Cape Verde · CITY TOURS

The 15 Best Town Tours in Cape Verde

27 tours  ·  from $23 a head

Mindelo, Praia and Cidade Velha reward an hour with somebody who lives there. The 15 below cover the music bars, the markets and the old streets, priced and clear on how much walking is involved.

Sal: Espargos City Tour, Local Life, and Cape Verde Tapas - The airport stop and Sal’s modern growth
City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Sal

Sal: Espargos City Tour, Local Life, and Cape Verde Tapas

1.Espargos City Tour, Local Life, and Cape Verde Tapas

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 200 reviews · 2h 30m · from $35Our pick

Join a local guide, often Chan, for a 150-minute look at Espargos, Sal’s capital. Visit the airport area, historic center, street art, a viewpoint, and local neighborhoods, then share Cape Verdean snacks, cheese, and drinks at a café. Hotel pickup and return are included.

“Great tour. Our tour guide was superb. Knowledgeable, relaxed and super friendly. Picked up from hotel, driven around various parts of the city. Some parts we wolked. Ending the tour with samples of local cuisine. The food was great and owner genuinely lovely and welcoming. Would absolutely recommend!”

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Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde (excludes city) - Calhau’s farms, wells, and old windmills
City Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Hiking in São Vicente, Tour Reviews, Tours in São Vicente

Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde (excludes city)

2.Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde (excludes city)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 87 reviews · 5 hours · from $82

Spend five hours touring São Vicente beyond Mindelo, with stops in fishing villages, Calhau’s farming valley, Baía das Gatas, Praia Grande, and Monte Verde. You’ll swim or stroll by the lagoon, taste tea or coffee at the summit tea house, and learn about island life from guides such as Sonia or Lino. Lunch costs extra.

“Very nice trip! Our guide Sonia ans the driver Albino were very kind ans excellent. The lunch at Calhau was vert good!”

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Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour - From the Capital to Cape Verde’s First UNESCO Site
Cidade Velha Heritage Tours, City Tours, Guided, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Santiago

Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour

3.Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

Join a local guide such as Amerigo or Walter for a four-hour tour of Praia and Cidade Velha. You’ll visit Plateau, a food market, Banana Street, Pelourinho Square, old church ruins, and Fortaleza Real de São Filipe. Hotel or harbor pickup and drop-off are included, while the fortress costs an optional €5.

“Amerigo nous a fait partager sa connaissance de l'histoire de son pays avec beaucoup de professionnalisme dans un français plus que correct. si vous en avez la possibilité demandez à faire le circuit "à l'envers"( comme nous avons dû le faire du fait des embouteillages du lundi matin): vous commencerez alors par Santiago "historique" et terminerez par Praia "contemporaine". J'airais même préféré commencer par la citadelle de Cidade Velha avant la ville de Cidade Velha. Attention, l'entrée à la citadelle coute 500escudos (5€) par personne.”

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Praia: Baobab Mysterious Tree, Green Valley & Old City Hike - Why this Santiago hike is more than a tree visit
City Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Hiking in Santiago, Tour Reviews, Tours in Santiago

Praia: Baobab Mysterious Tree, Green Valley & Old City Hike

4.Baobab Mysterious Tree, Green Valley & Old City Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 53 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

From Praia, a small group follows a 4 km trail downhill through banana, sugar cane, mango, coconut, and papaya groves. Guides such as Antonio, Alex, and Americio explain Cape Verdean life, grogue production, plants, and island history before the walk ends in Cidade Velha. Allow four hours, including transport.

“It was a beautiful route. The car was very small and the guide could have told us a little more or waited for the last ones in the group, who often missed out on things. We had to wait a very long time for the bus to take us back!”

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Santa Maria City Tour & Cuscuz Tasting with a Local Family - Shells Beach and the work behind the view
City Tours, Food & Drink, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Sal

Santa Maria City Tour & Cuscuz Tasting with a Local Family

5.Santa Maria City Tour & Cuscuz Tasting with a Local Family

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 50 reviews · 2 hours · from $41

Spend two hours exploring Santa Maria with a local guide such as Alejandro or Djibril. Visit the market, meet a Cape Verdean family for homemade cuscuz and fidjos, see Shells Beach and the salt pans, then finish at Ponta Preta Beach. Pickup, transport, and drop-off in Santa Maria are included.

