--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in São Tomé, Sao Tome and Principe | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in São Tomé: the 1575 fort and national museum, a Corallo chocolate tasting, the roças of Monte Café and Água Izé, and Lagoa Azul." url: https://wimup.com/city/sao-tome type: City guide updated: 2026-10-18 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in São Tomé São Tomé, Sao Tome and Principe · Africa · By Wimup Editorial, 10 min read São Tomé is the small, low-rise capital of an island country on the equator, built around a bay on the northeast coast of São Tomé island. It is the base for everything else: the cocoa and coffee roças, the northern beaches and the rainforest of Obô, all within a day's drive. ## Quick answer The best things to do in São Tomé are the 1575 Fort São Sebastião and its national museum, a chocolate tasting at Claudio Corallo, the coffee museum at Roça Monte Café, the hospital and blowhole at Água Izé, and a swim at Lagoa Azul. Give it three or four days, two of them on day trips. June to September is the dry gravana. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Jun–Sep - **Ideal length:** 3–4 days - **Budget per day:** $90–170 - **Language:** Portuguese, with Forro the main creole - **Getting around:** Taxis, moto-taxis, shared minibuses and hired drivers - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://turismo.gov.st/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in São Tomé ### 1. Tour Fort São Sebastião and the national museum Museum · Avenida Marginal 12 de Julho, at the southern end of the bay The fort was built in 1575 to guard the bay and now holds the national museum, with colonial-era rooms and religious art. Climb to the ramparts for the view back over the city. - **Time:** 1–1.5 hr - **Cost:** A few euros, cash - **Best at:** Weekday morning - **Tip:** Listed hours vary between sources, so go before noon on a weekday and carry dobras or euros in small notes. ### 2. Taste chocolate at Claudio Corallo Chocolate · Rua do Município, São Tomé city Claudio Corallo's workshop turns the islands' own cocoa into bars, and the visit is a talk followed by a long tasting of a dozen or so products. It is part tour, part shop, and worth both. - **Time:** 1.5 hr - **Cost:** Small fee, check on booking - **Best at:** Weekday morning - **Tip:** Seats are limited, so book ahead and ask which language the session is in. Shoes come off at the door. ### 3. Visit the coffee museum at Roça Monte Café Plantation · Monte Café, Mé-Zóchi, in the hills inland One of the six roças UNESCO inscribed in July 2026, it still dries and processes coffee, and the museum shows the working machinery. The cooler air up here is a relief after the coast. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Entry fee, cash - **Best at:** Morning, while the beans dry - **Tip:** Pair it with the São Nicolau waterfall and the Bom Sucesso garden on the same road. Hire a driver: the bends are steep. ### 4. Walk the ruins of Roça Água Izé Plantation · Água Izé, on the east coast road south of the city Another of the 2026 World Heritage roças, with a hospital built in 1928 and rows of worker housing. Families live among the ruins, so it reads as a village, not a museum. - **Time:** 2 hr - **Cost:** Tip a local guide - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Accept a resident guide at the gate and pay them directly. Stop at Boca do Inferno on the way back. ### 5. Walk the centre from the Sé to the Palácio do Povo Landmark · Praça do Povo and the Sé Catedral, city centre The cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, rebuilt several times, and the pink presidential palace on Praça do Povo make the centre's best short walk. The palace is a working residence and closed to visitors. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning or late afternoon - **Tip:** Do not photograph the palace guards or the palace gate. Dress modestly to step into the cathedral. ### 6. Snorkel at Lagoa Azul Beach · Near Guadalupe, about 15 km northwest of the city A small bay with clear water and a lighthouse on the point, the island's best-known snorkelling spot. The bottom is rocky, so it suits snorkellers more than swimmers. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Dry season, calm mornings - **Tip:** Wear reef shoes for the urchins and bring your own mask. There are no lifeguards and almost no facilities. ### 7. See the São Nicolau waterfall and Bom Sucesso Nature · São Nicolau, above Monte Café The waterfall drops through forest a short walk from the road, and the Bom Sucesso botanical garden higher up is the gateway to Obô Natural Park. Together they make the easiest taste of the rainforest. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Small garden fee - **Best at:** Dry season - **Tip:** Paths are slick after rain, so wear shoes with grip. Book a park guide at Bom Sucesso if you want to walk further into Obô. ### 8. Take a boat to Ilhéu das Cabras Island · Off the north coast, boats from the capital or Morro Peixe An uninhabited islet off the north coast, reached on a boat trip of two or three hours with time to snorkel and walk up to the lighthouse. - **Time:** 2–3 hr - **Cost:** About $35 on a tour - **Best at:** Calm dry-season mornings - **Tip:** Go with an operator who supplies life jackets and snorkel gear, and confirm the sea state the evening before. ### 9. Stand at the Batepá memorial at Fernão Dias Memorial · Praia Fernão Dias, just outside the city Prisoners from the 1953 Batepá massacre were held at this beach, and the memorial lists the victims. It is the place to understand why 3 February is a national day. