Cidade Velha begins a new phase of restoration for its World Heritage colonial old town

Cabo Verde's colonial birthplace, under scaffolding

The conservation programme is being boosted with a budget of around 150 million CVE.

A heritage site that is also a lived-in neighbourhood

Cidade Velha remains an active community of around a thousand residents.

The cost of living inside the historic centre

A traditional home sells for between 12 and 18 million CVE.

Tourism, restoration and rising price pressure

Growing numbers of visitors from Praia are speeding up the rise in property values.

Funding shared between the State and international bodies

The roughly 150 million CVE budget combines funding from the Ministry of Culture, contributions from the municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago, and technical cooperation linked to the World Heritage status granted by UNESCO in 2009. Those behind the project stress that the priority is the most deteriorated elements: Rua Banana, the Sé Cathedral complex and the surroundings of the Real fortress of São Filipe. Work is being planned in multi-year phases so as not to concentrate all the building activity at once and to avoid overwhelming the island's small pool of craftsmen and builders skilled in traditional construction.

Living among scaffolding in the first European city in the tropics

The roughly one thousand residents of the historic centre have for months been living alongside scaffolding, stockpiled materials and occasional traffic restrictions on the narrowest streets. Several residents acknowledge the improvement the works are bringing to their own homes, while also pointing to the dust and noise during the busiest phases. Some families have had to be temporarily rehoused while roofs and shared walls on heritage buildings are reinforced, a process that is extending timelines beyond original estimates.

Cidade Velha compared with other historic centres in the archipelago

The process is being followed closely from other old towns in Cabo Verde, such as the historic centre of São Filipe on Fogo, which hopes for similar heritage recognition. Experts consulted say Cidade Velha stands as a reference for how to reconcile conservation with everyday life in an inhabited neighbourhood, something not always achieved in historic centres turned almost exclusively into tourist attractions. The difference, they note, lies in keeping a stable resident population alongside the restoration work.

Cultural tourism pushing up housing prices

The rise in day-trippers arriving from Praia has sparked interest among small investors in commercial premises and homes near the main square and the Pelourinho. Old colonial houses that barely found a buyer a few years ago now command prices above the municipal average, especially those that allow for a mix of residential use and tourist accommodation. Some residents fear this process will end up pushing long-standing families out to the edges of Ribeira Grande de Santiago.