Cultural and Culinary Activities

Agostinho Neto
Plantation Perhaps the largest plantation on the island of São Tomé, the former Rio do Ouro plantation—once owned by the Count of Vale Flor—is now nationalized and known as the Agostinho Neto Plantation. Located in the province of Lobata, the Rio do Ouro plantation was founded in 1865 and served as the headquarters of the Sociedade Agrícola Valle Flôr. Renowned for its size and architectural grandeur, it remains one of the most impressive agricultural structures to this day. It was part of the most advanced railway system in the entire archipelago, connecting its various facilities to the port located in Fernão Dias. The plantation is organized around a central thoroughfare, which is dominated by the imposing hospital, situated at the highest point, as well as by the open courtyards and terraces that follow the slope. The “avenue” is flanked by a cluster of sanzalas with private courtyards, as well as the homes of overseers, foremen, and workers. At the opposite end, you will soon find the São Tomé and Príncipe Furniture Museum (currently undergoing restoration) and support buildings.

Monte Forte
Plantation This is a cocoa plantation that currently produces organic cocoa. It is an ideal place to visit the cocoa plantations and observe the drying and processing procedures. You can take walking tours of neighboring plantations, visit the Angolares Waterfall, hike to the peak of São Tomé, and spend the night at the rural lodging there.

Diogo Vaz
Plantation Diogo Vaz was nationalized and became a state-owned enterprise. In 2013, it was granted to a new company that committed to producing organic cocoa and chocolate. The plantation covers 420 hectares that have been completely replanted with approximately 150,000 cacao trees, including the Amelonado and Trinitario varieties, which are endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe. Diogo Vaz offers themed tours and chocolate tastings, and features local lodging.

Ponta Figo
Plantation Ponta Figo was a large plantation established in 1928–1929 that stretched across nearly the entire northern part of the island of São Tomé. The Ponta Figo plantation followed the typical layout, organized around a central core or headquarters and outbuildings. The headquarters consisted of the administrator’s house, the employees’ quarters (known as “senzala”), the hospital, the warehouses, the drying sheds, the greenhouses used for preserving cocoa, the laundry facilities, the canteen, and the bakery. The Ponta Figo plantation had 16 outbuildings: António Morais, Ponta Figo Praia, Ribeira Funda, Ribeira Palma, Rosema, Ribordelo, Stª. Teresa, Monte Forte, Generosa, Bom Sucesso, Costa Santo, Cascata, Fortunato, João Paulo, Mendes Leite, and Manuel Moras.

Roça Água Izé
Founded in 1854 by the Baron of Água Izé, it was the first plantation to cultivate cocoa in São Tomé after it was introduced to Príncipe Island. Água Izé served as the headquarters of the Companhia do Príncipe; it was one of the largest and most technologically advanced plantations, with its own pier for cocoa exports and an extensive railway line. At this plantation, visitors can observe the cocoa harvest, which takes place twice a year, in April and October.

Porto Alegre
Founded by Jacinto Carneiro de Sousa e Almeida, Viscount of Malanza, son of the Baron of Água-Izé, the Porto Alegre plantation was the second-largest estate in the southern part of the island of São Tomé, comprising six outbuildings, including Ilhéu das Rolas. Its importance and size made this plantation a true fishing village; due to its isolation, it was practically self-sufficient, producing, drying, packaging, and exporting all types of goods produced in São Tomé and Príncipe. Porto Alegre is a village in the District of Caué, located in the south of the island of São Tomé; its estimated population is about 800 people. Porto Alegre is the largest community in the south; in the surrounding area, there are old, ruined cocoa and coffee plantations and abandoned soap factories. The village is the southernmost on the island and serves as the southern terminus of the main road that runs through the eastern part of São Tomé; the Equator lies 3 km to the south.

