Terreiro Velho

Terreiro Velho is a historic roça on Príncipe Island, set on a dramatic rise above the south coast with views toward the uninhabited islet archipelago. The plantation was established in the 19th century during the cocoa boom and was at times considered Príncipe's most productive roça. Its current global fame is owed to Italian agronomist Claudio Corallo, who took over the derelict estate in the 1990s and revived it with an uncompromising philosophy: instead of quantity, Corallo bet on quality, shaded cultivation of old Forastero and Amelonado varieties, careful fermentation, sun-drying and a small manufactory in São Tomé city. His chocolate is among the most expensive and celebrated in the world, served in top restaurants from Paris to Tokyo. Terreiro Velho today is at once a plantation, a teaching site for sustainable agriculture and a pilgrimage destination for chocolate lovers, who can trace the entire journey from cocoa pod to finished bar.

Nearby cities

Esperança

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

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.

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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.

Santo António

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

Paciência (Upper Village)

The upper village of Paciência lies at the foot of Príncipe's steep mountains, a place of cool mornings and deep silence.

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.

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

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

Abade (North)

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

Picão

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

Picão (Hills)

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

Sundy

Sundy is a place of science and stars nestled in the gentle plains of northern Príncipe.

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

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.

Regional Government Palace

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

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

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

Port of Santo António

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

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 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.

Pico do Príncipe

Pico do Príncipe is the highest elevation on Príncipe Island and the heart of its biosphere reserve.

Roça Infante D. Henrique

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

Pico Papagaio

Pico Papagaio, also called Parrot Mountain, is a prominent, cone-shaped elevation on Príncipe that rises like a green pyramid from the fo…

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.

Pico Bastião

Pico Bastião is a distinctive geological formation 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.