Cidade Velha Tour: World Heritage Site with Local Guide

Walk the streets where European colonization began in sub-Saharan Africa

A guided tour of Cidade Velha from Praia covers the World Heritage Site's colonial landmarks (the 17th-century Convent of São Francisco, the ruins of the first sub-Saharan cathedral, Banana Street's traditional houses, and the São Felipe Fortress) with pickup and drop-off at your Praia accommodation, a local guide, and lunch at a seafront restaurant. The €5 fortress entrance fee is separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cidade Velha highlights

• Get picked up from accommodation
• Travel to Cidade Velha
• Explore Cidade Velha highlights
• Visit Convent of São Francisco
• See the first historical monument church
• Enjoy lunch at seafront restaurant
• Visit Banana Street with traditional houses
• Meet fishermen and visit former slave market
• Explore ruins of first Cathedral and city view
• Tour São Felipe Fortress
• Return to hotel in Praia

The experience

Pickup from your hotel in Praia takes you to Cidade Velha, the first city Europeans built in sub-Saharan Africa and the birthplace of Cape Verdean nation and culture. A local guide leads you through the highlights, starting with the Convent of São Francisco, built in the 17th century as a training center for priests, and the first historical monument ever constructed in Cape Verde: a church that Columbus and Vasco da Gama visited before sailing to remote lands. The guide walks you through the city's colonial core, including the ruins of that first cathedral and the panoramic views from Calhau fishing bay overlooking the center's colonial buildings.

Banana Street, the first street the Portuguese urbanized in the tropics, shows traditional houses still standing. At the former slave market in Pillory, you meet local fishermen and learn the history of slavery that shaped the island. The tour includes a walking section of the São Felipe Fortress, where you discover the ancient defense system built against pirate attacks. Entry to the fortress costs €5 per person and is paid on-site. Lunch happens at a typical seafront restaurant in the city, giving you time to absorb the atmosphere and taste local food.

The whole outing takes three hours from pickup to drop-off back at your Praia accommodation. Moderate walking is involved, and the guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French depending on the option you choose.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in Praia or Cidade Velha.
• a local guide.
• transportation to and around Cidade Velha.
• lunch at a seafront restaurant.
• liability insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared Group TourGuide in 4 languages · 08:30Includes pickup

Private TourGuide in 4 languages · 08:30Private tour, with pickup included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 21 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 5.68

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Bu Country Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the shared group tour if you want to meet other travelers and keep costs down, or book the private tour to set your own pace and have the guide's full attention for questions about Cape Verdean history and culture.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly is Cidade Velha and why is it a World Heritage Site?

Cidade Velha is the first city Europeans built in sub-Saharan Africa and the birthplace of Cape Verdean nation and culture. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site because of its role in the early colonial period and its surviving monuments, including the first cathedral and fortress built by Europeans in the region.

Does the tour include lunch, and what kind of food will I eat?

Lunch is included at a typical seafront restaurant in Cidade Velha where you can taste local delights. The specific menu depends on what the restaurant offers that day.

What is the Convent of São Francisco, and why does the tour stop there?

The Convent of São Francisco was built in the 17th century and served as housing for the Franciscan order and a training center for priests. It is one of the city's most significant colonial structures and marks an important moment in Cape Verdean religious history.

Is the São Felipe Fortress entrance fee included in the tour price?

No, the €5 per person entrance fee for the São Felipe Fortress is not included and is paid separately when you visit. The guided walking tour of the fortress itself is part of the tour.

How much walking is involved, and what should I wear?

Moderate walking is involved throughout the tour. Bring comfortable clothes and shoes, a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun while exploring the colonial streets and open sites.