Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Mindelo (Cape Verde). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Praça Amílcar Cabral, Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Light, and Fortim d'El-Rei. Also, be sure to include Centro Nacional de Artesanato in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Mindelo (São Vicente).
Table of Contents
Praça Amílcar Cabral
Praça Amílcar Cabral, also popularly known as Praça Nova, is an important square of the city of Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde. It is located in the northern part of the city center of Mindelo. The square is named after Amílcar Cabral, a leader of the independence movement of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. Constructed in 1895, it was named after the colonial administrator Serpa Pinto until Cape Verdean independence in 1975. It was laid out in a new, previously undeveloped part of the town. The square is surrounded by Rua Angola to the north, Rua Argelia to the east, Rua Patrice Lumumba to the south and Rua 5 de Julho to the west.
Notable buildings and structures around the square:
- Centro Nacional de Artesanato e Design (end of the 19th century)
- Cinema Éden Park (1922)
- the kiosk (1932)
- the New Building (1907-1910), built for the British company that operated the transatlantic telegraph cable, currently houses the telephone company CV Telecom
Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Light
Building. The Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Light is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. It is located on Rua da Luz, in the city centre. Built in 1862, it is one of the oldest buildings of Mindelo. However, the church has been enlarged recently, leaving only the façade in its original state. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mindelo, created in 2003.[2]
Fortim d'El-Rei
Fortim d'El Rei is a fort in Mindelo, in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. It is located on a hill north of the city centre, in the neighbourhood Fortinho. It was built in 1852 for the defence of Porto Grande Bay and the city of Mindelo. Since 1930, it was only used for civil purposes, and it gradually fell into disrepair.[3]
Centro Nacional de Artesanato
Museum. Centro Nacional de Artesanato e Design is a museum in the city of Mindelo on the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. It situated at the north end of Praça Nova in the city centre of Mindelo. It exhibits works of popular culture, design and crafts.[4]
Laginha
Beach in Mindelo, Cape Verde. Matiota is a subdivision of the city of Mindelo in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. It is situated 1.2 km northwest of the city centre, along Porto Grande Bay. Adjacent subdivisions include Chã de Alecrim to the east and Fortinho to the south. It includes the beach Praia da Laginha.[5]
Diogo Afonsó
Diogo Afonso was a Portuguese explorer.[6]
City center of Mindelo
The City center of Mindelo or Morada is the historic center of the Mindelo in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. Its population was 1,553 at the 2010 census. It is the place where the island's first settlement was founded in 1793. Many public buildings are situated in the city centre. It lies along the Porto Grande Bay. Adjacent neighbourhoods include Fortinho to the northwest, Alto Miramar to the northeast, Fonte Cônego to the east and Ribeira Bote to the southeast.[7]
Fortinho
Fortinho or Fortinho/Escola Técnica is a subdivision of the city of Mindelo in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. Its population was 92 at the 2010 census. It is situated northwest of the city centre and south of Matiota. It takes its name from the fortress Fortim d'El-Rei.[8]
Palácio do Povo
Building in Mindelo, Cape Verde. The Palácio do Povo, formerly the Palácio do Governo, is a public building in the city centre of Mindelo in Cape Verde. It is situated at the eastern end of Rua Libertadores de África. It was built in 1874, when there were plans to move the capital of Cape Verde to Mindelo. Originally with only one floor, it was expanded with a second floor between 1928 and 1934. Since independence, it is called Palácio do Povo. It currently houses a Carnival museum.[9]
Address: Mindelo, Rua Baltasar Lopes da Silva, Rua Franz Fanon
Fonte Cónego
Fonte Cónego is a subdivision of the city of Mindelo in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. Its population was 236 at the 2010 census. It is situated directly east of the city centre. Adjacent neighborhoods include Alto Miramar to the northwest, Alto Santo António to the north, Alto Solarine/Forca to the northeast and Ribeira Bote to the south.[10]
Ribeira Bote
Ribeira Bote is a subdivision of the city of Mindelo in the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. Its population was 3,956 at the 2010 census. It borders the city centre to the northwest and Fonte Cónego to the north. The Hospital Velho and the church Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora are located in Ribeira Bote.[11]