Roça Sundy
Experience the sublime restoration of this historic gem. This plantation is where Arthur Eddington verified Einstein’s Theory of Relativity during a total solar eclipse in 1919. The Sundy Roça Hotel is a sight to behold. A former Portuguese cocoa plantation dating back to the late 17th century in the heart of the African rainforest, Sundy is now a fully renovated boutique hotel that blends history and nature; it’s a journey through time where nothing is left to chance. Until 1975, the Sundy Plantation was privately owned by the Portuguese company Sociedade Agrícola Sundy, Lda., headquartered in Lisbon. After that, it was nationalized and became a state-owned enterprise called Empresa Agro-pecuária de Sundy. Sundy is a plantation that was once home to the Portuguese royal family on the island of Príncipe. Within its grounds, in addition to the main house—which is still furnished and decorated—there are cocoa and coffee plantations, a large hospital, a chapel, and remnants of railroads used by the locomotives that transported the cocoa.

Terreiro Velho
Plantation The descendants of the first cacao trees that arrived on Príncipe Island around 1819 are now the mainstay of cacao production at the Terreiro Velho plantation. When the famous chocolate maker Claudio Corallo arrived at the Terreiro Velho plantation, the cacao trees were scattered amid the encroaching forest. Over the course of many laborious years, the forest land was cleared and the shade trees replanted. By giving the cacao trees air and the right amount of light, they gained new vigor, producing healthy and abundant fruit. The aroma of their pulp was intense and fresh.

Roça Paciência
Located in the north of Príncipe Island, near the Belo Monte and Praia Inhame plantations. Despite its small size, it retains a certain family atmosphere, very similar to that of small Portuguese farms. Like many plantations on Príncipe Island, it has a “roça-terreiro” layout, with a square layout enclosed by its buildings. Although they define the courtyard, the buildings are separate structures, slightly spaced apart from one another. On this plantation, you can see cocoa, vanilla, and coffee crops.

Tattoo
Museum: This is where you can learn everything about sea turtles and the marine and coastal ecosystems of São Tomé. The museum is run by the NGO Marapa, the local operator of the Sea Turtle Conservation Program. Considered the “father of the turtles,” Mr. Hipólito Lima is a member of the Tatô program run by the NGO Marapa, which won the 2020 Tusk Conservation Award from the Prince William Foundation.

Coffee
Museum The Coffee Museum is located at the Monte Café plantation in the Mé-zóchi district of São Tomé and Príncipe, a region known for coffee cultivation. The Monte Café plantation is characterized by its humid and cool climate, The Coffee Museum aims to take visitors on a journey through the history of coffee cultivation—from planting, through harvesting and drying, to the final product. The museum is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week, including Sundays by appointment.

Municipal
Museum The National Museum, or Fort São Sebastião (built in 1575 by Portuguese forces, Fort São Sebastião was the first defensive structure erected in São Tomé; it was later rebuilt and expanded). It currently houses the National Museum. Next to it is “EXPM Beach.” In front of the fort stand the statues of the navigators João de Santarém, Pêro Escobar, and João de Paiva, whose names are linked to the discovery of the archipelago. These statues were removed from the squares and gardens of São Tomé shortly after independence.

Almada Negreiros
House Museum It is located at Roça Saudade. The Almada Negreiros House Museum has been in existence for several years. Following recent renovations, it now features a leisure area with tourist accommodations, a restaurant where visitors can enjoy the region’s traditional cuisine, the historic colonial house, and an art gallery.

Bom Sucesso
Botanical Garden The Botanical Garden serves as the gateway to the Ôbo Natural Park. It is located in Bom Sucesso, which was part of the former Monte Café plantation. With over 400 species of endemic flora and more than 1,000 plant specimens, the Botanical Garden and Herbarium were created to educate younger generations in particular about biology and systematic botany. But they were also established to preserve endangered species, to collect living specimens and data for scientific research, and, finally, for tourism and recreational purposes.

