Fogo: Island of Fire in Cape Verde

One of the Sotavento (Leeward) Islands of Cape Verde, Fogo (meaning fire) is dominated by a volcanic mountain, Pico do Fogo, which rises to an elevation of 2,829 meters.  Standing in the old craters of that mountain, a beautiful vista can be enjoyed across to Pico Pequeno.  These craters surround the mountain, forming a caldeira, a gigantic crater with a nine kilometer diameter.

When the island was discovered back in 1460 by Genovese captain António Noli, it was first named São Filipe, meaning St. Philip. 

While there is no mention as to when the name changed, it seems the island got its more fiery name before the eruption in 1680, because a madrigal, or secular vocal music composition, titled "The Andalusian Merchant" by ThomasWeelkes, sings about "how strangely Fogo burns, amidst an ocean full of flying fishes."  

Almost the whole of Fogo island is what is termed a stratovolcano, that is periodically active.  The last eruption was in April 1995, which formed a new crater named Pico Pequeno (or little peak).  With Fogo being so mountainous, which tends to attract cloud formation, the island tends towards a damp environment.  This is useful for the various plants that now thrive on the terraced fields, lining the hillsides.

São Filipe is the largest city on the island and is home to around 20,000 residents, making it the fourth largest city in the Cape Verde archipelago, after Praia, Mindelo and Assomada.  The city is also the site of the airport for the island, which offers domestic flights between Fogo and the other surrounding islands. This attractive city rises approximately 100 meters above the steep coast, where there are kilometers of black lava beach.

 

Attractions in São Filipe include the old city center, named Bila Baxo, which is known for its original Portuguese colonial architecture.  Many of the houses in the area have been renovated since 2000, giving them a richly-decorated, colorful façade.  The homes have bay windows and wooden balconies overlooking the streets.  Besides these smaller colonial homes, there are several beautiful mansions to be seen in the town.  Due to these historic colonial buildings, São Filipe has been proposed to be inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites.

At the border of Bila Baxo and the more modern areas of the city, stands the Market Hall at Praca Francisco de Assisi, the busiest place in the city.  This is also where the post office and bus station can be found.

An interesting visit is the Museum Casa da Memória (House of Memory) at Praça 12 de Setembro. The museum is located in an 1820 merchant’s house and next door can be found the Museu Municipal (or municipal museum).  Of interest in the latter museum is the courtyard, where some of the endangered plant species of the island have been planted including  Crabo bravo (Erysimum caboverdiana) and Língua de vaca (Echium vulcanorum).

Several colonial houses and monuments, as well as a small park, can be found at Praça Serpa Pinto,located northwest of the town center and about 40 m above the beach Praia da Bila consisting of black volcanic sand. The view point here, Miradouro da Bila Baxo offers a beautiful view of the beach and the neighboring island of Brava.

Part of a fortress, named Fortim Carlota, which dates back from 1667 can be seen in the southern part of the city, complete with a very impressive cannon.  Up until 2005, this building was used as a prison.  Approximately three kilometers north of the city, Porta de Vale de Cavaleiros beach offers great swimming.

The other main town on the island is Mosteiros, which interestingly also contains one of the few forests in the Cape Verde archipelago and named Floresta de Monte Velha.  The terrain in the area consists of historic lava flows from an eruption of Pico do Fogo in 1951.  The area is mainly involved in agriculture and its most important product is coffee.

Another place of interest to visitors is Chã das Caldeiras (“Plain of the Calderas”).  This area is home to around 1,000 residents and is situated within the crater of Pico do Fogo.  Due to its situation and quality of the soil, Chã is the only area in Cape Verde that grows significant quantities of grapes and produces export-quality wines.   

There is no electricity or running water in the area.  However, people have started using generators to light and power their homes and all non-drinking water is collected from the rain in large cistern tanks.   

The image below is the main street of the village of Bangaeira, situated within the Chã area and to the left can be seen grapevines in the area.

Fogo is gradually attracting tourism, with visitors mostly interested in visiting the volcano (accompanied by a guide).   

The tourism infrastructure is limited at present, but there are smaller hotels and bed & breakfasts available as well as local guides offering tours.

Two suggested hotels on Fogo are Hotel Santos Pina in São Filipe, a three star modern hotel, close to Ponta da Salina beach and the Fogo National Park.  The hotel comes recommended by Tripadvisor and offers a restaurant as well as a terrace with spectacular views of the area.

For accommodation in a more traditional and attractive colonial style building, Hotel Casa Colonial is located in the heart of São Filipe and offers all the modern conveniences, including a swimming pool and terrace with a view.

The video below (Portuguese language) gives some impressive views of the island.

Photos:

• Fogo island aerial view CC-by-SA AldoBien
• Fogo map CC-by-SA Bela-vista.net
• Town square in São Felipe CC-by-SA Otimarte
• São Filipe beach CC-by-SA Ji-Elle
• São Filipe houses CC-by-SA Cayambe
• Village of Bangaeira, Main Street, island of Fogo, Cape Verde CC-by-SA Torbenbrinker
• Street Shop in São Filipe, island of Fogo, Cape Verde CC-by-SA Cayambe
• Grapevines in Chã das Caldeiras CC-by-SA FH Mira
• Hotel photos, courtesy the hotel.