Cape Verde Sightseeing Guide

The main island on Cape Verde is Santiago. It has a more African feel than other islands, with a large West African population and lots of colourful markets.  
Santiago is the island where the country’s capital, Praia is located. Praia stands atop a rocky plateau called, surprisingly, Plato (‘plateau’ in Portuguese)! 

 It contains arguably the most beautiful beach in the country , Tarrafal,  and a vibrant, no holds-barred weeklong party in February with its carnival. 

The second largest town on the island, Assomada by itself is nothing to email home about, but is close to one of the natural wonders of the country – a giant silk cotton tree, 50m in circumference! Phew! To get to this grand matriarch of the family tree of the tree family (ouch!), ask for the village of Boa Entrada.

The island with the most diverse and unspoilt landscape is the Santo Antao. On one side it is a dry, unforgiving moonscape where trees are something of a collectors’ item but on the other side, the land is generously splashed with myriad shades of green. The center of the island has some of the highest deciduous forests in Africa, with houses nestling in a sea of pines. The town of Ribeira Grande on the island boasts some hip and happening nightlife in one of the many makeshift discotheques that have a habit of springing up overnight here. There is also a good range of accommodation and travelers should have no problem finding a place to rest their weary, partied-out feet. If making the trip to Ribeira Grande from Porto Novo, you will pass through the Delgadinho, a razor-thin rocky outcrop that seems to have been designed by nature for the sole purpose of instilling in people a healthy sense of gratitude for being alive after riding over it in their minibus. The remaining highlight of the island is the village of Paul – a town with well- preserved Portuguese architecture.

Do not leave Cape Verde without visiting the carnival held in the town of Mindelo at the end of February. This explosion of sound and colour is arguably the best of the many carnivals that Cape Verdeans let their hair down at, and one of the best street celebrations anywhere in Africa. The town itself is very pleasant, with the mood of a sleepy Portuguese-cum-British colonial province. Every Sunday, brass bands start up a booming melody at the city park. The nightlife, thanks to the profusion of clubs and discotheques here, is some of the best you will find in the country.

The island of Sal is popular with package tourists from Europe, and has some of the best accommodation options in the archipelago, especially around the village of Santa Maria. Independent travellers can find pensaos in the village of Espargos.