Fogo iinsel - Kapverden Tours

Fogo

São Filipe

The third oldest town in the archipelago is located in the southwest of Fogo Island, right by the sea with a view of the neighboring island of Brava. In the early days of colonization, São Filipe was used for the cultivation of cotton and later for other crops such as vegetables, wine and coffee. The city has a historic center characterized by Portuguese colonial architecture and lush gardens with trees and flowers. The port and the island’s airport are located on the outskirts of the city.

The historic city center, called Bila Baxo. It is known for its colonial architecture. Many houses have been renovated since 2000. Many houses have a colorful or richly decorated façade, wooden balconies or bay windows.

In addition to picturesque streets with smaller colonial houses, there are around 50 representative mansions to see. The historic center of São Filipe is on the provisional list of World Heritage Sites.

The city hall

One of the most representative buildings is the town hall (Camara Municipal), which was built in 1928. It is located in a lovely square called Praça 12 de Setembro, where a small park and a wooden pavilion are well worth a visit.

Vegetable Market

The market hall is located on the border between Bila Baxo and the more modern part of the city on Praça Francisco de Assis, the busiest square. The main bus stop and post office are also located here.

Catholic Church

The most important Catholic church in the city is Nossa Senhora da Conceição, which was built in 1849 in a comparatively simple style.

The church with its two impressive bell towers has been renovated several times, most recently in 2007. Opposite the church are several well-preserved colonial houses from the 18th century.

Natural park of Fogo

The Fogo Natural Park is located in the central part of the island of Fogo and consists of the volcano, the crater, the Bordeira and the forest edge of Monte Velha. It is a sub-peak of the Pico do Fogo volcano, located at the north-eastern end of the crater rim. The nature park is the part of the island with the highest rainfall and is home to a huge forest that is part of a protected area.

Chã das Caldeiras and Pico do Fogo

Inside the crater you will find an amazing village, Chã das Caldeiras, which is 9 km wide, and inside this crater there are about 6 small villages with a special lifestyle, many people choose to live near the volcanic crater, despite the constant danger of an eruption. This village is something unique, and I can’t describe the feeling you get when you arrive at the village.

It is a moon-like landscape, very quiet and peaceful. But you can still see the old lava flows from the last eruption. It destroyed a large part of the village. Old houses through which the lava flowed can still be seen. Somehow frightening and beautiful at the same time. The beauty also lies in the friendliness of the people who still live in the caldera.

They have decided to build their new homes on the dried-up lava flows. Nothing can stop them from living there.

You will be impressed by the tranquillity and the landscape of the village. It is literally another world. In addition to the volcano and its huge crater, the caves and the route through the beautiful mountains are a real attraction for mountain and nature lovers.

Brava

Pico Grande

At 2,829 meters above sea level, Pico do Fogo is the highest mountain in Cape Verde and West Africa. The main cone last erupted in 1680, which led to mass emigration from the island. A secondary vent erupted in 1995. The only fatal eruption was in 1847, when earthquakes killed several people.

Fogo, was auf Portugiesisch “Feuer” bedeutet, ist eine vulkanische Hotspot-Insel. Die letzten Ausbrüche fanden 1951, 1995 und 2014 statt. Sie ist der jüngste und aktivste Vulkan der Kapverdischen Inseln, einer kurzen Kette von Vulkaninseln, die im Allgemeinen am westlichen Ende jünger sind und sich bildeten, als sich die afrikanische Platte über den Hotspot nach Osten bewegte.

Eine sichere Wanderung, die aber immer von einem Einheimischen geführt wird. Um den Gipfel des Feuers zu erklimmen, braucht man eine gute körperliche Verfassung, keine Höhenangst und eine Menge Widerstandskraft, aber bei all dem lohnt sich die Ankunft auf dem Gipfel mit einem Panoramablick auf den gesamten Archipel, wenn man gutes Wetter hat.

Pico Pequeno

In November 2014, a new volcano called Pico Pequeno (small peak) emerged within the old crater, erupting with ash, bombs and flowing lava that destroyed around 10% of the surrounding villages and a large part of the vineyards, with far worse consequences for the population.

The villages of Portela and Bangaeira were almost completely destroyed by the flowing lava. On the slopes of Pico, near Pico Pequeno in 1995, another series of craters formed, in which geological phenomena typical of very young volcanoes can be observed.

