Paciência (Upper Village)

Paciência (Upper Village) is the higher-lying scattered settlement of the larger Paciência community on Príncipe, located at the transition between the fertile hills and the steep, often cloud-veiled mountains of the island's interior. Houses stand on stilts on slopes that turn into rushing streams during the rainy season, and families live from cassava, cocoyam, sugar cane and tropical medicinal plant cultivation. The village is considered in oral tradition a center for myths about forest spirits („sumpiti“) and for earth-honoring ceremonies held at the turn of the year and at sowing. Mestres de roça and elder women know medicinal herbs whose effects are documented in the WHO database of African ethnomedicine. From the Upper Village, the most mysterious paths lead into the heart of Príncipe, to underground springs, old shrines and rarely visited waterfalls that hikers can explore with local guides.

Nearby cities

Paciência

Paciência lies on the edge of Príncipe's rainforests, a place where the name says it all and nature's tranquility heals the soul.

Santo António

Santo António, the charming capital of Príncipe Island, is a town gently nestled on the banks of the Palhota River.

Paciência (Coast)

The coastal part of Paciência is a place of gentle bays and rhythmic sea sounds where time seems to stand still on the golden beaches.

São Joaquim (Forest Edge)

The forest edge of São Joaquim is a place of transition where civilization shakes hands with the dense Obô jungle.

Abade

Abade is a fishing village on the northeast coast of Príncipe where the Atlantic rolls ashore with a rare gentleness.

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Nova Estrela

Nova Estrela sits like a sparkling jewel on the cliffs of Príncipe's east coast, a place of new hope and wide horizons.

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Esperança (Valley)

The Esperança valley is an oasis of tranquility and fertility where life proceeds at a leisurely pace.

Picão

Picão is a place of colors and dense green hidden in the mountainous hinterland of Príncipe.

Abade (North)

The northern part of Abade is a place of wide horizons and maritime freedom where the gaze wanders boundlessly over the Atlantic.

Esperança

Esperança bears the name of hope and is a shining example of the joy of life in the interior of Príncipe.

Picão (Hills)

The Picão hills are an oasis of green where clouds often gently brush the canopy of the forest giants.

São Joaquim

São Joaquim is a historic hamlet in the heart of Príncipe where ruins of an old Roça tell of the power of time.

Belo Monte

Belo Monte perches on a headland in northeastern Príncipe, offering arguably the most breathtaking view of the entire archipelago.

Belo Monte (Coast)

The coastal part of Belo Monte is a place of dramatic cliffs and azure sea where the Atlantic reveals its full primal force.

Sundy (Coast)

The coastal part of Sundy is a place of wide beaches and deep blue sea where the Atlantic reveals its full beauty.

History & landmarks

Port of Santo António

The small but vital Port of Santo António is the logistical backbone of Príncipe Island.

Regional Government Palace

The Regional Government Palace in Santo António is the administrative center of the autonomous region of Príncipe.

Santo António Market

The Santo António Market on Príncipe Island is a colorful meeting place where local products from the rainforest and the sea are offered.

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary is the religious landmark of Santo António on Príncipe.

Ponta da Mina Lighthouse

The Ponta da Mina Lighthouse is located at the eastern tip of the Santo António Bay on Príncipe.

Eddington Monument

The Eddington Monument at Roça Sundy commemorates the 1919 scientific expedition during which Sir Arthur Eddington proved Einstein's theo…

More places

Príncipe Children's Leisure Center

The children's leisure center in Santo António is the hub for play and education for the children on Príncipe Island.

Logistics Port of Santo António

The logistics port of Santo António is Príncipe Island's only maritime link to the outside world.

Roça Infante D. Henrique

This plantation on Príncipe, named after the famous Portuguese prince, stands out for its well-preserved administrative buildings.

Pico Bastião

Pico Bastião is a distinctive geological formation on Príncipe Island.

Fort of Santo António da Ponta da Mina

This fort was built in the 17th century to protect the bay of Santo António on Príncipe from maritime attacks.

Roça Porto Real

Located on Príncipe Island, Porto Real was one of the most powerful plantations in the archipelago.

Príncipe Parrot Sanctuary

Deep within the protected biosphere reserve of Príncipe lies a special conservation area for the endemic Príncipe parrot.

Príncipe Rainforest

The Príncipe rainforest is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is considered one of Africa's best-preserved ecosystems.