Cape Verde
Praia in December
☀️ Dry seasonWarm, a little humid and mostly dry.
🎒 Pack: sunglasses & hat
Why December scores 9.0What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.1
- ✓Warm (28°C highs / 21°C lows)
- !Humid (dew point 19.5°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~8 mm rain)
- Air quality8.1
- ✓Moderate (PM2.5 ~18 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline8.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Mar | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.0 Excellent | 9.4 Excellent |
| Season | ☀️ Dry season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 28° / 21° | 28° / 20° |
| Rain | 8 mm | 0 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 20° | dew pt 18° |
| PM2.5 | 18 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Praia weather-station normals. Rainfall: Praia weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore PraiaEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyPraia is Cape Verde's capital, on Santiago island, built around the old clifftop quarter known as the Plateau. Travellers visit for its music scene, markets and as the gateway to Cidade Velha, the first European colonial town in the tropics.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
CarnivalDate variesUsually February, before Lent (date moves each year)
Street parades with costumes, music and dancing.
Why go: Expect festive crowds and road closures during parades.
Where: Praia
Kriol Jazz FestivalDate variesUsually April (dates vary)
An international music festival focused on Creole, African and jazz music.
Why go: Hotels fill up, so book early if visiting then.
Where: Praia
Independence DayEvery year5 July every year
A national holiday marking independence from Portugal in 1975.
Why go: Official events in the capital; some businesses close.
Where: Nationwide, with main ceremonies in Praia
Cidade Velha
A UNESCO World Heritage town a short drive west of Praia, with a hilltop fortress, ruined cathedral and the old stone pillory.
💡 Combine the Fortaleza Real de São Filipe with a walk down Rua Banana, one of the oldest streets.
Plateau
The historic centre on a raised plateau, with colonial buildings, a main square and viewpoints over the sea.
💡 Explore on foot during the day.
Sucupira Market
A large, busy market selling clothing, fabric, food and household goods.
💡 Keep your bag in front of you in the crowds.
Quebra Canela Beach
The city's most popular sandy beach, with cafes nearby.
Ethnographic Museum
A small museum on the Plateau showing traditional tools, textiles and everyday objects of Cape Verde.
Cachupa
The national stew of hominy, beans, vegetables and fish or meat.
💡 Local restaurants and cafes.
Caldo de peixe
A fish stew with potatoes, cassava and plantain.
💡 Seafood restaurants in the city.
Grogue
Cape Verdean sugarcane spirit, with Santiago one of the main producing islands.
💡 Bars and local shops.
Pontche
A sweet liqueur made from grogue and molasses.
💡 Bars and souvenir shops.
Panu di terra
Traditional hand-woven cotton cloth with geometric patterns.
💡 Craft shops in the Plateau.
Grogue
Bottled sugarcane spirit from Santiago's distilleries.
💡 Markets and supermarkets.
Cape Verdean music
Recordings of morna, funaná and batuko, including Cesária Évora.
💡 Music shops and souvenir stores.
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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