Cape Verde
Ten volcanic islands some 600km off Senegal, each with its own personality: flat, windy Sal and Boa Vista for beaches and kitesurfing, vertiginous green Santo Antão for some of the Atlantic's finest hiking, Fogo's active volcano, and Mindelo's music bars, home town of the singer Cesária Évora. The culture is a Creole blend of Portugal and West Africa.
Overview
Cape Verde splits neatly in two. The flat, sandy eastern islands of Sal and Boa Vista take most direct flights from the UK and nearly all the big resorts, with dependable sunshine and strong trade winds. The real character lies west and south: São Vicente's port city of Mindelo, the ferry hop to Santo Antão's terraced valleys and cliff paths, Santiago's African-flavoured markets and the UNESCO-listed ruins of Cidade Velha, and the black volcanic cone of Fogo, where wine is grown inside the crater. A good first trip combines a few days on the beach with a week of island-hopping, ideally including Santo Antão's hiking trails.
Outside the resort strips the pace is slow and the islands' 'no stress' motto is taken seriously: aluguers (shared minibuses) leave when full, ferries run late and inter-island flights change at short notice. Prices sit between those of North Africa and southern Europe; guesthouses and local restaurants are good value, while imported goods cost more than you might expect. Hikers, music lovers and kitesurfers get the most from it, while anyone expecting lush tropical scenery on Sal may find the landscape stark and dusty. Many visitors are surprised by the power of the Atlantic surf, which makes swimming hazardous on some beaches, and by how cool the mountain evenings feel.
Map of Cape Verde
Top 5 highlights
- 1Nature
Santo Antão's trails
Cobbled paths zigzag down from the rim of the Cova crater into the Paul valley's sugar cane and banana terraces, and along sea cliffs between Ponta do Sol and Fontainhas. Grogue distilleries and simple guesthouses punctuate the walks.
- 2Adventure
Pico do Fogo
Cape Verde's highest peak, 2,829m, rises from the crater floor of Chã das Caldeiras, where villagers rebuilt after the 2014–15 eruption buried two settlements. The dawn climb is steep and gravelly; the run down the ash slopes is exhilarating.
- 3History
Cidade Velha
Founded as Ribeira Grande in 1462, this was the first European colonial town in the tropics and a hub of the Atlantic slave trade. See the stone pillory, the ruined cathedral and the Fortaleza Real de São Filipe above.
- 4Beach
Santa Maria and Kite Beach, Sal
Sal's southern tip has the country's most reliable sunshine, a long turquoise bay with a fishing pier, and world-class wind: Kite Beach and Ponta Preta draw kitesurfers and windsurfers through the winter months.
- 5Wildlife
Boa Vista's dunes and turtles
Boa Vista is ringed by empty beaches and has Saharan-style dunes inland at the Viana Desert. From July to October, loggerhead turtles come ashore to nest; join a licensed night walk rather than going alone.
Biggest cities
Praia
The capital sprawls around the Plateau, a compact colonial old town of squares and markets. Use it as a base for Cidade Velha and Santiago's mountainous interior rather than a destination in itself.
Mindelo
Cape Verde's cultural capital: a handsome harbour town of pastel colonial buildings, live morna and coladeira in the bars, and the departure point for ferries to Santo Antão.
Espargos
Sal's workaday administrative town sits beside the international airport; few stay, but it has cheaper local cafés and buses down to the beaches of Santa Maria.
Ranked by urban-area population where available. Figures are rounded estimates, and sources define city limits differently, so rankings of similar-sized cities can vary.
When to go to Cape Verde
Best time: Nov–Jun.
Average climate in Praia
Festivals & events
- Feb–MarMindelo Carnival
Cape Verde's biggest carnival, with months of preparation behind its floats, costumed groups and drummers; the main parades fill Mindelo's streets in the days before Ash Wednesday.
- JunFesta de São João
Porto Novo on Santo Antão celebrates St John around 24 June with kola san jon drumming and dancing and processions carrying model ships.
- AugBaía das Gatas Festival
An open-air music festival on a bay east of Mindelo, held over a full-moon weekend in August, with Cape Verdean and international acts and camping by the sea.
How much does Cape Verde cost?
Estimates per person per day, excluding flights. Prices vary by season and city.
Food to try
Cachupa
The national dish: hominy maize slow-cooked with beans, cassava and sweet potato, plus fish or pork in the richer cachupa rica; fried leftovers with an egg make breakfast.
Grogue
Fiery sugar-cane spirit pressed and distilled in small trapiches on Santo Antão and Santiago; try it neat or as ponche, sweetened with molasses or honey.
Pastel com diabo dentro
'Pastry with the devil inside': fried turnovers of sweet potato and maize dough filled with spicy tuna, sold from street stalls and cafés.
