Top 12 Experiences
- Climb Pico do Fogo — The ascent to the 2,829 m high active volcano on Fogo is the ultimate Cape Verde adventure. Start at dawn, climb over lava and ash to the crater rim, and then enjoy the view over the entire archipelago. → Cap. Fogo & São Vicente
- Hike through the Paúl Valley — Santo Antão's greenest valley is a tropical paradise: sugar cane, banana plants, mango trees, and dragon trees line a path that winds through dramatic cliffs. → Cap. Santo Antão
- Relax on Santa Monica Beach — Boa Vista's dream beach stretches over 18 km: fine sand, turquoise water, hardly a person in sight. One of Africa's most beautiful beaches. → Cap. Sal & Boa Vista
- Experience live music in Mindelo — In São Vicente's charming port city, Morna and Coladeira sound from every bar. Listen to the heirs of Cesária Évora at Casa da Morna or Café Musique. → Cap. Fogo & São Vicente
- Kitesurf on Sal — Kite Beach near Santa Maria offers perfect conditions from November to June: constant trade winds, a flat-water lagoon, and warm water. One of the best kite spots in the world. → Cap. Sal & Boa Vista
- Explore Cidade Velha — The first European settlement in the tropics (UNESCO World Heritage) on Santiago tells the harrowing story of the transatlantic slave trade. The Pelourinho (pillory) still stands. → Cap. Santiago
- Watch turtles lay eggs — From July to October, loggerhead turtles come to the beaches of Sal and Boa Vista to lay their eggs. Guided night tours offer this magical experience. → Cap. Sal & Boa Vista
- Try Grogue in a Trapiche — The Cape Verdean sugarcane schnapps is made in traditional Trapiche distilleries. On Santo Antão and Santiago, you can watch the distilleries at work and taste the fresh Grogue. → Cap. Culture
- Hike through the Ribeira Grande — Santo Antão's most dramatic gorge with 1,000-meter-high cliffs, terraced fields, and an old cobblestone road winding up in switchbacks. → Cap. Santo Antão
- Eat Cachupa — The Cape Verdean national dish — a hearty stew of corn, beans, vegetables, and meat or fish — tastes different in every family and is the culinary soul of the islands. → Cap. Culture
- Celebrate Carnival in Mindelo — Every February, Mindelo transforms into a Creole Rio: samba schools, colorful costumes, music, and dance for three days and nights. The most authentic carnival in Africa. → Cap. Fogo & São Vicente
- Drink wine in the crater of Fogo — In the village of Chã das Caldeiras, right in the volcanic crater, surprisingly good wine grows on lava soil. A glass of Manecom red wine with a view of the smoking Pico — it doesn't get more surreal. → Cap. Fogo & São Vicente
