Touristic Highlights

Hiking Routes
Paul is best known for its beautiful and dramatic valleys, and offers numerous hiking options. It would be best to hire a local guide who can tell you everything about the route, plants, history and the people along the way. Please contact the Municipality Office for additional information.

Sample Route: Described below is just one such hiking route.

Vale de Neve
By walking along this uninhabited ribeira (river bed) you will see a variety of local vegetation up close, such as papaya, mango, coffee, coconut, banana, and bread fruit trees, as well as other species including sugarcane, yam, cassava, and chili peppers (malagueta). The towering walls of the valley on both sides are lush and uniquely picturesque. Walking along, you get a feeling that you will encounter something rewarding at the end of the walk to compensate for the effort exerted. At the end of the ribeira there is a waterfall of about 150-200m in altitude that gives water to nourish the valley all year.

Statue of Saint Anthony
This is a quick and rewarding hike up the steps to the statue where you will have 180º view of the ocean, all of Vila das Pombas at your feet, and an inviting glance of the Vale do Paul on the back. Turning back toward the valley and depending on the clarity of the weather, you will see settlements of Figueiral do Paul, which is little known to people due to its difficult accessibility, in spite of its natural beauty and friendliness of the residents.

Saint Anthony is the patron saint of the parish of Santo António das Pombas. He is known for his protection of children and families, and is called the “matchmaker saint.”

Grogue Distillery
Visit a trapiche where you will have the opportunity to see how traditional beverages (grogue and punch) are made. You’ll be able to see what goes on behind the scenes from cultivation of sugar cane, fermentation and distillation processes, to the storage of finished products. Please see the Local Products page for more information on grogue.

Lighthouse “Fontes Pereira de Melo”
The lighthouse “Fontes Pereira de Melo,” also known as “Lighthouse of Oxen” was first introduced by the decree of Portaria Regia on April 22, 1884 to mark the gateway between the Canal of S. Vicente and the North. The octagonal shaped lighthouse was activated on May 15, 1886. It stands at 10.7 meters in height, 3 meters in diameter, and has a 4.5 meter metallic-based lantern. The lighthouse is located at the coordinates 19°6’50”W. The magnifying glass of the lantern is so powerful that its light can be seen 27 miles away at 300°. (Ferreira, p.107)

This lighthouse of Santo Antão serves as a reference point for the navigators of the Atlantic Ocean and guides them to Porto Grande (on the island of S. Vicente) where they can re-fuel.

Rock of Inscriptions (Pedra “Scrivida”)
The rock, containing ancient inscriptions of unknown source and significance, is situated in Ribeira de Penedo of Janela. It is important that we conserve and study the rock.

Ocean Fishing
With weather permitting, you can accompany the local fishermen in their colorful boats and see the catch of the day. Abundant in this region are sea eel, grouper, mackerel, octopus, and lobster, among many others.