Mindelo Cruises

0800 035 5130

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8.30am - 6pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: closed

Street view of Mindelo in Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde

The port city of Mindelo in the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verde, retains many features of its colonial past, and is known for its music, carnival atmosphere and blend of Portuguese traditions and Brazilian style.

Situated in Porto Grande Bay, Mindelo is surrounded by low mountains and boasts some of the best sea views and scenery in the region. The coastline is awash with natural points of interest, while the man-made Fortim d'El Rei – an abandoned fort that sits on top of a hill above Mindelo port – is well worth a visit.[ReadMoreMob]

The Municipal Market, with its vast fish market, is fascinating, as are the well-preserved Governor’s Palace and City Hall – both attractive examples of Portuguese-style architecture. The Torre de Belém is a scaled-down replica of the ancient tower in Lisbon. The fine, wide esplanades around the harbour offer a host of interesting little cafés and tiny shops.

Top Experiences

Morna

Morna is Cape Verde’s national music and Mindelo is its spiritual home. This music and dance style, reminiscent of blues, revolves around cavaquinho, clarinet, violin, piano and guitar, and the poignant lyrics are usually in Cape Verdean Creole.

Grouge

Almost all of Cape Verde's sugarcane is used in the production of this distinctive local spirit, a fundamentally artisanal creation. The term derives from the English word ‘grog’, which originally referred to a drink made from rum and water.

Grouge

Grouge is a Cape Verdean alcoholic beverage, an aguardiente made from sugar cane. It’s production is fundamentally artisanal, and nearly all the islands' sugarcane is used in the production. Grouge is produced on San Anto Island, but Mindelo is the main market for San Anto products. It is also the basis of a Cape Verde cocktail known as ‘ponche’, which includes lime and molasses.