• About Cape Verde
• Cape Verde economy
• Cape Verde culture
• Location and price

Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony and comprises an archipelago of islands about 500km off the west coast of Africa. The Barlavento Islands and the Sotavento Islands are the preferred residential locations. For example, the Barlavento Islands are made up of seven islands, and Sal is the most popular with foreign buyers. Prices generally start from anywhere around €50,000 and there are a number of luxury developments in the contemporary style that are extremely well priced at under €300,000.

About Cape Verde

Capital: Praia
Currency: Cape Verde Escudo
Language: Portuguese

Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony and comprises an archipelago of islands about 500km off the west coast of Africa. It has 10 islands and five islets, all but three of which are mountainous. It has a population of around half a million. It is an ideal place in the sun for anyone seeking a more unusual and less developed location. Also, Cape Verde offers a unique combination of European and African culture, which is attractive to many. The islands are also considered a hub of biodiversity, so an nature and wildlife enthusiasts will have plenty to see. There are direct flights from the UK to Sal and Boa Vista, but these aren’t daily and most visitors will need to take indirect flights via Portugal.

The Cape Verde islands benefit from average annual temperatures of between 26°C and 30°C with many hours of sunshine and low humidity.

Cape Verde economy

Although it is classified as a ‘poor’ country it offers the highest standard of living for West Africa. It is primarily agricultural, although its lack of water is a drawback and some 90% of food has to be imported. The biggest contributor to its GDP is the service sector of which tourism is the biggest growth sector.

Cape Verde culture

Cape Verdean social and cultural patterns are very similar to those in rural Portugal, with some African touches. The majority of islanders are Roman Catholic and many activities centre round the parish church. Like the Portuguese, Cape Verdeans like to take an evening stroll around the nearest town square to meet friends and take refreshments.

Location and price

The Barlavento Islands and the Sotavento Islands are the preferred residential locations. For example, the Barlavento Islands are made up of seven islands, and Sal is the most popular to buy property on. Sal is popular for its beaches, which are lined with restaurants and bars and whilst Espargos is the main city, many enjoy the fishing village of Santa Maria.

Santiago is the island renowned for its African culture and it is where Praia the capital is located on the island’s southern coast. The city is full of impressive colonial architecture and a great location to discover the history of Cape Verde. The island is covered in rich mountainous rainforest, and the coastline boasts fantastic opportunities for water sports and wildlife watching.

Boa Vista is another popular location for overseas buyers. The island has 55 km of unspoilt white sand beaches and a number of resorts built just for foreign buyers. It has a new international airport and airlines are beginning to charter cheap flights from a number of airports worldwide.

Prices start from anywhere around €50,000 and there are a number of luxury developments in the contemporary style that are extremely well priced at under €300,000.