Flights to the Cape Verdes
The islands have had good flight links for ages. Charles Lindbergh made a pioneer flight to Santiago, aiming for South America. He took six hours from Dakar. But his wife did not like the island and he returned to Bathurst. Not much has changed there. Mussolini built the airport a few years later in an early gig on his 1933-44 world tour season.
Cape Verde International Airports
The main Cape Verde international airport is now on Sal . It has nightly flights from Lisbon, and weekly from the UK . Inter-island flights link Sal to the larger Cape Verde islands of Sao Vicente and Santiago, several times daily, but they are expensive at £120 return and hard to book, so most tourists stay on Sal, with hotels, villas, apartments and fantastic beaches. It is the most European of the Cape Verde islands and the one with obvious tourist potential.
Direct flights from Birmingham Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester
These are every Thursday leaving early mornings and returning late evenings.
Charter Flight from Portugal to Cape Verde
These depart on Friday nights from Lisbon and in summer from Oporto as well.
Flight from Ireland to Cape Verde
There is a choice of routes via UK or Lisbon.Flight between Cape Verde Islands
Expensive and unreliable as to timetable. They must be booked before you leave Europe. Cape Verde Trip Advisor Flights passenger experiences
Flight via the Continent to Cape Verde
These do not always work well due to schedule timings. They often require one or even two overnight stops.
Flights from North America,
There is a weekly night flight from Boston Logan to Praia. It is often delayed.
Flight between Cape Verde Islands and Canary Islands
These are not reliable and no longer connect with Sal or with Tenerife. It is better to fly via Lisbon. Passenger experiences
Ferry between Cape Verde Islands
Many Ferries are actually cargo ships, carrying live goats and donkeys as well as people and taking a day or two to get anywhere.
Ferry Timetable between Cape Verde Islands
Smaller islands can only be reached by ferry. Otherwise flights are usually to be preferred
Car Hire
This is available on Sal and with some difficulty on other larger islands. Avis and Hertz are more expensive but no better. Avis on Santiago will cheat you if they can. It is a franchise so there is no point complaining to HQ.
Getting about the islands
Only Mindelo and Praia have bus services. But most other islands have aluguers or shared pick-up transport.