São Vicente Cape Verde

About

São Vicente Cape Verde is one of the more westerly of the Cape Verde islands. The main town of Mindelo is a tourist and cultural centre with a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere. Although discovered in 1462, it was only in the 19th Century that the potential of the deep harbour was appreciated by the British once it became a refuelling stop for shipping. Mindelo is now a prosperous town, with restored squares and the refurbished façades of its historic buildings. The airport is located at São Pedro and has direct flights from Lisbon. Cruise liners sometimes call into Mindelo. There are daily ferries from Mindelo to Santo Antão.

Beaches

In addition to the cultural places and events of Mindelo, there is the Laginha Beach with its attractive bar/restaurant. At São Pedro the beach is great for windsurfers and one of the best beaches for speed windsurfing (best conditions Nov-Apr). São Pedro is about 10km from Mindelo. To the southeast of São Pedro there are beautiful, deserted beaches of fine white coral, surrounded by the reddish brown scree on the mountains. Osprays can often be seen gliding above the water.

Entertainment

In Mindelo there are arts & crafts exhibitions and workshops, a cultural centre (Centro Cultural do Mindelo), an arts museum (Museu de Arte Tradicional), a lively fish market, and fruit and vegetable markets. Restaurants are plentiful and varied. You will find live music in many of the bars. Whilst Mindelo is the island’s hub, cultural events can be found throughout the island. The Baía das Gatas (The Bay of Cats) festival is held in August. Also one of the very few Gay Pride celebrations to be held in Africa takes place in Mindelo.

Places to visit

Mindelo is an attractive town. It is not a large city and so it is easy to explore on foot. There are also interesting discoveries to be made if you venture out of the towns. Plants that have adapted to desert conditions will be found, together with palm trees and vegetable plots along with acacia groves. There are small villages to explore, such as Calhau, with its colourful houses. Island tours are available. São Vicente is also the stepping stone to the island of Santo Antão, with its mountains and hiking trails.

Geography

São Vicente is in the northern Barlavento islands. Monte Verde dominates the island together with the mountain ranges of Madeiral and Fateixa. On a clear day, from the mountains, it is possible to see Santo Antão, together with the deserted islands of Santa Luzia, Branca and Raso. The water between São Vicente and Santo Antão is in fact within a submerged volcano crater. The Climate is tropical and dry, and it rarely rains on São Vicente, providing an all-year destination for those seeking warm weather and sunshine.

Travel to São Vicente

Flights, ferries & more info:

There are a number of flights each week to the four international airports in Cape Verde. These airports are on the islands of Boa Vista, Sal, Santiago and São Vicente. You can fly to any of them and then use the local flights or ferries to connect with other islands. If you are staying on São Vicente, or moving on to Santo Antão, then it is better to fly direct, unless you wish to go island hopping.

Flights

CVsky
Domestic
TAP
International
Cabo Verde Airlines
International
TUI Nederland
International
Luxair
International
Transavia
International
Edelweiss
International
EasyJet
International

Ferries

Ferry
Inter-Island
Port
Mindelo

Info

Airport
Cesária Évora
Visas
Required to enter
Tax
Tourist tax
News
The latest travel news

City flight connections

Click on the name of the city to show the Airlines and flight days. These should always be checked with the airlines, as schedules do change. Also, some routes only operate during the winter months and some don’t operate every week, or on varied days.

Last updated 27 May 2026

Lisbon

TAP – Daily

Cabo Verde Airlines – Thursday

Easyjet – Monday and Thursday

Paris - Orly

Transavia – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (Winter only)

Porto

EasyJet – Monday and Friday

Amsterdam

TUI – Monday and Thursday

Paris - Charles de Gaulle

Cabo Verde Airlines – Monday

Luxembourg

Luxair – Thursday (Winter only)

Zurich

Edelweiss – Wednesday (Winter only)

Local travel

Travel on São Vicente is possible using taxis, aluguers (minibuses) or car hire. Taxis are less expensive than in most of Europe. We recommend agreeing the price before the journey. An aluguer is a minibus that operates on set routes. They are inexpensive and mostly used by local people, but are available to all. They normally only run when the bus is full. Island tours can also be arranged, see the activity section below.

If you prefer the freedom of travelling when and where you want, then car hire is a great option. Our partner Cabo Verde Rental Cars can assist you in finding a suitable vehicle.

Activities on São Vicente

Activity – Tours

Green Line Tours, São Vicente Cape Verde

Welcome to Green Line Tours. We are Angela and Paulo Silva, the co-founders of this family-owned business located in São Vicente. With over 20 years of experience in Cape Verde travel and a commitment to providing award-winning service, we are pleased to share our expertise and passion for the beautiful islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão. We invite you to join us in exploring these unique destinations and creating unforgettable memories together.

São Vicente is a beautiful Island 🏝 vibrant, small cosmopolitan city full of life! Great cafés, food, music, beaches and villages where you can find local people, places to stop for lunch/dinner/drinks! It’s a city you will come to know and be an explorer of your own! Experience it with us and you will surely get the best of São Vicente 🇨🇻

Also, paradise is right across the channel, only an hour by ferry ⛴ Santo Antão boasts of green valleys, mountains, vegetation, traditional farming lifestyle and lovely people 💚 Grogue is produced here, we must visit the distillery to see how it’s made.