Getting around
Island-hopping takes planning. Domestic flights link the islands with airports, often routing via Praia or Sal, but carriers and schedules have changed repeatedly in recent years, so book ahead and reconfirm. CV Interilhas ferries cover many routes, notably the hour-long Mindelo–Porto Novo crossing to Santo Antão, which has no working airport. On land, aluguers (shared minibuses and pick-ups) leave when full; taxis are cheap but unmetered. Car hire is most useful on Santiago, Sal and Boa Vista.
Practical information
- Plugs & voltage
- CF230V — bring a UK-to-C/F adapter
- Emergency numbers
Source: FCDO “Getting help”
- Dialling code
- +238
- Time zone
- UTC-1 (standard time)
- Tap water
- Not safe — drink bottled or treated water
- Driving
- On the right
- Tipping
- Not traditionally expected, but tourist restaurants appreciate around 10%; round up taxi fares and tip hiking guides and drivers.
- Etiquette
- Greet people with 'bom dia' or 'boa tarde' before getting down to business. Dress modestly away from the beach, and ask before photographing people, especially in markets and rural villages.
- Main airports
- Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID), Sal; Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC), Boa Vista; Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI), Praia
Visas & entry for Cape Verde
Shown for a British passport.
No visa needed
You can enter Cape Verde as a visitor for up to 30 days without a visa.
To stay longer or to travel for other reasons, you must meet the Cape Verde government’s entry requirements.
From the UK government's FCDO entry requirements for British passport holders — read the full page for passport validity, permits and exceptions.
Health & vaccinations
- Recommended for most travellers
- Hepatitis ATetanusTyphoid
- Sometimes advised — depends on your trip, activities and health
- DengueHepatitis BBat LyssavirusTuberculosis
- Yellow fever certificate
- A yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive from (or transit through) a country with yellow fever risk — not if you fly direct from the UK.
- Malaria
- No malaria risk
Source: TravelHealthPro (National Travel Health Network and Centre), checked 21 October 2026. This is a summary, not medical advice.
Public holidays in Cape Verde
The next 12 months. Banks, offices and some sights may close, and transport and hotels get busy around these dates.
| Sun 1 Nov 2026 | All Saints' Day |
| Fri 25 Dec 2026 | Christmas Day |
| Fri 1 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Wed 13 Jan 2027 | Democracy and Freedom Day |
| Wed 20 Jan 2027 | National Heroes Day |
| Wed 10 Feb 2027 | Ash Wednesday |
| Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Good Friday |
| Sun 28 Mar 2027 | Easter Sunday |
| Sat 1 May 2027 | Worker's Day |
| Tue 1 Jun 2027 | International Children's Day |
| Mon 5 Jul 2027 | National Independence Day |
| Sun 15 Aug 2027 | Assumption Day |
National holidays only. Dates based on lunar calendars can move by a day or two depending on official announcements.
Useful phrases in Portuguese
| English | Portuguese | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Olá | oh-LAH |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigada | oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah |
| Please | Por favor | poor fah-VOR |
| Excuse me | Com licença | kong lee-SEN-sah |
| How much is this? | Quanto custa? | KWAN-too KOOSH-tah |
Know before you go
- Never schedule an inter-island flight or ferry for the day before your flight home; delays and cancellations are common, and winter swells can stop ferries altogether.
- The escudo is pegged to the euro and euros are widely accepted in tourist areas, though change comes in escudos. Vinti4 ATMs work well; card payment is patchy outside resorts.
- The constant trade winds on Sal and Boa Vista disguise the strength of the sun, which is intense at this latitude; use high-factor sunscreen and cover up between late morning and mid-afternoon.
Cape Verde travel FAQs
When is the best time to visit Cape Verde?
The best time to visit Cape Verde is generally Nov–Jun. Average highs in Praia range from 25°C to 30°C across the year.
How much does a trip to Cape Verde cost per day?
Roughly £45 a day on a tight budget, £100 mid-range and £200+ for comfortable travel, per person including accommodation, food and local transport. Flights are extra.
What currency is used in Cape Verde?
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE).
What plug type does Cape Verde use?
Type C and F sockets at 230V. UK visitors need a travel adapter — UK Type G plugs will not fit.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Cape Verde?
Traffic drives on the right in Cape Verde, unlike the UK.
Is tap water safe to drink in Cape Verde?
Not safe — drink bottled or treated water.
Do I need a visa for Cape Verde?
For British passport holders, the FCDO says: You can enter Cape Verde as a visitor for up to 30 days without a visa. Entry rules change, so check the official FCDO entry requirements for Cape Verde before you travel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cape-verde/entry-requirements
What vaccinations do I need for Cape Verde?
TravelHealthPro recommends Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid for most travellers, with Dengue, Hepatitis B, Bat Lyssavirus and Tuberculosis sometimes advised depending on your trip. Make sure routine UK vaccinations are up to date and see a travel health professional 6–8 weeks before you go.
