Julie's Properties

10 Islands, All different, All Unique

Cape Verde is a place of great contrasts, with each of the 10 islands offering a slightly different experience. And because of the islands' unique cultural and geographical history there is a fascinating range of cultures and landscapes to explore.

The Cape Verde archipelago consists of 10 islands situated approximately 600 km of the coast of West Africa. Until recently Cape Verde’s beauty was largely unknown – long beaches of endless white sand, lapped by turquoise waters – dramatic volcanic to lush and verdant landscapes. Some islands have a lively thriving local community - with some of the best music anywhere in the world; others, equally welcoming, are predominantly developed for tourism.

Brief History The Portuguese colonized the island of Santiago in 1462, and became the first permanent settlement in the tropics. From this date the islands were plagued by droughts, slavery, attacks by rival countries and pirates. Cape Verde finally won its independence in 1975 and now enjoys peace and stability and with a steady increase in development the islands are experiencing a positive change in their economic situation.

The Language The people are a mixture of African and European with approximately 70% of the population being of mixed race.

The official language of the islands is Portuguese, which is used in newspapers and anything that is written, however Creole is more used as the spoken language. Creole is based on African languages but with additions from several European languages. Even this can differ from island to island.

More recently English has been taught as a foreign language in schools. The religion of the islands is largely Christian, with most people being Catholic.

Food And Drink 3 Day Forecast

You will generally find a good selection of restaurants in the main towns offering different choices of cuisine including local Creole and Portuguese specialities.

Many restaurants will have live, generally Cape Verdean music at least one evening a week. If you like fish, you will be in paradise with an abundance of freshly caught seafood including lobster, tuna, octopus, garoupa and a wealth of other delicacies to choose from.

The smaller islands including Boa Vista will not have the same choice of restaurants and there may be little choice on the menu with the only option being to eat what they have prepared that day. However, they will want to do their best to please you but they won't be in a terrific hurry. Don't be surprised at the slow service, just relax and enjoy the atmosphere and people. Expect to pay between £10 and £25 for a three course meal with wine.

Julies Properties also cover the Algarve Portugal www.juliesproperties.com