Cape Verde · Month comparison
December vs April
April ranks #1 overall vs December at #8. The quietest month with the best sunshine — an underrated gem for those in the know.
December
#8 of 12 months
Strong option
Christmas sun seekers arrive in force — the islands at their most vibrant and most expensive.
- ↑December is the beginning of Cape Verde's most culturally animated period: the Christmas season in Mindelo and Praia is celebrated with music (morna and funaná concerts through the month), colourful street decorations in both cities, and a festive energy that reflects the Portuguese and African influences in the Creole culture.
- ↑Trade winds are strengthening through December toward the January peak: kitesurfing conditions on Sal's Kite Beach are excellent and improving. For those who combine water sports with a beach holiday, December is outstanding value compared to January.
April
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The quietest month with the best sunshine — an underrated gem for those in the know.
- ↑April sees the highest sunshine hours of the year (9.0 per day) and the lowest tourist volumes: European package tourism has wound down from the winter peak and hasn't yet been replaced by summer visitors. The Sal resort area is calm, prices are competitive, and the wind sports infrastructure is fully operational.
- ↑The Cidade Velha UNESCO site on Santiago island is best visited in April's dry season light: the ruined Portuguese colonial city (founded 1462) — the oldest European settlement in sub-Saharan Africa — has extraordinary atmosphere at the Pillory Square and the Cathedral ruins. The Saturday market on the road from Praia is a genuine cultural experience.
| Factor | December | April |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 8 | 9 |
| Value score | 4 | 8 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 7 |
| Events score | 6 | 5 |
| Atmosphere | 9 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 26.8°C | 27.3°C |
| Monthly rain | 4mm | 1mm |
| Daily sunshine | 7.9hrs | 9hrs |
December trade-offs
- ↓Christmas and New Year weeks bring the year's second-highest prices: accommodation and flights from the UK and Portugal are at December peak pricing, and the best resort properties require booking many months ahead.
- ↓The resort character of Sal and Boa Vista is most pronounced in December: the all-inclusive hotels are fully operational and the beach strip at Santa Maria can feel generically resort-ish rather than authentically Cape Verdean. São Vicente and Santo Antão offer the cultural depth that the resort islands don't.
April trade-offs
- ↓Trade winds moderating from their January-February peak: kitesurfers and windsurfers will find April conditions excellent but less consistently powered than the winter prime months.
- ↓Some Mindelo music venues and cultural spaces run reduced programmes in April — the post-Carnival lull affects the cultural calendar on São Vicente.
Scores compare months within Cape Verde. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →