Paul covers the north-eastern corner of Santo Antão, where the trade wind drops its moisture on the mountains and water runs in the valleys all year. Its small capital, Vila das Pombas, strings along the coast road at the mouth of the Ribeira do Paul. Behind the town the valley climbs steeply, its walls stepped with terraces of sugar cane and bananas fed by stone water channels. At its head, the Cova is a wide volcanic crater with fields on its flat floor. Pico da Cruz, Paul's highest point, reaches 1,585 metres.
Walking the Paul valley
The classic walk starts on the rim of the Cova and follows old cobbled paths all the way down the valley to the sea. It's almost all downhill, easy on the lungs and hard on the knees. Along the way you pass hamlets such as Chã de João Vaz, a good lunch stop, and several trapiches, the small mills where cane is crushed and distilled into grogue. Shorter hikes climb from Eito through the cane fields, and the pools at Passagem are good for cooling off.
Booking on adventuro
Guides usually drive walkers up to the Cova, so the day ends with a downhill finish at Vila das Pombas. Ponta do Sol and the north-coast cliff path are in neighbouring Ribeira Grande, a short drive west along the coast. Use the Book here tab to see live dates for guided walks in the valley.