Coffee of Fogo

Coffee has been grown on Fogo, the easternmost island of Cape Verde, for over two hundred years. It was certainly the Portuguese who introduced Coffea arabica, but the exact origins are uncertain. Some say that they brought small coffee plants from Brazil, others that they came directly from Africa, without the intermediate step via the great American land.

Growing coffee on Fogo is a challenge for nature, because although the volcanic soil is rich in minerals, the semi-arid climate does not allow enough water to reach the plantations, resulting in lower yields every year, causing growers to worry about the future of their plantations.

The cafezais are concentrated in the north of the island at altitudes between 1000 and 1600 meters above sea level in the municipality of Mosteiros, in the towns of Galinheiro, Ribeira Filipe or São Filipe and Santa Catarina, but above all in the Morgadio de Monte Queimado, where the largest contiguous coffee-growing area is located. Monte Queimado coffee won the prize for the “best coffee in the empire” at the colonial exhibition in Porto in 1934.

The coffee is harvested between February and March and is a natural, unwashed coffee. Unfortunately, there has been very little rain in recent years, which has drastically reduced the harvests. There has also been a lack of willingness on the part of young islanders to participate in the coffee harvest.

Wine of Fogo

The vineyards are located in Chã das Caldeiras, between 1,500 and 2,000 meters. At this altitude, the wind can be quite fierce, but in our case, most of the vineyards are sheltered in the crater of the volcano.

Mainly white grape varieties are grown, a muscat grape called Touriga because of its Portuguese origin. Some labels even bear the traditional designation preta (preta is black). From the structure of the wine, I would say that it is more of a variety like the “Listanes”.

A view of Fogo IslandThe vineyards are spectacularly beautiful. Up here, “survival viticulture” is practiced, i.e. without the possibility of irrigation, the vine can live where it receives a little water with some regularity. The vines are irregular, are rarely worked and are of rare beauty.

They are young because the old vines disappeared in the burning lava of the 1995 volcanic eruption in the struggle for survival… The vines grow with a perfect amount of sugar due to the location, with many hours of sunshine during the day and very cold nights, from planting to harvesting, all work is done by hand and 100% organic. The production is small, about 70,000 bottles per year, always depending on the amount of rain, they produce the red and the white and passito and rosé wine.
If you want to taste a wine, you can find it in Casa Mariza or Casa David.

Hikes in Fogo

1 – HIKE THE SMALL CRATER

The hike starts at around 1600m above sea level, climbs just over 300m and descends again to 1600m at the village of Portela. There is no clear path, but visibility is good and you can see where you need to go. The path leads over rocks and sand, especially on the descent. At Pico Pequeno, with a great view of the caldeira and the Bordeira (crater rim) behind you, you can clearly see the two youngest lava flows: black for the youngest, brownish for the slightly older one. Here you can also see the path in the soft volcanic sand that comes down from Pico do Fogo. There are also sulphur holes on Pico Pequeno.

Particularly on the descent from here, you will come across various plants in the man-made hollows, such as apples, tomatoes, corn, but above all vines, from which the excellent Fogo wines are made. Some may have seen a similar cultivation technique on the Canary Island of Lanzarote. Here you can also see the sulphur chimneys, reminiscent of life underground, and enjoy a beautiful view of the whole village.

Distance 9.2km, +/- 300m, 3-4h, medium difficulty

2 – HIKE TO THE PICO GRANDE

Climbing Pico Grande is always a great challenge, a paradise for those who love hiking. We take you to the highest point of Cabo Verde and the second highest in the Atlantic, Pico Grande at 2829 meters. The challenging trail leads to the highest point, from where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the crater.

From the summit you have a comprehensive view of Chã d

Distance: 10km, +/- 1300 m, 5-6h, challenging

3 – HIKE CHÃ DAS CALDEIRAS – MOSTEIROS

After leaving Chã das Caldeiras, this trail takes you into a deep forest where you will find eucalyptus, cypresses and many other tree species. As you approach the municipality of Pai Antonio, the coffee and banana plantations come into view, providing you with a rich landscape. The hike can be a bit strenuous, so be sure to bring your walking sticks.
Our guide will pick you up at your accommodation in Cha das Caldeiras and we will hike to Mosteiros.

Distance: 12.8km, -1300m, 5h, challenging

Fogo

São Filipe

The city hall

Vegetable Market

Catholic Church

Natural park of Fogo

Chã das Caldeiras and Pico do Fogo

Brava

Pico Grande

Pico Pequeno

Coffee of Fogo

Wine of Fogo

Hikes in Fogo

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