Get To Know
The Region

Explore historical Mindelo with its cobblestone streets and colonial buildings — the pride and joy of the volcanic island of São Vicente. Nestled in a bay ringed by mountains, the scenery will move you and so will the music. Quench your thirst with a caipirinha at the beach bar of your choice, or take an invigorating hike to Monte Verde, the highest point on São Vicente. Music lovers can rejoice in the many cultural influences of Cape Verde’s sounds, with inspiring rhythms that include Brazilian samba, African drumbeats and Caribbean merengue. From Sal Rei, venture out to Cabo Santa Maria and explore the shipwreck. After working up an appetite, stop at a local restaurant for traditional Cape Verdean dishes such as buzio or cachupa rice.

Europe’s best-kept secret offers the UNESCO Global Geopark that calls out to explorer spirits. They’re also well-known for the cultivation of pineapples, which you can learn more about at Plantacao de Ananas dos Acores in Ponta Delgada. Enjoy cocktails and ice cream made with fresh pineapple juice. For a more challenging adventure, find your way to Ponta da Ferraria and go for a swim in what’s considered by many a hot tub in the ocean. In Praia da Vitória, find the charming parish church with Manueline architecture, a Gothic doorway and a golden Baroque side chapel. Make your way toward Furnas de Enxofre, where volcanic activity occurs as hot springs and sulfurous fumaroles.

Fuerteventura’s topography is unlike anywhere in the world, filled with austere landscapes and rolling hills that have earned it the designation of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Gran Canaria is best known for its black lava and white sand beaches, some of the best with shorelines bordered by coral barriers that shelter swimmers. Within the capital’s heart, find Pueblo Canario, a replica of a traditional village where you can learn about the evolution of the island’s culture. Over at Maroparque Zoo in La Palma, an array of wildlife invites you to marvel over natural wonders. Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, offers views of lush flora and rocky peaks against blue sky. Mount Teide, the highest point of elevation in Spain, offers breathtaking views with a short cable car ride up near its summit.