One week is enough to fall for Cape Verde, but not to see it all. The trick is to keep it simple: settle into one island, or pair two that are easy to combine. These three routes cover a beach week, a beach-and-hiking week and a walking week, with the travel time built in.
Which 7-day route suits you?
| Route | Islands | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A. Beach week | Sal or Boa Vista | Sun, easy logistics, families |
| B. Beaches and hiking | Sal + São Vicente + Santo Antão | A bit of everything, first-timers with energy |
| C. Walking week | São Vicente + Santo Antão | Hikers who can skip the beach |
Beach week on Sal (or Boa Vista)
Perfect if you want sun, sea and an easy pace, with no domestic flights at all.
- Days 1–2: arrive on Sal, settle into Santa Maria and unwind on the beach.
- Day 3: island tour: float in the salt pans at Pedra de Lume and time the Blue Eye for midday.
- Day 4: watersports or a catamaran trip, with a swim stop and snorkelling.
- Day 5: quad or buggy tour to the wild north, or in season whale watching or turtle watching.
- Days 6–7: beach, a last dinner in Santa Maria, fly home.
Swap Sal for Boa Vista if you prefer somewhere quieter and wilder, with dunes and longer empty beaches. See Sal or Boa Vista?
Book the highlights of this week
Prices, times and availability are shown on GetYourGuide. Many tours offer free cancellation.
Sal island tour with a local guide
- About 6 hours, hotel pick-up
- Buracona Blue Eye, Pedra de Lume salt crater, Palmeira
- Private option available
Catamaran trip from Santa Maria
- Sail along Sal's west coast
- Swim and snorkelling stop
- Pick-up available
Quad and buggy tours on Sal
- Off-road to the wild side of the island
- Small groups with a local guide
- Pick-up in Santa Maria
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Beaches and hiking: Sal, São Vicente and Santo Antão
More scenery, one domestic flight and one ferry. Busier, but it shows you two very different sides of the country.
- Days 1–2: beach time on Sal.
- Day 3: fly to São Vicente; explore Mindelo and hear live morna in the evening.
- Day 4: morning ferry to Santo Antão over the old mountain road, sleep in Ponta do Sol.
- Day 5: walk the coastal path to Fontainhas, as far as you fancy.
- Day 6: the Cova crater and Paul Valley descent, then back to Mindelo.
- Day 7: fly home from São Vicente, or connect via Sal.
Keep the return connection generous: the ferry and the domestic flight both need to work on the same day if you leave it to the last minute.
Walking week: São Vicente and Santo Antão
For walkers who would rather have an extra day on the trails than an afternoon on a sunbed.
- Day 1: arrive in Mindelo, dinner and live music.
- Day 2: ferry to Porto Novo, cross the island, settle in Ponta do Sol.
- Day 3: coastal path to Fontainhas and Cruzinha.
- Day 4: the easy Three Valleys loop from Coculi; move to the Paul Valley.
- Day 5: Cova crater and the Paul Valley, plus a grogue distillery.
- Day 6: ferry back; afternoon on São Vicente, perhaps Laginha beach.
- Day 7: fly home.
Read our Santo Antão hiking tips before you go: most walks are one-way and need transport arranged.
Guided options for this week
Prices, times and availability are shown on GetYourGuide. Many tours offer free cancellation.
Santo Antão day trip with lunch
- Ferry from Mindelo, then 4x4 or minibus
- Cova crater and the Paul Valley
- Short hike and a Cape Verdean lunch
Guided hikes on Santo Antão
- Day hikes with local guides
- Two-day tours including the ferry
- Pick-up available
São Vicente highlights tour
- Monte Verde viewpoint and villages
- Small groups, pick-up available
- Private tours from Mindelo port
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Making a week work
- Book the inter-island legs early, especially between December and March. See domestic flights and ferries.
- Leave a buffer before your outbound flight; do not island-hop on your last day.
- Pack for two climates if you add Santo Antão: beach kit plus shoes with grip and a warm layer.
- Carry cash. Outside the resorts, cards are often not accepted.
- Match the month to the wildlife if that matters: whales from March to May, turtles from June to October.
Frequently asked questions
Is one week enough for Cape Verde?
Yes for one or two islands. A week is ideal for a relaxed beach holiday on Sal or Boa Vista, or for a beach-and-hiking combination via São Vicente and Santo Antão.
Can you visit multiple islands in a week?
You can comfortably do two. Three is possible but rushed once you account for flights, ferries and transfers.
Is a week enough for Santo Antão?
Three full days on Santo Antão covers the three classic walks. With a week you can add São Vicente at either end without feeling rushed.
Which island should you fly into for a week?
Sal or Boa Vista have the most international flights and suit a beach week. If hiking is the priority, look for a route into São Vicente, or connect from Sal.
When is the best week to visit Cape Verde?
November to March for cooler, drier weather, March to May if you want humpback whales, and June to October for nesting turtles.
How much of the week goes on travel?
Allow half a day for each island change, plus the day you arrive and the day you fly home. A two-island week realistically gives you four to five full days.