Cape Verde or Cabo Verde is also known as the land of “no stress” is a country made up of 9 small inhabited islands. Santiago Island is home to the capital city called Praia. Cape Verde is situated in the Atlantic Ocean with the nearest country being Senegal. The country is home to some of the most beautiful beaches, weather, natural wonders and carnivals. The local currency is Escudos (CVE).
Fun Fact: There are more Cape Verdeans living abroad than in Cape Verde itself!
If you’d like to know more about this country, click here.
So, let’s break this country up into PARTS.
People
Cape Verde is a very diverse country with the majority of Cape Verdean’s creole (mixed with African, European, and/or Asian ethnicities). Other ethnic groups include African and Europeans making up the demographic of the country. Portuguese is the country’s official language, though Crioulo (a broken Portuguese dialect) is more commonly spoken. English is also commonly spoken due to the rise in tourism.
Attractions
Cidade Velha on the Santiago island is the first city in the whole of Cape Verde. The town is a beautiful reminder with a museum and archaeological ruins, a must-see UNESCO site.
Relax on the Beach! The country is filled with amazing beaches, some of my favourite were on the Sao Vicente island but any beach in the country is great.
Shake it at Carnival! Now Carnival is always nice no matter the country, but there are very few countries that know how to party like Cape Verdeans. They pull out all the stops when it comes to Carnival season (usually in February or March time) with the Mindelo carnival in Sao Vincente island known as the best carnival.
Island hop! Each island has its’s own unique offerings so if you have the time why not island hop on the government ferries to explore each island.
Find out what else to see and do in this beautiful country with our ultimate guide!
Rituals and Culture
Cape Verde is a small country with different islands making up the country, and yet their history and culture is so mixed and diverse. They have different cultures influencing them from Portuguese, Angolan and west African cultures all intertwined.
Cape Verde is the hub of diversity and everybody is their own unique blend of different cultures.
The country is majority Christian with nearly 80% of the country following the religion. But like many western countries, people associate this with their identity and are not strict followers of Christianity.
Cape Verdeans know how to party!! I was in the country for a total of 2 months and partied non-stop. If you’re a partier like me make sure you check out the governments website so you can know what’s on when you visit. Also try some GROUGE. This is the local alcoholic drink made from sugar cane. (similar to cachaca from Brazil) but be warned, it isn’t for the faint hearted.
Tips
– Keep your wits about you. Petty crime like pickpocketing happens quite frequently so make sure you always know where all your things are.
For more travel advice check out; FCO: Travel Advice
Outside of the UK: Please check your government’s travel advice carefully.
Stories
This country has a special place in my heart as it’s unlike any other country I’ve been to so far. From the country’s people to their landscape and marine life.
I arrived in Cape Verde for the first-time during carnival season. I landed on the island of Sao Vicente for the Mindelo carnival as it was said to be the best.
The carnival did not disappoint. They lasted from the afternoon into the early night despite the hot sun scorching down. There were so many afterparties too that it was just a family-friendly feel-good time for all. I then went island hopping and stayed 1 day in Sao Nicolau due to the ferry services being all booked around carnival time.
From Sao Nicolau I took the 9 hour ferry ride across the Atlantic into Santiago, the capital island of the country. I organised to stay in Praia and be a workawayer at a hostel there. The best decision I could have made! I worked in hostel praiadise which if anyone is on Santiago Island,
I highly recommend staying there!
My work was quite flexible which meant I was able to really explore the island alone and with fellow travellers.
Cape Verde is like the Brazil of Africa; I didn’t think that I would connect or that Cape Verdeans would connect to me but surprisingly I found a lot in common with Cape Verdean culture.
There is also a high population of Nigerians in Cape Verde which you can usually see working in the markets. the cape Verdean art scene is very Afrocentric.
Cape Verdeans are proud to call themselves African and it is common to see pieces showcasing this.
As Cape Verde is made up of islands, their local cuisines usually have fish in them.
Some tips about the country, in general, the country is quite dry, and things are generally more expensive as most things are imported into the country. Though this is true, the country still has some beautiful landscapes and many things to see.
For more stories check out my blog.