Santiago is the Cape Verde island for hiking, birdwatching, game fishing and beach life. Santiago Island has a more diverse landscape and range of appeal than Sal, Boavista and Sao Vicente and, it’s distinctly more African.
The capital is Praia which is a busy market town and home to half the islands population. It is a pretty town with a wide beach and plenty of bars and restaurants, often with live music.
The interior of Santiago is mountainous with canyons and valleys. The soil is fertile and rich with botanical gardens and plantations of bananas, mangos and sugar cane.
Tarrafal is a fishing village with a scenic bay and the best beach aswell as some good dive spots. Open to the public is a bleak, but interesting, former concentration camp and prison.
Cidade Velha, the former capital is steeped in history surrounding pirates and the slave trade. It is now a lively village with its own beach. Forte Real de Sao Filipe, the 16th century fortress, offers superb views over the village and the bay.
The roads on Santiago are good and offer a scenic journey between villages. Also worth a visit are the beach at Sao Francisco, the market at Assomada, the beachside village of Ribeira da Barca and the craft centre at Sao Domingos.
