A trip to Cape Verde has been on your mind for a while now, or maybe a chance encounter, some images, or word of mouth has piqued your curiosity, and you've added it to a range of ideas for a special vacation. ILB can help you out: let's look at some of the many reasons to discover the tropical archipelago and in particular the Ilha fantástica.

Ancient geographical map of the archipelago on a globe dating back to the 17th century belonging to the Knights of Malta. photo @gianfrancopodestà
Where will you go?
The Cape Verde archipelago is made up of 10 islands, 9 of which are inhabited, divided into Sotavento (Leeward) and Barlavento (Windward), the capital is Praia, on the island of Santiago.
It is located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, a crossroads between Africa, Europe and South America. 500 miles off the coast of Senegal, from Cape Verde which gave it its name. It is located 1500 km south of the Canary Islands, and a 3 and a half hour flight from Fortaleza in Brazil.
Cape Verde is a parliamentary democratic republic, a former African colony of Portugal, independent since 1975. Politically stable, it is the second country in Africa in terms of democracy, with a good GDP and highly rated universities. The religions practiced are Catholic, Protestant Christianity (in a much lower percentage), and to a much lesser extent other confessions.

Criolidade is the Cape Verdean identity that is found in physical features, character, music and cuisine. photo @elenavida
The population is mostly of mixed African and European ancestry, especially Portuguese. A fundamental element of the mélange (mixture) that characterizes Cape Verde is the “criolidade”, the Creole identity, with its own culture and traditions and the original local language, the Creole, while the official language is Portuguese.

View of Sao Filipe, capital of the island of Fogo. photo @elenavida
What you will find in Cape Verde
Well, now that we have the basics of Cape Verde, let's see what you can encounter on your trip. We'll steal a few more moments from you before filling your trolley, preparing your backpack, packing your surfboard.
Cape Verde has a pleasant climate all year round, with water temperatures that do not fall below 22° and atmospheric temperatures around 19° minimum, 28°/30° maximum. This is also thanks to the wind that blows almost constantly (much more intensely from January to March/April), attracting especially to the islands of Sal and Boa Vista champions and championships of kite surfing, wind surfing and the new hydro foil. World-class sporting events. November is one of the best months, after the rains even the driest islands become all green, but every month has its own reason.

Kite surfing, together with wind and wind foil are the most popular sports on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista. photo @teresascacchi
The 10 islands of Cape Verde , discovered around 1460 and previously uninhabited, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, they are different from each other. With varied nature, lush or desert, but always alive. Immense beaches, high mountains, colonial cities.
Around the islands, an untouched sea rich in fish, defined by the great oceanographer and explorer Jacques Cousteau as “the wildest in the world” . With several excellent areas for deep-sea fishing, rock fishing and surf casting, diving and snorkeling. The archipelago is in second place in the Atlantic for the laying of Caretta-caretta turtles , with data continuously increasing.

The original cover of one of the first LPs by Cesaria Evora @teresascacchi
Cape Verde has a particular culture , for a people with its own characteristics, the result of the encounter between many ethnic groups, in which music plays a preponderant role. We remember the great Cesária Évora, who made the nostalgic musical genre of morna known to the world (included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity ) and the feeling of “ sodade ” (the one that will take you as soon as you return home). And then the dance, with local rhythms, such as funanà, coladeira, batuku.
The typical cuisine, in turn, is influenced by Portuguese, Brazilian and African traditions . Lots of fish, tropical fruit, and then the cachupa , the national dish, a soup of legumes, vegetables, corn, fish and meat. A genuine cuisine, often light and tasty. The Cape Verdean beer Strela is excellent and the wine from the island of Fogo, with its volcanic soul, is worth trying.

Cachupa the national dish for the holidays is cooked on the pier @teresascacchi
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