Vacation trip to explore retirement potential
Last activity 28 July 2020 by Breiteck
1127 Views
3 replies
Subscribe to the topic
Post new topic
Hi, guys. I'm looking to move to Cabo Verde in a few years and I'm planning a 1-2 week visit soon to check things out. I know that Sal is very beautiful and there are several other attractive locations, but I'd like to get to know the country more as an eventual resident, not as a tourist. Therefore I think I'd prefer Praia, the larger city and government seat, as a better location to "go native" and experience Cabo Verde life and culture. Would you agree with this approach, and what might be the best time of year to experience its "normal" pace of life? I know it's very hot and dry so I thought maybe the rainy season would be a little greener and cooler. Also, does it help to speak fluent Spanish? Thank you.
Hi Gatopardo
I think it is a good idea to visit for as long as you can, in order to decide which of the islands you would prefer to live on. Praia is the largest city, but Mindelo (on the island of São Vicente) is generally considered to be the cultural centre of Cabo Verde. So if culture is important to you, perhaps Mindelo is worth consideration.
The rainy season is likely to make places greener, but it is also a fairly humid time of the year. The main tourist season is the winter months - roughly October to May. The islands in the east are less green than those in the west such as Brava and Santo Antão.
In terms of language, Portuguese is the official language, but creole (Kriolu) is widely spoken by local people.
I hope some of that might help.
Thank you, Breiteck. Very useful indeed. As I am in the early stages of my fiendish plot, I can keep my options open. What you say about Mindelo does pique my interest and I will include it in my visit when I do come out there. I assume you've been living in CV for a while? Pensioned/retired, or working/in business? I will be living on retirement income, but if something interesting to do comes up, I may give it a shot. You never know!
Hi Gatopardo, I'm glad that you found my answer useful. I don't live in Cape Verde, but I have a house on the island of Maio and I visit frequently. I have been going several times a year since 2006 and over the past few years I have visited most of the islands, I just have Boa Vista and São Nicolauto visit. It is possible to live reasonably cheaply in Cape Verde. I love Maio, because it is peaceful and has not been overly developed for tourism. If I can help with any further information, please feel free to ask, and I will if I can.
Find more topics on the Cape Verde forum
