Over View
Founded on 30 August 1731, the town of Ribeira Brava was the seat of the island of São Nicolau until 2005, when Tarrafal also became a municipality and gained autonomy. An agricultural island par excellence, São Nicolau is one of Cape Verde's rising rural and nature tourism islands. Every day, the island attracts more and more tourists who want to climb ``Monte Gordo``, walk through the verdant Fajã Valley and embark on the adventure that the countless trails that spread across the mountains have to offer. The rich landscape and environment, which stretches from the mountains to the sea, is amplified by the historical and cultural wealth that also surrounds the whole island. Baltazar Lopes da Silva, the author of the famous novel ``Chiquinho``, was born here. For many, it is the ``founding`` work of Cape Verdean literature. That's why you'll come across an imposing statue in his honour in the heart of Ribeira Brava. The island's musical tradition is today an important asset of the island's culture. Land of the origins of the great master Paulino Vieira, and of artists such as Toy Vieira, Nish Wadada, Manu Soares, Nelson Freitas, Johnny Fonseca, Johnny Ramos and William Araújo, to name but a few. São Nicolau is also home to what was Cape Verde's first concentration camp. An important piece of the country's colonial history, of which only ruins remain. A land of a thousand charms, the island is home to two of the seven wonders of Cape Verde: Monte Gordo Natural Park and Carbeirinho Beach. There are plenty of reasons to discover the hidden charms of the mountains in the land of ``Chiquinho``. Get adventurous! Elected as Cape Verde's National Heritage Site in 2010, Ribeira Brava is a friendly town, even though it is still called ``Vila``, with many houses that retain their colonial heritage, and where its original architecture stands out. For an adventure in Ribeira Brava's historic center, trainers or trekking shoes will be your best ally. A series of narrow streets and alleys await you, with steep climbs, some of which are barely passable for a car, others for a simple bicycle, but which are well worth discovering.