“Adoramos tudo....desde saber um pouco da história de cabo verde, o passeio em si...e terminar em casa de uma família e ter para comer cuscus e fidgi feito na hora foi muito bom.”

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Espargos: Guided Sal Island City Tour - São José Church and the city’s everyday architecture
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Espargos: Guided Sal Island City Tour

6.Guided Sal Island City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 39 reviews · 4 hours · from $39

Explore Espargos or Santa Maria with a local guide during a four-hour private or group-friendly city tour. Expect markets, churches, local shops, traditional restaurants, crafts, and practical cultural insight. Guides may include Djhon, Inorlando, Dany, Dias, or João, with pickup and drop-off included.

“Perfecto....nuestro guia inorlando sabe lo que hace....buen profesional”

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Sal island: Santa Maria city tour, street art and tapas - Street art that explains more than a postcard
City Tours, Street Art, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Sal

Sal island: Santa Maria city tour, street art and tapas

7.Santa Maria city tour, street art and tapas

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 37 reviews

See Santa Maria with a local guide, from the fish-filled Pontão and beach to colorful street art, historic sights, photo stops, souvenirs, and Cape Verdean tapas with drinks. Pickup is available from Santa Maria, Murdeira, or Espargos. Guides speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Sean is one guide who may lead the tour.

“Ist leider Preis leistungsorientiert viel zu teuer aber der Service war gut”

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Mindelo Cultural: city tour "Mindelo by Night" - Starting beside the marina
City Tours, Evening Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in São Vicente

Mindelo Cultural: city tour “Mindelo by Night”

8.Mindelo Cultural: city tour “Mindelo by Night”

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · 2 hours · from $81

Walk Mindelo with an English-speaking guide such as Marion, Suzy, Mario, or Valeria, stopping at music bars, restaurants, and lesser-known local spots. Hear live Cape Verdean music, watch traditional dance, try grogue or ponche, and get practical advice on where to eat and listen to music after the tour.

“My experience of this intimate tour was outstanding. Marion, the tour guide, was quite knowledgeable and highly passionate in sharing Cape Verdean culture. Her knowledge of local artists as well as the history of Cape Verde is quite extensive. I highly recommend this tour. It deepened and enhanced my brief visit in Mindelo.”

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Sal island: Espargos city tour, Local life and Cape Verde Tapas - The drive to Espargos and the airport stop
City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Sal

Sal island: Espargos city tour, Local life and Cape Verde Tapas

9.Espargos city tour, Local life and Cape Verde Tapas

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · from $34

Travel from Santa Maria to Espargos with a local guide such as Chan, walk through colorful street art and everyday neighborhoods, learn why Amílcar Cabral Airport mattered, enjoy Cape Verdean drinks and tapas, and finish at a town viewpoint. Expect a 20 to 40 minute walk in a small group.

“Great knowledge of area and guide super friendly, time taken too discuss scenery and to take photographs”

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Boavista: Rabil, Shipwreck, City, Snacks & Drinks - 4x4 Tour - Rabil pottery, where the island works with clay
City Tours, Quad & Buggy Tours, Quad and Buggy Tours in Boa Vista, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Boa Vista, Viana Desert & Dunes

Boavista: Rabil, Shipwreck, City, Snacks & Drinks – 4×4 Tour

10.Rabil, Shipwreck, City, Snacks & Drinks – 4×4 Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 17 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $76

Spend 4 to 5 hours exploring northern Boa Vista in a comfortable 4x4. Visit Rabil’s pottery school, the Santa Maria shipwreck, Fatima’s Chapel, and Sal Rei. Guides such as Cristian, Cristiano, Julie, and Tatiana bring local context, while snacks and drinks at Sodade Restaurant add a genuine taste of the island.

“Adoramos a excursão. A guia e o motorista foram muito gentis, os lugares muito incríveis. A degustação de produtos locais excedeu completamente nossas expectativas.”

