Discover Brava: Mountains, Hiking Trails and Culture

Brava is predominantly mountainous, while also being shaped by bays, waterways and distinctive cultural sites. The island offers nature, hiking and local traditions as separate travel interests. For getting around Brava, a car with a driver or a taxi is recommended. You can tailor your plans to focus on landscapes, hiking trails or cultural sites.

Mountains and Coast

Monte Fontainhas reaches an elevation of 957 metres; Ribeira Garça and Ribeira da Cruz are among the island’s waterways. Along the coast, Furna and Fajã d’Água are notable bays, while there are harbours at Ancião and Caniço. With its elevation, Monte Fontainhas serves as a prominent landmark; the two Ribeiras add named waterways to the mountainous landscape. Furna and Fajã d’Água, by contrast, represent the coastal bays.

The natural swimming pool at Fajã d’Água formed among volcanic rocks and has clear, turquoise water. This landscape differs from the high ground and waterways in the mountainous part of the island: here, rocks and water shape the natural pool.

Hiking on Brava

The Fajã d’Água–Portete route starts in Fajã d’Água, a few metres from the island’s former airfield. Another hiking route runs between Lomba and Baía de Tantum. It is short but challenging. The descriptions offer different details to help with planning: the starting point of the route to Portete is specified, while the route between Lomba and Baía de Tantum is characterised by its length and difficulty.

Many different fruit trees grow around Chanzinha, including mango trees, as well as sugar cane. Chanzinha is also one of the places where the traditional grogue “Djabi” is made. Together, the plants and the tradition of making grogue paint a specific picture of the agricultural landscape in this area.

Traditions and Cultural Heritage

Lavadura is currently uninhabited. Buildings with colonial architectural features and basins from a traditional laundry remain there. The architecture and laundry basins represent different aspects of the local heritage. In Cruz, there is a small cave where worshippers lay candles each year for the Fest da Cruz. Celebrated on 1 May, the Fest da Cruz marks the beginning of Brava’s subsequent June festivals. The festivities include drumming accompanied by the traditional Kulinha, as well as traditional food and drink.

The Casa Museu Eugénio Tavares features a long-term exhibition on the life and work of Eugénio Tavares and his contributions to Cape Verdean culture, including his promotion of Crioulo as a mother tongue. The collection also explores historical, ethnographic and anthropological topics from the 19th and 20th centuries. It thus ranges from one individual and his cultural influence to broader topics from these two centuries.

Discover more destinations: Preguiça, Vila Nova Sintra, Mosteiros, Tarrafal, Boa Vista, Praia, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos.

For the broader travel overview: Cape Verde.