Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, capital of the county of the same name; it is located in the Sotavento archipelago and precisely on the island of Santiago. The city represents an important commercial and tourist hub. The island's economy is based mainly on agriculture, with cultivation of wheat, cane sugar, coffee, fishing, and crafts. Today Praia is a lively city and its territory surrounded by peaks more than 1,000 meters high has a very particular charm.
Il Old Town of Praia called Plateau overlooks the bay near the port. Start your visit to the capital of Cape Verde with a walk in rua 5 de Julio, the market area, and a tour of Albuquerque square embellished by the presence of magnificent buildings from the colonial era. Admire the church of Nossa Senhora da Graça, built in 1902, a very spacious and bright building. Stop at the Ethnographic Museum, the symbol of the Portuguese colonization of the archipelago.
Continue your visit to the capital with a tour of the Sucupira Market where you will find various types of items from clothing to fabrics to spare parts for cars. The next stop is the Palàcio Presidencial of Praia, official residence of the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, built in the 19th century. Stop for a snack in the Achada de Santo Antònio neighborhood where you will find most of the bars and restaurants offering local cuisine.
If you want to treat yourself to a relaxing break by the sea, in the western part of the historic center you can choose some beautiful ones beaches like those of Quebra Canela and Prainha. For a romantic walk, go to the Miradouro Diogo Gomes which extends around the statue of Gomes himself, the Portuguese navigator who discovered the island in 1460; from here the view is truly spectacular. Another symbolic place of the city of Paia not to be missed is the Farol De Maria Pia also known as Farol da Ponta Temerosa or Farol da Praia: it is a lighthouse located 3,5 kilometers from the capital of Cape Verde and dates back to 1881.
For an entire day full of sun and sea, Praia Santa Maria which extends from the city to the rocks of Praia Ponta Petra. Here, 5 kilometers of golden beaches await you, washed by the sea which takes on colors that vary from cobalt blue to light blue to turquoise, equipped with bathing facilities, but also with wilder traits. You can choose whether to be pampered by comfort or whet your spirit of adventure in the midst of the loneliest dunes.
In Cape Verde, moving a few kilometers away from Praia and heading west, you will find Ribeira Grande, the true pearl of the island of Santiago with its Cidade Velha. The old city was the first settlement on the island and the entire Sotavento archipelago, an Afro-European union that would find affirmation over the following years, thanks to the originality of the traditions, the value of the monuments and its urban plan . In 2009 it was recognized as a cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
Reach the Royal Fortress of Sao Felipe, memory of the Portuguese governors; from this position you will enjoy a suggestive view of the ocean. Admire the style of the houses along Rua Banana and the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosàrio, which was built at the beginning of 1495 and which houses inside a fine baptistery with an alabaster baptismal font embellished with floral motifs and glazed ceramics called azulejos.
To reach Cape Verde and its capital they are operational international flights with a stopover at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport; generally active connections with important European cities such as Amsterdam and Paris. Flights to the other Cape Verde islands depart and arrive from this airport. By sea, from Praia, you can then reach the other islands of Cape Verde.
