Spring Delights of Canary Islands & Madeira

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. (Prince Charles gets his pyjamas at Turnbull & Asser.) But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Further west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Leixões, the bustling port of Porto, offers visitors a unique taste of northern Portugal.  Just a short hop from the vibrant city of Porto, Leixões boasts a lively fish market, a beautiful waterfront promenade, and of course, easy access to the region's famous Port wine cellars. It's the perfect place to soak up the local atmosphere and enjoy the fresh seafood that the region is known for.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Blooming with beautiful flora, discover Funchal's colourful botanical gardens and flower markets. If you're feeling adventurous, take the cable car up to the hilltop town of Monte, then the famous toboggan run back down again. 

If your idea of a perfect day in port includes ambling along winding cobbled streets, browsing offbeat craft shops and watching the world go by from a street cafe, Santa Cruz de la Palma is an ideal destination. The city is the capital of La Palma, the most northwesterly of the Canary Islands. On the island, the town is sometimes referred to -- confusingly -- as just La Palma. To further complicate the name game, the island itself owns many titles, too: Its full name is San Miguel de la Palma, but it's also known as La Isla Bonita y Verde, "the beautiful green island." Whatever you call La Palma, often found on transatlantic itineraries, you'll find fine Spanish colonial houses with elaborate balconies and bougainvillea-draped white frontages -- and one of the world's largest volcanic craters. The Caldera de Taburiente measures nearly 17.5 miles across and nearly half a mile deep, and because it is home to rare animal and plant life, it has also been designated a national park. La Palma is a volcanic island, just like the rest of the Canary Islands, and some of La Palma's dramatic volcanoes are still active. The island was claimed by the Spanish in 1493, and both human remains and ancient utensils indicate that the island has been inhabited since pre-historic times.

Gran Canaria is a prime choice for the sun worshippers and water babies who flock to its abundant soft-sand beaches. Its port, Las Palmas, is the biggest city in the Canary Islands chain, and it's often visited by cruise ships. The island enjoys a spring-like climate year-round. Expect sunny days, warm water and an average annual temperature of a mild 69 degrees. Gran Canaria gets just about 10 days of rain each year. Like most Canarian cities, Las Palmas owns a distinctly Spanish feel and a rich history (the Canary Islands are an autonomous region of Spain). Conquistadors -- attracted by palm groves and a broad bay -- founded the city in 1478, and Christopher Columbus called there during his famous voyage of 1492. The port's palm tree-lined streets are clean, well laid out and richly endowed with fabulous floral displays -- the city's gardeners make the most of the balmy climate. And you don't have to travel far to find a pleasant beach; the honey-sanded Playa de las Canteras lies just northwest of the downtown area and has the distinction of being one of the longest city beaches in the world. The port also lies close to the internationally famous sea resort Playa del Ingles and the spectacular desert scenery of Maspalomas. Both are popular resorts year-round, so you will find plenty of dining and lazy beach options. Farther afield, visitors can discover quaint old towns like Arucas and Teror or explore Gran Canaria's volcanic interior -- a surreal moonscape of craggy gorges and gaping craters.

Lanzarote is the northernmost of the Canary Islands, situated just 70 miles off the coast of Africa. The island is 37 miles (60km) long and 12 miles (20 km) wide, making it the fourth largest island in the Canaries. Because it is just four degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer, it enjoys a sub-tropical climate that remains fairly stable year-round with average daytime temperatures ranging from about 21°C in January to 29°C in August. Annual rainfall is just 5.5 inches.

Lanzarote is volcanic in origin. Due to eruptions during the 18th and 19th centuries, many parts of the island appear to be from another world, often described as "lunar" or "Martian," so much so that parts of the 1970's science fiction series Planet of the Apes was shot on the island. The dry climate and lack of erosion means that the volcanic landscape appears much as it did just after the eruptions; the local tourist industry capitalizes on this fact.

Amongst the many volcanic features of Lanzarote is the longest volcanic tunnel in the world called the Atlantida Tunnel, which is over 7 km long and includes the La Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos del Agua. Today, the volcano park at Timanfaya is the islands number one tourist attraction. But 270 years ago it was the scene of the world's longest ever volcanic eruption. Father Lorenzo Curbelo, the priest of the nearby village of Yaiza, witnessed how the events started to unfold: "On the first day of September, 1730 between nine and ten o'clock at night, the earth suddenly opened near Timanfaya, two miles from Yaiza. An enormous mountain emerged from the ground with flames coming from its summit. It continued burning for 19 days. Some days later, a new abyss developed and an avalanche of lava rushed down over Timanfaya, Rodeo and part of Mancha Blanca.

"The lava extended over to the northern areas to begin with, running as fast as water, though it soon slowed down and ran like honey. On September 7th a great rock burst upwards with a thunderous sound and the pressure of the explosion forced the lava going northwards to change direction, flowing then to the north west and west north west. The lava torrent arrived, instantly destroying Maretas and Santa Catalina in the valley. On September 11th the eruption became stronger." The situation had obviously aggravated in the first week since it started, but the ordeal of the islanders had only begun and it would take six years before the eruptions finally came to an end.

Despite the history rocked by eruptions, there have been plenty of earlier visitors on the island. These include a Genoese sailor by the name of Lancelotto Malocello, who arrived here in 1312 as the first European. Some people say the island got its name from him, but other legends co-exist by its side. Another one suggests that after conquering the native inhabitants, Jean de Bethencourt, a Norman knight who arrived in 1402, celebrated his victory over the natives by throwing his broken lance into the air and shouting "lanza rota," which means broken spear.

The islanders finally surrendered on February 27, 1404, and on that day, their king Guardafia was baptized and christened Luis. Bethencourt was granted the title of king of the Canary Islands by Pope Innocent VII.

Bethencourt died in Normandy in 1422 and was succeeded by his nephew Maciot, who later turned out to be a tyrant. He established Teguise as the capital and seat of governor, but he was suspected of trying to sell the Canaries to the Portuguese, who had also laid claim to the islands, but at arbitration the pope decided in favour of the Castille. The constitution of Cadiz of 1812 abolished feudal system, and the Canaries became a province of Spain with Santa Cruz, Tenerife as the capital. In 1852, the law of free ports granted the islands immunity from customs and excise duties. They hold this status even today.

Cruise ships dock at Arrecife, which is capital of the island with 50,000 inhabitants. The island has several resorts, such as Puerto del Carmen, which is located some 20 km to the south from Arrecife, or Costa Teguise 7 km to the north.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

A former fishing village in the northwest of Spain, Ferrol exemplifies authentic Galician culture and is packed with sights and attractions for visitors to explore throughout its various neighbourhoods. Within the city, tourists can visit a castle, museums covering a variety of topics and historic churches. There are also several beaches in Ferrol, each unique and well-suited for a hot day. --By Shayne Thompson, Cruise Critic contributor

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. (Prince Charles gets his pyjamas at Turnbull & Asser.) But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Further west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.