Embark on a captivating journey of variety and contrast, as you explore volcanic deserts, rainforests, and charming harbor towns in the Canary Islands. Experience the awe-inspiring pinnacles of the Teide National Park, a World Natural Heritage Site, where meter-high lava tongues and bizarre rock formations create a mesmerizing landscape. Encounter whales and dolphins in their natural habitat off La Gomera, where the food-rich waters attract these majestic marine mammals. Leave the hustle and bustle of the Canaries behind as you discover the pristine island of El Hierro, where pine forests and quaint villages offer a tranquil retreat. Immerse yourself in culture with a concert evening at the Gabinete Literario, a historic cultural institution housed in an elegant art nouveau building. This voyage promises an unparalleled blend of nature's wonders, marine encounters, and cultural delights, providing a truly unforgettable exploration of the Canary Islands' diverse beauty and charming coastal towns.
- The pinnacles of a World Natural Heritage Site: meter-high lava tongues and bizarre rock formations in the Teide National Park
- Meet whales and dolphins in their natural habitat: The marine mammals love the food-rich waters off La Gomera
- Leave the Canaries’ hustle and bustle behind: pine forests and quaint villages on the pristine Canary Island of El Hierro
- Concert evening at the Gabinete Literario: An elegant art nouveau building is home to the historical cultural institution
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Departure 10.00 pm With its black volcano almost 2,000 meters (6,561 foot) high and endless white beaches along the coastline, the island of Gran Canaria displays a huge variety of landscapes. A "continent in miniature" with rugged rock formations, dense pine forests, dry valleys and reservoirs in the interior, lush vegetation in the north, shimmering dune landscapes in the south and weirdly shaped cliffs in the west. Almost half the island has been registered by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The capital, Las Palmas, is no less colorful, with its port and history stretching back 500 years. The showpiece of this historic old town is the magnificent Santa Ana Cathedral.
Arrival 01.30 pm, Departure 09.30 pm Santa Cruz is the perfect starting point if you want to discover Tenerife's diverse mix of beach, nature, and avant-garde culture. The capital and port city in the northeast of the island is not only decked out with historic buildings but also features a lively art scene and spectacular modern architecture by Calatrava or Herzog, and De Meuron. Santa Cruz is also not far from other highlights in the north. For example, the lively colonial town of La Laguna, with its impressive mansions, or quaint Taganana in the Agana Landscape Park, which has retained the charm of an old mountain village.
Arrival 09.00 am, Departure 11.00 pm Many people consider La Gomera to be the most wildly romantic island in the Canaries. Rugged gorges, craggy hillsides, fertile valleys and evergreen cloud forests characterise the landscape. The Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, embraces the whole central mountain area and is an unusual little spot. Ancient bay trees, heather bushes as high as trees and meter-high ferns form a cloud forest where treemoss hangs from the trees and mosses cling to gnarled branches – a truly mystical natural spectacle which has existed for millions of years.
Arrival 01.30 pm, Departure 11.00 pm The combination of small size and great height make the lush green volcanic island of La Palma one of the steepest islands on earth. The white houses in the island's capital shine out from wooded mountain slopes and the old town center of Santa Cruz is covered by a preservation order principally because of its Canarian houses with their artistically decorated wooden balconies. The Caldera de Taburiente towers above the north of the island. With a diameter of nine kilometers (5.6 miles) and surrounded by crater walls more than 2,000 meters (6,561 foot) high, it is one of the world's largest volcanic craters. Behind the caldera is the cloud forest of Los Tilos. The Biosphere Reserve was extended by UNESCO to cover the whole island of La Palma.
Arrival 01.30 pm, Departure 11.00 pm Volcanic activity has created a wildly romantic and varied natural landscape. A black lava desert and strange rock formations with oddly shaped, wind-defying juniper trees in the south, orchards, vineyards, fig and almond groves in the north, lush green meadows and pastures in the high plateaus, and perhaps the most beautiful pine forests in the archipelago. El Hierro, the smallest and newest of the Canary Islands, is almost completely edged with steeply sloping, rugged cliffs and the spray from the surging ocean. UNESCO has designated it a Biosphere Reserve.
Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
Arrival 03.00 pm With its black volcano almost 2,000 meters (6,561 foot) high and endless white beaches along the coastline, the island of Gran Canaria displays a huge variety of landscapes. A "continent in miniature" with rugged rock formations, dense pine forests, dry valleys and reservoirs in the interior, lush vegetation in the north, shimmering dune landscapes in the south and weirdly shaped cliffs in the west. Almost half the island has been registered by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The capital, Las Palmas, is no less colorful, with its port and history stretching back 500 years. The showpiece of this historic old town is the magnificent Santa Ana Cathedral.
Itineraries are subject to change.
Sea Cloud
| Launched | 1931 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 passengers |
| Length | 109 metres |
Sea Cloud is a ship with a soul, imbued by the original owners, Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband E.F. Hutton in the 1930’s. The ship has played host to royalty, known service in wartime, and sailed the world over. She is a vessel of incomparable grace that harks back to the golden age of ship travel. Once you’ve been on Sea Cloud under full sail, you’ll begin your own love affair.
Welcome aboard a legend Sea Cloud accommodates 58 guests in 28 outside cabins including two original owner’s suites that still feature original marble baths and fireplaces. At 360 feet she is an expansive ship with extensive public spaces on the top deck, where we luxuriate in deck chairs and watch the crew of 18 go aloft in the web of riggings to hand-set her 30 sails. Her dining room is hung with marine oil paintings of the period and accommodates all guests at once for a single seating. We’ll gather in the lounge each evening for Recap. Life aboard is a uniquely pleasing mix of elegance and informality—a return to the golden age of sailing in shorts and deck shoes. You’ll find all shipboard services impeccable.
Discover the romance of tall ship sailingExperience something many people don’t know exists in the 21st century—the romance of life under square sails. Discover the thrill of standing on deck as Sea Cloud gently glides through the water, her crew aloft in the riggings, running out and reefing sails. Settle in to your favorite areas on the top deck and bask in the incomparable experience of traveling aboard the finest tall ship to ever sail the seas. Lose yourself in an adventure that, in this day and age, is almost unimaginable.
