The capital on its plateau, with the oldest colonial town nearby
Praia is the capital of Cabo Verde and its largest city, on the southern coast of Santiago island. The historic centre, the Plateau, sits on a flat-topped hill with a colonial square, a church and the Sucupira and Plateau markets. A short drive west, Cidade Velha was the first European colonial town in the tropics and a hub of the Atlantic slave trade; its fort, church ruins and pillory are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Santiago's interior has mountain villages and the market town of Assomada.