Cape Verde

Holidays to Cape Verde show off sweeping beaches with mountain neighbours, and an all-sorts island culture that’s drenched in year-long sunshine.

A three-for-one deal

Thanks to its North Atlantic spot between Portugal, Brazil and West Africa, Cape Verde’s heritage is a mix of all three. Influences from these next-door neighbours have fused to create the unique culture of the islands today. On Cape Verde holidays, olives and wine from the Portuguese region of Alentejo are familiar faces at dinner, while African rice-and-spice stews are popular meals. At markets, you’ll find Portuguese crocheted blankets laid out next to vibrant African-patterned fabrics, while Brazilian samba-style beats play in the background.

Beach retreat

The island of Boa Vista’s home to 55 kilometres of the sandy stuff, so there’s plenty and more to go around. Most are of the milky-white variety, and the sea’s a tropical turquoise. The best of the bunch is Santa Monica which, unlike its Californian counterpart, is pretty much untouched. You'll find similar characters over on Sal. The colourful town of Santa Maria rolls out a hotel-lined, golden strip of sand that's sheltered by two headlands.

Unique rhythms

The country’s well-known for its music, which spans a shedload of genres. Most songs are sung in Creole. In plenty of bars and clubs you’ll hear funana – an upbeat type of tune usually played on an accordion, which never fails to get the locals moving. At the other end of the scale you’ll find the morna. It’s a dramatic piece, and dancers tend to sway to the beat in a rumba-style.