7 Days in Cabo Verde
Trip Overview
Begin on Sal's blindingly white Santa Maria beach, fly to São Vicente for Mindelo's colonial grid and jazz clubs, ferry to Santo Antão's emerald canyons, hop back to Santiago for Praia's food stalls and Cidade Velha's fort, then finish on volcanic Fogo where vines grow from black lava. Each sunrise brings a new island, each sunset a different rhythm. Walk cobbled mule paths through banana terraces, dive with lemon sharks, sip grogue under tamarind trees, and dance to Cesária Évora until the stars fade into Atlantic fog. The pace stays moderate, early starts, long lunches, easy island flights or ferries, and one full day on each main island to let the salt air sink in.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$160-220 per day
Best Seasons
November to May for steady sunshine and 24 °C seas
Ideal For
Island-hoppers, Music lovers, Hikers, Beach seekers, First-time visitors to West Africa
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Salt Crusts & Kite Lines on Sal
Sal
Morning float in a crater lake, afternoon on Santa Maria's powder beach, sunset morna in a beach bar.
Morning
Pedra de Lume salt crater float
Drive past rust-coloured lava fields to Pedra de Lume crater. Strip to swimwear, wade into the pink lake, and feel the water push you up like cork. Flamingos step through the reeds, salt crystals crunch under bare feet.
Lunch
Ocean Café on Santa Maria's pier
Afternoon
Kitesurfing lesson at Ponta Preta
Trade winds whistle at 20 knots. Instructors set neon kites against turquoise water. You drag through warm foam until the board planes and the shoreline shrinks to a thin line of palms.
Reserve 24 h ahead with Surf Hub on Rua 15 de Agosto
Evening
Sunset at Angulo Beach Bar
Order a grogue mojito and listen to live morna guitar while the sun bleeds into the Atlantic
Where to Stay Tonight
Santa Maria town (Hotel Morabeza garden room)
Two-minute walk to the beach, poolside grogue bar, and direct shuttle from the airport
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Bring reef-safe sunscreen. The sun reflects off both salt and water.
Day 1 Budget: $160
2
Mindelo's Cobblestone Blues
São Vicente
Street art hunt, harbour sardines, and a night of Cesária Évora songs.
Morning
Mindelo street art walk
From Praçan Estrela, follow murals of laughing musicians and indigo waves. Painted doors smell of fresh turpentine. Kids kick footballs over chalk-flecked cobbles. End at Torre de Belém replica for a 360 ° view of Porto Grande bay.
Lunch
Caravela Mindelo rooftop
Afternoon
Ferry to Monte Verde peak
Shared minibus winds through eucalyptus groves to the 774 m summit. Cool air carries pine resin; below, Mindelo's red roofs and ship masts shrink into a toy scene. On clear days you see Santo Antão's saw-toothed ridge.
Fix price before leaving Largo da Estrela
Evening
Live morna at Café Musique
Arrive 9 pm for Cesária classics. Order a ponche de doce (sweet grogue with condensed milk)
Where to Stay Tonight
Mindelo old town (Casa Colonial guesthouse)
Restored 19th-century house with internal courtyard and two-minute walk to nightlife
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Catch the 7 pm ferry back from Monte Verde. Taxis vanish after dark.
Day 2 Budget: $180
3
Green Fissures & Coffee on Santo Antão
Santo Antão
Ferry over the channel, then hike the ribeiras where sugar cane sways above the sea.
Morning
Early ferry from Mindelo to Porto Novo
Board the 7 am ferry; Atlantic spray salts the rail. Coffee aroma drifts from the bar. Dolphins race the bow. Dock at 8:30 in Porto Novo to meet your guide.
Buy ticket day before at Porto Grande terminal
Lunch
Café Mar Azul dockside
Afternoon
Cova to Paul Valley hike
Ride to the 1,300 m volcanic crater. Descend switchbacks through cloud forest, ferns drip, sugar cane rustles. End in Paul village, swim in rock pools before black-sand beach.
Arrange guide through Casa d'Avó in Paul
Evening
Sunset grogue tasting at Quintal da Música
Sip aged grogue under flame trees while local musicians rehearse coladeira
Where to Stay Tonight
Paul Valley (Casa Coco e Kafe homestay)
Terraced garden, homemade coffee, and falling asleep to tree-frog chorus
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Pack light trainers with grip. The descent is steep and often muddy.
Day 3 Budget: $190
4
Santiago's First Capital & Market Flavours
Santiago
Morning
Flight from São Vicente to Praia
25-minute hop over cobalt water. The plane banks over Santiago's jagged spine. Land at Nelson Mandela airport, taxi to Plateau district, coloured colonial houses, jacaranda scent, and morning call to prayer.
