Canary Islands & Madeira Winter Warmth

Facilities in Liverpool are constantly being improved to make boarding, stopping off or leaving your cruise ship easy, enjoyable and stress-free.

The picturesque whitewashed capital of this mountainous Portuguese island, 350 miles off the coast of Africa, has a timeless charm, delightfully enhanced by a benign climate that fills this ‘floating garden' with the year round colours and perfumes of subtropical flowers and fruit. Much painted by Sir Winston Churchill, Madeira has been offering the British visitor a warm welcome for three centuries, its famous wine the perfect aid to total relaxation!

La Palma’s small, yet pretty capital city - is one of the Canary Island’s true gems. Boasting colonial-style architecture, a swathe of charming beaches, restaurants and bars, Santa Cruz is typically Canarian and has something for everyone. Conquered by the King of Castile in the 15th century, Santa Cruz de La Palma was a key trading post between Spain and the Americas, and the city’s fascinating history can be explored in the historic quarter – one of Spain’s Historic-Artistic sites. The Naval Museum is a replica of Christopher Columbus's 15th-century Santa Maria sailing ship. Stunning palaces and sumptuous merchants’ houses butt up against the grand town hall, built during the reign of Phillip II. Religious buildings include the Renaissance-style Church of El Salvador, with a tower of volcanic stone, and the Church of Santo Domingo, which houses a superb collection of Flemish paintings.Show less The compact city centre is incredibly picturesque, and the newly redeveloped beach and pr…

Sophisticated Santa Cruz - Tenerife's capital - is built around boulevards and wide avenues that link elegant squares and parks. Well-preserved buildings feature in the old town, including the colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception and the 18th century Palacio de Carta, which has impressive Baroque and neoclassical features. Recently redesigned by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, the city’s largest square, Plaza de España, is a pleasant spot to lose a few hours. Lively beaches such as Playa de Las Americas are within easy reach of Santa Cruz too. Away from the capital, many of Tenerife's highlights await on tours, including the exotic Botanical Gardens or the mystical lava stone Pyramids of Guimar. Exploring the volcanic El Teide National Park to marvel at majestic Mount Teide, or even climb Spain's highest peak, is an unmissable experience.

The thriving capital of Gran Canaria, third largest island of the Canaries, Las Palmas is within easy reach of the famous Playa del Ingles beach and the magnificent palm-fringed and Sahara-like dunes of Maspalomas. In quieter corners of the island attractive old towns like Teror and Arucas (the latter the island's ‘banana capital') invite exploration, while inland Gran Canaria's fretted volcanic landscapes of gorges, craters and mountains rising to 6,500ft offer memorable sightseeing.

It is hard to believe that in 1702, amid the calm setting of Vigo's fjord-like harbour, an English and Dutch force once fought and defeated the French and Spanish fleets anchored here. A major port city of Galicia, renowned for its seafood, Vigo has an appealing old town with a labyrinth of steep and winding narrow streets and shaded squares. Nearby is Santiago de Compostela, Christendom's third most holy pilgrimage shrine, in whose vast Gothic cathedral lays the body of St James.

Facilities in Liverpool are constantly being improved to make boarding, stopping off or leaving your cruise ship easy, enjoyable and stress-free.