The Canary Islands are a Spanish autonomous community in the North Atlantic, 100 kilometers off the coast of West Africa — seven volcanic islands with a subtropical climate, extraordinary natural landscapes, world-class beaches, and a culture that is Spanish in language and governance but distinctively Canarian in character. VV calls at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on its Miami-to-Barcelona transatlantic repositioning sailing, making the Canaries one of the first European or Atlantic ports visited on the eastbound crossing.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas is Gran Canaria’s capital — a city of 380,000 with an excellent old town (Vegueta), the Casa de Colón museum in the house where Christopher Columbus stayed on his first voyage to the Americas, fine beaches on the north side of the city (Playa de las Canteras, one of the best urban beaches in Europe), and a waterfront that blends working port with genuine city culture. Check out Best Spa Treatments to Book on Virgin Voyages: A Practical Guide.
The Casa de Colón
The Casa de Colón (House of Columbus) in the Vegueta district is one of the most historically significant buildings in Las Palmas — the governors’ palace where Columbus stayed during the 1492 stopover in Gran Canaria to repair the rudder of the Pinta before continuing west. The museum documents the four Columbus voyages and their extraordinary consequences for global history.
Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island capital, is on some VV Atlantic itineraries alongside Gran Canaria. Tenerife offers Mount Teide — at 3,718 meters, the highest peak in Spain and the third largest volcano in the world by volume, accessible via cable car from the national park — and the extraordinary Teide National Park landscape of volcanic calderas that genuinely looks like no other place on earth.
The Climate
The Canary Islands maintain a year-round subtropical climate of 20–25°C with minimal rainfall — earning their nickname the Islands of Eternal Spring. Arriving from the Caribbean or from the North Atlantic in spring, the Canaries feel genuinely warm and Mediterranean even before reaching Europe proper.
Insider Tips from Joel and Erin
- Playa de las Canteras for the afternoon. An excellent 3-kilometer urban beach in Las Palmas with calm water protected by a natural reef. One of the best beaches accessible on foot from a VV port.
- The Teide cable car must be pre-booked. On Tenerife itineraries, the Teide National Park cable car tickets sell out in advance. VV Shore Things handles the logistics.
- The Canaries are the natural gateway to the European voyages. For Sailors doing the Miami-to-Barcelona transatlantic, the Canaries represent the first warm port after the Atlantic crossing and the distinctive character of the crossing-to-Europe experience.
Ready to Sail to the Canaries?
Joel and Erin are certified First Mates. The Canary Islands appear on the VV Atlantic repositioning itineraries and deliver a genuinely distinctive subtropical port day.
Book your Virgin Voyages cruise at CruisePlanner.pro — and find eternal spring on the way to Europe
