Tourist Attractions & Monuments Cape Verde

Timetable

Museum opening times are quite variable, so it's best to consult the website directly to avoid any surprises. For example, the Praia Ethnographic Museum is open from 8am to 6pm, with a 2-hour lunch break. Stores open on weekdays and Saturdays, generally between 9am and 6pm. Banks (BAI, BCN) are open every morning between 8am and 3pm (Banco do Cabo Verde until 4pm). Post offices are open weekdays between 8am and 4.30pm, and on Saturday mornings, as are the Plateau and Achada Santo Antonio branches in central Praia.

Budget & Tips

Even if Cape Verde's museum capital is a little meagre, a short visit will round off your discovery of the country and propel you into culture, sometimes in its most original forms. To do this, you'll need to budget extra for entrance fees. There are different prices: for locals, children, students and foreign visitors. Prices vary according to the importance of the collections, and the status of the museum (private or part of the IPC Instituto do Patrimonio Cultural). Prices range from 100 CVE to 500 CVE. All that's left for you to do is make your choice, whether you're a "museum" or not.

Smokers

Can you smoke in Cape Verde? Yes, (almost) everywhere, but it will be easier to get hold of packs of cigarettes in the big cities. Heavy smokers will need to stock up on cigarettes before trekking or visiting remote areas. The Marlboro Gold brand and the SG Gigante (of Portuguese origin, launched on the islands in 1950) are the main brands on offer, along with other, rarer international brands distributed in the bars of the big hotels in Sal and Santiago. Village grocery stores also sell local cigarettes by the unit (15 CVE), the most common being Falcões and Porto Grande.

As far as legislation is concerned, smoking is prohibited in airports, public buses and banks. Last but not least, it's forbidden to smoke "any other substance". It's not uncommon to catch a whiff or to see young enthusiasts smoking a joint in full view of the world, as the weed is either imported or grown locally. Even if the apparent conditions of "a nice moment to share" lend themselves to this, as a foreigner you're not immune to serious problems.