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	House This house has been designed by the famous Cape-Verdean musician Vasco Martins, who lived here until very recently. The extent and the variety of his work---visit his website at http://www.vascomartins.com-- testify to the creativity of this immensely skilled and prolific composer. He is a true artist who continuously explores new ideas and who operates without concern for how his work will be commercially judged. Notably, he composed in this house: - the symphonies 3 "Arquipélago Magnético", 6 "Monte Verde" e 7 "Alba" ; - the suite for symphony orchestra "Golfinhos no horizonte" ; - the "Concerto for classical guitar and string orchestra" ; - the solo classical guitar music "Molto continuum" ; - the CDs "Lunario Perpetuo", "Benlibem", "Sarva Mangalam", "Canto das Estrelas" and "Tuviterramar". The name "Windelo" originates from the fertile mind of the ineffable François Guy de Boavista, the "Admiral of the Sands". Former sailing champion, he has been running a windsurf school in Boavista for many years. Check out his story by visiting his website at http://www.boavistawindclub.com. The house is located in the "Alto de Santo Antonio" area in Mindelo, one of the very best places in town, with an unbeatable view of the bay. The town center is a 10-minute walk and the "Laginha" beach 15. Town Mindelo is considered the cultural capital of Cape Verde. With 60 000 inhabitants, it is the second biggest city of the archipelago under the "administrative" capital Praia, which shelters about 130 000 inhabitants. Mindelo, the most cosmopolitan and "Brazilian" city of the archipelago, is famous for its rich artistic set, with numerous singers, musicians, poets and painters, the most famous being Césaria Evora. Mindelo is also a festive place, with thematic bars that regularly host concerts…not to forget the Carnival (the whole town is in the street), the "Saint-Jean" feast, and also the famous Baia das Gatas festival in August. Mindelo is also a harbor with a colonial architecture, visible throughout the city with the colorful houses and the magnificent Governor Palace. The Mindelo bay is classified as one of the most beautiful bay in the world (check http://www.world-bays.com/bays.php). Country
	Independent since 1975, Cape Verde (or Cabo Verde or Capo Verde) retains the mark of very strong Portuguese traditions. At the crossroads of Europe, Africa and South America, the mixed influences of the three continents are noticeable through a rich racial and cultural interbreeding.
	Cape Verde is an archipelago part of Macaronesia. It comprises ten islands--nine with inhabitants--and thirteen islets for a total surface area of 4 034 km2. This set is traditionally divided in two groups: - the windward islands Barlavento: Santo Antão (779 km2), São Vicente (227 km2), São Nicolau (343 km2), Santa Luzia (45 km2), Sal (216 km2) and Boa Vista (620 km2). They are the northern ones. - the leeward islands Sotavento: Brava (67 km2), Fogo (476 km2), Santiago (991 km2) and Maio (269 km2). They are the southern ones. After belonging to the "less advanced countries"for a long time, Cabo Verde elevated at the beginning of 2008 to the rank of "middle income country". A few numbers (found here http://www.populationdata.net/palmarespays.php):
	Population (2007) Surface Density Birth rate (2007) Death rate (2007) Infant mortality rate (2006) Rate of elimination of illiteracy (2007)	423 613 inhabitants 4 033 km2 105.40 inh. / km2 24.40 ‰ 6.50 ‰ 46.52 ‰ 83.80 %
	Transports Flying is the only realistic option for getting to Cape Verde. There are infrequent sea services, but they will probably end up costing as much as a plane ticket. International flights As of today there are four international airports: in Espargos on the island of SAL, in Praia on the island of SANTIAGO, in Rabil on the island of BOA VISTA, and in São Pedro on the island of SÃO VICENTE. Here follows a non-exhaustive list of the companies that operate international connections to the islands: 1- TACV has flights to SAL, Praia and SÃO VICENTE. Connected cities are Lisbon in PORTUGAL, Madrid in SPAIN, Las Palmas in the CANARY ISLANDS, Paris in FRANCE, Amsterdam in HOLLAND, Forteleza in BRAZIL and