Spend your Cape Verde holidays hopping between beautiful sandy beaches, or head away from the coast to discover charming old colonial cities and jagged volcanic peaks.
A tiny nation off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde is a cluster of sun-frazzled islands. Brave backpackers come here to climb the cone-shaped Pico do Fogo, a seething active volcano on the island of Fogo. Dazzling white sandy beaches ring the nearby islands of Sal, Boa Vista and Maio. In the historic centre of Cidade Velha, on the island of Santiago, locals and tourists sip strong black coffees at cafés that line the music-filled streets.
Best of Cape Verde holidays for...
- Free & cheap: Bit of a beach bum? Then spend your Cape Verde holidays at Estoril Beach on Boa Vista Island. The water is crystal clear and, with 350 days of sunshine a year, there are plenty of opportunities for topping up that tan!
- Romance: The soothing natural salt baths on Sal, one of Cape Verde's easternmost islands, make a great spot for a romantic sunset dip. According to locals in the know, the salt does wonders for your skin!
- Kids & teens: Kids love turtles, and there's nowhere better to spot Cape Verde's scaly green sea turtles than on the wave-lapped island of Boa Vista. The little reptiles lay their eggs here before swimming off into the Atlantic.
- Grown-up families: Round off a delicious family lunch with a platter of locally grown bananas and papayas, then follow the sound of drums towards a lively dance performance in Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente.
- Nightlife: Locals boogie to soulful beats of Creole music at beachfront bars on the island of Santa Maria. Join them on the dance floor, or take a breather on the beach as the warm water wraps itself around your feet.
- Active types: With choppy waves and warm, gentle breezes the island of Sal is a great place to learn how to windsurf. Book yourself a one-to-one lesson with a local instructor to get the hang of it nice and quickly.
- Shopping: Most of the food in Cape Verde is imported, but there are some great deals to be had on local handicrafts. Head to the African Market near Boa Vista's main harbour, where you can haggle over carefully woven baskets and glittering silver jewellery.
Related Links:
Flights to Cape Verde
Cheap car hire in Cape Verde
