African Art & Lunch

OVERVIEW

Browse a museum and a gallery with eclectic collections of art and artifacts before dining on traditional Santomean cuisine. The São Sebastião Museum is housed in a Portuguese-built 16th-century fortress that later served as a prison. Although the exterior is rather austere, the artwork displayed inside is inspiring, especially the religious works from the colonial period. Other highlights include rooms devoted to agriculture, porcelain, slavery and the country’s independence from Portugal. CACAU – an acronym whose translation means the House of the Arts, Creativity, Environment and Utopias – is an art gallery and cultural center as it also contains a craft shop, theatre and restaurant. The guide will describe the contemporary paintings and sculptures, the majority of them by local artists. Live music as an accompaniment will make the experience all the more memorable. After browsing the gallery, you will settle in for a delightful lunch in the on-site restaurant.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See the creative side of São Tomé by browsing a museum and an art gallery.
• Gain an understanding of the flourishing local art scene in São Tomé.
• Enjoy a lunch of Santomean cuisine at a restaurant in the art gallery.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.