The Mercado de Peixe (fish market) is the noisy, colourful, very lively engine room of Mindelo, on the seafront just west of the Palacio do Povo. The morning fleet of small fishing boats lands its catch directly onto the slipway beside the market, and within an hour the marble counters inside are piled with wahoo, tuna, moray, lobster, octopus, and the local favourite garoupa (grouper).
Best between 7 and 10 a.m. Even if you are not buying, the noise, the negotiating, and the painted faces of the boats outside are worth the visit. The market is also a working introduction to the island's matriarchal fishing economy — almost all the sellers and most of the buyers are women.