Boston in the USA. Occasionally TACV also operates flights from Stansted and Birmingham in ENGLAND as well as Dublin in IRELAND. Flights typically run once a week, so book early as planes tend to fill rapidly, especially during the holiday season. Check the directory to find the nearest office to your home here http://www.caboverde.com/pages/615813.htm. Best is to call to make a reservation. Use patience as the company is short of staff and is easily overloaded with demands they cannot answer right away. 2- TAP (Air Portugal) has flights connecting SAL, Praia and SÃO VICENTE to Lisbon (PORTUGAL) many days of the week. You could try to find a connecting flight from a nearby city to Lisbon. Check their website at http://www.flytap.com. 3- Thomson Flights has flights from London Gatwick and Manchester to SAL and BOA VISTA. Check their website at http://flights.thomson.co.uk. 4- TUIfly has flights from Munich, Hannover, Hamburg and Franckfurt to SAL and BOA VISTA. Check their website at http://www.tuifly.com. 5- TUIfly Nordic has flights from Helsinki (http://www.tuiflynordic.fi), Stockholm (http://www.tuiflynordic.se) and Copenhagen (http://www.tuiflynordic.dk). They offer flight tickets, but also full package holidays on Sal, Boavista and combinations Sal / São Vicente / Santiago / Maio / Santo Antão. 6- Livingston, Aus-Air and Neos Air (http://www.neosair.it) operate flights to SAL and BOA VISTA. Connected cities are Rome/Fiumicino and Milan/Bergamo&Malpensa in ITALY. You could contact Francesco Averati at http://www.capoverdeavventura.com (email : info@capoverdeavventura.com) to make a booking. 7- Jetair has flights from Brussels (BELGIUM) to SAL and BOA VISTA. Check their website at http://www.jetairfly.com. You can also have a look at the SAL and Praia International Airports Timetable at http://www.caboverde.com/ilhas/tacv.htm. Price range for a return ticket is 400 €uros - 1400 €uros, depending on the airline compagny and the period chosen. Inter-islands flights TACV, the Cape-Verdean national company, connects daily the islands of Fogo, Santiago, Maio, Boavista, Sal, São Nicolau and São Vicente. Best is to book in advance from your home country the TACV "passes". Check here for offices directory http://www.caboverde.com/pages/615813.htm. Halcyon Air, http://www.halcyonair.com, a new established company in the archipelago, connects daily the islands of Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista and São Vicente. For the time being it is not possible to make a reservation online. To do so you need to contact a travel agent like Francesco Averani at http://www.capoverdeavventura.com (email : info@capoverdeavventura.com). Francesco speaks Italian, French and English. Santo Antão and Brava remain only accessible by ferry. The desert island Santa Luzia is the hardest island to reach since there are no regular connections, your only chance chance is to find a fisher boat in the small village of Calhau. Every day there are up to two flight rotations between Mindelo (SÃO VICENTE) and Espargos (SAL) as well as between Mindelo and Praia (SANTIAGO.) It is also possible to get tickets once you arrive in the archipelago, but you are taking the chance of waiting for several days before getting on board, especially during high seasons (Christmas/New Year, July/August and February with the Carnival). Prices are almost identical whether you book your ticket in advance or buy it on the spot, slightly cheaper with the second option. Price range is 40 €uros - 130 €uros one-way (cheaper with Halcyion Air.) Although the TACV really improved its quality of service in recent years, please do keep in mind that flights are not always on time (same deal with Halcyion Air.) Flight cancellations exist also. As much as possible try to confirm your flight 72 hours before departure by calling (phone number on your ticket) or by going to the nearest TACV office or travel agancey for Halcyon Air. Another good practice is to call the day before to validate the departure time and to leave a telephone number where you can be reached. In case of problem, they will try to contact you. We would advise you to stay calm in any circumstances, this is a developing country and you cannot expect the same