Roça S. Joao

Roça S. João Located 40 km south of São Tomé, in the district of Caué, the Roça S. João is an example of an integrated project that, alongside agriculture, sets out to develop tourism and art. Its current owner, João Carlos Silva, has become famous in Portuguese-speaking countries and in some European ones for his programme of ethnic and cultural cuisine, "Nas roças com os tachos". The roça (an agricultural estate) is an old colonial house restored for tourism. You can stay there, immersed in the tranquil reality of the area. From the roça there is an enviable view over the town of Angolares and the bay of Santa Cruz below. The Angolares, descendants of the shipwrecked crew of a slave ship, are the main inhabitants of this area. On the black-sand beach below, fishermen and fish-sellers meet over palm wine. The Roça S.

João offers genuine local cuisine and the magic of traditional festivals. Dinners to the sound of a Bulaue draw participants into an ancestral rhythm that cannot leave anyone indifferent. The Roça S. João can be reached from S. Tomé by shared taxi for 30,000 dobras (about 2 euros), or by private taxi (about 40 euros).