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The Most Popular Souvenirs to Look For in Cape Verde
Shopping and Local Markets
Shopping on Sal is less about high-street brands and more about discovering local crafts, fresh produce, and Cape Verdean character. The island’s laid-back charm carries through into its shopping culture. Think colourful stalls, friendly vendors, and handmade goods rather than air-conditioned malls.
While Santa Maria is the island’s central hub for shops and markets, other towns like Espargos and Palmeira offer more local flavour and fewer tourists. Whether you’re looking for a unique souvenir, handmade jewellery, traditional textiles, or tropical fruit from the back of a pickup truck, Sal’s small-scale shopping scene offers pleasant surprises.
Local Markets
Markets are the beating heart of island commerce. The Municipal Market in Santa Maria is a good place to begin. Early in the morning, you’ll find stalls of local women selling papayas, bananas, and avocados, often arranged in picture-perfect piles. A walk through the small fish section reveals the day’s catch, from tuna to grouper. This is also a spot to pick up locally made produce like hot sauces, dried herbs, and handmade soaps infused with coconut oil or hibiscus. In and around the market, you’ll come across souvenir stalls selling wood carvings, hand-woven baskets, batik fabrics, and beadwork jewellery.
While some items are imported from the African mainland (and China), many reflect Cape Verde’s own styles and traditions. Vendors are usually happy to chat and explain the origin of their goods. A smile and a respectful haggle often go a long way.
Artisan Boutiques
Artisan boutiques offer a more curated experience. Small shops near the Santa Maria pier or tucked along the backstreets showcase ceramics, prints, recycled art, and beach-inspired jewellery made from shells or volcanic stone. Some are run by local cooperatives or expats supporting community projects. It’s worth stepping inside. Many items are one-of-a-kind, and your purchase supports small-scale makers.
Cultural Souvenirs
For a cultural souvenir, consider buying a morna CD from a local musician, a Cape Verdean cookbook, or a bottle of grogue – Sal’s signature sugarcane rum. And for a practical keepsake, a woven beach bag or handmade sandals can be both functional and memorable. I want to also highlight the experience of simply wandering – stopping by a fruit stand for a mango, browsing the beachside vendors selling sarongs and straw hats, or watching a woodworker carve turtles in the shade of a tree.
Souvenirs’ Hunt: Tips for shoppers
Carry cash (many small sellers don’t accept cards), ask before taking photos of people or their stalls, and be mindful of local customs when bartering. And remember – on Sal, shopping shouldn’t be about rushing or ticking boxes. It’s more about soaking in the atmosphere, supporting local enterprise, and bringing something beautiful, authentic and special back home.
Souvenirs: Most Popular Items to Look For on Sal
Batik Fabrics
These richly coloured textiles are created using traditional wax-resist dyeing techniques. You’ll find flowing sarongs, wraps, and wall hangings in bold tropical motifs. Each piece is slightly different. Often made locally or imported from neighbouring West African countries, batiks are light to pack and make a striking, wearable souvenir.
Beadwork Jewellery
Crafted by hand, often by cooperatives, these pieces feature glass, seed, or wooden beads strung into vibrant necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Colours usually reflect island tones – ocean blues, sunset oranges, and earthy reds. Many designs incorporate symbolic patterns from Creole or African heritage.
Wood Carvings
Whether it’s a sea turtle, stylised fish, or traditional African mask, these hand-carved figures capture both Sal’s marine life and cultural influences. Many artisans work right at their stalls, chiselling and sanding in the open air. Look for pieces made from local woods like tamarisk or driftwood for a sustainable touch.
Grogue
This fiery sugarcane spirit is Cape Verde’s version of rum – raw, potent, and full of character. Often homemade and sold in unlabelled bottles, grogue is an authentic taste of the islands. You’ll also find sweeter varieties called ponche, infused with coconut, lime, or coffee, more palatable for sipping or mixing into cocktails.
Hot Piri-Piri Sauce
Cape Verdeans love their spice, and local piri-piri sauces deliver plenty of punch. Usually homemade and sold in glass bottles, these sauces are made from sun-ripened chillies, garlic, vinegar, and herbs. They’re perfect for bringing home. Just check they’re sealed adequately if flying with hand luggage.
Coconut Oil Soaps
Handmade soaps using coconut oil, shea butter, and local botanicals such as hibiscus, lemongrass, or baobab. These fragrant bars are often beautifully wrapped and sold at markets or artisan stalls. They make ideal gifts and are a skin-friendly reminder of your island days.
Shell Jewellery
Simple yet beautiful, these pieces incorporate shells collected along Sal’s beaches, sometimes mixed with volcanic stone beads or metal accents. You’ll find necklaces, earrings, and anklets. Many are made by local artists. It’s wearable beach art, and a lovely memento for ocean lovers.
Handwoven Baskets & Bags
Made from natural fibres such as palm leaves or sisal, these items combine craftsmanship with function. Whether it’s a sturdy beach bag, a decorative fruit basket, or a traditional Cape Verdean fish trap design, these woven goods are sustainable and beautifully tactile.
Ceramics & Pottery
Small studios in Sal and elsewhere in Cape Verde produce ceramic wares inspired by local culture. Think coffee cups, bowls, or beautifully painted tiles with wave motifs or fish and turtle designs. Some include Portuguese azulejo influences, giving the pieces a blend of old-world charm.
Morna CDs
Morna is the soul of Cape Verde. A melancholic, poetic music often compared to Portuguese fado or Brazilian bossa nova. CD albums from local artists are still commonly sold in shops and stalls. When you come back home, listening to Cesária Évora or a newer voice can transport you back to the breezy island evenings.
Cape Verdean Coffee
Grown mainly on the volcanic slopes of Fogo Island, Cape Verdean coffee is smooth, aromatic, and low in bitterness. It’s often available as whole beans or ground in small packets. Perfect to take home if you’re a coffee lover. Look for local cafés offering samples or beans to buy
Bibliography / Sources:
- Batik fabrics picture: African Wax Prints: Its Origins and How It Became Popular, Nkiti Designs.
- Picture of Piri Piri Sauce: www.belalgarve.com/p/en-piri-piri-sauce.
- Picture of Coconut Oil Soaps: Coconut Oil Soap Benefits for Healthy, Clean Skin, Real Skin Care.
- Picture of Shell Jewellery: The history of the shell necklace, Mer Aux Tresors.