Book with Bestfly or TACV online for morning slots
Afternoon
Cidade Velha walking tour
Walk 15 km from Praia along cliff road to the UNESCO site. Pass banana groves, smell wood smoke. Inside the ruined cathedral, sea breeze whistles through stone arches. From the fort, waves smash into black rocks below.
Hire guide at Forte Real de São Filipe gate
Evening
Live kizomba at Quintal da Música Praia
Dance barefoot on sand floor. Try caipirinha de maracujá
Where to Stay Tonight
Praia Plateau (Hotel Praia Mar)
Ocean-view terrace, ten-minute walk to nightlife, secure for evening strolls
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Snap photos of the pillory at Cidade Velha at 4 pm for golden light.
Day 4 Budget: $220
5
Serra Malagueta Cloud Forest & Gorreana Rum
Santiago
Drive through eucalyptus mist, hike to 1,064 m, sip sugar-cane rum in Tarrafal's cove.
Morning
Serra Malagueta National Park trek
Leave at 7 am. Fog clings to pines and heather. Trail rises to Cruz da Alma viewpoint where Atlantic breaks 1,000 m below. Scents of wild mint and damp earth follow every step.
Meet guide at park gate. No advance reservation needed on weekdays
Lunch
Assomada market food stalls
Afternoon
Tarrafal beach & Gorreana rum distillery
Drop to Tarrafal's white crescent. Swim in warm bay water, then tour the tiny distillery, copper coils drip clear grogue. Taste a shot tinged with sugar-cane sweetness.
Distillery open until 5 pm. Just walk in
Evening
Beach barbecue at Tarrafal
Barraca Marisa grills lobster over coconut husks while the Milky Way rises
Where to Stay Tonight
Tarrafal (Residencial Baía Verde)
Steps to the beach, rooftop hammocks, fresh breeze instead of AC
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Pack a light fleece; Malagueta is 10 °C cooler than the coast.
Day 5 Budget: $190
6
Volcanic Vines on Fogo Island
Fly to Fogo, walk the lava vineyards of Chã das Caldeiras, sample wine pressed from volcanic soil.
Morning
Flight Praia → São Filipe → Chã das Caldeiras
Tiny plane skims Pico do Fogo's 2,829 m cone. Land at São Filipe's black runway, share jeep up hairpin roads. Enter the crater, black lava walls, white clouds, and vines poking between cinder blocks.
Book jeep in advance through Casa Marisa for 8 am pickup
Lunch
Casa Marisa crater lodge
Afternoon
Vineyard & lava flow walk
Guide leads between stone-walled plots of Touriga Nacional vines. Taste mineral-rich red straight from oak barrels. Walk to 2014 lava flow, heat still radiates through boot soles, glassy rock cracks underfoot.
Included if you stay at Casa Marisa
Evening
Crater star-gazing
No light pollution. Sip grogue while shooting stars slice the dark
Where to Stay Tonight
Chã das Caldeiras (Casa Marisa lodge)
Only place to sleep inside the crater, volcanic stone rooms, crater rim sunrise
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Bring cash, no ATMs on the mountain.
Day 6 Budget: $200
7
São Filipe Colonial Stroll & Farewell Cachupa
Descend to colonial São Filipe, coffee on stone balconies, sunset flight back to Sal for departure.
Morning
São Filipe old town walk
Cobblestone lanes, pastel houses with carved wooden doors. Smell freshly roasted coffee drifting from balconied cafés. Visit the 19th-century church, then climb the whale-bone arch viewpoint over black-sand beaches.
Lunch
Papa Loca terrace
Afternoon
Relax at Laginha beach before flight
Black sand warms bare soles, waves roll gently. Order a final grogue and watch fishermen haul nets. Taxi to airport for 4 pm flight to Sal.
Flight back to Sal books up on Sunday, reserve earlier
Evening
Departure evening
Late flight out of Sal or overnight at Hotel Morabeza for next-day departure
Where to Stay Tonight
Sal (Hotel Morabeza)
Airport shuttle runs every 30 minutes, poolside farewell cocktails
See all Cabo Verde accommodation options →Buy a bottle of Chã das Caldeiras wine at São Filipe duty-free before boarding.
Day 7 Budget: $170
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Book Ahead
Inter-island flights, Fogo crater jeep, Santo Antão guide, and kitesurfing lessons need 48-hour advance booking in high season.
Packing Essentials
Light fleece for peaks, reef-safe sunscreen, quick-dry towel, mask/snorkel, USB-C power bank, cash euros for tips, and a dry bag for boat transfers.
Total Budget
$1,200-1,500 for seven days including flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Use inter-island ferries instead of flights, stay in homestays, eat market cachupa, and hike self-guided trails. Budget drops to $90-110 per day.
Luxury Upgrade
Family-Friendly
Book adjoining rooms at beach resorts, skip long hikes for shorter walks, add snorkeling with sea turtles in Sal and a short ferry dolphin tour from São Vicente. Kids love the salt crater float and black-sand castles.
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