Exploring Cape Verde

Cape Verde or Cabo Verde is a country on a volcanic archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa. The country is known for its Creole Portuguese-African culture, traditional morna music (music and dance genre typical of Cape Verde), and lots of beaches. Cape Verde is more Westernized than the rest of the African continent.

Fogo means fire and is the most prominent of all of the Cape Verde islands. The main attraction here is the volcano, Pico de Fogo, it can be climbed in about six hours.

The largest city on this island is Sao Filipe and the fourth largest city in Cape Verde. It is also home to the island’s airport. The beaches here are fantastic.

Sal is the sunniest island in Cape Verde. This island is home to an international airport. It has miles and miles of beaches. The island is just off the coast of West Africa.

In the east is Pedra de Lume, the site of a former salt mine in the crater of an extinct volcano. It has therapeutic salt water.

Also on Sal Island is Palmeira, a busy harbor town. For visitors, there are restaurants, lively bars, and impressive architecture. This town is a favorite with divers who come to experience underwater caves and reefs. After hiking you can relax in salt baths.

Another town on Sal is Santa Maria, a lively and developed city. Here the hotels are of the highest standard. This is a great place to come for a classic beach resort holiday with clear blue water, sunny beaches, and jet-skiing and scuba diving. If you love history then one highlight here is the Weighhouse in the old harbor that in the past was used to weigh salt before export.

Praia is located on the fertile island of Santiago and is the capital of Cape Verde. It is the economic and political center. You can see impressive old colonial buildings in the Old Town. There are churches, a presidential palace, and a parliament building. Lovely sandy beaches invite tourists to sunbathe and swim.

Sal Rei is the capital city of Cape Verde’s easternmost island, Boa Vista. Its main plaza has a distinctly African feel where traders sell goods and colorful flowers. One of the main attractions is the Baroque-style church and there are impressive colonial buildings and fantastic beaches.

Mindelo is a city with a mix of many cultures. It is located on the island of Sao Vicente. Here visitors can experience a lively nightlife with music clubs and bars. During the day the harbor and the fish market are worth taking a look at.

Nestled in the valley of the same name Ribeira Grande is an amazing city on the island of Santo Antao. There are charming winding streets and small restaurants and guest houses. Tourists enjoy the lively food market and a clothes market.

Take a look at the Nossa Senhora do Rosario church and relax at the popular hot springs.

Also on Santo Antao is Porto Novo where hot, dusty winds blow. The city offers a great museum which gives information about the city’s past kings. Take a look at the royal palaces and admire the colonial buildings.

Ribeira Brava is the capital of Sao Nicolau island. It is a marvelous small city surrounded by mountains. Traders sell their wares from wooden crates in the narrow streets. There are wonderful colorful buildings in the town center and a modern market hall that sells everything from food to clothing and other amenities.

A short distance from this city is Tarrafal which has popular places for beach swimming and black sands that supposedly relieve pain due to minerals like iodine. There are many beaches to choose from and here you’ll find the largest harbor on Sao Nicolau. There are also many restaurants and shops.

The island of Maio is known for its secluded beaches where you’ll find golden sand and a calm sea. It is a great place for bird watching with such birds as rare larks. The capital is Vila do Maio, home to a lovely colonial Portuguese church.

On the same island, the small town of Morro offers beaches surrounded by palm trees with golden sand. Sea turtles come here to lay their eggs in the summer.

Novo Sintra is another lovely town perched on the Brava Mountains. There are two-story houses with gardens. Here you can see a stone replica of Christopher Columbus’s ship, guarding the eastern entrance to the town.