Some countries shine brightly on the map of the world. Your eye is drawn to them before your brain has clicked into gear. The US is one of them. So is France. So is Italy, as it dangles its shapely leg down into the waters of the Mediterranean.
Cape Verde – it is perhaps fair to say – is not one of these countries. 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.
Where are they exactly? OK – let your gaze drift down across Africa. Look to the left flank of the continent. Go south through Morocco and Mauritania until you find Senegal – then drag your vision 350 miles to the west.
There you go, Cape Verde.
But then, a lack of profile does not disqualify a country as a viable travel destination. Indeed, in the case of Cape Verde, it is a cause for curiosity. There are many reasons to consider the archipelago for a holiday escape – but the 10 listed below are a good start.
1. It is (much) more accessible than you think
There is no denying the distance involved. 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. And yet, the country can be reached with ease from the UK.
On November 7, 2023, Tui Airways (020 3451 2716; tui.co.uk) launched a direct flight from Newcastle to the island of Sal – an addition to its roster to complement similar non-stop services from Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, Gatwick and Manchester.
Tui also calls on the neighbouring island of Boa Vista from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester – and will launch a fourth connection, from Bristol, next May. Each of these services takes six hours or thereabouts.
Portuguese national carrier TAP (0370 099 0028; flytap.com) is an alternative, albeit indirect, option, serving Sal and Boa Vista – plus the islands of Santiago and Sao Vicente – from Lisbon. It also flies into the UK (from Lisbon), landing at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester.
2. It offers year-round sunshine
The Canary Islands tend to be our go-to destination for a decent dose of warmth in the depths of December, January and February. 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 nearest the archipelago comes to a vast swing in temperature is the five-degree gap between the January average of 25°C, and the 30°C which defines September.
Hours of sunshine? Between five and nine. Lovely.
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/cape-verde/why-cape-verde-underrated-winter-sun-destination-world/
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Publish date : 2023-11-10 08:00:00
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