Discover Brava through its many facets: a predominantly mountainous landscape, bays and hiking trails, as well as cultural heritage. Monte Fontainhas reaches 957 metres. The island’s waterways include Ribeira Garça and Ribeira da Cruz. Along the coast, Furna and Fajã d’Água are among the notable bays; there are harbours near Ancião and Caniço.
Mountains, Waterways and Coast
The elevation of Monte Fontainhas provides a clear landmark in the landscape. The named waterways also add to the picture of the island. On the coast, Furna and Fajã d’Água offer another perspective on Brava; the harbours near Ancião and Caniço are further specific points of reference. In this way, elevations, waterways and coastal features sit side by side, without reducing the island to a single landscape motif.
A natural swimming pool formed among volcanic rocks in Fajã d’Água. Its water is clear and turquoise. The place brings together a named bay and a distinctive natural feature; the description of the pool makes the volcanic rocks part of its character.
Hiking Trails and Landscape in Detail
The Fajã d’Água–Portete hiking route begins in Fajã d’Água, a few metres from the island’s former airfield. The route between Lomba and Baía de Tantum offers a different kind of challenge: it is short but demanding. The details highlight different aspects—the starting point of the first route is precisely located, while the second is defined by its length and difficulty.
The area around Chanzinha can also be discovered through its specific landscape features. Many different fruit trees grow there, including mango trees, as well as sugar cane. Chanzinha is also one of the places where the traditional grogue “Djabi” is made. The plant life and grogue tradition reveal two different sides of the place.
When travelling around Brava, a car with a driver or a taxi is recommended. This is a practical tip for planning your trip, alongside the experiences offered by the hiking trails, coast and culture.
Culture, Memory and Tradition
Lavadura is currently uninhabited. Buildings with colonial architectural features and basins from a traditional laundry have been preserved there. These traces of the built environment point to different aspects of the place: its architecture and a specific part of everyday life.
In Cruz, there is a small cave where worshippers place candles every year for the Fest da Cruz. The Fest da Cruz is celebrated on 1 May and marks the beginning of the other June festivities on Brava. Festival traditions include drumming with the traditional “Kulinha”, as well as traditional food and drink.
The Casa Museu Eugénio Tavares features a long-term exhibition about Eugénio Tavares’s life and work and his contributions to Cape Verdean culture, including his promotion of Crioulo as a mother tongue. The collection also covers historical, ethnographic and anthropological themes from the 19th and 20th centuries. It thus connects Tavares’s biography and cultural work with a broader perspective on those two centuries.
Lagoa is home to a traditional trapiche that was once used to make grogue. Its former function complements today’s grogue tradition, which is associated with the name “Djabi” in Chanzinha.
Brava in the Wider Context of Cape Verde
The Cape Verde archipelago comprises ten islands, nine of which are inhabited. Music and dance traditions associated with Cabo Verde include morna, funaná, batuque, mazurca and coladeira. Literary and musical production also reflects European and African cultural roots. Cabo Verdean cuisine includes cachupa, fish, seafood and fruit. Cachupa is made with meat or fish, stewed beans and corn, and served with cooked vegetables, potatoes and boiled bananas.
Discover more destinations: Vila Nova Sintra, Preguiça, Praia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Sao Miguel, Tarrafal.
For the main travel overview: Cape Verde.
