1. Santiago: Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha
After being collected from your accommodation in Praia, depart toward the small village of Calabaceira. Start your 3-hour hike from the top of the valley, with an oasis of vast vegetation emerging in its interior. Follow a simple and accessible trail for any hiker, and explore the green valley famous for both its baobab trees mentioned by Charles Darwin and its use as an escape route for slaves during slavery. Next, discover the local fauna and flora, and have the opportunity to experience the production of a local rum-making distillery. There, get in touch with local farmers and their agricultural fields of sugar cane, mango trees, cassava, banana, and more. Arrive in Cidade Velha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit the São Francisco Convent, Banana Street, and Nossa Senhora do Rosário church. Have a break for lunch and savor local delights in a typical restaurant right on the seafront. After lunch, visit the former slave market, the ruins of the Sé Catedral, and the Royal Fortress of São Filipe. From the top, enjoy a beautiful view over the whole old town and find out about the system of defense used against pirates. The tour concludes with drop-off at your accommodation in Praia.