level of service that you would get in your home country. Inter-islands boats The ARMAS company with its ferry "Mar d'Cannal" offers connections between São Vicente (Mindelo) and Santo Antão (Porto Novo). The crossing takes 1hour. Tickets are available directly at the Mindelo harbor and can be bought up until 30 minutes before departure. The price is 600 escudos each way. The departure times are: - from Mindelo, at 8h00 AM every day and at 3h00 PM every day except Wednesday and Sunday ; - from Porto Novo, at 10h00 AM every day except Sunday and at 5h00 PM every day except Wednesday. The STM compagny with its ferry "Sal Rei" also offers connections between São Vicente (Mindelo) and Santo Antão (Porto Novo) with the exact same conditions (crossing time, ticket price and availability) as ARMAS / Mar d'Canal. The departure times are: - from Mindelo, at 7h00 AM and at 4h00 PM every day ; - from Porto Novo, at 9h00 AM and at 6h00 PM every day. The STM company with its ferry "Tarrafal" offers connections between São Vicente (Mindelo), São Nicolau (Tarrafal) and Santiago (Praia). The STM agency is located in the "5 de Julho" street, close to the "Caixa Economica de Cabo Verde" bank. This street starts from the "Praça Amilcar Cabral" (Praça Nova) and reaches the "Alliance Française". A one-way ticket costs 2,800 or 3,300 (reclinable sit) escudos to Tarrafal and 4,500 or 5,500 (reclinable sit) escudos to Praia. The departure times usually are: - between São Vicente (Mindelo) and São Nicolau (Tarrafal): from Mindelo at 10h00 AM every Thursday, from Tarrafal at 8h00 AM every Saturday. The crossing takes about 5 hours ; - between São Vicente (Mindelo) and Santiago (Praia) with one stop at São Nicolau (Tarrafal): same as above, with a departure to Praia from Tarrafal at 6h00 PM every Thursday and a departure to Tarrafal from Praia at 7h00 PM every Friday. The crossing takes about 18/20 hours total ; - between São Vicente (Mindelo) and Santiago (Praia) direct: not available as of today (December 2011). Regular boat lines exist to connect Santiago (Praia) with Maio (Vila do Maio), Santiago (Praia) with Fogo (Porto de Vale de Cavaleiros) and Santiago (Praia) with Brava (Porto da Furna). We don't publish detailed information on this website, please check locally. Land Aluguers are group minibuses, sometimes pick-up trucks, connecting villages for a very low fare. To access more remote beaches or villages you need to hire an aluguer that will cost the taxi rate, which is far less economical. Praia and Mindelo have their own bus system...fairly complex. Last, car rental (often 4X4) can be found, with prices ranging from 35 to 80 €uros a day. Visa All visitors need a visa to enter Cape Verde. It can be obtained at the nearest consulate with a valid passport and an Id picture. Several options exist, and for information only: - One-entry visa valid 6 months: 45 €uros ; - Multi-entries visa valid 6 months 86 €uros. Expect a 48 hours delay, one week by post. A few addresses: Ambassade et Consulat du Cap Vert en France 3 rue de Rigny, 75 008 Paris France Tel. : +33 (0)1 42 12 73 50. Fax : +33 (0)1 40 53 04 36. Email : ambassade-cap-vert2@wanadoo.fr Consulat de la République du Cap Vert 92 rue Stanislas Torrents 13006 Marseille France Tel. : +33 (0)4 91 02 01 86 Fax : +33 (0)4 91 76 40 07 et +33 (0)4 91 02 01 86 Email : consulatcv_marseille@hotmail.com Website : http://consulatcv-marseille.site.voila.fr Ambassade et Consulat du Cap-Vert 29, av. Jeanne 1050 Bruxelles Belgique Tel. : +32 (0)2 646 90 25 Fax : +32 (0)2 646 33 85 Email : emb.caboverde@skynet.be Consulat honoraire du Cap-Vert av. Blanc, 47 1201 Genève Suisse Tel. : +41 (0)22 731 33 36 Fax : +41 (0)22 731 35 40 47 Embassy Republic of Cape Verde 3415 Massachussets Ave. N.W. Washington DC 20007 USA Tel. : +1 202 965 6820 Fax : +1 202 965 1207 Website : http://virtualcapeverde.net/news2/index.php Embaixada da Republica de Cabo Vert Avenida do Restelo, nº 33 1449-025 Lisbon Portugal Tel. : +351 213 041 440 Fax : +351 213 041 466 Email : info@embcv.pt Website : http://www.embcv.pt/contactos.asp NB: it is also possible to get a visa directly at the airports of Espargos (SAL island), Praia on the island of SANTIAGO, Rabil on the island of BOA VISTA, and São