Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting
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Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting

By Santiago Experience
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 3-99, max of 8 per group
Duration: 4–5 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
More


  • Pick up and drop off
  • Public transportation
  • Guiding service
  • Pontxi tasting
What's not included
  • Lunch
  • Personal expenses
  • Entrance fees
  • Entry/Admission - Fortaleza Real de San Felipe


Start:Traveller pickup offered.
    Pickup details
    • Pick-up from Hotels not in Praia are not included, if your Hotel is not in Praia it will be required an extra fee for pick-up.
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Not wheelchair accessible
      • Near public transportation
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 104417P23

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Most travellers can participate
      • The transfer from Praia to Cidade Velha and vice versa will be done in a mini public van, with capacity for up to 15 passengers, being necessary to wait for the capacity to depart.
      • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
      • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travellers

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 104417P23

      From
      £47.01
      per adult (price varies by group size)
      Select date and travellers
      Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

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      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Santiago Experience
        5.0 of 5 bubbles23
        Santiago, Cape Verde
        Joined in October 2018
      • nilsond642
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        santiago
        very beatifull landscapa amazin good vibes and very safe and clean cabo verde e sabi dmaas , nhos bem looooooove so muchhh
        Written 25 February 2025
      • U2546CHstefaniar
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Pura vida!!!
        It was an amazing and inspiring experience! Our lovely guide (Elton Vieira-Junior) and lovely driver (Elton Moreira-Kassaf) were extemely kind, helpful, interesting and funny! The incredible band at Mama Luisa's house reminded us how incredibly refreshing and fullfilling time you can have with pure human beings and wonderfully warm music to dance and sing together! Muito muito muito obrigada ❤️
        Written 7 July 2024
      • 398margied
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Cape Verde through my eyes
        had the pleasure of doing a tour with Bu Country Tours on 9/3/2021 - 9/9/2021. I thoroughly enjoyed my tours with this company. Each staff member went above and beyond to assist us with our needs. On the last day of the Admilson surprised us and took us back to Bar Restaurante Do Mundo for dinner(by the way, I raved about the tuna dish I had from there the entire trip)! After dinner, he also went above and beyond the call of duty by taking us to the grocery store to pick up local spices and items for us to take home. This company coordinated everything (transportation to and from the airport, transportation to the different cities, covid tests, and obtaining results), and everything went smoothly. I can't rave enough about this company as they provided excellent service! If you're ever in Cape Verde or the surrounding islands, please consider Bu Country Tours.
        Written 18 August 2022
      • gean0w
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great experience!
        The whole trip was excellent!! It was a great experience. The tour guide and I had great conversation and he let us see beautiful places.
        Written 27 March 2022
      • DetroitSimone
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        7-days on Santiago
        Amazing week in Cape Verde with Admilson, Maria and Zenildo! The team showed us the wonders of Santiago's beaches, mountains, cities and villages, as well as the kindness and hospitality of Cape Verdean people! Take this tour and enjoy being treated like old friends!
        Written 12 September 2021
      • Pheter2020ND
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        The best guide ever!
        Me and my girlfriend we met Zenildo in Praia during our first day in Plateau. He proposed us several tours aroud Santiago and convinced us to take a full day tour by public bus. Next day he picked us up on time and we went to Sucupira "Bus station" in order to pick the colective to fowart to the intirior. About 40 min later we arrived at Luisa's house (a must see). Lyisa is so kind and she prepered a home made Kuskus to us. We really miss her fidjos as well. Then we continued to Assomada. Lukelly it was sutarday and we found the market opened. Our guide knew everyone and he is very knowledgeable explaning all types of vegetables we didnt knew. Next, we picked un other bus that took us to tarrafal beach passing though Serra Malagueta natural park. We enjoyd tge beautiful beach with No Stress vibe. After we picked the last bus that brought us back to Praia. We really recomend Zenildo, thank you for showing us your amazing island Like Locals! Pether & Annethe
        Written 13 March 2020
      See all 23 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles10 reviews
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      10
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      0
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      0
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      These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
      This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

      Brianmaxhouston
      Luxembourg City, Luxembourg24 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Elton the driver and Ailtom the guide were super nice and accomodating. Ailtom knows his stuff and shares his knowledge in a really nice way. He is VVV patient with questions 🤓.

