Few voices contain the soul of a people like Cesária Évora. Rhythmic but melancholic, the songs of the queen of morna are a hymn to Cape Verde, this string of islands whose Atlantic, at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, gathers beauty like so many musical notes.
5 hours 30 flight from Paris and more than 500 km from the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde belongs, just like the Azores, Madeira or the Canaries, to the archipelago of Macaronesia. It consists of ten islands, nine of which are inhabited, divided into two groups: the windward islands, Barlovento, the best known of which are Santo Antão, São Vicente and Sal, and the leeward islands with Santiago, Maio or Fogo, for example.

Flat islands, like Sal, where flights to Cape Verde land alternate with islands with tormented relief like Fogo, whose Pico do Fogo, always active volcano, culminates all the same at 2.829 m ! Contrary to what its name indicates, the country has nothing green (it owes its name to the tip of Senegal, also called Cape Green).
The only notable exception is the island of Santo Antão, in the extreme northwest, which includes three peaks of more than 1800 m. There, tropical trees, banana trees, guava trees or mango trees, abound in green valleys, just like firs, mimosas or cedars in the central part, while the south is downright arid.
The incredible diversity of the landscapes is, moreover, one of the main attractions of Cape Verde. Few countries in the world offer such a wide range of beaches: black sand in Fogo, coconut palms in Tarrafal (on the island of São Tiago) and vast expanses of fine sand in Sal, Boavista or Maio.
The strength of the currents, however, requires a degree of caution that does not prevent Cape Verde from being a paradise for water sports, especially sport fishing. Diving allows to observe a fauna mixing tropical and Mediterranean species in a shimmering coral.
From December to April, sailing enthusiasts can cross whales passing through the archipelago waters on their way. For those who do not have a sea foot, hiking in Santo Antão, Fogo or São Nicolau, offers all levels of difficulty, the descent of the Pico de Fogo being much more difficult than its ascent.
Architecturally, the Portuguese period left some very beautiful remains, notably in Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente, and in São Filipe, on the island of Fogo, where old houses with sandy yellow walls and blue or dark green shutters seem to be waiting to be sketched by a watercolourist.
However, Cape Verde would not be what it is without the traditional kindness of Cape Verdeans. Warm, open, curious, their calm and nonchalance acts on the subway syndrome-boulot-dodo like a balsamic ointment able to cheer up the grumpiest. Due to its proximity to the Sahel, the Cape Verdean climate is of a dry tropical type. The dry season lasts from late October to early July. As the trade winds blow from November to February, it is the best time to practice kite surfing or windsurfing. The wet season runs from August to mid-October with rare rains, although sometimes very violent, especially on the hills. The Saharan harmattan pours out its red dust and its heat from December to January and can, in certain cases, prohibit the air traffic until three days in a row ! The thermometer reads between 23° and 28° with a peak in October, with the coolest temperatures in February. The water temperature, which varies between 21 and 26°, makes swimming possible all year round.

Art and culture in Cape Verde
Singing is part of the DNA of every self-respecting Cape Verdean and music is, without doubt, one of the highlights of any journey to Cape Verde. Artists like Cesária Évora, but also Tito Paris and Bana have especially popularised the morna, these ballads where the Portuguese saudade is expressed, nostalgic aspiration to find lost horizons. Cousin of the morna, but more playful, the coladeira squints at Afro-Brazilian rhythms, just like the batuque, whose percussion dates back to the time of slavery. On their side, the young people particularly appreciate the fuana, close to the zouk, protest music forbidden during the Portuguese colonization.

What to visit in Cape Verde
To arrive on the island of Santo Antão, inaccessible by plane, you must first reach another island, then go to Santo Antão by boat, hence the need to have at least three days. A visit to Pico do Fogo, the highest point of the archipelago, on the island of Fogo, is a must for lovers of strong emotions and spectacular views. Far from the mouth of the volcano, Boavista, with its fine sandy beaches and famous dunes, is suitable for the emulators of Robinson Crusoe, isolation and tranquility assured. On the island of São Vicente, Mindelo, the cultural capital (the administrative capital is Praia) remains the best place to discover Cape Verdean music.

Gastronomic specialities in Cape Verde
The national dish is the capucha, a stew somewhat similar to Brazilian feijoada including black beans, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, banana and squash and accompanied with meat. You will find it on the menu of all the good restaurants and hotels in Cape Verde. The fish, from tuna (atum) to grouper (garupa), from dolphin bream to wahoo, are very fresh and of excellent quality, as are crustaceans and seafood: lobsters, octopus, lynx or thumb-foot. Pastels, fried fritters with tuna, onions and tomatoes are eaten at any time of the day and accompany the aperitif. Coffee, grown on the island of Fogo, is renowned as one of the best in the world.