Did you know?

That legend tells that the CapeVerdean islands were the crumbs that fell from God’s fingers when he brushed his hands together having finished creating the world? That going to Cape Verde means travelling through the history and culture of a population that is a real fusion between Europe and Africa? This cultural melting-pot is evident everywhere. It is even possible to find people who are blood-brothers who seem to come from distinct races. That Cape Verde has volcanic origins and is positioned between Parallels 15 and 17 of the North Latitude? They are located 1.000 Km from the Spanish Canary Islands, 450 km from Senegal’s coast, and 3.600 Km from the Caribbean islands. These beautiful islands situated off the west coast of Africa still generate big polemics about their discovery. It is more likely that Cape Verde’s islands were uninhabited when the Portuguese landed there in 1456.However, it is not certain whether it is really the Portuguese who discovered them.Historians believe that this discovery is rather more likely to be due to Venetian and Genoese navigators. We also know that Senegalese fishermen frequented these islands for a long time. That Cape Verde is an obligatory stop in the middle of the ocean and is composed of 10 islands, nine inhabited, and one uninhabited and eight islets located at the crossroads of the three continents that border the Atlantic? The islands are divided into 2 groups: “Barlavento” – Windwards and “Sotavento” – Leewards. In the former group are the islands of São Vicente, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Santa Luzia, Sal and Boa Vista, along with the smaller islands of Branco and Raso; the “Sotavento” group comprises the islands of Santiago, Maio, Fogo, Sal and Brava. That the name Boa Vista has its origins from the exclamation "Captain, good sight!”/ “Boa vista!” instead of the traditional "Land at sight"? This is due to the joy of a sailor that had seen the island through the porthole of a vessel that faced a fearful tempest. Its climate is one of the most arid in the archipelago: it is like a piece of the Sahara lost in the Atlantic Ocean. That Brava is reachable only by sea? Due to its altitude, Brava is the wettest and the greenest of all the islands. With its abundance of flowers it is also known as "Ilha das Flores" - Island of Flowers. It is the smallest island of the Archipelago with the exception of the uninhabited Santa Luzia. That at the beginning, Fogo was called San Filipe? Later, and quite appropriately its name was changed to Fogo– “Fire” - as it has an active volcano that erupted in 1951. It is also the location of the highest peak, which rises at 9,281 ft = 2,829 meters. The island’s inhabitants are the only ones that had only three flags throughout the course of their history. During the occupation by Spain between 1530 and 1580, the Spanish flag was raised throughout all Portuguese territories, except Fogo, due to the resistance of Fogo’s inhabitants. The island allows us to admire the second highest volcano in the Atlantic, after Teide. Fogo has extraordinary colonial Portuguese architecture, from the so-called “sobrados”. Here you will find very tasty and fresh goat’s cheese; excellent wine - unique in the archipelago – and also its famous and delicious coffee. That Portuguese navigator Diego Gomes and Antonio de Noliwas discoveredMaioIsland, on the 1st May of 1460? The island took the name of its month’s discovery date, May/ “Maio”. That Sal was discovered in 1640 and was first known as “Llana” or “Plana” meaning flat? It was given its present name when a lagoon in a crater of an extinct volcano was discovered and in this place, after the rains, salt was produced. This crater is now known as “Pedra do Lume”. Sal is the flattest and the touristiest island because of the beauty of its white sand beaches, its turquoise waters and the numerous nautical activities on offer. A visit to its salt mines is a must, as is a walking trip across the island. That the early and first Cape-Verdeans were born at Cidade Velha - SantiagoIsland - a meeting point for the first Europeans and Negroes coming from the West Coast of Africa to settle and cultivate the islands of Cape Verde? Santiago is the island where there remain some original African traditions, such as children carried on the back, the mystic faiths, the musical and the dances "Batuque”. That Santa Luzia was inhabited and already possessed of a small agricultural community by the XVIII century? That Santo Antão is a mountainous island that offers great trekking opportunities through its green and dense valleys, where sugar cane and bananas are abundantly cultivated? It is also famous for its traditional feasts and Grogue, the Cape Verde brandy.It is known as the artistic, cultural and party island. The "Baia das Gatas" carnival and festival in August as well as the most important theatrical event in the country. It is a dry, mountainous and gently-elevated island. Cesaria Evora lives in its capital and second most important archipelago’s city, “Mindelo” That São Nicolau is an island made of old volcanoes and ancient Dragon trees, wild landscapes, numerous mountains and beaches? It is famous for its high-sea fishing activity and the mysterious medicinal Tarrafal’s black sand… That São Vicente was discovered on St.Vincent's Day - 22nd of January – in 1462? The island remained practically uninhabited until the middle of the XIX century. That Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and since 1991 Cape Verde has had a democratic government, which is very open and encouraging of overseas investment and developing the private sector? That CapeVerdeans are used to saying that in their "ungrateful" land, without water and with few economic resources, their major asset is themselves? They call it "Morabeza", which means amiability and hospitality - fundamental features that describe this population’s way of being. These qualities define the best way these people are used to sharing the few things they have. That repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. That Cape Verde’s agriculture and fishing contribute only 10% to the nation’s GDP. The government, through legislation and fiscal incentives, has been actively encouraging tourism development to diversify the economy. That Cape Verde is home to a variety of musical styles: widely known “morna”, “coladeira”, “funana”, “mazurka”, “batuko” and “contradança” are some of its most important genres. African and Brazilian music are also very much appreciated. That Cape Verde has been heard across the world thanks to its music? Cesaria Evora, the “barefoot diva”, is the island’s principal musical ambassador. With her voice, she opened the archipelago to the world. That approximately 3,000 loggerhead “Caretta Caretta” turtles breed in Boa Vista and Sal annually making these areas the second most important breeding site in the entire Atlantic Ocean? That Cape Verde’s biodiversity is important at a global level, as it includes many endemic species of plants, birds, insects, as well as marine species? Its beaches provide important breeding sites and feeding grounds for endangered marine turtles and humpback whales that are frequently seen around Boa Vista and Sal, Boa Vista’s northern neighbour.