Cape Verde is known for its relaxing vibe and quiet towns. However, the capital of the archipelago is something different. Praia is a busy city and walking around the city, located in south part of Santiago island in Cape Verde, you directly understand that this is the economic heart of the island.  Close to the city, you’ll find the beach Quebra Canela, which is a modern beach, with many restaurants and bars. Really a good place within the city to relax. 

Plateau, the historic center of the city of Praia, is literally a plateau, from where you have a wide view of the city and especially the port of Praia. Plateau was built in the colonial era and its architect does not let this go unnoticed. You can’t go to plateau and not stop by the municipal market, an ideal place to discover the variety of products on the island. Every day you find several people there, mostly women, selling their products. Vegetables, fish, fruits and sweets are products that you will definitely find there.

The Sucupira market is a little different from the ordinary. It is the largest open-air market on Santiago island and in the entire Cape Verde. A place where you can find practically everything you need, clothes, shoes, accessories, food, etc. A market located in a central area of the city with typical African characteristics, full of colors and a little consequence of globalism you find people from different cultures and languages to sell or to buy in this space. Right next to the market is located the only bus station in the city which also increases a number of people traffic in this are

Santiago island was the first Cape Verdean island that was discovered in the 15th century by the Portuguese. They created the first settlement in Cape Verde and named the city Ribeira Grande. Later, during the 18th century, the name was changed to Cidade Velha. It was the first European settlement on a tropical African island. Great navigators like Vasco da Gama and Columbus used the island as a stopover during their journeys around the world. 

Now Cidade Velha is a Unesco World Heritage site, mainly because it was the first European settlement in the tropics, and was from significant value for the maritime trade routes between Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world. The island Santiago became a trade hub for slavery, because of its location on the trade routes. Luckily it belongs to the past nowadays. 

A mountain range on the island of Santiago, an integral part of the Serra Malaqueta natural park, which is home to several endemic species of flora and fauna of Santiago island. The mountain range is perfect for being in contact with nature and breathing fresh air, it has an incredible view, with great trails for hiking. Serra Malagueta is the best spot for trekkings and hikes, from easy to challenging possibilities.

Tarrafal is a city in the northern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. arround 20.000 people live here, It is a fishing port situated on the northwestern coast. It constitutes the seat of the Tarrafal Municipality. 

Its name derives from its location in a coastal area which allows the presence of a plant called tarrafe, today the village of Tarrafal is one of the mandatory stops in the visit to the island of Santiago due to its calm and its white sand beach that is an attraction for its residents and visitors, due to its location in the coastal area, it makes it impossible the existance of green areas and the practice of agriculture, in other hand fishing and tourism are the income-generating activities, its sea rich in varieties of fish attracts lovers of snorkeling and fishing.

Assomada is a town in the interior of Santiago, 44 km north of the city of Praia. it is a city on a plateau between the mountains, that is, a city in the middle of the countryside, which makes it quite peculiar. The climate there is quite pleasant. There you can visit the market, one of the best on the island, where you can find various national products. Twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays the city turns into a real market full of color, the main roads turn into a trade of clothing, furniture, electrodomestic, and other local products, people from all over the island gather in this city to buy and sell products, and this becomes an attraction for visitors.