It's hard to miss the huge pink presidential palace, which faces the cathedral, but unfortunately it is not open to the public. Two bored guards do a great job of keeping tourists from snapping pictures, when they aren't surfing Facebook. In 2003 the palace was the site of some excitement, when it was seized by the military in a coup attempt. No one was hurt, and the coup was peacefully resolved. Leve leve!
Presidential Palace
São Tomé
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.09 MILES
The Great Canine is the poster image of São Tomé, and an awesome sight. An enormous tooth of rock 663m high, it is a hardened column of magma, the remains…
Claudio Corallo Chocolate Factory
0.57 MILES
Claudio Corallo is both an extraordinary person and a local institution. For over 40 years this native Italian has pursued an overriding passion for…
7.72 MILES
One of the island's best beaches, a beautiful white crescent facing an emerald sea, with excellent swimming. An easy drive from the capital, it's empty…
28.2 MILES
So perfect it stops you in your tracks, this cute little beach is a scallop of sand wedged between long walls of rock. Swimming here is like being in your…
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27.58 MILES
In the running for island's best beach, Praia Cafė is a short walk from the pier, and should not be missed. A beautiful arc of sand, it also offers…
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14.34 MILES
This impressive peak soars 2024m above the sea like a great green tooth bleeding mist. You can see it best from the EN-1 as you drive from Neves to Santa…
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0.46 MILES
The Casa das Artes, Criação, Ambiente e Utopias (House of the Arts, Creativity, Environment and Utopias) is an ambitious attempt to create a true cultural…
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Museo do Mar e da Pesca Artesanal
8.04 MILES
This charming marine and fishing museum is located in a whitewashed fisherman's shack up on stilts by the water's edge. Created by local marine…
Nearby São Tomé attractions
1. Nossa Senhora da Graça Cathedral
0.06 MILES
While fairly humble as cathedrals go, the Nossa Senhora da Graça is one of Africa's oldest, and a testimony to persistence, as it has been destroyed and…
0.28 MILES
Alternately fascinating and repellent, the Mercado Grande is divided into two cavernous and adjacent halls, the Mercado Municipal and the newer, and…
0.46 MILES
The Casa das Artes, Criação, Ambiente e Utopias (House of the Arts, Creativity, Environment and Utopias) is an ambitious attempt to create a true cultural…
4. Claudio Corallo Chocolate Factory
0.57 MILES
Claudio Corallo is both an extraordinary person and a local institution. For over 40 years this native Italian has pursued an overriding passion for…
5. São Sebastião & Museu Nacional
0.64 MILES
São Sebastião is a small fort that houses the national museum, a few rooms of artifacts simply presented. The eclectic, somewhat decaying collection, in…
3.31 MILES
While this roça (plantation) is modest in size, its buildings are in very good condition relative to those found elsewhere, and include the large manager…
6.46 MILES
Once the grandest plantation in STP, Agostinho Neto is now the grandest symbol of its decline. The impressive entrance, a wide boulevard leading to the…
6.94 MILES
This interesting island, which faces Santana Resort, is unique in that a natural tunnel runs straight through the centre of it. Boat trips operated by the…