Family guest houses and homestays in Cape Verde

Residência Crioula

Santiago Island · €65 per_night · Rating 4.7/5 · Instant booking

Restored colonial house in Cidade Velha (UNESCO). Close to beaches and restaurants.

Community impact: Funds training for young people in sustainable hospitality.

Guest House São Martinho

Santiago Island · €100 per_person_day · Rating 4.8/5 · Instant booking

Community 4 km from Cidade Velha and 6.5 km from the Beach. Family homes with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms, near Maluada beach and Calheta de São Martinho. Includes tourist tax, Wi-Fi, airport transfer, cleaning and three meals.

Community impact: Managed by local families who guide visitors to trails, restaurants and community experiences.

Getting to know São Martinho Grande

The community

São Martinho Grande is a village in the south of the island of Santiago, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago. It is located 4 km east of Cidade Velha and 6.5 km west of the center of Praia, next to the bay of Calheta de São Martinho, sheltered from the wind and swell and with transparent waters.

History of Aéropostale

Thanks to the sheltered conditions of the bay, Calheta de São Martinho served as a landing site for Aéropostale seaplanes in the late 1920s, on their way to South America. On a clear spring morning in 1928, Lieutenant Paulin Paris landed a Laté here coming from Senegal; a year earlier, a radio station and a maritime base for seaplanes had been installed. The pilots reduced the delivery time of a letter to South America from thirty days to one week. The story gained universal dimension with the literary testimonies of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (South Mail). With the advancement of aeronautics, the direct crossing made the stopover in Cabo Verde unnecessary and, in 1933, Aéropostale was absorbed by the newly created Air France.

Heritage and conservation

The project for the conservation of the heritage of the former Aéropostale recovers the memory of the company and the base of the large crane that moved the seaplanes to land, improves the signaling of access to the site, prepares the population to protect the base and the transparent water bay, and strengthens the conservation of local species.

Community projects

Football school: support for the purchase of new equipment and training materials. School and local garden: renovation of pedagogical materials for the primary school and the community garden, with accommodation offered to those who wish to share skills with the children. Health fairs: periodic screenings to improve the health conditions of the population, also with accommodation in exchange for skills in the area.

Guest House Chã das Caldeiras

Fogo Island · €117 per_person_day · Family stay · full board · Rating 4.9/5 · Instant booking

Family home inside the active Fogo volcano crater, with full board and transfer included.

Highlights

• accommodation: Family home with double and single room, possibility for families up to 5 people.
• group: Small family groups inside the crater.
• activities: Hike to Pico, 2014 crater, Via Ferrata, visit to the vineyards and the Association, tasting of Manecom and goat cheese.
• transport: Airport / pier transfer included.
• meals: Full board with caldera products (Chã wine, coffee, cheese, local fruits and vegetables).

Community impact: Supports families who rebuilt the village after the 2014 eruption.

Your local host: Famílias de Chã das Caldeiras

Families who returned after the 2014 eruption and who live from agriculture, viticulture, livestock and hosting visitors in the highest village in Cabo Verde.

Getting to know Chã das Caldeiras

The community

Chã das Caldeiras (“Plain of the Caldeiras”) is a community of about 700 inhabitants inside the crater of the Pico do Fogo volcano, on the island of Fogo. It is composed of two main neighborhoods, Portela and Bangaeira, founded in 1920 and 1917. At 1,700 meters above sea level, it is the highest village in Cape Verde and belongs to the municipality of Santa Catarina do Fogo.

In 1870, the Count of Montrond (France) made a stopover on the island on his way to Brazil and brought with him the vines that gave rise to wine production in the caldera. Many inhabitants of Chã, with light skin, blond hair and blue eyes, descend from that history.

Natural environment

A large crater with 1,000-meter cliffs, the Bordeira, surrounds the village. On the plain rise the main peak (2,829 m) and several cones and lava fields from recent eruptions, especially 1951, 1995 and 2014 — the latter forced the evacuation of the entire population. The caldera, with about 67 km², is a protected area integrated into the Parque Natural do Fogo.

Fauna and flora

84% of the endemic plants of Fogo (31 species) are found in Chã and Bordeira, and 48% are classified as rare or threatened on the Red List of the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries — among them Echium volcanorum, Erysimum caboverdeanum, Sarcostemma daltonii, Verbascum cystolithicum, Lavandula rotundifolia, Periploca laevigata sp. chevalieri, Euphorbia tuckeyana, Tornabenea bischoffii and the genus Diplotaxis. The fauna is mainly composed of insects; the Cape Verde warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis) occurs on the island up to 1,300 meters above sea level.

Wine and spirits

Chã is the only area in Cape Verde that produces grapes in significant quantities and wines of export quality, with 120 years of winemaking tradition. The “Chã” wines, produced by the Association with support from the Italian NGO Cospe and the European Union, are full-bodied and rich in color and extract. The semi-sweet grapes grow on 1.2 km² of fertile volcanic soils inside the caldera and produce wines with 14% alcohol, above the European or Californian average.

FAQ

Is it safe to sleep inside the crater of an active volcano?

Yes. The activity of Pico do Fogo is permanently monitored and evacuation plans exist. The last eruptions (1951, 1995, 2014) were preceded by clear signals and sufficient time to react.

What to taste locally?

Chã wines and the traditional Manecom, Espírito da Caldeira spirits, homemade goat cheese, Café das Caldeiras and apple, quince and fig jams.

What activities can I do from the guest house?

Trail to Pico do Fogo, the 2014 eruption crater, Via Ferrata, Portela–Campanas hike via Monte Velha, visit to the Producers Association and wine tasting.

Guest House Pico Leão

Santiago Island · €95 per_person_day · Rating 4.7/5 · Instant booking

Mountain village with green valleys, fresh water, and agricultural tradition. Family hostel with double room, ideal for rural tourism, hiking, and climbing in the mountains of Santiago.

Community impact: Supports families who live from agriculture and livestock and preserve local traditions, myths and gastronomy.

Family Hostel Maio Island

Maio Island · €91 per_person_day · Rating 4.7/5 · Instant booking

Family hostel with double room in Porto Inglês, the main urban center of Maio. A global biodiversity reserve with 7 protected areas, 3 natural passages, 1 natural park, and 3 reserves. White sandy beaches and tranquility.

Community impact: It supports families in the Maio community and the conservation of its marine and terrestrial protected areas.