The island's highest point is a long switchback of cobbles above a brown, wind-scoured island. The top catches the trade-wind cloud, which is why it is green, and why you need to be up early to see anything at all.
São Vicente is mostly bare rock and sand, but its summit is different: moisture from the passing cloud keeps the upper slopes green, farmed in small terraces, and gives the mountain its name.
The walk starts at the junction on the Mindelo–Baía das Gatas road, about 30 minutes from town by taxi. From there a cobbled road climbs in tight hairpins, roughly 300 m of ascent over 2.5 km, to the cluster of antennas on the 774 m summit. It is steady rather than steep, and the surface is good underfoot all the way.
On a clear morning the view takes in Mindelo and the Porto Grande bay, the volcanic cones of the east coast, Santa Luzia and the tall wall of Santo Antão across the channel. Tours do it in about three hours with transport; on your own, two hours on foot is plenty. Go early: by late morning the summit is usually in cloud, and the view is of the inside of it.
The terraces near the top are worked by farmers from the villages below, who grow beans, maize and vegetables in the damp air. Walk around them, not through them, and close any gates. The summit area is protected for its native plants, several of which are found only in Cape Verde.
An out-and-back on a single cobbled road: no navigation, just an early start.
Get the taxi to drop you at the Monte Verde turning and arrange a pickup time. The cobbles start straight away.
The road zigzags up the bare lower slope; look back over the airport plain and the dunes running to the north coast.
The vegetation thickens as you reach the cloud zone: farmed terraces, agave hedges and the first damp air.
The road ends among the masts. Walk to the edges of the summit for views west to Mindelo and north to Santo Antão.
Return down the hairpins to the junction and your taxi, or carry on by road to the beaches at Baía das Gatas.
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Taxi from Mindelo to the junction on the Baía das Gatas road, about 30 minutes. Agree the return time, or walk down and flag an aluguer on the main road.
Start by 8am. The cloud usually settles on the summit by late morning, and the climb is exposed to the sun until you reach it.
In August–October, avoid ribeiras when rain is forecast: dry valleys can flood suddenly.
São Vicente practical notes →Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences; Pexels photos under the Pexels licence.
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