Chã das Caldeiras, Volcanic caldera settlement on Fogo Island, Cape Verde.
Chã das Caldeiras is a settlement nestled inside a volcanic crater on Fogo Island that stretches about 10 kilometers across, sitting at roughly 1,700 meters elevation. Steep crater walls and black lava fields form the dramatic landscape around the homes.
A French aristocrat introduced wine cultivation to the caldera in 1870, starting a farming tradition that has lasted ever since. This early beginning shaped how the settlement developed and what people grow there today.
People here farm grapes, coffee, fruits, and vegetables in the volcanic soil, which shapes how the community looks and works every day. Agriculture is woven into the daily rhythm of life in the caldera.
The settlement has no standard utilities, so rainwater collection and solar panels provide water and electricity. Visitors should come prepared for basic conditions and bring supplies with them.
This is the only place in Cape Verde where wine is produced, grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil found nowhere else on the islands. The elevation and climate of the caldera create conditions that cannot be replicated elsewhere in the country.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
