São Vicente island with its 227Km2 of land area it is considered the second island of the archipelago with more population. Accordingly to the late sensus it has reached about 100.000 inhabitants.
n São Vicente island one can find all kind off traditional sports that its pratice has been spreaded to the other islands. The most recent sports such as winsurf and other aquatic sports can find also appropriate means and places to perform this kind of sports. Thhere is one beach that is worthy of attention is São Pedro´s beach which is considered one of the best place for windsurf of high velocity and that it had been visited already by some intrnational champions.
The cycle-tourism and equitation are anothher way of leisure in São Vicente. The long stay of the english people in the past in the island left its mark also on the field of sports such as tennis, golf, criket and soccer.
The historical center of the city shows on its houses architecture and monuments clearly the presence of the english people in then past and the portuguese colonial era as well.
With the constant traffic of the ships from all different nationalities at the Porto Grande, Mindelo had become into a meeting point of sea-man from all kind of race and culture that turned Mindelo into the most cosmopolitan city of Cape Verde.
Since past the inhabitants preseverd an open spirit for the foreigner and also they´ve always showed some curiosity towards their experience and culture no matter where thy come from, either Europe, Africa or America.
The city of Mindelo is a cultural centre where the artistycs development always promotes higher attention; where writers from all generations, thinker, intellectuals, handicrafts and musicians that has turned the city into the cultural capital of Cape Verde.
When the nights fall upon the city its streets automatically will throw back aspecial liveliness that anounces the frenzy of the nacturn life in the city.
In every «spectacle restaurants´» the meals are accompanied by the sound of morna, batuque and funana, songs of nostalgy, famous around the world thanks to our singer with an extraordinary voice – Cesaria Évora -. She was born here in this city and still lives here.
The nights proceeds through the numerous dancing-pub of Mindelo where the modern musics and the caribean rhytms combines with the sensuality of the actual capeverdean rhytms that invites you to dance until the sun rises, at an early hour.
In numbers are the cultural manifestations that contributed to built up the quality of life of the São Vicente inhabitants:
Carnaval the most lively of Cape Verde, it takes in some of brasilian carnaval which has become an event with its own characteristics and it is one the most multimedia of the island. The population that has been preparing for the festivity from the beginning of the year, they go out on the street and immerge from this fantastic scene of dream and fantasy where everybody, independently from their social condition, they participate on the collective cheerfulness and forget about their daily reality .On this ritual those visitors that comes from the other islands and the tourists getting bigger by number, feels easily and spontaneously integrated.
The Festival of Baia das Gatas. at the full moon weekend in August at the seashore of this natural swimming-pool that it has got the same name, the population of São Vicente get togother to fraternize by the sound of music. The natural scenary of the beach will transform during three days and three nights in some kind of a magic city with lots of multicolours camping tends where the air becomes so smelly but with a delicious fragrance with all diferent kind of grills and cook-out mixed with the vapor of alcoholic beverages. The sociability among the people either young or older, being inhabitants or tourists, runs always on an extreme harmony. But, besides all the nationa and international groups of musicians the festival can also has as a compagnionship some good diving by the sound of music.
The festival of theatre: takes place every year in September. There´ll be an international meeting with differents theatrical groups during 15 days.
Not to mention the big cultural manifestation which are the religious fstivity called «peregrination feasts» from 13 of June – Santo António – 24 of June – San jon – 23 of June – São Pedro – and of course there´s the New Year´s where the festivity holds up for 2/3 days non stop.
The São Vicente island offers a scenary of its enchantment not only at the inner side but also a long with its seashores with the numerous beaches surrounded by intervalled rock where the waves brakes through giving us a unique spectacle.
Among all the numerous beaches one must point out the São Pedro beach near the aeroport, very extensive that offers good conditions for the aquatic sports, the Catfish-Bay an enormous natural swimming-pool and Calhau an endless beach.