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Santiago Island Tour: Quality and Comfort
4.7
18 Ratings
Praia
The journey is set to be a distinctive and memorable experience, as we deliver a premium-quality product that offers insights into the enchanting aura of Santiago Island. Accompanied by a highly experienced driver, your travel will be marked by excellence, convenience, and security.
The journey is set to be a distinctive and memorable experience, as we deliver a premium-quality product that offers insights into the enchanting aura of Santiago Island. Accompanied by a highly experienced driver, your travel will be marked by excellence, convenience, and security.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Farol de D. Maria Pia - The D. Maria Pia Lighthouse, also known as Ponta Temerosa Lighthouse or Praia Lighthouse, is a notable lighthouse in Cape Verde. It is situated at Ponta Temerosa, on the western side of the port entrance of Praia, the capital city of Cape Verde. Located in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Graça, it is approximately 3.5 km SSE…
- Farol de D. Maria Pia - The D. Maria Pia Lighthouse, also known as Ponta Temerosa Lighthouse or Praia Lighthouse, is a notable lighthouse in Cape Verde. It is situated at Ponta Temerosa, on the western side of the port entrance of Praia, the capital city of Cape Verde. Located in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Graça, it is approximately 3.5 km SSE from the city center on Santiago Island.
- Assomada Market - A visit to the Assomada Market is highly recommended on Wednesdays or Saturdays, when the market is bustling with activity and variety. The market in Assomada spans two floors, with the lower floor offering fruits, vegetables, bread, and meat, while the upper floor features clothing and footwear. Even if the first floor doesn’t pique your interest, it’s worth a visit for the splendid view of the vibrant and lively main area. From this vantage point, one can truly experience the essence of Africa.
- Serra de Malagueta - Serra Malagueta is one of the most captivating tourist landscapes in the interior of Santiago Island. It provides an ideal setting for rural and adventure tourism. As one of the highest points on Santiago Island, Serra Malagueta is rich in endemic species and offers breathtaking views of exotic landscapes, perfect for stunning photography.
- Museu Da Resistência - Located three kilometers from the village, in a place ironically named Chão Bom, this site is a must-visit. It holds particular significance for Portuguese visitors, as the concentration camp is a part of their national history. Known as the Slow Death Camp, it began receiving opponents of Salazar’s dictatorship in 1936. Here, 32 prisoners died, and many more endured hardships that left lasting impacts.
- Tarrafal Beach - Tarrafal Beach is one of the 7 Wonders of the Tarrafal Municipality in Santiago. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful and frequented beach on the island. With its white sand and picturesque bay surrounded by coconut trees, it is one of the most paradisiacal spots in the archipelago. Visitors can enjoy swimming and sipping on fresh coconut water.
- Principal - In Ribeira Principal, one travels through a valley with stunning views of a vast banana plantation. The river flows entirely within the municipality of São Miguel, originating in the mountains of Serra Malagueta. It typically flows north through the Principal Valley and meets the Atlantic Ocean near Achada Monte.
- Calheta de Sao Miguel - The main urban center is the City of Calheta (Venice), which houses the municipal administration and key public services. According to INE, in the year 2000, Calheta had a population of 4,967, including the areas of Venice and Ponta Verde.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Return to the hotel
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- All fees and/or taxes
- Guarantee a smooth trip
- Private transportation
- Return to the hotel
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- All fees and/or taxes
- Guarantee a smooth trip
What's Not Included
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
Location
Farol de D. Maria Pia
Ponta Termosa
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(18 Ratings)
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Yonahn2025
May 27, 2025
Leo is awesome - Leo was extremely accommodating and patient as my cousin and I took the time to take as many pictures as we could to capture the stunning beauty of the island nation. Leo is professional, engaging, and would be the prime choice for English tourists to fully grasp the hidden power of Cape Verde.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Knut_h
Nov 6, 2024
Great Tour - Leo was a nice guy and he did everything to make us happy.
The tour itselfs was great.
We got perfect impressions from the Island and the People.
Many thanks
Review provided by Viator
Mariald4823ol
Feb 7, 2024
Our enjoyable winter holidays - It was our first time in CV. We chose Santiago because of the variety of nature that can be found there. We didn't search after beaching and sunbathing. The tour of the whole island with Nelson was the bull's eye: we went to Citade Velha the first day, then tour through the central part of Santiago to Tarrafal (with some swimming in there), and since it took us too much time to enjoy all of the attractions, we decided on the next, shorter tour along the coast. Nelson is a tactful and patient person and a careful driver. We couldn't have seen that much and that safely without an organized trip. I'd definitely recommend taking such a tour if you want to sightsee, learn about the history of the archipelago, take pictures and feel safe.
The only drawback was a non-air-conditioned vehicle of Nelson's. However it was bearable to ride with the windows open.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Floormaster900
May 14, 2023
A highlight of our holiday in Cape Verde . - Nelson was a great guide - he met us at the entrance to the cruise port and delivered us back there at the times we asked for. Speaks good English. He knew lots about the culture and history of the Island, and was obviously a well known character, because many people waved as we passed through some of the inland towns. The trip was very flexible in terms of how long we spent at each place - we spent slightly less time at Tarrafal beach and a bit more time in the market town where Nelson found us a nice place for a coffee - but still covered all the places promised in the itinerary. The highlight for me was the east coast road back to Praia towards the end of the day, where the little bays and headlands were stunning. This is a much less populated part of the Island than the more direct road we travelled up in the morning. We also stopped at a traditional village where the residents were much less connected to the modern way of life having made a decision to try and live in more traditional ways. We were made to feel very welcome there. A great tour overall and one of the best things we did in the whole of our visit to the Cape Verde Islands.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C0rnelg19
Nov 6, 2022
Nice overview of Santiago Island - The tour with Nelson was verry interesting and gave us a good overview of the island. We can recommend the tour with Nelson:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
976isobelh
Nov 6, 2022
Fantastic tour - This is a fabulous tour. Nelson was a great guide with a vast knowledge of local information. It was a relaxed and informative day and nothing was too much trouble.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marithhuij
Oct 5, 2022
Wonderfull Island day tour! - We booked a Santiago island day trip with Nelson our tour guide. We had such an amazing day! We got enough time to visit the places at our own pace. We visited nice places such as Assomada and Tarrafal. And the views from the car are breathtaking, very green! We can really recommend this tour! Nelson is a nice driver and knows a lot about the island!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ursuladiego
Dec 28, 2021
Impressive island experience - We got to know the whole island in one day. Every request was met. In general, we would say an unforgettable experience with a super nice tour guide. Recommended at any time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alandcar2015
May 3, 2025
Good tour - The tour was very good; however, Leonardo was 20 minutes late. We arrive ten minutes before start time as most tour's usually request, So we waited thirty minutes for him to arrive. This is the only problem that we had.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luis
Jul 15, 2022
Agua Tours CV - I thought I paid for a one-day tour with a local guide... history; local culture... finally know the place I visited better.
We had a (very friendly, friendly and helpful) young driver in a common taxi.
The voucher included: lunch and coffee (I paid all) ... entrance to Tarrafal - we paid.
I'd have the same at my hotel door for a fraction of what I paid. Despite the sympathy of our young driver, it is better to combine with another Enterprise for a better price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
