Blublu (Upper Town)

Blublu (Upper Town) designates the higher-lying part of the Blublu settlement in the Lobata district, situated on a slightly elevated plateau with sweeping views across the Lobata plain to the Atlantic. While the lower village core retains its traditional function as a supply hub for Guadalupe and São Tomé, the upper town has since the 2010s become a favored residential area for the growing local middle class: teachers, civil servants, technicians and returnees from the diaspora build modern private houses here that often blend local architectural elements, verandas, wooden roofs, courtyards, with contemporary design. The cooler breeze and open view are markers of status. Major local educational initiatives, including a bilingual preschool and a small music center for youth, are based here. Blublu (Upper Town) thus illustrates the social differentiation São Tomé has experienced over the past two decades: rural roots, urban aspirations.

Nearby cities

Canavial

Canavial is a place of contrasts where the flat fields of the coastal strip meet the first elevations of the north.

Fernão Dias

Fernão Dias bears the name of an explorer and preserves to this day the spirit of adventure on the north coast.

Micolo

Micolo is a picturesque coastal town in the north where the sand is so fine that it sings underfoot.

Santo Amaro

Santo Amaro is a bustling town along the main road to the north where trade and crafts flourish.

Blublu

Blublu is a lively suburb of Guadalupe where the waters of the Lobata River gave the town its name and rhythm.

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Blublu (By the River)

On the riverbank of Blublu, life pulses to the rhythm of flowing water—a place of vitality and natural community.

Agostinho Neto

Agostinho Neto, formerly known as Rio do Ouro, is a monumental testament to plantation culture that feels like its own city in the jungle.

Guadalupe

Guadalupe, the proud capital of Lobata district, is a place of history and faith whose heart is the striking church on the square.

Boa Entrada

Boa Entrada lives up to its name, welcoming visitors with an avenue of giant trees that seem to touch the sky.

Conde

Conde is nestled in the gentle hills of Lobata where the soil is particularly rich in minerals, giving strength to the plants.

History & landmarks

Batepá Memorial

The Batepá Memorial in Fernão Dias commemorates the victims of the 1953 massacre, a turning point in national consciousness and the quest…

Lagoa Azul Lighthouse

The Lagoa Azul Lighthouse perches on a hill above the famous blue lagoon, guiding sailors on the north coast.

São Tomé International Airport

The international airport is the island nation's primary link to the African mainland and Europe.

More places

Potó Agricultural Research Center

The Potó research center is the scientific backbone of Santomean agriculture, where research is conducted to improve local crops.

Morro Peixe Turtle Camp

The Morro Peixe Turtle Camp is a dedicated conservation center on the northwestern coast run by the local community.

Agostinho Neto Educational Farm

The educational farm at the historic Roça Agostinho Neto is an innovative educational project that brings the importance of agriculture c…

Roça Morro Peixe

Morro Peixe is today better known as a fishing village and turtle sanctuary, but was originally a functioning roça.

Morro Peixe Quarry

The Morro Peixe quarry is one of the most important sources of construction materials in northern São Tomé.

Morro de Fundão

Morro de Fundão is a prominent hill in the north of São Tomé, shaping the landscape of the Lobata district.

São Tomé Solar Park

The São Tomé Solar Park is the country's first major project to harness intense tropical solar radiation for electricity generation.

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Micolo Coral Protection Zone

Off the picturesque coast of Micolo stretches an important protection zone for the sensitive coral reefs of the north.