SÃO VICENTE

  Arrival at Cesária Évora airport in São Vicente. Transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

• day 2

  MINDELO / CITY TOUR / SANTO ANTÃO

  Breakfast. Panoramic tour of the city of Mindelo, fascinating for its universality, the friendliness of its inhabitants born from the meeting of several peoples, and its lively nightlife. Descent along the famous marginal avenue that runs along the sea, where you will see the statue of an eagle ready to take flight. Discovery of the replica of the Belém Tower from Lisbon. Visit to the fresh fish market of all kinds, the African market with its clothes and African objects, the Pracinha de Igreja, which is the oldest square on the island, and the fruit and vegetable market. Tasting of typical Cape Verdean drinks. Lunch at the restaurant. Transfer to the port of São Vicente and ferry crossing to the island of Santo Antão. Arrival at Porto Novo. Change of scenery... It is a fantastic island, of incredible beauty, with imposing mountains and deep, lush valleys. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

• day 3

  Pico da Cruz / Ponta do Sol / Chã da Igreja

  Breakfast. Ascent to Pico da Cruz, located between 1,300 and 1,600 meters. A short walk of about 40 minutes to the small forest ranger's house, for an exceptional viewpoint over the islands of São Vicente, Santa Luzia, and São Nicolau. The guide will explain the different endemic plants. At this altitude, you can discover a forest of pines and eucalyptus. On one side, Pico da Cruz faces São Vicente. The stretch of sea separating the two islands is superb; on the other side, you overlook the Paul valley: we invite you to climb a rock to find yourself above the void, 900 meters below your feet. This excursion will allow you to discover magnificent views of the green valleys, the North Coast, and the South slope. During the journey, stop at Delgadinho where you can see Ribeira da Torre and Ribeira Grande. Road to Ponta do Sol, a charming town with houses painted green, blue, and pink. These beautiful old houses with colonial architecture now make up the island's historical heritage. Under the sun, with its pastel facades, the town really has a Cuban feel. Visit to the fishermen's boat factory, which manually builds wooden boats. Discovery of the fishing port. Lunch at the restaurant. Road to the small traditional village of Chã da Igreja, clustered around its small church. Charming village, located on a promontory with the church and whitewashed houses. In this region, we will reach magnificent panoramas of the Atlantic Ocean. Return to Porto Novo by the coastal road. Dinner and overnight stay.

• day 4

  PORTO NOVO / RIBEIRA FRIA / LAJEDOS / ALTO MIRA

  Breakfast. Walking discovery of Porto Novo: we will go to see the fishermen hauling in nets full of tuna (subject to weather conditions and the arrival of the fishermen). Just a few meters away, women sell fresh fish. Passing by Amílcar Cabral Avenue where a statue in honor of the Cape Verdean Woman is erected. Visit to the century-old church of St John the Baptist. We continue to Pousolana Oásis and Lajedos. Lunch at the Babilonia property. This property was born from a community project to develop local agriculture, where you will taste regional specialties. Visit of the property (the crops, the livestock) with the possibility to purchase local products made on site by the villagers. Continuation to Ribeira das Patas and Alto Mira. In Ribeira das Patas, the celebrations of the Saint John the Baptist festival begin, which take place between June 23 and 25, with the highlight on the 23rd, with a pilgrimage to Porto Novo, where the sacred and the profane mix to the sound of drums, whistles, and voices inviting you to dance the Kola San Jon. The Alto Mira region, with its strong agricultural potential, with its green valleys descending to the sea, passing through small villages, offers us magnificent landscapes. Dinner and overnight.

• day 5

  IN THE HEART OF THE PAUL VALLEY

  Breakfast. Departure to Paul via the coastal road and visit to the famous Paul Valley, the greenest on this island. This is where the largest quantity of grogue, the local drink, is produced. Transport to Passagem. There, we will take a photo break for direct contact with nature. 2-hour walk in the heart of the valley, which will allow you to discover thatched cottages and cultivated terraces. There is a primitive village with rudimentary small stone houses. The harmonious development of human interaction with nature, as well as the smiles of the village children, will enchant you. Lunch with a local, at Mr. Costa's house, who opens the doors of his home where several generations live together. You will taste the traditional and famous cachupa, a typical dish of the archipelago, cooked with ingredients grown on site. Visit of his agricultural estate (sugar cane, tropical fruits, coffee, etc.), as well as the small hut where he roasts coffee. He will explain the coffee-making process, as he is himself a producer (depending on the time of year). You will have a pleasant time and enjoy the cuisine and friendliness of a Cape Verdean family. We will take the panoramic Corda road to the Lagoa Plateau, where Santo Antão reveals another side. The vast virgin expanses and ochre colors, mixed with the hospitality of the local population, will make this day exceptional. Goat cheese is a specialty of the high plateau and the production method will be explained to us. Then, we will visit a primary school (except during school holidays). Return to Porto Novo to the hotel. During the return, we will enjoy the majestic landscapes. Dinner and overnight.

• day 6

  PORTO NOVO / MINDELO / ISLAND TOUR

  Breakfast Transfer to the port of Porto Novo. Ferry crossing. Return to Mindelo. Road to Calhau. During the journey, you can see various oases where windmills are used to extract water from the ground. Continue to Baia das Gatas, a superb bay with its beach along a calm and crystal-clear sea, and its immense natural pool. It is here that, every year, a famous music festival takes place, bringing together people from all the islands and from different foreign countries. Lunch at the restaurant. Return via Salamansa, a small fishing village. We invite you to meet the locals and learn about their way of life. Departure to Monte Verde, a promontory with a view of Mindelo and the beaches in the north of the island. Then, road to Mindelo, where we can appreciate Monte Cara, which is one of the attractions of São Vicente: it is nothing more than a mountain whose relief, seen from afar and in profile, has the shape of a face. Dinner and overnight.

• day 7

  S. VICENTE

  Free day on full board Farewell dinner with live music.

• day 8

  SÃO VICENTE / PARIS

  Breakfast. Transfer to the airport and flight to France. Indicative program and subject to change depending on flight and ferry schedules. Thumbnail copyright: Nick Fewings - Unsplash