A brief introduction into Cape Verde (Video)

Cape Verde, officially named the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country, consisting of an archipelago of ten volcanic islands, 350 miles off the West African coast out in the central Atlantic Ocean.

When Portuguese explorers originally discovered the islands in the 15^th century, they were uninhabited.  The explorers soon saw how useful the perfect positioning of these islands could be for the African slave trade.  Unfortunately, the positioning also attracted a mix of pirates and privateers.

Among some of the more famous visitors to arrive on the islands are Sir Francis Drake in the 1580s, and Charles Darwin’s expedition made a stop there in 1832.

As the slave trade gradually lost popularity, the Cape Verde islands became more settled and that excellent positioning now came in handy again, this time for supplying visiting ships, as the islands were located within the major shipping lanes between Australia, India and Europe.

Up until 1975, when Cape Verde achieved independence, the islands remained a colony of Portugal. For many years, salt mining was a popular industry, but these days, the salt is mainly used locally and the Cape Verdean economy is mostly service-oriented with an emphasis on foreign investment and tourism.

Despite a lack of natural resources on the islands, Cape Verde has been praised as being an example among the African nations for its great stability and developmental growth, taking second place only to Mauritius on the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIGA) in 2014.

The islands enjoy an excellent, year around climate, with warm and mild temperatures, and offer an amazing range of different landscapes, with mountainous scenes, forests, volcanoes, excellent white and black sand beaches, seasonal floral displays and deserts.

Cape Verde also has a fascinating cultural wealth, and the music of the islands includes the famous “Morna” music and dance, made internationally famous by Cesária Évora. Popularly known as the “Barefoot Diva,” as she preferred to perform without shoes, Évora has also been dubbed the "Queen of Morna.” Other famous performers from Cape Verde include Ildo Lobo and Nelson Freitas.

Morna is a rather melancholy song-form, normally sung in the local Creole language or in Portuguese.  The music is a mix of Brazilian, Caribbean and Portuguese influences. Morna is usually accompanied by the cavaquinho, clarinet, guitar and violin.  Other traditional Cape Verdean music includes Funaná, Coladeira, Batuque and Cabo love.

After improvements to the harbor and airport facilities throughout Cape Verde, all islands are all reasonably easy for visitors to access.  In certain areas, large modern “All-Inclusive” hotels have sprung up including the Club Hotel Riu Karamboa on Boa Vista and the Club Hotel Riu Funana/Garopa on Sal.  

While these major hotels are excellent for tourists, there has been much criticism by the poorer locals, as the hotels bring in their own supplies, import everything including their staff, and do not buy locally. Please see the video below about Boa Vista island and if possible, when holidaying in Cape Verde, stick to the locally run, more traditional accommodation.:



In total, around 222 tourist accommodation establishments of various different kinds are available for visitors, including the major resorts, along with small hotels, residences and pensions.

While the varying landscapes of the different islands offer different activities for visitors, the main popular options are wave sailing (a type of windsurfing), as well as many other water sports, fishing, hiking, birding and just plain exploring.  Evenings on all the islands offer a lot in the way of both local entertainment and delicious local cuisine.

Language-wise, the locals speak Portuguese and a Cape Verdean Creole and in the major and more popular centers of the islands, English is reasonably widely spoken.

A video below gives a brief introduction to the history of the islands and anyone interested in seeing more can access a playlist of videos about the islands here.

Photo credits:

• Boa Vista desert (top) and Praia de Chaves CC-by-SA Zé Pinho
• Faja de Agua village on Brava island CC-by-SA Holger Reineccius
• Cesária Évora CC-by-SA As fotos da Virada! 

Brava: Island of Flowers in Cape Verde

Brava, which means “wild” in Portuguese, is the smallest inhabited island in the Cape Verde archipelago.  It is also the greenest and is often dubbed the “Island of Flowers.” 

Furna, Brava Island, Cape Verde CC-by-SA F Mira

Virtually the whole island is a stratovolcano, and the island lies in the lee of the massive volcano on Fogo. There are two smaller islands in the north of Brava with 4 islets.  The island is a “Sotovento,” or Leeward island.

Due to precipitation from the trade wind clouds, the island is often covered with a leeward cloud and the vegetation is abundant.  Agriculture is the main economic activity here.  With the favorable environment, date and coconut palms, as well as oleanders, hibiscus, bougainvillea and almond trees flourish here.

Nova Sintra is the main town on Brava and there are five villages to the north of the mountain, including Furna, which has a commercial port, Fajã de Agua and Nossa Senhora do Monte.

There was previously an airport on Brava, inaugurated in 1992, but this was closed due to strong winds and the service officially ended in 2004.  These days the island can be reached by the passenger/cargo ferry, the "Kriola," from Praia and Fogo arriving in the town of Furna.  Taxis and buses are frequent in the area, especially when the ferry is in port.