Pedro on the island of SÃO VICENTE, for 25€ per person (no family rate available), on presentation of a valid passport (no pictures required.) This is for information only, we would not recommend to depart to Cape Verde without a visa as the airline could prevent the boarding of the plane and admittance to the country could be denied. Health There is no vaccine required to travel to Cape Verde. There is no malaria, except for a small area on the island of Santiago (absolutely no risks whatsoever in São Vicente). The sanitary level is very good, far much better than in most African countries. Mindelo's hospital is regarded as the best in Cape Verde, but its equipment remains below European or American standards. Medicines can be found fairly easily in big cities' pharmacies, but they are imported and thus more expensive than in Europe or in the States. A good precaution is to prepare your own first-aid kit including basic medicines before you go. Don't drink tap water, which for the most part is produced by desalinisation factories. This water is drinkable but its quality is altered by the distribution pipe network. Buy bottled water and try to avoid ice cubes when unsure of their origin. Money The currency is the Cap-Verdean escudo (CVE). It can only be changed locally. For information only: - 1 EUR = 110.265 CVE ; - $US 1 = 75 CVE ; - 1 Switzerland Franc (CHF) = 73 CVE ; - 1 British Pound (GPB) = 122 CVE. You will find a "bureau de change" opened 24 hours a day at your arrival at the Sal international airport. Others can be found with more restricted operating hours in major cities. They all take a commission, and you will need to present your passport in order to change money. Banks also will change your cash. Most of them will change your American Express Travelers checks. You will also be able to make an international withdrawal by presenting a Visa card or Eurocard-Mastercard (as far as we know, American Express card is not accepted!) and your passport. Commissions vary from one bank to another; the Caixa Economica de Cabo Verde (green sign) changes €uros at the official rate (110.265 Escudos) with no fees. Banks can be found in all major cities. The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:30 or 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (closed Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays). Since 2005 "Vinti4" ATMs can be found in Sal, Santa Maria, Praia, Mindelo and Punta do Sol. They accept VISA cards and allow you to withdraw escudos. They work, but we don't know the change rates and other related fees that apply… Except for big hotels and some TACV offices (to buy inter-island plane tickets), you won't be able to use your international credit card as a mean of payment. Best is to carry enough cash or travelers checks (prefer big notes as some banks apply charges proportionally to the number of checks). Hence you will avoid the unpleasant surprise of hitting the weekly withdrawal limit of your card; question your bank to be aware of this limit before your departure. In Mindelo are several banks, BCA and Banco Interatlantico at Praça Nova (Amilcar Cabral's Square), Caixa Economica do Cabo Verde on the Avenida 5 do Julho (the avenue where the TACV office is located), another BCA in Rua Lisboa. There are other banks further away, notably in the Monte Sossego area, which are less crowded than the ones in the town centre. To find your way please consult the town map under the "Directions" tab of this site. Warning: don't leave the archipelago with escudos as you won't be able to change them abroad (unless you know some emigrants). Security Cape Verde is a safe and stable country with no particular dangers. Violence and crimes are quasi non-existent, and attacks of foreign tourists were extremely rare up until mid-2006. Since then a few cases of muggings, sometimes violent, have been reported in Praia on the island of Santiago and in Sal, and to a lesser degree in Mindelo on the island of São Vicente. Those safety issues should not be ignored by travelers, even though statistically the risk is extremely low. In Sal, which is now turning into a major touristy destination, the scenario seems to always be the same: a small group of two or three