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Back to Cidade Velha

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Voykit pocket guide · Cape Verde

Cidade Velha

Spend a half‑day in Cidade Velha, explore the UNESCO site and return to Praia; no overnight stay needed.

Cidade Velha is Cape Verde's oldest European settlement and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It fits easily into a half‑day from Praia, with walking as the main mode of travel and modest entry fees.

PraiaBoa VistaChã das CaldeirasMaioMindeloSanto AntãoSão FilipeTarrafal de Monte Tri…TarrafalCidade Velha100 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Cape Verde
Best months
Nov–Jun
Stay
0–1 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
CVE
Money
Currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE), pegged at about 110.27 per euro; euros are sometimes accepted in tourist areas, usually at a rounded rate.
Daily spend
Budget €5–10 excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
CV Movel and Unitel T+ sell SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; a few GB costs a few euros.
Emergency
Police 132 · Ambulance 130 · Fire 131
Plugs
Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs.
Tipping
Restaurant: 5–10% if service is good.; Hiking guide: €5–10 a day.; Taxi: Round up.
Water
Mostly desalinated; bottled water recommended.
Toilets
Western toilets everywhere tourists go; bring paper on hikes.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Taxi from Praia to Cidade Velha≈ 1,000 CVE
Fort entrance500 CVE
Coffee at a local café≈ 200 CVE

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

RAI · Nelson Mandela International Airport
Main airport on Santiago, about 30 km (19 mi) from Cidade Velha

Typical fares

Praia → Cidade Velha taxi
≈ 1,000 CVE round trip (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

Walk the compact historic centre; the main attractions are within a 10‑minute walk from the fort to the Pelourinho.

See and do

Known for

  • São Filipe Royal Fort
  • Pelourinho monument
  • Rua Banana – Africa's oldest European‑built street

Day trips

WhereHowTime
PraiaTaxi from Cidade Velha, about 20 min; or minibus from the market square≈ 30 min round trip

Sleep

Tourist office accommodation listings
Ask at the local tourist office for guesthouses; most visitors stay in Praia.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
How much does it cost?Quanto custa?kwahn-toh koos-tah
Where is the fort?Onde fica o forte?ohn-deh fee-kah oo for-teh
I would like a map, pleaseQuero um mapa, por favorkeh-roh oong mah-pah por fah-vor

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake, or cheek kisses among friends; greet everyone in a small shop; avoid: Skipping 'bom dia'
  • Dress: Cover up in towns and churches; avoid: Beachwear in the street
  • Pace: Relax and wait; avoid: Showing impatience
  • Music: Join in, applaud, buy the musicians a drink; avoid: Filming performers without asking

Scams and watch-outs

  • Fort entrance fee is 500 CVE (check for updates).
  • Taxi from Praia to Cidade Velha costs up to 1,000 CVE; negotiate price.

Generally safe for tourists; keep an eye on personal belongings in crowded areas and confirm taxi fares before boarding.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Cidade Velha yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • São Filipe Royal Fort
  • Pelourinho monument
  • Rua Banana – Africa's oldest European‑built street

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Cidade Velha

Para este endereço, por favor

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

US consulate is in Praia; other nations have representation in Praia or at the embassy in Lisbon.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/cidade-velha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.