Tarrafal de Santiago: A paradisiacal and historical-cultural place to visit
Well known for its beautiful sea beaches and recommended for hiking and trekking, the town of Tarrafal de Santiago is a must for anyone.
Located on the northern tip of the island of Santiago, Tarrafal is a picturesque fishing village that receives many tourists every year. From there, the city is full of hotels, restaurants and rental houses for those who want to stay for a few more days.
In terms of sea beaches alone, there are six. And if you want to venture into these seas, there are boats and sea bikes for hire to intensify the adventure in Tarrafal Bay. On the seafront, you can also practice sports such as slacklining and beach volleyball.
The cool climate and the sun, characteristic of places near the sea, make this municipality a relaxing and calm place for those who want to recharge their batteries.
For lovers of adventure and hiking, Mount Graciosa in Tarrafal, with an altitude of 640 meters, allows you to do this and also offers breathtaking views of the municipality of Tarrafal, the coast and the island of Santiago.
In cultural terms, Tarrafal de Santiago stands out for its women who preserve the famous Cape Verdean batuque. We make a parenthesis here and mention the famous group “Pó di Terra”, which has been around for years, and from which some of the country’s best singers have also emerged. Likewise, the old and preserved concentration camp built in 1936 still exists in this municipality.
For those who want to visit this space that played an important role in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Cape Verde, the location is in Chão Bom, 3 kilometers from the village.
There, you will be able to see in situ the works of art made by the prisoners, the cells where some political prisoners were held, photographs of those who passed through the camp, the instruments of torture and historical documents that portray the history of the place.
There is also a resistance museum that “narrates” the struggle for the country’s independence, as well as a monument made in honor of the prisoners, in this case politicians who died in the camp.
For lovers of literature, there is a library with books about the concentration camp and the history of Cape Verde and a store where you can buy souvenirs from the concentration camp.
And for those who want to catch up on their spirituality, the church of Santo Amaro de Abade is definitely worth a visit. As well as being an important historical landmark in Tarrafal, it is a place of devotion for Catholics in the region.
Inside the church, you can see that it was built in the Portuguese colonial style and has a simple façade and an ornate interior. Well worth a visit!
We must also talk about the Traz-di-Munti Arts and Crafts Center in Tarrafal. A cultural center that promotes art and beautiful local handicrafts. It offers a variety of activities such as exhibitions and workshops in ceramics, painting and sculpture for lovers of these types of art. In addition, the traditional “pano di terra”, a black and white cloth that symbolizes the traditional clothing of Cape Verde, is sewn there.
If you want to buy a traditional souvenir from the region, there is a store selling local handicrafts right in the center.
Although the town of Tarrafal is the last municipality to visit in the north of the island of Santiago, the entire journey there allows you to visit other areas, other municipalities in the interior of the island, which makes your trip worthwhile twice over.
