Starting a hike in the suburbs of Mindelo, unavoidably gives an impression of the darker sides of Mindelense reality. After an insight into the middle-class settlements of Bela-Vista the track passes by an abandoned portuguese farmhouse at Monte Craquinha, where some homeless families found shelter. At Lameirão former english family houses ar touched. Over Casa Azul and Cruz de Inglês the starting point of Track 201 to Monte Verde is reached.

Throughout the hike, there is an excellent view on the city and the harbour bay. As the track crosses the main road at Lameirão, you may reduce the distance to walk in half.

Starting point
is the road leaving the roundabout of Rotunda è in Directon of Baía das Gatas. In the quarter of Bela Vista there is a unusually broad dustroad taking off ê uphills. [BELA01] Tell the Taxi driver that it is before but very close to the disco Je t'aime. The disco doesn't exist any more but everybody remembers the house.
At its maximum hight [BELA02] you have to find your way through narrow streets è always on the hight of the ridge. Where settlements end, walk around the houses to find the climbing path  î you have seen before, leeding to the top of Monte Bela Vista.
Having reached the saddle, [BELA04] the view opens to the other side to one of the poorest quartes, Ribeira de Craquinha. A little excursion to the top of Monte Bela Vista may be interesting for fotographers interested in taking a panorama view all over Mindelo. We just continue following the ridge on a good footpath è showing us the way up to Monte Craquinha, the former home of the fashist youth organization Mocidade Portuguesa. [CRAQUI] 
Make yourself noticed before reaching the top so that the watch dogs will not be surprised.

From Monte Craquinha the old  paved raod ì descents to Lameirão . [LAME01] A pedestrian bridge crosses the raod and the latest from here we discover an impressive colonial building on top of a hill on the other side of the valley, the "Blue House" Casa Azul, long time ago having belonged to a rich caoltrader family. The new french owners want to transform it into a hotel. The raod é î winds up. If in troube when walking through the hotel's compound, tell them you will have a bottle of french wine on the way back and continue  î over the small path and meet the the road è leading to the quarries. This way you reach the pass and crossing of the main road at Cruz d'Inglês at Pé de Verde.