Destinations

Unique experiences in the Canaries

Each Canary Island has its own landscapes, attractions and identity, making a cruise to the Canary Islands an adventure full of surprises. And to make your all-inclusive cruise even more special, Saga offer a range of unique experiences. You’ll return from the Canaries with an array of memories and spectacular stories to tell!

A volcanic barbeque on Fire Mountain

Lanzarote is known as the ‘Island of Volcanoes’ for good reason: the landscape is punctuated by over 300 volcanic cones overlooking blackened lava fields.

Even today, volcanic activity can be observed in Timanfaya National Park and on our special optional excursion, a barbecue meal will be cooked using the very same heat source that altered the island’s physical shape.

Witness the volcanic formations as you are guided across this private land, before arriving at ‘El Diablo’, a restaurant housed within one of artist César Manrique’s impressive buildings. His aim was to connect modern structures on Lanzarote with the natural volcanic landscape.

The restaurant provides a 360-degree panorama across the rugged landscape. Enjoy a the volcanic barbecue, cooked by the heat contained just below the surface, accompanied by red or white wine, soft drinks, beer or water, followed by ‘Bienmesable’ – a traditional Lanzarote dessert.

Sea trekking off the coast of Lanzarote

Bridging the gap between snorkelling and scuba diving, ‘sea trekking’ allows you to breathe underwater, without the need for cumbersome dive gear. Instead, oxygen is provided from the surface and continuously fed into a high-tech helmet.

You’ll learn the basics from an instructor before the exciting bit – heading into the underwater realm from the beach to walk on the ocean floor in nearweightlessness! During the excursion you might see seabream, damselfish, brightly-coloured wrasse, spider crabs and wide-eyed flounders.

The activity itself lasts 30 minutes, giving you the chance to experience the magic of the marine environment. Then there’ll be free time to relax on the beach or explore the local area before returning to the ship.

Hike the Bandama Crater on Gran Canaria

The Bandama Caldera is one of the youngest volcanoes on the Canarian archipelago. Its crater is over 650 feet deep, has a diameter of almost threequarters of a mile and was last active about 3,000 years ago, when a series of eruptions gave the Santa Brígida district its distinctive topography.

See it on Saga’s optional trip, which begins with a walk along a green path that takes you right into the heart of the Bandama Crater.

At the very centre you’ll see an abandoned homestead – this was formerly the only inhabited volcanic crater in the world! From here you can enjoy amazing views of the interior of the crater and see the effects of the eruptions.

Whale-watching by catamaran, Tenerife

A real magical trip! Board a catamaran for an optional excursion in search of the pilot and sperm whales that live all year in the waters around the island of Tenerife.

These large mammals live in groups of between eight and 15: each pod is dominated by a big male about 26 feet long, weighing about 5,500 pounds. You may also see dolphins or other species of whale if you are lucky!

During the boat trip, rolls and drinks will be served, and you will have some free time to swim in the crystal waters.

La Hacienda and La Palma’s Silk Museum

Sit back and relax on this exclusive tour. First, visit a silk museum, the only place in Europe still weaving using a traditional 500-year-old process.

Next, visit the Hacienda de Abajo, a former 17th-century sugar estate. Enjoy fruit punch before touring the rooms filled with art treasures including sculptures, paintings, furniture and porcelain, in addition to some beautiful tapestries. After a tour here, enter the gardens to enjoy speciality tea and snacks.

On your return journey to the cruise port at Santa Cruz, a photo-stop will be made at La Glorieta Square, allowing you to view the stunning mosaics by local artist Luis Morera.

These excursions are just a tiny selection of the unique experiences available on Saga’s choice of Canary Island cruises.

The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by Saga unless specifically stated.

The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal, medical or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.