tourists live the city of Santa Maria to go trekking to remote parts of the island. On their way they get mugged by what appears to be locals (although it is not formally proved) armed with rocks who threaten to hit them if they don't surrender money, camera, etc… So if you plan to stay in Sal try to gather as a “strong” group if you decide to go trekking but don't go alone. Praia in Santiago and Mindelo in São Vicente, the two major cities, are confronted with an increasing rate of petty criminality, pickpockets most notably. Thefts are frequent, often imputable to the tourists’ lack of caution. Wallets, cell phones, cameras and handbags are objects of desire. Without falling into a paranoia that would spoil your holiday, be vigilant and use good sense, like in any tourist places. As a general rule, don't always carry your personal documents with you. Except at the bank or at the travel agency, nobody will ask you for your id or your plane tickets. Leave them, along with your credit card and your money in the safe of your hotel or in a locked case. Think of writing your passport and credit card numbers on a paper that you keep separated from your wallet, this could be useful in case of theft or loss. At night, prefer a taxi (180 escudos, equivalent to 1,60 €) to move around even to cover small distances. One particularity to Mindelo: young children (below 12 years of age) approach you begging for food, claiming that they are starving (which is not true). There is a good chance that one of them is picking your pockets! Don't be afraid of pushing those children out of your way (gently but firmly). They are generally located in the town centre and are quite efficient. If they insist in harassing you, don't hesitate to hail one of the many policemen that are patrolling the streets, they usually are very obliging to tourists. Be also aware that Cape-Verdean thieves are agile climbers; hence think of closing the door of your room but also the windows when you leave your hotel, and don't leave any valuables near open windows at night when you sleep. Swimming remains a danger to consider. It can be hazardous at times in some areas that are prone to strong currents. Ask locals before getting into the water or don't swim far away from the shore if you don't have information. Many beaches are perfectly safe though. In São Vicente, the Praia Grande, Calhau, São Pedro and Laginha beaches are watched by lifeguards during the day. To conclude, relax, a vast majority of tourists never encountered any of the problems described above. Use extra caution if you stay in Sal, Praia or Mindelo, but everywhere else is fine. Natives are naturally welcoming, friendly and hospitable in this country and you can travel around safely. Weather The climate is of dry tropical type. There are two distinct seasons, the dry one from November to June, and the rainy one from July to October. Precipitation occurs in convectional thunderstorms and is irregular from one year to the next. It is usually concentrated on hilly regions (Santo Antão, Fogo and Santiago.) During the very few days of rain on the island of São Vicente precipitation seldom lasts more than one hour. The air temperatures vary between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F), the oceans' between 23 and 26 °C (73 and 79 °F). Night variations are low, except in high altitudes. Generally speaking, the climate in Cape Verde is particularly pleasant for tourists, but dryness and lack of rain does not facilitate the life of the locals. Bring a sweat-shirt or a pullover. You will need a warm sweater while trekking in high altitudes, like in the Santo Antão Mountains, the Monte Verde in São Vicente (774 meters) or the volcano in Fogo where it can be cold at times, especially in the January-March period. Some travel guides Cape Verde Islands, 336 pages By : Aisling Irwin, Colum Wilson Publisher : Bradt Travel Guides; 4th edition (2009) Language : English Lonely Planet West Africa (includes a Cape Verde Chapter), 872 pages By : Mary Fitzpatrick, Andrew Burke, Greg Campbell, Bethune Carmichael, Matt Fletcher, Frances Linzee Gordon, Anthony Ham, Amy Karafin, Kim Wildman, Isabelle Young Publisher : Lonely Planet Publications, 6th edition (2006) Language : French and English Cabo Verde – Kapverdische Inseln, 520 pages By : Lucete Fortes, Pitt Reitmaier Publisher : Reise Know-How (2007), 4th edition Language : German Guia das Ilhas de Cabo Verde, 168 pages By : Pierre Sorgial - Lidel Publisher : Lidel Edicoes Tecnicas (2006) Language : Portuguese Guía Viva Cabo Verde, 192 pages By : Ron, Ana Isabel Publisher : Grupo Anaya Language : Spanish Rumbo a Cabo Verde, 284 pages By : Elisenda Copons Publisher : Laertes (2008) Language : Spanish Capo Verde. Un'Africa in mezzo all'Atlantico, 144 pages Publisher : Touring Club Italiano (2007) Language : Italian Capo Verde, 206 pages By : Caminati Luciano Publisher : Fuori Thema (2006) Language : Italian Capo Verde, 229 pages By : Elvio Annese Publisher : Clupguide - Utet Libreria (2001) Language : Italian Capo Verde, 140 pages By : Rossella Righetti Publisher : Shendene & Moizzi Associa (2001) Language : Italian Capo Verde, 288 pages By : Laura Campo Publisher : Airplane (2001) Language : Italian Cap-Vert, loins des yeux du monde, 320 pages By : Sabrina Requedaz Publisher : Olizane (2008), 3rd edition Language : French Le Petit Futé Cap-Vert, 234 pages By : Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette, Publisher : Nouvelles Editions Université (2005), 4th edition Language : French Guide des Iles du Cap-Vert, 120 pages By : John Rendall Publisher : Edpal-Pcll (2004) Language : French Le Cap-Vert Aujourd'hui, 280 pages By : Michel Lesourd, Collectif, et Renaud Van der Meeren Publisher : Jaguar (2007) Language : French Miscellaneous Languages The official language is Portuguese, but it is only used by administration officials, on TV or on the radio. Cape-Verdeans speak Crioulo (a "customized" Portuguese), or rather "the Crioulos", since each island possess its own dialect, all having the same roots. The natural characteristics of the archipelago and the various influences it received over the centuries explain this diversity. One can communicate by using French (Cape Verde belongs to the French-speaking countries' community) but also sometimes English or Spanish. Electricity 220 volts, and the sockets have about the same format as in Portugal or France. You will need a step-down converter if you are coming from the United States and a plug adaptor if you are coming from other parts of Europe. Telephone The international code for Cape Verde is 238. From abroad, dial 00-238 followed by the seven digit number, which first digit is 2 for land line phones and 9 for cellular. From Capo Verde, dial 00-<country code> followed by the number. All the islands have pay-phones that use cards. These can be bought in post offices, some drugstores and gas stations. You can bring and use your cell phone there. Any CV Telecom office will sell you a SIM card for 4,045 Escudos (about 36 €) that comprises 3,000 escudos (about 27 €uros) of communications. You will be able to make calls from your cell for one month and to receive calls for three months. Any remaining credit at the end of a month won't be reported to the next. If you don't reload it your phone will automatically be blocked for calls and call receptions after one and three months respectively. Passed three months the card will be disabled. A refill costs between 15 and 30 €uros depending on the calls credit. Please note that your cell shall not be blocked for an exclusive use by your operator. Verify before your departure and if necessary have it unlocked. Having it unlocked in Cabo Verde is possible and will cost you between 15 and 30 €uros. Post - Internet Post offices are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm. They can be found in all cities. It is possible to call international, to send fax and express mails. Postcard stamps for Europe or America cost 60 Escudos and the delivery takes 7 to 10 days. Internet cafés can be found in all major cities. The connections are usually good and the fares low. It is also possible to call international at those places, for a better rate than at the post office. Time difference GMT/UTC -1. One hour behind the UK in winter, two hours in summer. Two hours behind the rest of Europe in winter, three hours in summer. Fours hours ahead of US Eastern time in winter, three hours in summer.