Monte Fontainhas is the highest point on Brava at around 976 metres, rising from the volcanic interior of the island south of Vila Nova Sintra. A walk to the summit from the town takes two to three hours on steep cobbled paths, rewarding the effort with views that take in the entire island and, on clear days, Fogo with its active volcano rising from the sea to the north.
The slopes below the summit are crisscrossed with old stone walls and terraces where cape verde farmers have grown maize and beans for generations. The vegetation changes markedly with altitude — the lower slopes are drier and more scrubby, while the upper mountain catches the trade-wind clouds and stays green much of the year. Bring water and start early.