Travel Guide Ribeira Brava

The word brava means "fiery", as does the river that runs alongside the town in rainy weather. Ribeira Brava is a beautiful town of 5,900 souls, with a timeless charm, high mountain peaks and deep cliffs. Ribeira Brava is one of the island's two main towns, along with Tarrafal. It also bears the familiar Creole diminutive of Stancha. With its historic appearance, old cobbled colonial streets, old stone houses, softly-colored houses and many flower-filled, shady gardens, it's an inviting place to stroll through its narrow streets. Like all the other towns on the archipelago, its main square is the hub of all social activity, and is very busy in the evenings. The main church was rebuilt in 1891 over a period of seven years, making it the oldest cathedral in Cape Verde. Inside, there are two bishops' tombs. A little further on, next to a square and the post office, stands a monument representing the bust of a doctor, Jùlio José Dias, who was highly respected by the population at the time. On the other side of the river stands the former Seminary building. Opened in 1866, it was the archipelago's first high school and was attended by many Cape Verdean intellectuals. During Carnival, the locals indulge in pagan manifestations such as equestrian games and rituals involving the cutting off of a rooster's head. This is authentic Cape Verde at its best.