Santo Antão, known as “Island of the Mountains”, is the northernmost of the archipelago. It also marks the extreme west of the island group. The landscape here is regarded as the most spectacular of all the Cape Verde Islands.

This is the second largest Cape Verde Island; covering an area of 779 Km². It’s a very popular hiking location.

Fishing and paper production are the main industry on the island. Other than Portuguese (official language), the majority of the population speaks a distinctive Capeverdean Crioulo.

This paradise island has now begun attracting visitors (tourists, homebuyers, property investors) from all over the globe, all throughout the year.

Some of the most well preserved volcanic structures on Santo Antão include the Tope da Coroa Volcano and the crater of Água das Caldeiras. Towering mountains that have formed as a result of recent volcanic activity dominate the whole island.

This truly is a landscape of rare scenic beauty. It’s got massive lava piles that rise sharply on steep slopes, cut by deep ravines. Once you get here you’ll immediately be overwhelmed by the landscape’s vast magnitude.

Inland, the islanders still use bovine and horse driven “Trapiches” to produce the island’s most famous export – “Grogue”

Protected areas
The following areas in Santo Antão have been identified as national protected areas: Moroços Natural Park; Cova, Ribeira de Paúl, and Torre Natural Parks; Tope da Coroa Natural Park; and das Pombas Protected Landscape.

Getting to Santo Antão
Unfortunately, flights to Santo Antão are still quite limited. The best way to get here is to go through Sao Vicente. You can take a ferry from the port of Mindelo (Sao Vicente). It only takes about an hour.

This can be a very pleasant voyage in calm seas, with wonderful surrounding scenery. However, in rough seas, it can be quite an “adventure” – an exciting prelude to the magnificent first sighting of Santo Antao

Once on the island, you can travel across land by collective transports or by car rentals without drivers.

The ferry docks at the small port town of Porto Novo. From here, you can travel on to the towns of Ribeira Grande and Ponta do Sol.

Accommodation on Santo Antão
Finding accommodation on Santo Antão is easy, no matter what time of the year it is. The best places to look are in the municipal centers of Ribeira Grande, Porto Novo, and Paúl, where there are a growing number of hotel installations. Consult your local travel agent for more information.

Hiking/Trekking on Santo Antão
Santo Antão is a hikers paradise. A stunning mountain range, with altitudes exceeding 1500m, divides the island into two sections, north and south. The highest point on Santo Antão is Tope da Coroa at 1,979 meters. You can also explore by road. Guides are available in Ribeira Grande and Ponta do Sol.
Living on Santo Antão

Santo Antão isn’t exactly your typical holiday island, like Ibiza or Mallorca etc. It is, however, definitely worth a visit, especially if you want to just relax and get away from it all. Geographically, it’s one of the most impressive of all the Cape Verde islands. It’s also an idyllic place to live and a sound place to invest in property.
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