Sao Tiago Island

Santiago © www.caboverde.com

The largest island in the archipelago, boasting the best scenery, Sao Tiago is also the most populated. Its residents are more African in culture, which is reflected in its musical traditions, markets and the many festivals held during the year. Two towering mountain chains characterise the interior, while the coastline sports small sandy palm-fringed coves. Sao Tiago is the site of Cape Verde's capital city, Praia, and the picturesque fishing town of Tarrafal. Praia has an interesting marine archaeology museum dedicated to documenting the various shipwrecks that have occurred around the islands. The historic old port city, Cidade Velha, was a major slave-trading post and retains cobbled lanes and stone buildings in the shadow of its old 15th-century fortress and Cathedral.