Ribeira Grande covers the north of Santo Antão, and nearly half the island's people live here. Ponta do Sol, the municipal seat, is the northernmost town in Cabo Verde. It's a cluster of colourful houses at the end of the coast road, with a small fishing harbour below the headland. The town of Ribeira Grande lies a few kilometres away, where the Ribeira Grande and Ribeira da Torre reach the sea. Inland, three deep valleys climb through sugar cane and terraced fields towards the cloud-covered ridges.
Cliff paths and valley walks
The island's best-loved hike starts in Ponta do Sol and follows an old cobbled path along the cliffs to Fontainhas, a village of painted houses stacked along a narrow ridge. It continues past the hamlets of Corvo and Formiguinhas, with the Atlantic far below, to the fishing village of Cruzinha da Garça, around 15 kilometres in all. Inland, walkers descend the Ribeira da Torre past the tall rock pinnacle above Xoxo, or follow cobbled paths from Corda down to Coculi. In the Ribeira da Garça, a walk from Boca de Ambas Ribeiras ends at the village of Chã de Igreja.
Booking on adventuro
Ponta do Sol is the usual base, reached from the ferry at Porto Novo by a long drive over the mountains. The coast path runs one way. Guided walks usually include the drive back from Cruzinha, and you can use the Book here tab to see live dates for walks on the north coast.
