![]() ![]() “Port” being the pertinent word here because, as with Santo Antão, you can only reach the island by boat. If you want to venture truly off-grid, Brava – the archipelago’s southwesternmost member – is your obvious port of call. No prior experience is needed to enjoy this near-fortnight under sail, and participants can help out as much or as little as they like. Six such voyages are scheduled to depart from (and return to) Sal in the first three months of the new year – the first of them beginning on January 6 (2023). This 11-day affair covers the entire archipelago aboard three-masted schooner named the Oosterschelde. Classic Sailing (01872 580 022 .uk) describes the archipelago as an “unspoilt alternative to the Caribbean” – and runs a regular “Island Hopping in Cape Verde” trip. #SECRETS RESORTS REVIEWS JAMAICA PLUS#Tropical islands plus ocean also equals sailing escapes. A small city of 160,000 people, it looks back to 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). Praia followed in 1615, before becoming the archipelago capital in 1770. Portugal put down the first roots, founding what is now the town of Cidade Velha, on the south coast of Santiago, in 1462. Unlike many parts of the planet, it was empty until colonialism gave it a population the islands were uninhabited when Portuguese and Genoese sailors stumbled upon them in 1456. A seven-night all-inclusive stay at the five-star Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria (on Sal), flying from Birmingham on November 14, costs from £1,216 per person.Īlternatively, a seven-night all-inclusive getaway to the five-star Iberostar Club Boa Vista (on the island of the same name), flying in directly from Gatwick on November 19, costs from £916 per person through Love Holidays (01234 230 440 ). Tui (020 3451 2585 tui.co.uk) backs up its direct flights with package breaks. With such reliable weather, there should be no surprise that Cape Verde is a ready option for sun-and-sand escapism – especially on Sal and Boa Vista, the islands where you find the majority of the beach resorts. Hours of sunshine? Between five and nine. The nearest the archipelago comes to a vast swing in temperature is the five-degree gap between the January average of 25☌, and the 30☌ which defines September. But those who are prepared to fly an extra two hours into the Atlantic tend to be rewarded by the Cape Verdean weather, which rarely shifts from the upper Twenties Celsius at any time of year. The Canary Islands tend to be our go-to destination for a decent dose of warmth in the depths of December, January and February. It also flies into the UK (from Lisbon), landing at Heathrow, Gatwick, London City and Manchester. Portuguese national carrier TAP (03 ) is an alternative option, serving Sal and Boa Vista – plus the islands Santiago and Sao Vicente – from Lisbon. Each of these services takes six hours or thereabouts. The same airline calls on the island of Boa Vista from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester. Tui Airways (020 3451 2716 tui.co.uk) flies to the island of Sal – which has the main international airport – from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick and Manchester. ![]() And yet, the country can be reached with ease from the UK. The Cape Verdean capital Praia sits some 2,837 miles from London the journey to get there will take you most of the way to the Equator. There is no denying the distance involved. There are many reasons to consider the archipelago for a holiday escape – but the 10 listed below are a good start. Indeed, in the case of Cape Verde, it is a cause for curiosity. Go south through Morocco and Mauritania until you find Senegal – then drag your vision 350 miles to the west.īut then, a lack of profile does not disqualify a country as a viable travel destination. Where are they exactly? OK – let your gaze drift down across Africa. ![]() It hides in the eastern Atlantic – keeping to itself as a 10-strong cluster of islands that, born of volcanic fury, are as beautiful as they are mysterious. So is Italy, as it dangles its shapely leg down into the waters of the Mediterranean.Ĭape Verde – it is perhaps fair to say – is not one of these countries. Your eye is drawn to them before your brain has clicked into gear. Some countries shine brightly on the map of the world. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |