Walking in Cape Verde

The lush, mountainous islands of the Cape Verde archipelago are a wonderful destination for a walking holiday, says Ursula Kenny in the Observer.

They lie about 400 miles off the coast of Senegal in West Africa and have a "perfect climate", "stunning scenery" and a way of life that is "simple in the best possible way". Their reputation has suffered, however, because most international flights land on Sal, a "bleak and uninspiring" place that has nonetheless been the focus of most tourist development.

It is best treated as a stopover en route to neighbouring islands like Fogo, with its spectacular volcano, or Santiago, with its craggy mountains and delightful villages nestling among gloriously abundant plots of papaya and mangos. Archipelago Cape Verde (01768 775 684) offers seven nights from £1,295 incl. flights.