Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde
Frequently Asked Questions
About 500 kilometres off the coast of Senegal, between Africa and the Americas. The archipelago has ten volcanic islands and is a former Portuguese colony, independent since 1975.
Mainly two: Mindelo on São Vicente, and Praia, the capital, on Santiago. Mindelo takes most of the calls, in the bay of Porto Grande, one of the finest anchorages in West Africa.
The centre is easily walked from the quay: Praça Amílcar Cabral, shaded and lined with colourful colonial-era buildings, the Palácio do Povo, a replica of the Belém Tower and the municipal market. The city beach at Laginha is a twenty-minute walk.
It is the cultural heart of the country: Cesária Évora, the barefoot diva, was born here, and the morna — that song of longing and the sea, inscribed on the UNESCO intangible heritage list — still drifts out of the cafés from late afternoon.
Cidade Velha, a short distance from the capital: the first European colonial settlement in the tropics, with its royal fortress, its street of old houses and its ruined cathedral. Excursions cover it in half a day and add the busy markets of the Praia plateau.
Cachupa, the national stew of corn and beans that simmers in every household. At the Mindelo market, the stalls overflow with papaya, tuna and chillies, in a cheerful mix of Creole and Portuguese.
The Cape Verdean escudo, though euros are accepted almost everywhere; small notes make market purchases easier. Cape Verdean Creole is the everyday language and Portuguese the official one.
Light clothing, but bring a hat and water: the sun is strong despite the trade winds. Those winds sweep landscapes of sharp contrast, from arid slopes to green valleys.
Only on a long call. The crossing takes an hour, and you must watch both the ferry schedule and the ship's. Santo Antão, the sister island, offers vertiginous valleys.
Shared taxis known as aluguers add nicely to the adventure, alongside regular taxis. In Mindelo, a taxi takes you up Monte Verde, the island's high point, for a full view of the bay.