Cathedral The Cathedral
, a building constructed in the 16th century, is the main Catholic church on the island of São Tomé. Located next to the Presidential Palace, it is a must-see attraction.

Congress
Palace This is where the General Assembly of the Republic and Parliament are held. It is an interesting architectural structure built in the late 1980s.

Ana Ambó
This is a place steeped in the history of the archipelago. There stands the Monument to the Discoveries, which symbolizes the Portuguese arrival in the archipelago, as it was at Ana Ambó that the navigators João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar first landed in 1470.

Fernão Dias
Not far from Micoló is Fernão Dias Beach, a site of great historical significance for the islands, as it was there that the prisoners from the Batepá Massacre of 1953 were taken; today, this is commemorated by a **memorial** bearing the names of all the victims of the massacre. From there, you can also reach the beautiful beaches in the north of the island, located just a few minutes away: Governador Beach and Tamarindos Beach

Independence
Square Independence Square is the site where national independence was proclaimed on July 12, 1975. It is located directly across from the Ana Chaves downtown area and is surrounded by benches, shops, and public services. Every year on July 12, Independence Day is celebrated, and His Excellency, the President of the Republic, lights the flame of the homeland.

Cocoa
Trail: A tour of the cocoa plantations between the communities of Ponta Figo, Generosa, and Monte Forte, where you can experience the history of cocoa cultivation and the magnificent colonial architecture that still stands in the region. 

Coffee
Route: A tour that combines history, culture, and tradition, taking you through the coffee plantations of the communities between Bemposta, Novo Destino, and Monte Café, and transporting you back in time through the stories of the Monte Café community. 

Spice
Route A simple yet surprisingly rich journey. Discover the island’s variety of spices and let yourself be enveloped by their aromas and flavors.

Rosema
Brewery Located in the city of Neves, this is the largest brewery on the island. Rosema Beer is highly appreciated by tourists visiting the islands.

Espaço Cacau
: Espaço Cacau—a hub for the arts, creativity, atmosphere, and utopia. It is a cultural and arts space managed by a community organization. Espaço CACAU. Open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the space features temporary exhibitions and sells handicrafts and local products. It also has a room for workshops and conferences, as well as the Museum of the History of São Tomé and Príncipe. The venue also serves as a restaurant where “cultural Fridays” are held (dinner/self-service buffet with live music and dance).

Market
The market showcases a good selection of products grown in the island’s interior. There, the old magic of African markets is alive and well. The stalls are filled with produce from the land and sea of São Tomé: fruit, vegetables, and spices; fish of all sizes and shapes; and a myriad of colors and strong aromas.

The city of Neves
is home to the island’s largest fishing village in the northern region. Neves is also considered the archipelago’s industrial hub, as it is home to ENCO (the national fuel and oil company) and the Rosema brewery. While in Neves, be sure to try the famous spider crabs.

Micoló
In the north of the island of São Tomé lies the fishing village of Micoló. Right by the sea, along the main avenue, you’ll find several small traditional restaurants where you can enjoy seafood—whether grilled, as appetizers, or in other traditional dishes. On weekends, many locals gather in the village to savor the flavors of São Tomé.

Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina is a fishing community located at the northern tip of the island. On the way, check out the island’s only tunnel: the Santa Catarina Tunnel, the perfect spot for a classic photo. As you pass through the fishing village of Santa Catarina, you’re sure to see children playing and splashing in the river alongside their mothers while they wash clothes. The houses are rustic, made of wood, and usually painted in bright colors.

Ribeira Afonso
A peaceful spot with a great fishing village atmosphere. The wave breaks to the right and forms at the river’s mouth.

Iô Grande
Another fishing village in the district of Caué. The wave is a consistent right-hander at the mouth of the country’s largest river. Watch out for sharks. Do not surf on rainy days.

Homem da Capa
Explore the island’s southern coast and enjoy the authentic scenery, then visit the country’s largest mangrove reserve and discover its biodiversity.