Things to do in Santo Antão

Santo Antão is the second-largest island and the most mountainous, rising to 1,979 metres at Tope de Coroa. The south and west are dry and stony, but the north-east catches the trade-wind cloud, and its valleys are stepped with terraced plots of sugar cane and bananas. Villages sit on ridges high above the sea, joined by old cobbled paths. There's no working airport, so you arrive by ferry from Mindelo into Porto Novo, then cross the mountains to the northern valleys where most walkers stay.

Crater walks and cliff paths

The classic first walk starts on the rim of the Cova crater, a round, farmed hollow more than 1,100 metres up, and drops through pine woods and terraces into the Paul valley. On the way down you pass cane mills where farmers distil grogue, the local rum, before reaching the coast at Vila das Pombas, the main town of Paul. In Ribeira Grande, on the north coast, a path leaves Ponta do Sol and follows the cliffs to Fontainhas, a village of painted houses on a narrow ridge. It carries on to the fishing village of Cruzinha da Garça. The deep Ribeira da Torre and Ribeira da Garça valleys make quieter day walks. Porto Novo covers nearly three-quarters of the island, from the ferry port on the dry south coast to the remote summit of Tope de Coroa. Most routes are on good paths, so hiking here calls for fitness and grip rather than climbing skills.

Getting there and where to stay

Ferries leave Mindelo on São Vicente several times a day and reach Porto Novo in about an hour, where drivers wait for the trip north. Most walkers stay in Ponta do Sol or in Paul valley guesthouses, where walks start from the door. Three or four nights lets you walk the Cova descent, the coastal path and a valley route without rushing. Leave a spare day before any flight out of São Vicente, since a rough channel can cancel a sailing.

Booking on adventuro

Guided walks, from the Cova descent to the coastal path, are run by local guides and centres. Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices.