Small Ship CANARY ISLANDS CRUISES

Windstar Knows the Way to the Canary Islands

Natural beauty is rampant in the Canary Islands, with a diversity that is astounding. Martian landscapes on Lanzarote. Lush green La Palma. Cloud forest, cliffs and canyons on La Gomera. Tenerife with its spectacular beaches and soaring Mount Teidi. Then there are the skies, piercing blue by day and some of the world’s darkest and most stargazer-friendly at night. Plus, a climate that’s earned these islands a reputation as the Land of Eternal Spring, with temperatures averaging 64° to 77° F year-round. And that’s just the backdrop. On stage you’ll find a culture that blends Spanish and African into a fusion of flavorful and colorful cuisines and customs, and activities for everyone: history lovers, art lovers, beach lovers, nature lovers, and wine lovers who will swoon over the islands’ famously improbable wines.

Windstar Knows the Way to the Canary Islands

This Spanish archipelago off the west coast of Africa has been a haven for mariners for centuries, and Windstar has been sailing these waters for more than a decade. We know where to find the best bodegas, UNESCO sites, troglodyte cave houses, and wrinkled potatoes with mojo sauce. But it’s in finding less-visited places that we really shine. Places like La Gomera – where you can venture inland to a primeval cloud forest or easily walk to town and spend the day sipping wine and watching boats bob in the harbor.

Featured Port: La Gomera (San Sebastian)

From a distance, La Gomera looks impenetrable. Noodle-thin roads wriggle up cliff faces, and the white specks that look like mountain goats on the inaccessible crags turn out to be houses. Up-close, however, the landscape transitions into lush valleys, glamorous black-pebble beaches, and stunning rock formations. The main town welcomes you with shaded plazas, pastel-colored buildings, and the inescapable fact that Columbus paused here on all three of his voyages to the New World. Listen to a demonstration of “El Silbo,” the island’s whistling language. Sip a glass of the palm honey liqueur known as Gomeron. Or head to Garajonay National Park for a look at prehistoric laurel forests shrouded in mist.

Featured Shore Excursion: Taste of Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Walk with your guide through La Laguna, the ancient capital of the island and also a UNESCO site. Then travel to El Sauzal, a 16th-century pre-Hispanic town, to explore the historic buildings and enjoy impressive views of the coastline, the Orotava Valley wine region, and, with luck, Mount Teide. The highlight of your day is a home-hosted lunch with locals, enjoying their genuine hospitality and learning first-hand about their daily life.

Starlight, Star Bright

The Canary Islands have 3 Starlight Reserves: the island of La Palma, the island of Fuerteventura, and Mount Teide and the peaks of Tenerife. This certification is awarded to places that protect the quality of the night sky, making them ideal for stargazing. How ideal? From the top of Mount Teide you can view 83 of the 88 officially recognized constellations.

Strange Vineyards, Delicious Wines

The Canary Islands are home to some of the world’s most unique vineyards. Not only are the grapes different, consisting primarily of ungrafted native varieties dating back to the 15th century, but also the cultivation methods, developed to overcome the challenging terrain and growing conditions. On Tenerife, ancient vines were braided horizontally so they could be lifted and moved to grow crops like potatoes. On Lanzarote, you’ll find small, terraced vineyards on the steep slopes with tiny half-moon walls around each precious vine to retain moisture and protect them from the wind. These methods are labor-intensive so they don’t produce a lot of wine, but what they do create is complex and delicious.

See UNESCO Wonders

The Canary Islands are home to 5 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as well as 2 UNESCO Global Geoparks, including Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park with its amazing volcanic landscapes. There are also 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites—the ancient capital of La Laguna on Lanzarote, and the prehistoric cloud forests of Garajonay National Park on La Gomera. The most unusual honor, though, is the inscription of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage for Silbo Gomero, the language of whistles used on La Gomera to communicate across the island’s deep ravines and narrow valleys.