      The tour was comprehensive and was a great introduction to the recorded history of CV and Praia since the Portuguese arrived and up to independence and beyond
      Written 24 October 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      We sincerely appreciate your feedback, Brian! We are delighted to hear that you had a pleasant experience with us. Our priority is always to provide exceptional and high-quality service to our customers. We value your choice to travel with us and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again in future experiences. We are committed to continuing to offer memorable moments and excellent customer service. Thank you once again, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
      Written 2 June 2023
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Kach Umandap Howe
      Herceg-Novi, Montenegro2,998 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sept 2022
      After doing a full day Santiago Island Tour plus a workshop with Bu Country Tours, I had a second day well spent! This time, I explored Praia and the highlights of Cidade Velha, the country’s former capital. Maria, my guide and my photographer that day was such a fun lady to be with!
      Praia is such a wonderful city, full of colorful artworks on the houses and streets as well as full of sweet welcoming locals. It was indeed a great experience to dance and talk with them.

      Since Cidade Velha is the former capital of Cape Verde, there are a lot of places that can be explored here. We visited Fortaleza Real de Sao Filipe, Se Catedral, Pelourinho, Rua Banana, Nossa Senhora do Rosario Church, and Convento de Sao Francisco.

      This day tour is full of learnings! If you’re interested to learn more about Cape Verde’s history and culture, this tour is the perfect one for you!
      Written 27 October 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      We sincerely appreciate your trust in our company! It's rewarding to know that you enjoyed your tour on Santiago Island and had a fantastic experience with our wonderful guide, Maria. We are delighted to hear that the tour provided meaningful insights for you! We highly value your preference for Bu Country Tours and look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
      Written 2 June 2023
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      TrailBlazer783978
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Feb 2025 • Couples
      Our driver and guide were great. The guide was very patient and answered all our questions. He was very familiar with other islands so that helped with understanding the history of Cabo Verde and the different island cultures.
      Written 20 February 2025
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Deeb Sahara
      Dakhla, Morocco159 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2024 • Solo
      very nice friendly & instructive tour, getting counted story of discovery of cabo verde in 14ies century , by visiting this forteres , and green valley surrounding it, then visit of the old city president palace , & market, cultural & historical tour nicely accompagnied guided by ivana & driver who were realy friendly & profesionnal at the same time, i recommend a must do in Praia & for knowing the history of the country
      Written 27 October 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the cultural and historical tour, learning about Cabo Verde's fascinating discovery and history. It’s fantastic that Ivana and driver provided a friendly and professional experience, making your visit. We’re grateful for your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for more enriching experiences in the future!
      Written 29 October 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      saran116
      NYC4 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2022 • Family
      Our tour guide, Maria, was great! She was patient and handled my whole family beautiful (including helping my 70 yo mom keep up and rest when needed…). We got to visit some nice places and the restaurant where we had lunch had really great food.
      Written 3 June 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you very much, Saran! We are glad to hear that you had a great experience with us. At Bu Country Tours, we prioritize the well-being of our customers, always ensuring that everyone is well taken care of during the tour. We appreciate you choosing our services and look forward to welcoming you again in future occasions.
      Written 3 June 2023
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      AncaM
      Luxembourg11 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Our tour with Rita was the highlight of our trip to Santiago! We fully enjoyed everything about it ! The Cidade Velha is a beautiful and peaceful spot worth to visit . Rita knew everything about the history of this place . Thanks again for this great experience!!!
      Written 17 January 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you for your comment! It's great to hear that you had a pleasant experience with our team. The Bu Country Tours team, including Rita, sends their regards to you. We highly value our relationship with our customers and are always committed to providing exceptional experiences. We look forward to welcoming you again soon!
      Written 5 June 2023
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Lemonnierf
      16 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Dec 2024 • Couples
      Very nice half day spent with our guide Cynthia, really top. Many explanations and information, listening to our requests and wishes, the visits are very interesting and the beautiful places we highly recommend
      Automatically translated
      Written 30 December 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Loli S
      Telde, Spain1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2024 • Family
      I really like it is very familiar and the people who wear it are great and I have been repeating for 3 years and so I will continue doing fantastic
      Automatically translated
      Written 23 August 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Gracias por tu comentario! Nos alegra saber que has disfrutado de la experiencia con nosotros durante los últimos tres años. Es un placer para nosotros recibirte cada vez y seguir ofreciéndote momentos memorables. Esperamos verte de nuevo el próximo año!
      Written 16 September 2024
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

      Like Locals: Praia and Cidade Velha Tour + Local Pontxi Tasting provided by Santiago Experience

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