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** Go on the way to or from the northern beaches, and keep the visit quiet: it is a place of mourning. ### 10. Lunch where Almada Negreiros was born Food · Roça Saudade, near Trindade The Portuguese modernist was born at this roça on 7 April 1893, and a restaurant with a small museum to him now sits over the ruins of the house. Come for the lunch and the view as much as the exhibit. - **Time:** 2 hr - **Cost:** Museum fee, plus lunch - **Best at:** Lunchtime - **Tip:** Call ahead to check it is open, and combine it with Monte Café, in the same hills. ## Best sights in São Tomé The fort, the cathedral and the squares that tell São Tomé's story. 1. **Fort São Sebastião** (Fort and museum · Marginal): The 1575 fort, now the national museum. 2. **Sé Catedral** (Cathedral · Centre): The cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, rebuilt several times. 3. **Palácio do Povo** (Palace · Centre): The pink presidential palace, seen from outside only. 4. **Rei Amador statue** (Monument · Praça da Cultura): Honours the leader of the 1595 revolt of enslaved Africans. 5. **Parque Popular** (Park · Centre): A park ringed by bars that hosts the national festivals. 6. **CACAU** (Arts centre · Centre): An arts centre in the old colonial public-works workshops. ## Best plantations in São Tomé Plantation estates that made the islands the world's cocoa leader by 1905. 1. **Roça Monte Café** (Coffee estate · Mé-Zóchi): A working coffee estate with a museum, UNESCO-listed in 2026. 2. **Roça Água Izé** (Cocoa estate · East coast): The hospital and worker housing of a vast cocoa estate. 3. **Roça Saudade** (Restaurant and museum · Near Trindade): Almada Negreiros's birthplace, now a restaurant and small museum. 4. **Roça São João dos Angolares** (Roça and restaurant · South coast): A World Heritage roça with rooms and a tasting-menu restaurant. ## Best chocolate & coffee in São Tomé The islands' cocoa and coffee, tasted where they are made. 1. **Claudio Corallo** (Chocolate · Rua do Município): A chocolate workshop with a talk and a long tasting. 2. **Diogo Vaz boutique** (Chocolate café · Marginal): A seafront café and tasting room for the estate's chocolate. [Website](https://diogovazchocolate.com/boutiques-diogo-vaz-chocolate/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Monte Café coffee museum** (Coffee museum · Mé-Zóchi): Old machinery and a cup of the estate's own coffee. ## Best beaches in São Tomé Four beaches within an hour of the city, from snorkelling bays to a memorial. 1. **Lagoa Azul** (Snorkelling · Near Guadalupe): A clear, rocky bay with a lighthouse, best for snorkelling. 2. **Praia dos Tamarindos** (Beach · North coast): A palm-shaded public beach on the north coast. 3. **Praia Lagarto** (City beach · By the airport): A narrow city beach by the airport, home of the crab restaurant. 4. **Praia Fernão Dias** (Memorial beach · North of the city): The beach of the Batepá memorial, just outside town. ## Best restaurants in São Tomé Three tables, from seafood on the avenue to crab on the beach. 1. **Papa-Figo** (Seafood and grills · Centre): The city institution for seafood, grills and local dishes. 2. **Petisqueira Santola** (Crab · Praia Lagarto): A simple beach shack on Praia Lagarto that serves giant crabs. 3. **Sabor da Ilha** (Santomean · São Tomé city): Creole cooking, popular with locals. ## Best bars & nightlife in São Tomé Nightlife is small. These four are where the city goes out. 1. **Pico Mocambo** (Bar and restaurant · São Tomé city): Cane spirits, cacharamba and gravaninha rum drinks at the bar. 2. **Club Pirata** (Club · Seafront): An oceanfront venue, busiest late on weekend nights. 3. **Kizomba** (Nightclub · São Tomé city): The country's only proper nightclub. Go late on Friday or Saturday. 4. **50/50 Lounge & Bar** (Lounge bar · Centre): A sports bar and terrace that turns into a dance floor at weekends. ## Best day trips in São Tomé Waterfalls, islets and the south's volcanic needle, all from the capital. 1. **São Nicolau waterfall** (Waterfall · Mé-Zóchi): A forest waterfall a short walk from the road above Monte Café. 2. **Bom Sucesso botanical garden** (Garden · Obô): The garden at the gateway to Obô Natural Park. 3. **Ilhéu das Cabras** (Boat trip · North coast): An islet off the north coast, with a lighthouse and snorkelling. 4. **Boca do Inferno** (Blowhole · East coast): A blowhole near Água Izé that roars at high tide in a swell. 