Welcome to Cape Verde

Cape Verde is an archipelago that quietly enchants. No overcrowded resorts, no organized tourist streams — instead, a blend of African joie de vivre, Portuguese heritage, and nature ranging from black volcanic peaks to golden dune beaches to lush mountain forests. Each of the ten inhabited islands has its own character, its own microclimate, and its own history.

• Sun all year round — Cape Verde is located on the latitude of the Caribbean, about 570 km off the West African coast. With 350 sunny days a year, water temperatures of 22–27°C, and virtually no rain from November to June, it is the perfect winter escape for Europeans. While November rain drums in Germany, stable 25°C prevail here.
• Ten islands, ten worlds — Sal and Boa Vista offer endless sandy beaches and world-class windsurfing. Santiago is the cultural main island with a Creole soul. Santo Antão delights hikers with dramatic gorges and terraced fields. Fogo impresses with an active volcano. São Vicente attracts with Mindelo, the music capital of the archipelago. No island is like the other.
• Music as a way of life — Cape Verde is the home of Morna, that melancholic music form that made Cesária Évora world-famous. Music here is not entertainment — it is the heartbeat of the islands. In every bar, on every square, at every celebration, live music is played, sung, and danced.
• Morabeza — Cape Verdean hospitality — The word Morabeza describes the warm, open hospitality of Cape Verde. The locals welcome visitors with a warmth long lost in more touristy destinations. Here, you are treated as a guest, not a customer.
• Adventure for every taste — Windsurfing and kitesurfing in world-class conditions on Sal and Boa Vista. Trekking through volcanic lunar landscapes on Fogo. Hiking in tropical valleys on Santo Antão. Diving with whale sharks and sea turtles. Cape Verde is an adventure playground.
• Affordable and close — With only 6 hours flight time from Germany and prices significantly below Caribbean levels, Cape Verde offers excellent value for money. A lunch costs 5–8€, a beer 1–2€, a simple room from 30€.
• Conservation and marine biology — Cape Verde is one of the most important nesting sites for sea turtles (loggerhead turtle) worldwide. From July to October, the females come to the beaches, and conservation programs allow visitors to observe the egg-laying and hatching of the young — an unforgettable experience.

Cape Verde is the counter-program to mass tourism: authentic instead of staged, diverse instead of uniform, warm instead of commercial. Those who want beaches will find Africa's most beautiful beaches here. Those seeking adventure will be rewarded with volcanoes and gorges. And those who want to experience culture will immerse themselves in a Creole world that exists nowhere else.

The ten inhabited islands of Cape Verde are divided into two groups — the Barlavento Islands (Windward Islands) in the north and the Sotavento Islands (Leeward Islands) in the south. Each island has its own character:

Sal & Boa Vista — Beach and Wind

For whom: Beach lovers, windsurfers, kitesurfers, package tourists
The two flat, desert-like islands in the east are the tourist center of Cape Verde. Endless white and golden sandy beaches, turquoise water, constant trade winds, and the best water sports conditions in the world. Sal has Santa Maria, the most touristy place, while Boa Vista impresses with untouched dune landscapes and turtle nesting beaches.

Santiago — The Cultural Main Island

For whom: Cultural travelers, history enthusiasts, nature lovers
The largest and most populous island is the most African heart of Cape Verde. In the capital Praia, Creole life pulses, the former capital Cidade Velha (UNESCO World Heritage) tells the story of the transatlantic slave trade, and in the interior, the green peaks of the Serra Malagueta rise. Santiago is rough, authentic, and fascinating.

Santo Antão — The Hiking Paradise

For whom: Hikers, trekkers, nature lovers
The second-largest island is a paradise for hikers: dramatic gorges, terraced slopes, lush valleys with sugar cane and tropical fruits in the humid northeast, barren lunar landscapes in the south. The Ribeira Grande Valley and the Paúl Valley are among the most spectacular hiking areas in Africa.

Fogo & São Vicente — Volcano and Music

For whom: Adventurers, volcano enthusiasts, music lovers
Fogo is the volcano island — Pico do Fogo (2,829 m) is the highest mountain in Cape Verde and still active (last eruption 2014). In the crater lies the surreal village of Chã das Caldeiras with vineyards on lava soil. São Vicente is the cultural capital: Mindelo, the most charming city of the archipelago, lives and breathes music, art, and the famous carnival.

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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