The island of São Vicente

Ilha de São Vicente, the island of Saint Vincent

São Vicente is the Portuguese name for the island of Saint Vincent. In Creole it is called Son Visent, or simply Son Sent. The island belongs to the northern Barlavento group of Cabo Verde, which translates as "windward". It lies between the small island of Santa Luzia to the southeast and the much larger Santo Antão to the northwest.

São Vicente is roughly rectangular, with a surface of about 225 square kilometres. From the east coast to the west coast it is around 24 kilometres, and from north to south just over 15 kilometres.

Mindelo and the other towns

By far the largest town is Mindelo, home to over 90% of the island's population. The city lies in the north, around the natural harbour of Porto Grande, and is famous for its lively carnival. Other villages include São Pedro in the southwest, Calhau on the east coast, Baía das Gatas in the northeast and the fishing village of Salamansa in the north.

Landscape and Monte Verde

The island is fairly flat, with a few dramatic mountains. The highest is Monte Verde, the Green Mountain, at 725 metres, about five kilometres from Mindelo. Originally São Vicente had little vegetation, but over the past decades many trees have been planted, and the valleys in the middle of the island are much greener than they used to be.

Airport, services and language

São Vicente has its own international airport near São Pedro, the Cesária Évora Airport, which opened for international flights in 2009. The island has a hospital, a post office, banks and plenty of mostly small shops. São Vicente also has its own variety of Cape Verdean Creole, known as Kriol de Sonsent, or Crioulo de São Vicente in Portuguese.

Planning a visit? Read about the weather, flights and where to stay.