Profiles of the
Canaries & Portugal

One of Spain’s Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa, Gran Canaria is best known for its black lava and white sand beaches. Its capital, Las Palmas, offers some of the best beaches on the island with shorelines bordered by coral barriers that shelter swimmers. Make the trek up to the neighborhoods of San Nicolas and San Juan for remarkable views of the homes below. Within the capital’s heart you can find the Pueblo Canario, a replica of a traditional Canarian village where you can learn about the island’s culture and how it has evolved.

Formed off the coast of Morocco, the volcanic Canary Islands offer rugged and captivating landscapes with black and white sand beaches. The port city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a rich combination of historical architecture and modern design, leads the way to exploration of the islands, sometimes referred to as the Canaries.

Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, lies off the northwest coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. A walk along the Santa Cruz promenade comes with views of lush green flora and rocky mountain peaks against blue sky. Playa Jardin offers spectacular views of black sand dotted with verdant palm trees and the deep blue waters of the Atlantic lapping against the shore, creating a vibrant picture of paradise.

Mount Teide, the highest point of elevation in Spain, offers breathtaking views with a short cable car ride up near its summit. The active volcano offers fertile grounds that are home to over 150 plant species, making it a colorful landscape you will not want to miss. Its walking paths give you the chance to challenge your muscles to the ultimate hike.

The cuisine of the Canary Islands is a rich and savory mix of Spanish, African, and Latin-American foods. Even one of its staple foods, bananas, originated in Asia. This cultural combination of foods makes eating in the Canaries an adventure of its own. With flavors of fish, rice, meat, and locally grown fruits and vegetables, your taste buds will never be bored.

With a historic quarter declared a Historic-Artistic Site, Santa Cruz de la Palma offers colonial homes and paths that invite you to wander through the Canary Islands’ past. Take an invigorating uphill hike to the 17th-century Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves, La Palma’s prime landmark. Over at Maroparque, animal lovers can revel in the rescue center. Displaying an array of wildlife, this small zoo invites you to let out your inner child. Along Playa de Santa Cruz de la Palma, you find a contrasting scene of black-sand beach against a backdrop of verdant hills, a vibrant image you’ll want to get lost in.

One of the small islands of the Madeira archipelago, Porto Santo is renowned for warm waters, a long sandy beach and exceptional dive sites and has come to be known as the Golden Island. The island’s capital, Vila Baleira, holds a great deal to explore, from its main square Largo do Pelourinho to the Infante Gardens. Porto Santo’s main beach with the same name is by far its most popular and iconic landmark, rumored to have curative powers. For a more thrilling adventure, take a GeoSafari tour navigating mountain terrain.

Spend the day on the high seas pampering yourself at the spa or enjoying some time on deck. Mingle with your fellow explorers and swap stories of your exploits, making plans for new ones together once you get to shore

Amid the stunning Azores — Europe’s best-kept secret — is the charming island of Santa Maria, the oldest of the archipelago’s isles. It’s home to the Azores’ only white-sand beaches, including the beautiful Formosa Beach, whose waters beckon you and your fellow explorers for a swim. Nearby, the Macela viewpoint offers panoramic vistas as far as the eye can see, inviting a sense of pure exploration. Gather your fellow explorers for an adventure to the local Maia’s vineyards, where grapes are cultivated in unique, stone volcanic walls known as currais. The wine produced on this island, “vinho de cheiro,” is only produced for domestic consumption. Find your way to São Brás Fort, a 16th-century defense against pirate attacks that has stood the test of time and holds its place in history as an important site from the Age of Discovery.

Amid the stunning archipelago of the Azores is São Jorge Island, providing impressive views of all its sister islands atop its lush hills. Known as the "Dragon Island" for its connection to the lore of Saint George the dragon slayer, and its patron saint, São Jorge inspires a sense of magic and mystery. The historic city center of Velas invites you and your fellow explorers to stroll its streets in search of local favorites among the bars and restaurants. The path may lead you to the Jardim da República, a verdant paradise amid the stone walkways. Home to Europe’s only artisanal coffee plantation, Fajã dos Vimes, the island beckons you to savor the incredible taste and aroma of locally grown coffee as you discover the fertile, cooled lava fields where the fruit grows. The Preguiça natural swimming pools entice you and your new friends with the promise of an enchanting adventure amid the Azores’s natural beauty.

Along the eastern shore of the Azores’ Terceira Island sits Praia da Vitória. Amid its picturesque main square, you find the charming parish church with Manueline architecture, a Gothic doorway and a golden Baroque side chapel. From the Serra do Cume Viewpoint you’ll see verdant stretches of valleys and fields that offer an expansive perspective of the vila. Concrete platforms built into lava rocks along the oceanside create an astonishing scene at the nearby Praia dos Biscoitos, where the waves crash against the volcanic shoreline. Make your way toward the center of the island for a hiking adventure around Furnas de Enxofre, where volcanic activity occurs as hot springs and sulfurous fumaroles

Spend the day on the high seas pampering yourself at the spa or enjoying some time on deck. Mingle with your fellow explorers and swap stories of your exploits, making plans for new ones together once you get to shore

Spend the day on the high seas pampering yourself at the spa or enjoying some time on deck. Mingle with your fellow explorers and swap stories of your exploits, making plans for new ones together once you get to shore

Along the southwestern coast of the Algarve region of Portugal lies the vibrant port city of Portimão, equal parts history come to life and modern, cosmopolitan atmosphere. The Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar contain prehistoric remnants of the country’s beginnings while Praia da Rocha (Rock Beach) presents the quintessential beach scene that makes this an ideal, tropical getaway. Not far from here you’ll find Praia dos Três Castelos, a beach well-known for its strange and dramatic rock formations of limestone. Located in the urban setting of Portimão, the Fort of Santa Catarina creates a stark contrast with its medieval construct, where walking the ancient paths call to your inner child and make you feel a sense of wonder and imagination.

A Moroccan port in the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier has acted as the connection between Europe and North Africa since Phoenician times. It’s also a less-traveled port, so it offers a more authentic feel to city life in Morocco. Wander the medina to lose yourself in the maze of narrow streets leading to the Grand Socco marketplace. The Kasbah Museum, the old sultan’s palace restored to its former glory, contains a dazzling array of detailed maps, mesmerizing courtyards and signature Moorish architecture. Explore the Caves of Hercules, near Cap Spartel just outside of Tangier city limits.

Iconic in its own right, the Moroccan city of Casablanca is a pillar of the local culture before French colonization. Marrakesh, meanwhile, offers an abundance of classical, Moorish architecture and the breathtaking gardens of the Bahia Palace dating back to the 12th century. The energy hums amid the Central Market of Casablanca and your senses are enthralled at Marrakesh’s Jemaa el-Fnaa. The monumental Hassan II mosque is a triumph of traditional, Moorish architecture combined with innovations of the 20th century. Known for having the largest minaret in the world and towering above the Atlantic Ocean, it’s a magnificent sight from afar, but a closer look inside provides an even grander sight, as its glass floor gives way to views of the Atlantic beneath its foundations