The taxi driver picked us up at the airport, and with a strong cheerful voice, he gave us all the tips about what we could do in Praia and his personal card so we could call him to bring us back to the airport at the end of our trip.
We left Santiago Island until the end of our trip to Cape Verde. Coming from Sal and Sao Vicente which were very uninhabited, we saw a lot more action in Santiago. Let me take you through what we experienced, what we did, where we stayed, and where we wandered around.
At a Glance
Caboverdian capital
Cosmopolitan atmosphere
Good food
Happy people
Lively city
A couple of facts about Praia
Praia is the capital and biggest city of Cabo Verde
Praia is located on the Santiago Island
Santiago is the biggest island of the archipelago and has 50% of the Cabo Verde population
The island of Santiago was discovered in 1460 by Diogo Gomes, a Portuguese navigator
Where we stayed
Before our trip, I researched a little bit more about the best neighborhoods where we could stay in Praia. Apparently, Plateau had good reviews from other travelers, and the best restaurants were located there, so based on that we decided to stay in Plateau.
We picked a hotel this time, instead of an Airbnb. The Casa Sodadi Hotel, located on the main street of Plateau, just in front of the famous Quintal da Musica. In a nutshell, beautiful but noisy. Located in an old house that was recently renovated, the rooms were very clean, with very high ceilings, a lot of natural light, minimal decoration with neutral white/beige colors. The downside was the noise from the street and the beds which were a little noisy.
My recommendation: Look for a place away from the main street.
What to do
Quintal da Musica
Live music, great talents.
Bistró $$-$$$
Cosmopolitan atmosphere, sophistication, great food
Linha d'Água $$
We went there twice, it has the best hamburgers in Praia and good wifi. You can hang out at the beach, or be inside away from the intense windy days. Here we also saw tons of families at the beach having fun, playing on the sand, you could see they were having a wonderful time.
O Poeta Lounge & Food $$
Nice views of Praia's sunset, no wifi, no distractions, live the moment.
Punto d'Incontro $
It is a nice place to have pizza, although (in my opinion) I think there are better pizzas in town.
Mercado Municipal di Praia
A must, here you will find all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and you can observe the Caboverdean woman with amazing strength and balance to carry goods on their heads.
Nhamii - ice dreams $
Yum! Really good ice cream.
Pastelaria VILU - $
Here we always saw Caboverdean men getting together to talk and enjoy a nice sip of Estrela beer.
Esplanada Morabeza - $
This is a nice spot in the main square of Plateau, located in front of a nice fountain and the Igreja Nossa Senhora da Graca.
I think Praia was the best place to perceive the Caboverdean culture. You can easily see they know how to have fun with simple things that best of all, are free! Like being at the beach all day long playing in the sand and splashing the ocean. Overall, it has been a wonderful experience to witness the Caboverdean spirits, it was also my first time in Africa, and I would definitely look forward to exploring more around here.
Help us plan our next trip! What are your favorite destinations in Africa?
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