Cidade Velha
Cidade Velha is a city in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde.
Cidade Velha is a city in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. Founded in 1462 by Portuguese traders, it is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and its former capital. Once called Ribeira Grande by the Portuguese colonists, they changed its name to Cidade Velha in the late 18th century after relocating the capital to Praia. It is the seat of the Ribeira Grande de Santiago municipality.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Worth seeing in and around Cidade Velha
3 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.
- 01Fort Real de São Filipe
Forte Real de São Filipe is a 16th century fortress in the city of Cidade Velha in the south of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. It is located on a plateau above the town centre, 120 meters above sea level.
500 m · UNESCO World Heritage Site · Wikipedia - 02Nossa Senhora do Rosário church
Nossa Senhora do Rosario church is a 15th century church in the town of Cidade Velha on the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. It is located in the northwest of the town, near the right bank of the stream Ribeira Grande de Santiago.
100 m · church building in Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Cape Verde · Wikipedia - 03Pelourinho
The Pelourinho is an important monument in the city of Cidade Velha in the south of Santiago, Cape Verde. The historic centre of Cidade Velha is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2009.
100 m · UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cidade Velha, Cape Verde, Pillory · Wikipedia
Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Wikivoyage says to see
Even without a specific attraction in mind, there is plenty to see just walking around the historic city center, which constitutes a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- 01São Felipe Royal Fort
- 02Pelourinho
Erected in 1512 or 1520, this is perhaps the oldest monument in Cape Verde.
From Wikivoyage: Cidade Velha, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Things to do
Start at the fort above the town. Tickets cost 500and include a map and pamphlet guide for the town. From the fort, follow the path downhill past the ruined cathedral to arrive at the seashore. You can duck down to the beach before continuing on to the main square. The monument here is the Pelourinho ou picota and was a place of execution. Further along the Rua Banana leads up hill.
From Wikivoyage: Cidade Velha, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Getting to Cidade Velha
- Airports
- Nelson Mandela (RAI), 13 km · Aristides Pereira (BVC), 156 km · Amílcar Cabral (SID), 215 km
- Rabil → Cidade VelhaTrain, bus, flight, ferry and road, side by side
- Espargos → Cidade Velha216 km · quickest by road, 60h 23m · $21–29
- São Pedro → Cidade VelhaTrain, bus, flight, ferry and road, side by side
- Plan a tripFrom anywhereThe planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.
No local-transport research exists yet for Cidade Velha
Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Cidade Velha. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.
- Get inThere are ferry boats that have irregular service to and from the islands of Maio, Boavista, Sal and Sao Nicolau, and more regular and scheduled service to and from Sao Vicente and Fogo.
- Get inAs of 2014, there were regular ferries from Fogo (4 hours) and Brava (just 40 min from Fogo).
- Go nextCidade Velha, the historic capital, is an easy half-day or day trip and something not to be missed if you're interested in history.
From Wikivoyage: Praia, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-02.
- 01292 km
- 022,686 km
- 032,902 km
- 043,569 km
- 053,595 km
If you know how people move in Cidade Velha – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.
Next door to Cidade Velha
- Salineirosettlement in Santiago, Cape Verde2.5 km
- Calabaceirasettlement in Santiago, Cape Verde2.1 km
- Santíssimo Nome de Jesuscivil parish in Santiago, Cape Verde2.7 km