An expert guide to cruising the Canary Islands

Lying south west of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean, the archipelago is made up of seven main islands: take a bow Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. Those most frequently included on cruise itineraries are Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

Most visitors are lured to the Canaries by the 600 miles of coastline and swathes of sunshine soaked beaches – this year-round cruise destination has an average annual temperature of close to 24 degrees Celsius. However, venture beyond the busy holiday resorts and buzzing nightlife and you step into a totally different world, one of deep, wild forests, volcanic craters, lunar landscapes and time warp villages. …