5. **Pico Cão Grande** (Viewpoint · The south): A 663-metre volcanic needle in Obô, near São João dos Angolares. ## Festivals & annual events in São Tomé (2026) - **New Year's Day** (1 Jan): A public holiday in one of the lighter wet-season months. - **Rei Amador Day** (4 Jan): Remembers the leader of the 1595 revolt of enslaved Africans. - **Martyrs' Day** (3 Feb): Marks the 1953 Batepá massacre, the country's most solemn date. - **Labour Day** (1 May): A public holiday as the rainy season ends. - **Independence Day** (12 Jul): Independence from Portugal in 1975, in the heart of the dry gravana. - **Armed Forces Day** (6 Sep): A public holiday, marked by the swearing-in of new recruits. - **São Tomé Day** (21 Dec): Remembers the Portuguese arrival on the island in 1471. - **Christmas** (25 Dec): A family holiday. The US warns of more burglaries over the season. ## Must-try dishes in São Tomé, Sao Tome and Principe - **Calulu**: Smoked fish or meat stewed for hours with okra, greens and palm oil. - **Molho no fogo**: A drier cousin of calulu, with more fish and more palm oil. - **Izaquente**: Smoked fish with herbs, óssame and palm oil, served with cassava flour. - **Feijão de coco**: Beans with smoked fish, coconut and pau-pimenta pepper. - **Fruta-pão**: Breadfruit, the starch beside most everyday plates. - **Santola**: Giant crab, cracked at the beach shacks of Praia Lagarto. - **Cacharamba**: The islands' sugarcane spirit, sipped neat or in cocktails. - **Single-origin chocolate**: Bars made from the islands' own cocoa, in town at Corallo and Diogo Vaz. ## São Tomé transport & airports - **São Tomé International Airport** (TMS): The country's only international airport, about 5 km northwest of the centre. Agree a taxi fare before you leave the terminal. - **Taxis** (Car): There are no meters. Agree the fare before you get in, including from the airport, where quoted prices vary widely. - **Shared minibuses** (Bus): Hiaces and shared cars run fixed routes for a few dobras, but rural services can be only two or three a day. - **Moto-taxis and hired drivers** (Moto): Moto-taxis are the cheapest short hop in town. For roças and beaches, hire a car with a driver through your hotel. ## São Tomé at a glance - **Country:** São Tomé and Príncipe - **Region:** Água Grande district, on the northeast coast of São Tomé island - **Population:** 80,647 in Água Grande district at the 2024 census - **Founded:** Portuguese settlement after the island was reached in 1471. Fort São Sebastião dates from 1575 - **Nickname:** Capital of the Chocolate Islands - **Language:** Portuguese (official), with Forro the main creole. English is rare - **Currency:** Dobra (STN). Cash only outside big hotels, and foreign cards often fail at ATMs - **Time zone:** GMT, UTC+0, no daylight saving - **Calling code:** +239 - **Airports:** São Tomé International (TMS), about 5 km from the centre - **Power:** 220 V, 50 Hz, plug types C and F - **Emergency:** Police 113, fire 112, ambulance 222 22 22 ## Interesting facts - Fort São Sebastião was built in 1575 and now houses the national museum. - In July 2026 six roças became the country's first UNESCO World Heritage site. - The painter Almada Negreiros was born at Roça Saudade, above the capital, in 1893. - Rei Amador led a revolt of enslaved Africans in 1595 and is now a national hero. - The capital gets under 900 mm of rain a year. The island's cloud forests get up to 7,000. ## São Tomé travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in São Tomé? Three or four. One for the city (the fort and museum, the cathedral and a chocolate tasting), one for Monte Café, São Nicolau and Bom Sucesso, one for Água Izé and Boca do Inferno, and one at Lagoa Azul. Add a week to reach the south and Príncipe. ### When is the best time to visit São Tomé? June to September, the dry season the islanders call gravana. July and August are practically rainless in the capital. The rains run from October to May, with the heaviest falls in the wettest months of November and March. Sea-level temperatures stay around 26°C all year. ### Is São Tomé safe for visitors? Broadly, yes. The US rates the country Level 1, its lowest. Burglary and pickpocketing happen, especially in markets, on beaches and near hotels, and more over the winter holidays. Roads and unsupervised beaches with strong currents are the bigger risks. Do not drive outside town after dark. ### Can I use cards in São Tomé? Rarely. Cards work only in the bigger international hotels, and foreign bank cards often fail at the ATMs. Bring euros or US dollars in cash and change them at a bank for dobras. Euros are widely understood for larger payments such as drivers and tours. ### Do I need a visa for São Tomé? UK, Irish, Canadian and US passport holders can stay up to 15 days without a visa. Longer stays and other nationalities should check the e-visa portal of the Migration and Border Service. The UK Foreign Office notes a 20-euro fee payable on arrival. ## Nearby guides - [Libreville](https://wimup.com/city/libreville.md): Gabon · 10 picks - [Malabo](https://wimup.com/city/malabo.md): Equatorial Guinea · 10 picks - [Douala](https://wimup.com/city/douala.md): Cameroon · 10 picks - [All of Africa →](https://wimup.com/africa): 60 cities Part of the [Sao Tome and Principe guide](https://wimup.com/country/sao-tome-and-principe.md) · [Africa](https://wimup.com/africa.md) ## Sources - [São Tomé tourism board](https://turismo.gov.st/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Diogo Vaz boutique (official site)](https://diogovazchocolate.com/boutiques-diogo-vaz-chocolate/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.