The towns clearly have European influences, even though this is clearly Africa this is evident in the architecture, language, and even religion. Portuguese, German, French, Dutch, and Italian speakers abound throughout the islands, but you might not come across another English speaker. That alone is reason enough to visit this small Galápagos on a sea-mount near Africa guarded by sharks, combined with the astonishing views, the pleasant climate all year round, and the most mesmerizing music east of Havana.

Main Views from Cape Verde

Sal Island

Sal's red deserts and salt pans would be a terrible place to shoot a science fiction epic that takes place on Mars. This is a premier location for wind- and board-surfing; the winds are so strong that you could go parasailing with a tea bag here because they are unhindered by any terrain since they roared out of the Sahara Desert.

Sal is most known for its international airport, but it's also home to one of the archipelago's most alluring sights: the long, white beaches and turquoise waters that stretch out in both directions from the fishing community of Santa Maria though they're currently in danger from real estate developers. Go bar hopping in Santa Maria; the streets are filled with people and music, and the outdoor bars are decked out in lights.

While Santa Maria's beach offers opportunities for wind and kite-surfing, professional surfers usually head to Pedra de Lume in the northeast, where the waves have garnered praise even from Hawaiian surfers. Situated near the Odjo d'Agua, the German-run (although English-speaking) Stingray diving center provides a range of diving experiences, from introductory training to advanced wreck and reef dives.

Fogo

Fogo, or "fire," is only a few hundred thousand years old, in contrast to the majority of the Cape Verde islands, which are millions of years old. With its most recent eruption occurring in 1995, this classic sea-mount volcano rises from the sea and forms a sooty black cone that pokes through the clouds.

The Chã das Caldeiras, or "plain of volcanoes," is a collection of smaller, more recent craters located within the original crater, which is currently 12 km wide. Fogo was not populated until the 18th century due to the intricate spread of people around the archipelago. A few people made the decision to settle in the former crater, where the rich soil rich in minerals encourages farming and the production of the native Chã de Fogo Vinho Tinto, a silky red wine with a pronounced Ribena overtone.

A global group of volcanologists monitors the behavior of the smoking volcano. São Filipe, the little capital of Fogo, is a charming but dilapidated collection of wooden buildings perched on a steep slope above cliffs with a view of a black volcanic beach. It's the volcano you came for, not creature comforts. Fogo makes up for all of its flaws with its amazing, foreign scenery of craters and volcanoes.

Santiago

Santiago, the largest island in the archipelago and the location of Praia, the capital, was the first to be populated among the Cape Verde islands. Although Praia's suburbs have expanded into the nearby hills, the city is situated on a striking plateau overlooking the bay and harbor. The low-rise buildings' mostly dilapidated 19th-century colonial English and Portuguese architecture blends together. Its labyrinth of squares and boulevards hides a movie theater and, at the very least, a respectable outdoor eatery, the Sofia.

The largest and busiest market in Cape Verde is located beneath the plateau's wall at Sucupira Market. Santiago really shines here as it's also the site to take an aluguer (bus) across the island. Outside of Praia, Tarrafal is the primary tourist destination. It is a small harbor with a crescent of gold sand surrounded by palm trees.

The Serra do Pico do Santo António and the Serra da Malagueta are two breathtaking mountain ranges crossed by an amazing switchback ride between Praia and Tarrafal. Buses stop in the middle at the Assomada market, where you must transfer to another bus (connections happen frequently). Part of the reason hamlets cling to the highest points of the mountains is that this is where runaway slaves sought safety. Tarrafal is a half-built waste away from the beach, but the coastline is home to two excellent international hotels.