Among the many beauties of West Africa, Cape Verde cannot fail to be mentioned. This state, also known as the Republic of Cape Verde, is made up of 10 volcanic islands about 500 km off the coast of Senegal . Its discovery took place “by two hands”: in 1456 some islands were discovered by the Italian navigator and slave trader Alvise Da Mosto, while the same year Antonio Bartolomeo and Vicente Dias managed to land on their coast, giving a detailed description of the islands .
Today the archipelago of Cape Verde is one of the most popular tourist destinations for both lovers of the sea and water sports. Its crystal clear waters and the winds present make it excellent for surfers.
Best time
The tropical climate of Cape Verde is arid , with not particularly high and constant temperatures in all the islands that make up the archipelago, which make it an optimal destination for the whole year . However, some differences can be found between the northernmost islands of Barlavento and those of Sotavento:
- Barlavento Islands (Sal, Boa Vista, Sao Vicente) : The Barlavento islands are more arid than the southern ones. They are mainly desert due to the low rainfall during the year (95 mm in a year).
- Sotavento Islands (Maio, Santiago, Fogo) : frequent rains make them semi-desert. Here, rainfall can reach up to 250 mm in a year, although most of it is concentrated in the period from August to September.
In general, the best period is between May and July and from November to December , as the air is less humid and the temperature range between day and night is reduced. But they can be visited and enjoyed all year round .
Period to avoid
In the area where Cape Verde is located, hurricanes and tropical cyclones are frequently formed . Generally the most affected islands are the southern ones, even if hurricanes are in the initial phase of their formation and therefore there are no high levels of alert .
However, reiterating the fact that Cape Verde is almost free from hurricane risk , in the past the formation of these phenomena took place in the period from August to September.
Climate and seasons
Month Average temperatures (min / max) Precipitation (days / mm) January 19/25 ° 1 day / 2 mm
February 19/25 ° 0 day / 0 mm
March 19/26 ° 0 day / 0 mm
April 20 / 26 ° 0 day / 0 mm
May 20/26 ° 0 day / 0 mm
June 22/26 ° 0 day / 0 mm
July 23/27 ° 1 day / 3 mm
August 24/27 ° 5 days / 50 mm
September 24 / 27 ° 5 days / 80 mm
October 24/27 ° 3 days / 25 mm
November 23/27 ° 1 day / 6 mm
December 21/25 ° 1 day / 2 mm
The archipelago of Cape Verde is located about 600 km from the coast of Senegal and is characterized by a particular tropical climate that can be divided into two seasons: the dry season, which takes most of the year and the wet season , which is concentrated in the autumn period.
The islands that form the archipelago are commonly divided into two groups: the Ilhas do Barlavento, which includes all the northern territories (Santo Antao, Sao Vicente, Santa Luzia, Sao Nicolau, Sal Island, Boa Vista), and the Ilhas do Sotavento in the southern one (Maio, Santiago, Fogo, Brava)
Average temperatures and precipitation – Barlavento Islands (Mindelo)
The Barlavento islands have a desert conformation due to the low rainfall during the year.
The days are very hot with constant temperatures throughout the months, with a low thermal excursion. The average temperature during the day in the dry season is 28 ° while at night temperatures of up to 21 ° are recorded.
Recommended period : from January to March, but they can be visited and enjoyed all year round
Season Period Temperatures (min / max) Rainy days Dry season January – July 19 ° / 28 ° 0
Humid season August – December 21 ° / 27 ° 11
Average Temperatures and Precipitation – Sotavento Islands (Praia)
In Sotavento the temperatures are very similar to those of the Barlavento islands, but with more frequent rain which gives the islands a semi-desert character.
Recommended period : from January to March, but they can be visited and enjoyed all year round
Season Period Temperatures (min / max) Rainy days Dry season January – July 19 ° / 28 ° 2
Wet season August – December 21 ° / 27 ° 20
What to pack
Region Dry season (January-July) Wet season (August- December) Barlavento (Sal, Boa Vista) light clothing, some sweatshirts for the evening, windbreaker, sunscreen, beach and snorkeling equipment, light clothing, windbreaker, sunscreen, beach and snorkeling equipment
Sotavento (Santiago, Maio ) light clothes, some sweatshirts for the evening, anorak, sunscreen, beach and snorkeling gear light clothes, anorak, sunscreen, beach and snorkeling equipment, umbrella and raincoat
Useful info
- Capital : Beach
- Population : 512,096
- Surface : 4.033 sq km
- Languages : Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, French
- Moneta : Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) / Change: €1.00 = 1110.270
- Documents : passport with a minimum validity of 6 months, tourist visa, flight ticket for departure and arrival
- Time zone : -2 h compared to Italy, – 3 h when summer time is in force in Italy
- Vaccinations : not provided