Nova Sintra - public domain

Nova Sintra is often described as being the most beautiful city in the archipelago, with its attractive and well-kept double story houses.  Close to the Praça Eugénio Tavares in the center of town, it is possible to visit a Nazarene church as well as the traditional, Portuguese colonial Igreja São João Baptista.   From the town square it is easy to reach the town’s market and of interest, when entering the town from the east, a stone replica of the Columbus ship, Santa Maria, welcomes visitors.

Main Street of Furna - public domain

Furna is the home of the main harbor on Brava and is located on the east coast of the island.  As mentioned above, the ferry Kriola runs to and from this port.

 The valley of Faja de Agua CC-by-SA Holger Reineccius

Fajã de Agua is a quaint and beautiful village on the northwestern coast of the island, around four kilometers from the capital.  The town is involved in fishing and agriculture and there is a beautiful hiking path out to the pilgrimage church of Nossa Senhora do Monte.  One kilometer from the village there is a natural swimming pool, pictured further down this page, and further to the south Porto do Portete offers a dark sand beach, which is not quite as easy to access.

 

Faja de Agua village on Brava island CC-by-SA Holger Reineccius

 Natural swimming pool in Fajã de Agua CC-by-SA Torbenbrinker

Bay of Faja CC-by-SA Holger Reineccius

In the heart of the island, Nossa Senhora do Monte is a small village, known as a place of pilgrimage in the past.  The town is surrounded by mountains with Monte Fontainhas, Brava's tallest mountain reaching a height of 976 meters, close by.  The town offers several shops and bars in the main street as well as a Catholic pilgrimage church and Adventist church.  The village can be accessed several times a day from Vila Nova Sintra by bus.

Brava is well-known in the traditional morna circles of being home to the musician Eugénio Tavares; his music was the traditional Cape Verdean morna and he wrote in the local Creole.   A statue has been erected in the main square of Vila Nova Sintra (named after him as Praça Eugénio Tavares), and is surrounded by a lovely garden.

The video below gives a photo tour of Brava, backed with the beautiful song, "Cabo verde tera estimada" by Cesaria Evora.

Maio: Sleepy tranquility in Cape Verde

Maio (May in English) is located south of the island of Boa Vista and to the east of Santiago.  The easternmost Sotavento (Leeward) island of Cape Verde, Maio is known for its sandy beaches, a beautiful forest and sleepy tranquility, away from the madding crowds.

 

Quaint and quiet towns are dotted around the island, with narrow streets of colorful buildings and homes, offering a sense of sheer tranquility.  Maio is a peaceful and beautiful place where time seems to stand still. 

A little more lively is the capital of the island, Vila do Maio, which is situated right on the ocean in the southwest of the island.  

Popular places to visit include the Praça Fina, a plaza in the center of town which serves as the meeting place for the locals during the evenings.   

Close by is a market hall offering groceries for sale.

Running west from Vila do Maio, the Praia da Vila is worth a visit and to the east, Praia Ponta Preta, excellent for swimming.

Up in the forested area in the west of the island can be found the towns of Morrinho and Calheta.  Morrinho appears to be pretty much deserted and many of its houses are vacant.  However, Calheta is a pretty little town with colorful houses.

Close by, the town of Morro is nestled in a grove of coconut palms and offers a lovely swimming beach with fine sand.  This beach is popular with the turtles during the summer as they lay their eggs and visitors are asked to respect them and keep their distance from the nests of eggs, as the turtles can easily become unsettled and desert their nests.

Landscapes on the island vary from desert-like terrain, to salt marshes, to hilly landscapes.   

There are limestone valleys and acacia forests, forming the largest continuous woodland region of the Cape Verde archipelago.

Birders will enjoy seeing a variety of feathered friends, including cream-colored coursers, ospreys, bar-tailed larks, as well as sea swallows and waders, down in the saline pools close to Vila do Maio.

Accessing the island is not the easiest, as Maio only has air connections with Praia, and flights do not run on a regular basis.  While the harbor on the island is large enough to handle ships, there are also few maritime connections for tourists.  Due to this, plan well if you intend to visit Maio during your stay in Cape Verde.

Enjoy scenes from Maio in the video included below:

Photos:

• Floral landscape on Maio CC-by-SA Francisco Deusvando
• Aerial view of Maio in the public domain
• Vila do Maio and beach CC-by-SA SkipperPat
• Vila do Maio boat, doorway and street view CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Pedro Hormigo

Fogo: Island of Fire in Cape Verde

One of the Sotavento (Leeward) Islands of Cape Verde, Fogo (meaning fire) is dominated by a volcanic mountain, Pico do Fogo, which rises to an elevation of 2,829 meters.  Standing in the old craters of that mountain, a beautiful vista can be enjoyed across to Pico Pequeno.  These craters surround the mountain, forming a caldeira, a gigantic crater with a nine kilometer diameter.

