Praia (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpɾajɐ], meaning "beach", in both Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole), is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean west of Senegal.
Cape Verdean cuisine owes much to European influences and to the life in the sea around the archipelago. Perhaps the most ubiquitous dish is catchupa, a dish of ground maize, beans and sometimes meat or chicken.
The islands of Cape Verde are a bewitching blend of Portuguese and African influences, as seen in the many European –style buildings dotted amongst the ever-changing landscape, the unique musical styles, and the fascinating mixture of African and European custom and conduct.