São Nicolau: At one with nature in Cape Verde

São Nicolau (or Saint Nicholas in English) is one of the Barlavento (windward) islands in the Cape Verde archipelago.  Located between Santa Luzia and Sal, the island has a population of 12,864, living mostly in rural areas, and a land area of 388 square kilometers.  

Preguiça Airport is situated to the south of the island between Vila da Ribeira Brava and Campo.

The island itself is nature at its most beautiful with steep mountains, fertile valleys and deserted villages to explore. The villages were abandoned during the 1940s when a severe famine hit the island, leading to many people emigrating.

The rock formations on the horizons are simply fascinating to see. The highest mountain on the island is Monte Gordo, at 1,312 meters in elevation, but for the most part elevations are pretty low on the island, making it an ideal location for hikers and mountain bikers. However, with beach areas mostly difficult to access, São Nicolau is probably not the best for those wishing for sun and sand at the beach.

The main town on São Nicolau is Ribeira Brava, which is hugged by a very impressive backdrop of mountains.

The town is situated in the valley of the river of the same name and the name of the river (and town) is Portuguese for "rough stream", referring to the violent behavior of the river during rains.

In the town center can be found the Praça do Torreiro church square with the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário church, built in the traditional Cape Verdean style.
 
A park is available for rest and relaxation among the flowers and there is a market hall, where food and clothing can be bought. Of particular interest is the São João quarter, where houses built of natural stone with straw roofs can be seen.

In the western part of the island, Tarrafal de São Nicolau is a port city and the main harbor on the island. It is also one of the few places on the island with easy access to the beach for swimmers. To the north of the town can be found Praia da Luz, a wide black sand beach, definitely worth a visit.

When exploring the island, the Fajã Plain is of interest, where papaya and banana trees flourish, especially in the area of the village of Cachaço, which lies in the foothills of Monte Gordo.


Photo credits:

• Mountain and ocean scenes CC BY-NC 2.0 Sérgio Machado BRAsileiro
• Sao Nicolau map CC-by-SA Bela-vista.net
• Praça da Vila da Ribeira Brava em São Nicolau, Cabo Verde CC Bluecrane