Things to do in Santa Catarina

Overview

Assomada, the seat of Santa Catarina, sits on a plateau about 550 metres up in the west of Santiago, ringed by mountains and farmland. It's the island's second city, and its market fills with produce from the surrounding farms. The municipality runs from the slopes of Serra Malagueta down to west-coast villages such as Rincão and Ribeira da Barca. Just north of Assomada, the valley at Boa Entrada is planted with sugar cane and mango trees. In the valley bottom stands an enormous kapok tree, around 25 metres tall, where a colony of purple herons nests.

Walking in Serra Malagueta

Serra Malagueta Natural Park, which spreads across Santa Catarina and its northern neighbours, is the island's best-known hiking area. Trails start at the park's visitor centre, on the road north from Assomada towards Tarrafal. The ridge path climbs to a radio mast, and from there many walkers drop into the Ribeira Principal valley towards the north-east coast. Closer to town, a gentle walk down to the Boa Entrada kapok tree takes you past fields of sugar cane.

Booking on adventuro

Assomada, on the main road north from Praia, makes a practical base for early starts in the park. The park also reaches into Tarrafal and São Miguel, where many walks finish, so guides often arrange a pickup at the far end. Use the Book here tab for live dates.

FAQs

The ridge walk from the visitor centre is moderate, with a steady climb to about 1,000 metres on paths that can be narrow. Many people walk to the radio mast and back. The longer route down into the Ribeira Principal valley is steep and slippery in places, so wear good shoes and arrange a pickup at the bottom.

It stands in the bottom of a farmed valley at Boa Entrada, about 2 kilometres north of central Assomada. At around 25 metres high, it's thought to be the largest tree in Cabo Verde, and purple herons nest in its crown. The walk down passes plots of sugar cane and mango.

No. This Santa Catarina is on Santiago, around Assomada. Santa Catarina do Fogo is on Fogo, and it takes in the volcano's crater and Chã das Caldeiras, where people start the climb up Pico do Fogo.