Cape Verde · CIDADE VELHA TOURS

The 13 Best Cidade Velha Tours from Praia

13 tours  ·  ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.9 average  ·  from $35

Cidade Velha — Ribeira Grande when it was founded in 1462 — was the first European town in the tropics and a working port of the transatlantic slave trade. The pillory in the square dates from that trade. These 13 guided walks take in the fort, the cathedral ruins and Rua Banana; the good ones tell you what happened here rather than pointing at the view.

Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour - Starting in Praia Plateau, where markets and colonial lines meet
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Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour

1.Praia & Cidade Velha: Guided City Tour

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

4-hour guided tour of Praia and Cidade Velha on Santiago, with Banana Street, UNESCO Pelourinho Square, and ocean views at Fortaleza.

“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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Santiago Island: Highlights of Cidade Velha with Local Guide - Getting to the start: pickups in Praia and Cidade Velha
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Santiago Island: Highlights of Cidade Velha with Local Guide

Santiago: Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha - The 3-hour Calabaceira Valley hike, simple trail, real nature
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Santiago: Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha

3.Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 49 reviews · 4 hours · from $82

Calabaceira Valley trek plus Cidade Velha UNESCO sights, former slave market, and a stop at a local rum distillery.

“The tour was advertised as being an easy walk. There were several elderly people on this tour that were forced to go down a mountain very steep with boulders. The tour was supposed to be four hours and ended up being almost 8 hours long. The description is very misleading, saying it it was an easy hike.”

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From Praia: Cidade Velha, Tarrafal & East Side Island Tour - Meeting a local family: cuscuz and fidjós cooking workshop
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From Praia: Cidade Velha, Tarrafal & East Side Island Tour

4.Cidade Velha, Tarrafal & East Side Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 10 hours · from $141

A 10-hour guided tour from Praia covering UNESCO Cidade Velha, a family cooking class, Serra Malagueta views, and Tarrafal Beach.

“My tour guy ( Elisandro )knows the island in and out had all the information and all the answers I had a lovely day I was able to discover and learn about the island in one day Everywhere we went was prettier than the one before, Kevin the driver knew the road very well made the whole trip safe. I was extremely satisfied with their knowledge of the island, I’m from the country but now thanks to them I can happily say I know the island because of them. Well worth the money. I highly recommend them. What a lovely day I had.”

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Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting - Getting there from Praia: mini-van timing and small-group comfort
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Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting

5.Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $63Top rated

Like Locals tour links Praia and Cidade Velha in Cape Verde, with markets, Sé Cathedral ruins, Fortaleza views, and Pontxi tasting.

“The tour was very well organised and thorough, and the team from Bu Country Tours was super accommodating and easy to communicate with. I was lucky enough to do this tour on my own with Alex, who taught me a lot about the culture Read more”

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Santiago Island: 4-Hour Calabaceira Valley Hike & Guided Tour to Cidade Velha - 8:30 pickup from Praia, small group pace, and easy trail design
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Santiago Island: 4-Hour Calabaceira Valley Hike & Guided Tour to Cidade Velha

6.4-Hour Calabaceira Valley Hike & Guided Tour to Cidade Velha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $81

Half-day Calabaceira valley hike plus Cidade Velha UNESCO tour from Praia, with an easy 5 km walk and expert local guidance.

“Hiking through the Calabeceira Valley was definitely the highlight of my trip to Cape Verde. It was the perfect combination of nature, culture, and history. I am also very grateful for my guide Maria, who made this experience especially memorable by sharing her knowledgRead more”

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Santiago Island: Best of Praia & Cidade Velha Tour, a World Heritage Site - Small-group touring from your Praia hotel
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Santiago Island: Best of Praia & Cidade Velha Tour, a World Heritage Site

7.Best of Praia & Cidade Velha Tour, a World Heritage Site

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $68

Small-group half-day tour from Praia to UNESCO Cidade Velha, with Praia city sights, markets, Rua Banana, and the São Filipe Fortress fee.

“Experienced beautiful past of Cape Verde! Saw churches,convents Rua Banana… Thanks to Elisandro for the effort to make this tour memorable! I learned a lot from him regarding Cape Verde in general! OBRIGADO!”

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Guided City tour Praia with Cidade Velha (World Heritage) - Praça Alexandre Albuquerque: your quick orientation in central Praia
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Guided City tour Praia with Cidade Velha (World Heritage)

Shore Excursion: 3-Hour Guided Historic Tour of Praia & Cidade Velha - Price and Value: What You Pay, What You Skip, and the One Extra Fee
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Shore Excursion: 3-Hour Guided Historic Tour of Praia & Cidade Velha

Highlights of Cidade Velha with local guide - Price and Value: What $64.79 Covers and Why It Adds Up
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Highlights of Cidade Velha with local guide

10.Highlights of Cidade Velha with local guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $64

Half-day guided walk from Praia to UNESCO Cidade Velha, with key churches, slave market sites, and views from São Filipe Fortress, entries included.

“The tour was listed as a private tour and I was under the impression it would be such. However, it wasn’t one which greatly limited the positive impact I was hoping it would have”

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Private Tour Cidade Velha/Discover OLD CITY - Royal Fortress of St. Philip, Ruins, and the Views You’ll Remember
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Private Tour Cidade Velha/Discover OLD CITY

11.Private Tour Cidade Velha/Discover OLD CITY

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $35Best value

Private Cidade Velha tour with local guidance, UNESCO Old Town streets, and the Royal Fortress of St. Philip, from Praia or Old Town.

“It was great. Leonardo was on time. He showed us lots of points of interest, even more than described. There were two of us in the car. It was very good 👍”

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Best of Santiago Island: Cidade Velha, Workshop & Tarrafal Beach Tour - Praia to Cidade Velha: you start moving, then the UNESCO story clicks
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Best of Santiago Island: Cidade Velha, Workshop & Tarrafal Beach Tour

12.Best of Santiago Island: Cidade Velha, Workshop & Tarrafal Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $140

Private Best of Santiago Island tour with Cidade Velha, fortress and cathedral ruins, a couscous cooking workshop, and Tarrafal Beach swim.

“We had a great an very special time. The guides are very professional, they know how to adapt to your needs and preferences and they always do their best to assure you have a wonderful time. After this first excursion we booked the rest of the days with them and it was aRead more”

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Praia: Plateau and Cidade Velha Guided Tour - Getting Oriented at the Plateau in Praia
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Praia: Plateau and Cidade Velha Guided Tour

13.Plateau and Cidade Velha Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 4 hours · from $70

Guided tour from Praia to UNESCO Cidade Velha. Walk the Plateau, visit markets, explore São Filipe fortress and cathedral ruins, with sea views.

“Superbe visite en compagnie de Edney : cette visite entre le plateau et la vieille ville vous permettra de prendre le temps de saisir l'essence de Santiago, du Cap-Vert, ses dates historiques, lieux, traditions du passé et du présent, et flore. Edney est très agréable, parle parfaitement le français, sait s'adapter, se montrer disponible et vous aider à rencontrer la population. Il regorge d'anecdotes et répondra à toutes vos questions !”

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