PraiaCapital

Praia is the lively coastal capital of Cape Verde, the rhythm-driven port city of the Atlantic that spreads across the high plateau and the steep ravines of the southern coast of the island of the Santiago, the largest and the most inhabited island of the arched archipelago. The capital of the island nation since the nineteenth century, when the economic capital of the Portuguese colony moved from the older town of the Ribeira Grande, it is a modern, energetic city of the white-and-colourful neighbourhoods, the markets, the government quarter and the seafront that runs along the bay below the heights of the town. The plateau of the city centre, the market of the town, the historic islet and the beaches of the surrounding coast anchor the essential visits, while the music of the morna and the funana and the dancing of the festivals keep the deep Cape Verdean soul of the capital. Warm, vibrant and deeply musical, Praia is the beating heart of the Atlantic archipelago.

About Praia

Praia is the capital of Cabo Verde. The city's documented population is around 160,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE) and Portuguese is spoken; the dialling code is +238.

The Plateau of the Centre and the Houses of the Colours

Praia is a hilly, lively capital where the essential circuit moves between the plateau of the centre, the great market and the government quarter, with the waterfront and the beaches of the bay running along the coast below the town. The historic islet of the harbour, with its fort and its lighthouse, the lighthouse of Dona Maria Pia and the viewpoints of the hills frame the classic visits, and the beaches and the coves of the surrounding coast offer the swimming and the surf of the island. The music of the town, the bars of the morna and the nighttime percussion of the festivals, runs the deep emotional life of the capital, and the whole city vibrates with the warm, musical, Atlantic energy of the Cape Verdean people.

The Market of the Great and the Crafts of the Islands

The climate of the capital is the dry tropical Atlantic, with the warm sunshine through much of the year, the cool, dusty haze of the trade-wind months of the winter, and a short, sharp wet season at the end of the summer. The escudo of the country is the currency, with the Cape Verdean creole and the Portuguese the languages of the town. The plateau, the market and the waterfront make the core circuit, and the beaches and the villages of the island lie a short drive from the capital. Light clothing, sun protection and comfortable shoes for the hilly streets complete the simple preparation for the island capital.

The Islet of the Fortress and the Beaches of the Atlantic

The plateau of the centre of the capital, with its grid of the colonial streets, its palm-filled squares and its cheerful painted houses, is the classic heart of the town, anchored by the presidential palace and the cathedral of the modern quarter. The great market of the capital, the landmark of the trade of the islands, stretches across the valley of the centre with its huge stalls of the cloth, the fruit and the crafts, while the celebrated islet of the harbour, the small fortified island of the coast with its historic fortress and its lighthouse, gives the sea-framed icon of the town. The beaches of the surrounding coast, from the sheltered swimming bays of the east to the Atlantic surf of the west, and the morna songs of the local music clubs, complete the essential, deeply musical experience of the lively capital of the islands of the wind.

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Country: Cabo Verde
Population: 160,000

Capital: Praia
Region: Africa
Currency: Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE)
Languages: Portuguese
Calling code: +238
Country code: CV

Frequently asked questions

Is Praia the capital of Cabo Verde?

Yes — Praia is the capital of Cabo Verde.

What currency do I need in Praia?

The local currency is the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE). Languages spoken in Cabo Verde include Portuguese.

What is the dialling code for Cabo Verde?

The international dialling code for Cabo Verde is +238.

Flying out of Praia? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.