Both these islands must be experienced 💯 We will make sure you get to know the islands the best way possible:)

We trek, snorkel, hike to hidden coastal beaches, have historical tours, visit the hidden gems, and places according to your preference; we connect with local artist, also host families who welcome you to their homes for a meal or even to sleep (remote trekking), we also provide transfers and can arrange accommodations, inter island flights, and all-inclusive packages.

Let us know your ideal Cabo Verde trip and we will help make it happen!

Activity – Diving

Dive Tribe, São Vicente Cape Verde

Dive-Tribe is more than a Diving Centre! It is above all an amazing experience in a paradise underwater, with lots and lots of fish surrounding you! All of that in the company of a wonderful team, always smiling and always ready to help you. Come and dive with us in the island of Sao Vicente!

São Vicente is a crossroads of boats and people from various sources, all around the world, due to its excellent sea port of Porto Grande, the biggest port in the country. It is right in the centre of the main shipping routes across the Atlantic. There is a very charming marina that welcomes sailors all around the world, on their way to and from South and Central America. It is also from this sea port that the connections are made to the neighbouring island of Santo Antão.

The marine fauna is rich and diverse; the water is clear, normally with visibility of more than 25 meters. The average annual temperature of São Vicente varies between 23 º C to 31 º C and the sea between 21 º C and 28º C. All these ingredients promote the existence of coral platforms and multi-coloured fish creating an amazing ambiance.

Activity – Scooters and Quads

Scooter & Quad

Scooter & Quad is a Cape Verdean company dedicated to scooter and quad bike rental and providing excursion services for tourist purposes with representation on the island of Santiago. The company was created in 2022 by promoters with relevant experience in the sector, who make available to their customers the know-how acquired during more than twenty years of activity in Cape Verde. They quality services, with a fleet of new scooters and quads, refined logistics and pre and post-sales customer service. With its own mechanical workshop, scooters and quad bikes are inspected daily so that customers can enjoy their experience safely.

In Mindelo they currently offer scooter rental services for tourist purposes (125cc, 300cc and 400cc) and 4×4 quad bike excursions (520cc). The 4×4 quad adventure tour is a 4-hour guided adventure around the island of São Vicente, where you can explore the magnificent coastal and inland landscapes of the island of São Vicente with a touch of adrenaline and adventure. Small group tours (min 2 pax and max 16 pax). Duration: 2/4 hours. Guides speak English, Portuguese, French and Spanish

Accommodation on São Vicente

Mindelo Apartments, São Vicente Cape Verde

The 8 (studio) apartments, located in the Santa Filomena neighborhood, offer an amazing view of beautiful Laginha Beach and the bay of Porto Grande. You can reach the beach within a few minutes.

Whether you are looking for luxury or just a simple place to spend the night, you will find it here! The Copacabana Laginha apartments are among Mindelo’s finest! We offer different types of apartment on the Avenida Marginal boulevard, with an amazing view of Laginha Beach. Three and four bedroom apartments are available.

Mindelo Apartments has been active in the city of Mindelo since 2014, hosting a large client base. Please use the contact form to send us a message!

Casa Colonial, São Vicente, Cape Verde

Casa Colonial is a lovely, restored house in the centre of Mindelo. It is one of the oldest houses in the town and located in a quiet residential area close to Rua Lisboa and the cafes, restaurants, bars and shops.

The accommodation offers nine large double bedrooms (six of which have a four-poster king size bed plus three large twin bedrooms). Each room has its own ensuite wet-room with open plan shower and w/c. The house can accommodate up to 18 guests in the nine rooms and is suitable for couples, families and groups.

There is a secluded courtyard (in Portuguese, known as a Quintal). In the Quintal there is a plunge pool, terrace and views over the town and to Monte Cara.

Accommodation – São Pedro

B&B Le Gourmet, São Vicente Cape Verde

Modern guest house in São Pedro with sea views (two guest rooms and two studios)

The small village of São Pedro is just a few minutes from the São Vicente airport and about 15 minutes from Mindelo the capital of São Vicente Cape Verde. BB Le Gourmet is in the centre of the village, providing guests with excellent, well designed and well equipped accommodation. Comfort is our priority. We can book airport transfers for you if you so wish. We speak English, French and Dutch.

There are two guest rooms and two studios with a small kitchen, bathroom, shower television, fan, WiFi and an external balcony or terrace. The facilities have been carefully designed for people with disabilities, including a lift. There is also a swimming pool on the rooftop sun terrace.

The prices vary according to the room and the season. Breakfast is provided. Other meals can be provided on request, and comprise European food. If you wish to visit the beautiful islands of Santo Antão and São Nicolau, we can book the ferry tickets, hotels and trekking guides for you. We can also book tours of São Vicente.

The lovely white beach of São Pedro is just a few minutes away and there are views of the sea and beach from the house. This beach is ideal for those who enjoy sunbathing, swimming, scuba diving, fishing and surfing, or simply enjoying a nice walk. There are three restaurants in the village. From São Pedro it is easy to visit Mindelo. Other attractions on the island can be visited from Mindelo and include the beaches at Baía das Gatas, Calhau and Salamansa. The ferries to Santo Antão and São Nicolau go from the port in Mindelo. The climate in Cape Verde is lovely the whole year round with very pleasant sea temperatures.