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(Above) Cape Verde is a fine option for winter sun.
Some countries shine brightly on the map of the world. Your eye is drawn to them before your brain has clicked into gear. The US is one of them. So is France. So is Italy, as it dangles its no-doubt shapely leg down into the waters of the Mediteranean. Cape Verde, it is perhaps fair to say, is not one of these countries. It hides in the mid-Atlantic, a 10-strong cluster of islands which, born of volcanic fury, are as beautiful as they are mysterious. Where are they exactly? OK – let your gaze drift down Africa. Look to the left flank of the continent. Go down through Morocco and Mauritania until you find Senegal – then drag your vision 350 miles to the west.
There you go, Cape Verde.
1. It’s more accessible than you think
Despite the distance involved – the capital Praia is 2,837 miles from London, and the journey takes you most of the way to the Equator – Cape Verde can be reached with ease from the UK. In fact, there are direct flights. Thomson Airways (0871 231 4787; thomson.co.uk/flight) flies to the island of Sal from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Gatwick and Manchester – and to its neighbour Boa Vista from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester. Thomson Cook Airlines (01733 224 330; thomascookairlines.com) follows suit, touching down on Sal from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham, and on Boa Vista from Birmingham. Each of these services takes six hours or thereabouts.
Portugal’s national carrier TAP (0345 601 0932; flytap.com) is a further option, serving Sal and Boa Vista – plus sibling islands Santiago and Sao Vicente – from Lisbon. It offers UK connections to London City, Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester.
2. Its nearly year-round sun
The Canary Islands tend to be Britain’s go-to destination for a decent dose of warmth in the depths of December, January and February. But those who are prepared to fly an extra two hours into the Atlantic are rewarded by the Cape Verdean weather, which rarely shifts from the upper 20°C at any time of year. The nearest it comes to a vast swing in temperature is the five-degree gap between the January average of 25°C and the 30°C that defines September. Hours of sunshine? Between five and nine. Lovely.
3. To bag a good package holiday
The presence of Thomson and Thomas Cook in the list of travel options should be a clue that these travel giants sell fly-and-flop escapes to Cape Verde as well as flights. They focus on Sal and Boa Vista, the two islands where you find the majority of the beach resorts.
These tend to be solid rather than spectacular, and dependable rather than deluxe – but if you want a swimming pool and a balcony, they will do nicely. Thomas Cook (01733 224 808; thomascook.com) offers breaks at the Oasis Salinas Sea, at Santa Maria on the south coast of Sal – a seven-night all-inclusive stay, flying from Gatwick on November 22, costs from £679 per person. Thomson (020 3451 2585; thomson.co.uk) offers the Hotel Riu Touareg – a one-week all-inclusive stay, flying from Birmingham on October 25, costs from £927 per person.
4. Its intriguing colonial heritage
The anthropological history of Cape Verde is an unusual one. Unlike most parts of the planet, it was empty until colonialism gave it a population – the isles were uninhabited when Portuguese and Genoese sailors stumbled upon them in 1456. Portugal put down the first roots, founding what is now the town of Cidade Velha, on the south coast of Santiago, in 1462. Praia followed in 1615, before becoming the archipelago capital in 1770. A small city of 130,000 people, it looks back into the past (Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975) via the Monumento de Diogo Gomes (a statue of the Portuguese explorer who discovered Santiago in 1460) and the Presidential Palace (which was built in the 19th century for the Portuguese governor).
5. Its unique music
Cape Verde’s cultural gift to the world is morna – a lilting, rhythmic form of music which slipped into life on the archipelago (probably on Boa Vista) at some undefined point in the 18th century. Its spiritual leader is Cesaria Evora, a singer nicknamed the “Barefoot Diva” who hailed from Sao Vicente – and was so loved that, since her death in 2011, its airport has been named after her. Her powerful voice and grasp of melody lingers in her birthplace, the island capital Mindelo. Here is a pleasant, picturesque small town where morna drifts out of the doorways of bars and cafes – such as the Casa Cafe Mindelo (casacafemindelo.com), where you can witness live performances.
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