Flights from Paris to Cape Verde

Travel to Cape Verde from Paris

Around 5 hours 30 minutes after leaving Paris, Vueling’s direct flight touches down on the island of Sal. You land at Amílcar Cabral International Airport, about 20 minutes by road from Santa Maria, where most of the island’s hotels and restaurants are found.

Sal is also the gateway to the rest of the archipelago. Connections to Boa Vista, Santiago and São Vicente are run by local airlines and booked separately, so it pays to line up your dates before you commit to accommodation.

What documents you need to travel to Cape Verde

Cape Verde is not part of the European Union or the Schengen Area, so a passport is mandatory. It must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter the archipelago.

French and other EU citizens do not need a visa for short tourist stays, but there are 2 formalities you cannot skip, and they are best dealt with as soon as you have your dates:

• Online pre-registration on the EASE platform (Electronic Authorization for Stay and Entry).
• Payment of the Airport Security Tax.

Without both, you cannot board, and approval can take a while. If you hold another nationality, or are coming from a country where health requirements for entry may apply, check your own situation on the travel documents page and with the relevant consulate before booking.

What to know when you land in Cape Verde

From the airport to the resort area. Amílcar Cabral sits next to Espargos, in the middle of the island. The transfer to Santa Maria is by taxi or hotel shuttle and takes around 20 minutes, so if your flight gets in during the afternoon you will arrive in daylight.

Currency. The currency is the Cape Verdean escudo, pegged to the euro at a fixed rate. Cards work in hotels and tourist restaurants, but markets and places away from the resort areas still run on cash. There are cash machines in Espargos and Santa Maria.

Climate and wind. Temperatures barely change through the year, staying between 22 and 30°C. What does change is the trade wind, which blows steadily and hits hardest on the northern and eastern islands. It is what turned Sal into a kitesurfing destination, and it is worth bearing in mind if you are after a calm beach.

Getting between islands. Flights with a local airline are the quick option. There are ferries too, though the crossings are long and the sea is often rough.

Cape Verde uses type C and F plug sockets, at 230V. The official language is Portuguese, but on the street people speak Cape Verdean Creole, and in the tourist areas of Sal and Boa Vista French and English are easily understood.

What to do in Cape Verde

Sal

Where you land, and where most people stay. Santa Maria has a long beach of fine sand, warm water and the best hotel infrastructure in the archipelago. Its bay is one of the best-known kitesurfing spots in the Atlantic, with schools for complete beginners, and Sal is also the island with the liveliest nightlife.

Boa Vista

You reach it from Sal on a short flight with a local airline. Dunes that run right down to the sea and a sense of space that is hard to find anywhere in the Atlantic. Between June and October, loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nest on its beaches, and guided night visits let you watch without disturbing them.

Santiago

Santiago is the largest island, and the one that tells you most about the country. Praia is the capital, and a few kilometres away lies Cidade Velha, the first European settlement in the tropics and a World Heritage Site. Expect markets, colonial architecture and very little beach tourism.

São Vicente and Santo Antão

Mindelo is the cultural capital of the archipelago and the home of morna, the music Cesária Évora carried to the rest of the world. Across the water, Santo Antão is the most mountainous island. The walk down from Cova into the Paul valley is one of the best-known hikes in the Atlantic.

Luggage for your flight to Cape Verde

What you can pack depends on the fare you book. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

For a stay of a week or more, and especially if you are bringing water sports kit, sort out your luggage when you book rather than leaving it for the check-in desk. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.