{"id":392337,"date":"2025-09-02T16:36:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T16:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/392337\/"},"modified":"2025-09-02T16:36:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T16:36:25","slug":"the-island-paradise-that-rarely-dips-below-21c-that-brits-are-choosing-over-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/392337\/","title":{"rendered":"The island paradise that rarely dips below 21C that Brits are choosing over Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

For anyone dreading the increasingly gloomy weather that autumn brings, this destination promises Brits plenty of sunshine, good vibes and memorable experiences<\/p>\n

Ravi Meah<\/strong> and Rosie Jempson<\/strong><\/p>\n

13:18, 02 Sep 2025Updated 16:01, 02 Sep 2025<\/p>\n

\"SailSet sail on any one of Cape Verde’s 10 islands(Image: Posteriori via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

It’s warm all year round. It boasts breathtaking scenery and timeless natural beauty. There are plenty of beaches to choose from here. One minute, you’re dipping your toes in crystal clear, blue waters, the next, you’re sipping a margarita and enjoying a tasty exotic dish as the sun sets.<\/a><\/p>\n

This tourist haven has been popular for Brits <\/a>for years, offering a nice respite from the gloomy weather of home during the autumn months. Temperatures usually go no lower than 21\u00b0C in this part of the world \u2013 and it’s a few hours away by plane.<\/p>\n

But before anyone takes a guess, we’re not talking about Spain<\/a> or Portugal. We’re talking about a country 2,100km south of the Iberian peninsula, based in the Atlantic Ocean and with plenty of exciting things to see and do.<\/p>\n

Cape Verde is fast becoming the winter sun destination of choice for many British holidaymakers. More than 1.2 million of us visited the archipelago nation in 2024, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute.<\/p>\n

\"Fishing-at-Tarrafal-beach-in-Cape-Verde\"Tarrafal Beach on the island of Santiago is a must-see for visitors(Image: Iacob Madaci via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

An even more remarkable statistic is that Brits made up nearly a third (29.9 per cent) of all tourists who visited Cape Verde last year, beating the likes of Germany (12.8 per cent), the Netherlands (11.6 per cent) and its former colonist Portugal (11.5 per cent).<\/p>\n

Just a six-hour direct flight from the UK, the 10 islands that make up Cape Verde promise year-round sunshine, with temperatures seldom dipping below 21\u00b0C. In comparison, the mercury on average hovers between 6\u00b0C and 15\u00b0C in Britain during autumn.<\/p>\n

Each of the 10 Atlantic islands boasts a unique and distinct vibe, reports the Express<\/a>. So what is it about this place that is magical? Marc DiCuca, a travel writer from Lonely Planet, explained: “No two islands are the same, each offering wildly different experiences and vibes.<\/p>\n

“Most head to this corner of the Atlantic for winter beach days, but there’s so much more to Cabo Verde, from desert stargazing to volcano climbing, raucous hybrid culture to serene hiking.”<\/p>\n

\"SunsetSunset is when Cape Verde really comes to life, especially in Santa Maria(Image: Pierre Moussart via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

There’s an abundance of beaches, featuring white sand and turquoise waters, to choose from. Among the best places to visit include Santa Maria Beach and Ponta Preta on Sal, Praia de Chaves on Boa Vista, and Laginha Beach in Mindelo, on Sa\u0303o Vicente island.<\/p>\n

Marc added: “Top activity away from the beach on Sal is definitely bobbing around in the high-saline pools of Pedra do Lume, while surfing the high-stacked dunes of the Viana Desert in a Toyota Hilux is a memorable day out on Boa Vista.”<\/p>\n

There are also fantastic opportunities for wildlife spotting off the beach with whales and dolphins spotted in the crystal-clear waters, while camels are common on dry land. As for where to go for the best nightlife, there appears to be only one place for that.<\/p>\n

“If you ain’t seen Mindelo, you ain\u2019t seen Cabo Verde, as the locals will tell you,” Marc said enthusiastically. “You can spend all day dipping in and out of various cultural institutions and snacking in the archipelago\u2019s best cafes on cachupa [beans and corn mixed with fish or meat] and Portuguese desserts. Come balmy evening, there\u2019s the best seafood to feast on, almost always with a side dish of local live music.”<\/p>\n

\"CamelsLook out for the odd camel too(Image: Simon Bradfield via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Cape Verde is a great destination to visit all year round, although the rainy season falls between July and October. In November, the average daily maximum temperature is a balmy 29\u00b0C and the average daily minimum is a comfortable 23\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

The islands are also criss-crossed with walking trails thanks to their magnificent mountains and towering volcanoes. Santo Anta\u0303o, Sa\u0303o Nicolau and Fogo are touted as the best islands for walkers.<\/p>\n

TUI operates flights to Cape Verde (Sal International Airport) from Glasgow.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For anyone dreading the increasingly gloomy weather that autumn brings, this destination promises Brits plenty of sunshine, good…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":392338,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[13133,2000,299,918,2406,104,183],"class_list":{"0":"post-392337","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-air-travel","9":"tag-eu","10":"tag-europe","11":"tag-glasgow","12":"tag-holidays","13":"tag-spain","14":"tag-travel"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115135682155772584","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=392337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392337\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/392338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=392337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=392337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=392337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}