Connect in the Canaries
The Canary Islands are a horticultural paradise rich with fertile landscapes. Discover them on this stunning Princess cruise
For the green-fingered, one of the great joys of travelling somewhere new is discovering plants and flowers you’ve never seen before. And, although you might not have had many opportunities to broaden your horizons in the past year, now you can look forward to a sunkissed tour of some of the most vibrant vegetation on the western tip of Europe, thanks to Princess Cruises’ 11-Day Canary Islands voyage.
You’ll sail from Southampton, first spending three days on the resplendent Regal Princess ship. Your complimentary OceanMedallion™, about the size of a 10p, will ensure you have constant contactless access to your stateroom and the ship’s full range of facilities, including the Chef’s Table Lumiere fine dining experience and the blissful Lotus SpaAE. Plus, after each day of memorable experiences, you’ll be able to sleep soundly in your Princess Luxury Bed, designed by a sleep expert.
Your first port of call will be three of the most prominent Canary Islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote, before sailing south to the gorgeous Portuguese island of Madeira, and a final stop in Vigo, Spain. Read on for just a few of the horticultural wonders that await you on this memorable cruise.
Gran Canaria
After you set foot on land, the Garden Tour will take you to the Ciudad JardÌn, home to elegant houses, the official residence of the President, and the Parque Doramas. This beautifully landscaped park features a placid man-made lake, waterfalls and a wooden bridge that stretches over a koi pond. Take the time to relax and rejuvenate as you stroll past flowers, cacti and native Canarian plants, including palm trees that date back over a hundred years. The trip then takes you round both the famous JardÌn Canario and JardÌn de la Marquesa de Arucas. Established in 1880 by the island’s first Marquis and his wife, the latter is a romantic and serene setting for the 2,500 tropical plants that live in its five acres. You’ll have a full hour to meander through the grounds and see more beautiful cacti, poinsettia plants as tall as buildings and huge dragon trees, along with the majestic roaming peacocks.
Lanzarote
The fourth largest Canary Island boasts endlessly fertile landscapes thanks to more than 300 now-dormant volcanoes, and you can learn about them all on the Craters, Lava Tubes & Cactus Gardens excursion. First, you’ll visit Jameos del Agua. This open-air cavern is part of a four-mile-long volcanic tunnel that was formed by molten lava after the eruption of the La Corona volcano 3,000 years ago.
Your second destination is the JardÌn de Cactus, the last work of artist CÈsar Manrique. The garden features 10,000 types of cactus from more than 1,400 distinct species, and is also home to the island’s cochineal insect, which is often used in the textile and cosmetic industries. You’ll then visit Manrique’s former house and studio. Erected on top of a volcanic trail, the home’s interior was built around five volcanic bubbles and is a truly unique construction.
Madeira
Perhaps the finest garden experience lies in wait on the autonomous Portuguese island of Madeira. The Botanical Gardens & Monte Cable Car excursion takes you to the eastern borders of the capital Funchal for an exquisite showcase of both horticulture and architecture. The Botanical Gardens are situated on the grounds of a former private house, hosting plants and flowers from all over the world thanks to the temperate climate.
There is a herbarium, as well as terraces and greenhouses with many rare and indigenous plants – you’ll want to have your camera ready for the glorious aerial views of the city, too. For an even better field of vision, you can enjoy a spectacular cable car ride, which offers panoramic views over the Valley of Jo„o Gomes River before reaching the viewpoint at Barbosas Square in Monte.