When the island was discovered back in 1460 by Genovese captain António Noli, it was first named São Filipe, meaning St. Philip. 

While there is no mention as to when the name changed, it seems the island got its more fiery name before the eruption in 1680, because a madrigal, or secular vocal music composition, titled "The Andalusian Merchant" by ThomasWeelkes, sings about "how strangely Fogo burns, amidst an ocean full of flying fishes."  

Almost the whole of Fogo island is what is termed a stratovolcano, that is periodically active.  The last eruption was in April 1995, which formed a new crater named Pico Pequeno (or little peak).  With Fogo being so mountainous, which tends to attract cloud formation, the island tends towards a damp environment.  This is useful for the various plants that now thrive on the terraced fields, lining the hillsides.

São Filipe is the largest city on the island and is home to around 20,000 residents, making it the fourth largest city in the Cape Verde archipelago, after Praia, Mindelo and Assomada.  The city is also the site of the airport for the island, which offers domestic flights between Fogo and the other surrounding islands. This attractive city rises approximately 100 meters above the steep coast, where there are kilometers of black lava beach.

 

Attractions in São Filipe include the old city center, named Bila Baxo, which is known for its original Portuguese colonial architecture.  Many of the houses in the area have been renovated since 2000, giving them a richly-decorated, colorful façade.  The homes have bay windows and wooden balconies overlooking the streets.  Besides these smaller colonial homes, there are several beautiful mansions to be seen in the town.  Due to these historic colonial buildings, São Filipe has been proposed to be inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites.

At the border of Bila Baxo and the more modern areas of the city, stands the Market Hall at Praca Francisco de Assisi, the busiest place in the city.  This is also where the post office and bus station can be found.

An interesting visit is the Museum Casa da Memória (House of Memory) at Praça 12 de Setembro. The museum is located in an 1820 merchant’s house and next door can be found the Museu Municipal (or municipal museum).  Of interest in the latter museum is the courtyard, where some of the endangered plant species of the island have been planted including  Crabo bravo (Erysimum caboverdiana) and Língua de vaca (Echium vulcanorum).

Several colonial houses and monuments, as well as a small park, can be found at Praça Serpa Pinto,located northwest of the town center and about 40 m above the beach Praia da Bila consisting of black volcanic sand. The view point here, Miradouro da Bila Baxo offers a beautiful view of the beach and the neighboring island of Brava.

Part of a fortress, named Fortim Carlota, which dates back from 1667 can be seen in the southern part of the city, complete with a very impressive cannon.  Up until 2005, this building was used as a prison.  Approximately three kilometers north of the city, Porta de Vale de Cavaleiros beach offers great swimming.

The other main town on the island is Mosteiros, which interestingly also contains one of the few forests in the Cape Verde archipelago and named Floresta de Monte Velha.  The terrain in the area consists of historic lava flows from an eruption of Pico do Fogo in 1951.  The area is mainly involved in agriculture and its most important product is coffee.

Another place of interest to visitors is Chã das Caldeiras (“Plain of the Calderas”).  This area is home to around 1,000 residents and is situated within the crater of Pico do Fogo.  Due to its situation and quality of the soil, Chã is the only area in Cape Verde that grows significant quantities of grapes and produces export-quality wines.   

There is no electricity or running water in the area.  However, people have started using generators to light and power their homes and all non-drinking water is collected from the rain in large cistern tanks.   

The image below is the main street of the village of Bangaeira, situated within the Chã area and to the left can be seen grapevines in the area.

Fogo is gradually attracting tourism, with visitors mostly interested in visiting the volcano (accompanied by a guide).   

The tourism infrastructure is limited at present, but there are smaller hotels and bed & breakfasts available as well as local guides offering tours.

Two suggested hotels on Fogo are Hotel Santos Pina in São Filipe, a three star modern hotel, close to Ponta da Salina beach and the Fogo National Park.  The hotel comes recommended by Tripadvisor and offers a restaurant as well as a terrace with spectacular views of the area.

For accommodation in a more traditional and attractive colonial style building, Hotel Casa Colonial is located in the heart of São Filipe and offers all the modern conveniences, including a swimming pool and terrace with a view.

The video below (Portuguese language) gives some impressive views of the island.

Photos:

• Fogo island aerial view CC-by-SA AldoBien
• Fogo map CC-by-SA Bela-vista.net
• Town square in São Felipe CC-by-SA Otimarte
• São Filipe beach CC-by-SA Ji-Elle
• São Filipe houses CC-by-SA Cayambe
• Village of Bangaeira, Main Street, island of Fogo, Cape Verde CC-by-SA Torbenbrinker
• Street Shop in São Filipe, island of Fogo, Cape Verde CC-by-SA Cayambe
• Grapevines in Chã das Caldeiras CC-by-SA FH Mira
• Hotel photos, courtesy the hotel.