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Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde, São Vicente Excludes City - Monte Verde, São Vicente’s highest viewpoint
City Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Hiking in São Vicente, Tour Reviews, Tours in São Vicente

Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde, São Vicente Excludes City

11.Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde, São Vicente Excludes City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $81Top rated

Leave Mindelo with a local guide such as Paulo, Danny, or Kalu for a five-hour circuit of São Vicente. Visit Monte Verde for tea and wide island views, then stop at fishing villages, beaches, Baía das Gatas, Calhau, and a farming valley. Lunch costs extra, and groups are limited to 10 people.

“The island was beautiful-The Tea House(indoor visit) was great and the beaches were great. However, we did not have much time to swim (only 15 minutes) because we were the only ones who wanted to. Disappointed about that, as it was the reason we chose this tour. Instead Kalu took us to see turtles, which was wonderful. They took good care of us.”

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S.Vicente: Tour of the city center and rural villages - A quick introduction at Centro Cultural do Mindelo
City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in São Vicente

S.Vicente: Tour of the city center and rural villages

12.S.Vicente: Tour of the city center and rural villages

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $63

Spend four hours exploring Mindelo’s cultural center and market, then ride to Monte Verde for wide island views. Continue to fishing villages, Salamansa beach, and Baía das Gatas. Guides such as Freddy, Freddie, Elody, and Elodie have led this tour in clear English, with pickup and groups capped at 20.

“This tour is a good balance of walking the city of Mindelo and driving to a few important spots. The drive up to Mount Verde is a unique experience. The tour guide was knowledgeable, professional and friendly. The price was great.”

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City Walking Tour, Mindelo, Highlights - The fish market and the working side of Mindelo
City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in São Vicente, Walking Tours

City Walking Tour, Mindelo, Highlights

13.City Walking Tour, Mindelo, Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $41

Walk through Mindelo with a local guide, visiting the cultural center, fish market, municipal market, and key city sights. Guides such as Dani and Danny explain São Vicente’s history, music, food, Carnaval, beaches, and daily life. Pickup may be available, groups are capped at 12, and the tour lasts about 1 to 2 hours.

“Dani the guide and Silvio the driver were great. I’ve originally booked a small tour but then decided to go for the full tour! Dani was really funny and very generous in terms of information, details. I recommand if you’ve just arrived in the island and want to get an overview of the spots and history.”

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Guided City tour Praia with Cidade Velha (World Heritage) - Praça Alexandre Albuquerque, Praia’s central starting point
Cidade Velha Heritage Tours, City Tours, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Santiago

Guided City tour Praia with Cidade Velha (World Heritage)

14.Guided City tour Praia with Cidade Velha (World Heritage)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $58

Spend 3 to 4 hours exploring Praia and UNESCO-listed Cidade Velha with a local guide. Visit two markets, a colonial church, the central square, and the old capital. Pickup is offered, groups are limited to six, and guides such as Edson, Orlando, and José provide English-language guiding on selected dates.

“Our group of 8 prebooked a tour in Praia when our cruise ship came in. Unfortunately our ship cancelled the stop because of been fogged in in Cape Town. I contacted Antonio and he agreed to refund monies paid. So professional and a delight to deal with. I would not hesitate in using this company.”

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Tour Old City/Discover Old Town - Fortaleza Real de San Felipe and the view from above
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Tour Old City/Discover Old Town

15.Tour Old City/Discover Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 8 reviews · from $29

Travel from Praia to Cidade Velha with a private driver and visit Fortaleza Real de San Felipe, the ruined Sé Cathedral, Nossa Senhora do Rosário, the Pelourinho, and São Francisco Convent. Nelson is named as a guide option. Expect a history-focused outing with private transport, but confirm the exact duration and vehicle before booking.

“Nelson was an excellent guide, very warm, and we had a great visit. The visit was well-paced, interesting, and comfortable. This tour was a good mix of the modern, traditional, and historical. At the end of our trip, Nelson recommended a good place for lunch. He has a great sense of humor, too.”

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New in City Tours

★ 5.0Praia city to the airport.3 reviews
★ 5.0Private Tour Cidade Velha/Discover OLD CITYFrom $354 reviews
★ 3.4Praia City ToursFrom $683 reviews
★ 5.0Mindelo Cultural: city tour with live music and dance classFrom $1413 reviews
★ 3.6Mindelo City Walking TourFrom $533 reviews
★ 4.2City Tour with a Splash at Estoril BeachFrom $883 reviews

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