Boavista is the most eastern island of the Archipelago, and quite near to the African continent. It has a surface of 620 km2 and is pentagonal in shape with its longest distance, from North to South of 31 km, and 29 km from West to East. lt is made of sedimentary rocks and is basically flat except for the volcanic formations in Rabil and Fundo das Figueiras. Pico d'Estancia at 390 meters is the highest point of the island. Among the typical vegetation of the island is the date palm a kind of a palm tree with three or six branches coming out of the same base.
The island is covered with sand dunes which give it a lunar scenery and it has 55 km of beautiful white sand beaches and esmerald green water. All these characteristics make Boa Vista an excellent tourist attraction.
History
It was discovered on the 3rd of May, 1480, after the islands of Maio, Santiago and Fogo, and was first named S.Cristovão.
The name Boa Vista has its origin in the exclamation "Captain, good sight (boa vista)", instead of the traditional "Land at sight", due to the joy of a sailor in the dormer window of a sailing vessel which faced a fearful tempest. Initially dependent on one of the ports under the command of a captain in the island of Santiago, the occupancy of that island started in 1497, when it was given to Capitan Rodrigo Afonso for the raising of cattle in the hands of a small number of shepherds.
Its adual population began in 1620. In this year the firts settlement, Povoação Velha, was established when a group of Englishmen started to extract salt which contributed significantly to an improvement in the economy of the island, consequently attracting other industries, such as cloth weaving and ceramics. From this time on the island had great prosperity and it became an important cultural centre in the Archipelago.
A little later, pirates, attracted by the products it manufactured, discovered Boa Vista. The island then suffered a raid in 1815 and 1817. To protect against such attacks, the Duque de Bragança Fort was built on the islet of SalRei. Boavista is considered the birth place of the 'morna' which is the main musical genre of Cabo-Verde. This word had its origin in the English verb "to mourn", which means to cry or to lament. In 1843 the island was the centre of the Portuguese-British Commission for the abolishment of slavery.
Food and Drink
The food is rich and varied, based on fish and shellfish. The "lagostada', prepared in various forms, and the delicious dishes made with limpets, and crab should not be missed by those visiting the island. The fish soup and the soup made with ("capado") goat meat are also enloyed by the most demanding "gourmet". As dessert or for breakfast, try tasty cheese of Boa Vista
Handicraft
Of all the industrial handicrafts introduced at the time of the settlement of the population there is only one remaining. This is the production of ceramics using the typical African methods. Besides being decorative, the cooking pots, mosaics, floors tile are also very useful. ln the working shops and local establishments you may find embroideries, rough clay dolls, straw hats and various objects carved out of horns and coconut shells. The latter of these is very popular with tourists.
