The city grew up around one of the finest natural harbours in the Atlantic. In the 1800s, coal ships from Britain stopped here to refuel on their way to South America and Africa. This brought people from many countries to Mindelo, and that mixing of different cultures is one reason the city became such a creative place.
Music fills the streets of Mindelo. It is the hometown of Cesária Évora, the famous singer who brought Cape Verde's morna music to the world. Bars and restaurants host live music nearly every night. Walking through the streets, you will hear morna, funaná, and batuque drifting out of windows and open doors.
Artists from across Cape Verde come to Mindelo to study, paint, and create. There are galleries and studios tucked into the colourful alleyways. The Portuguese-style buildings have been painted in bright blues, yellows, and reds by local artists, making the whole city feel like an open-air art gallery.
Mindelo also hosts the Carnival of São Vicente every February - an enormous celebration with elaborate costumes, samba-style dancing, and parades that can last all weekend. It is the biggest party in Cape Verde and draws visitors from all over the world.