Cidade Velha, Cape Verde’s first town
Founded in 1462 by Portuguese traders, Cidade Velha is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and its former capital, the first European colonial settlement in the tropics. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Praia, 10 km to the east: “aluguer” minibuses from Sucupira MarketCidade Velha (Wikivoyage)
- GPS coordinates
- 14.91600, -23.60600Cidade Velha (Wikipedia)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
Half a day from Praia is enough for the visit.
Cidade Velha (Wikivoyage)Ask to be dropped at the side road to the Royal Fort of São Filipe, above the town.
Cidade Velha (Wikivoyage)To head back, aluguers leave every few minutes from the Pelourinho square.
Cidade Velha (Wikivoyage)
Plan the trip
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Keep exploring
Cape Verde
Hiking on Santo Antão
Cape Verde’s second island at 785 km², Santo Antão is volcanic and very mountainous, with two high plateaus and steep valleys.
The Fogo volcano
An active stratovolcano, Pico do Fogo rises to 2,829 m; its latest eruptions were in 1951, 1995 and 2014.
The beaches of Sal, around Santa Maria
Sal, with white sand beaches and over 350 days of sunshine a year, owes its name to its salt ponds.
Sources · 2 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Cidade Velha (Wikipedia)
Founded in 1462 by Portuguese traders, it is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and its former capital. […] this town was the first European colonial settlement in the tropics. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site […] It is 10 kilometres (6 miles) west of the capital Praia. (coordinates 14.916, -23.606)
- Cidade Velha (Wikivoyage)
This is an easy half-day trip from Praia […] From Praia, aluguers leave from the Sucupira Market west of Plateau. Ask to be dropped at (the side road to) Forteleza Real de São Filipe. […] Aluguers returning to Praia leave every few minutes from the main square where the Pelourinho is.
Opening hours, prices and access conditions change: check them with the official source before you go. Viafro publishes no price without a source and a date.