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Voykit pocket guide · Cape Verde
São Filipe
Spend 1–2 days in São Filipe: explore the historic centre, visit the municipal museum and relax on the harbour beach.
São Filipe is the main town on Fogo island, offering colonial architecture, a small museum and a modest beach. It fits a half‑to‑full‑day visit within a Fogo itinerary.
- Country
- Cape Verde
- Best months
- Nov–Jun
- Avoid
- Jul–Oct (check)
- Stay
- 1–2 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 ≈ 2 500 $ excl. bed · Mid ≈ 4 000 $ excl. bed · High ≈ 6 500 $ 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
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ≈ 200–300 $ |
| Fish dish (e.g., at Pipi's Bar) | 500–750 $ |
| Taxi from airport to town | ≈ 500 $ |
| Shared Aluguer (short ride) | ≈ 100 $ |
| Museum entry | ≈ 150 $ |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SFL · São Filipe Airport
- Taxi to town about 15 min (check)
Typical fares
- Airport → town (taxi)
- about 500 $
- Aluguer market → Chã das Caldeiras
- ≈ 1 200 $ round‑trip
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
Taxi from the airport ~500 $; shared Aluguer ~100 $; local Aluguer from market for island trips.
See and do
Known for
- colonial architecture
- Museu Municipal de São Filipe
- Praça do Presídio harbour beach
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chã das Caldeiras | Shared Aluguer from market, about 1 h 30 min each way (check) | ≈ 3 h round‑trip (check) |
Sleep
- Pensao Bela Vista
- Mid‑range guesthouse, double rooms ~3400 $ (2026 estimate, check)
- Hotel Xaguate
- Four‑star hotel, double rooms from 10 150 $ (2026 estimate, check); pool access 750 $ (check)
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Desculpedes-kuh-pe |
| Thank you | Obrigadoob-ree-ga-do |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?kwahn-toh koos-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | Onde fica a casa de banho?on-deh fee-kah ah kah-zah deh ban-yo |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?poh-soo pah-gar cohm kar-tawn |
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
- Taxi fares are quoted in escudos ($); confirm price before boarding.
- Aluguer schedules are informal; check departure times near the market.
São Filipe is generally safe; keep an eye on belongings in markets and verify taxi fares.
One and two days
No timed day plan for São Filipe yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- colonial architecture
- Museu Municipal de São Filipe
- Praça do Presídio harbour beach
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – São Filipe: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: São Filipe, revision 5282956 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5282956
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/sao-filipe). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.