Beautiful Greens Of The Canary Islands

With its black volcano almost 6,561 feet high and endless white beaches along the coastline, the island of Gran Canaria displays a huge variety of landscapes. It's a "continent in miniature" with rugged rock formations, dense pine forests, dry valleys and reservoirs inland, 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.

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.

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 characterize 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 tall ferns form a cloud forest where moss hangs from the trees and clings to gnarled branches – a truly mystical natural wonder that has existed for millions of years.

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 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 5.6 miles and surrounded by crater walls more than 6,561 feet 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.

Volcanic activity has created a wildly romantic and varied natural landscape. It's a land of 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.

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.

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.

With its black volcano almost 6,561 feet high and endless white beaches along the coastline, the island of Gran Canaria displays a huge variety of landscapes. It's a "continent in miniature" with rugged rock formations, dense pine forests, dry valleys and reservoirs inland, 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.