10 volcanic wonders to visit on a Canary Islands and Madeira cruise

Essentially, the Canary Islands and their neighbour Madeira are volcanoes poking out of the Atlantic Ocean. They were formed by tectonic plates moving across a ‘hot spot’ in the Earth’s crust. The isles’ beguilingly strange topography is purely down to volcanic activity, which is still ongoing in some places. Here are 10 natural wonders you can visit on a cruise excursion.

1. Timanfaya, Lanzarote

Three hundred years ago, a large chunk of the landscape in north-west Lanzarote did not exist. After a series of eruptions that lasted six years, Fire Mountain – otherwise known as Timanfaya National Park – was born, an alien world of contorted lava, multi-coloured cinder cones and mysterious craters. An off-road bus takes visitors on a guided tour.

Enjoy a barbecue cooked with volcanic heat at Timanfaya on Saga’s 13-night Pure Canaries cruise. From £2,992pp, departing Southampton on January 9, 2020 (travel.saga.co.uk).

2. Mount Teide, Tenerife

At 12,198ft, Mount Teide is the highest point in all Spanish territories – and measured from the ocean floor, one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It is impressive when viewed from nearby, but it’s worth taking the cable car almost to the top for stupendous views. Teide – which is still classed as active – and its surroundings are a Unesco-listed national park.

Fred Olsen offers Teide trips on its 14-night Canary Islands with Madeira cruise, departing Liverpool on October 28, 2019, from £1,949pp (fredolsencruises.com).

3. São Vicente Caves, Madeira

Lava tubes are tunnels formed when the outer surface of fast-moving lava cools while the molten rock inside keeps flowing. This eerie and striking phenomenon can be found at São Vicente near Madeira’s rugged north coast. Almost 900,000 years old, the tunnel-caves boast crystal-clear pools and stalactites. An audiovisual display at the site explains their creation.

Explore the caves on Marella’s seven-night Canarian Flavours cruise, departures November 2019 to April 2020 from Gran Canaria or Tenerife, from £810pp including flights (tui.co.uk).

4. Bandama Caldera, Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria’s ‘hero’ landscape feature is a giant bowl – a collapsed volcano – more than 3,000ft across and 600ft deep. From the viewing platform at the highest point, you may spot the remains of a farmhouse and ancient vineyards in its bottom. On the drive up to the rim, ravines formed during the same geological period can be viewed.

Princess offers a Bandama viewing on its 11-night Canary Islands cruise, departing Southampton on October 8, 2019, from £999pp (princess.com).

5. Taburiente, La Palma

Often dubbed the ‘steepest island in the world’, La Palma is dominated by the enormous Caldera de Taburiente, the rim of which reaches almost 8,000ft above the surrounding ocean. Inside the mighty walls is a tangle of rocks, foliage and birdlife. The five-mile wide monolith was, unusually, formed by erosion rather than a titanic eruption.

Go inside the caldera on Azamara’s 17-night Portuguese Discoveries cruise to Rio, departing Lisbon on November 13, 2019, from £2,292pp excluding flights (azamaraclubcruises.co.uk)

6. Roque de Agando, La Gomera

Sticking out like a giant’s thumb, Agando is the emblem of La Gomera. Almost 600ft high, the basalt rock is a volcanic plug – what is left after the rest of a volcano has eroded away, a process that in this case took about 20 million years. It is the most impressive of a number of similar formations on the island. Mount Teide on neighbouring Tenerife can often be seen from this point.

Noble Caledonia visits Agando on its 11-night Morocco, Madeira & Canary Islands cruise, departing Casablanca on October 30, 2020, from £4,995pp including flights (noble-caledonia.co.uk).

7. La Restinga, El Hierro

In 2012, an underwater eruption occurred just off the fishing village of La Restinga on the smallest of the Canary Islands, El Hierro. It sparked a series of small earthquakes, and seismic activity continues on a regular basis today, sometimes spitting out floating rocks. A museum describes the activity, while a bizarre volcanic rock formation rises from the sea just up the coast.

Seabourn has a trip to La Restinga on its 14-night Morocco and Canary Islands cruise, departing Lisbon on April 8, 2020, from £5,499pp excluding flights (seabourn.com).

8. Manrique creations, Lanzarote

Of all Cesar Manrique’s works, those he constructed out of Lanzarote’s tortured topography are the most impressive. The Arrecife-born artist-architect formed his own home, now a museum, from volcanic ‘bubbles’, while the Jameos del Agua was born from a part-collapsed volcanic tunnel. The latter has a natural lagoon, cave auditorium and beautiful swimming pool.

Visit Jameos del Agua on Celebrity’s 10-night Canary Islands cruise, departing Southampton on October 13, 2019, from £1,049pp (celebritycruises.co.uk).

9. Cumbre Nueva, La Palma

Down the spine of La Palma, south of its monster caldera, the area known as Cumbre Nueva – new summit – is a geologist’s dream. Smaller volcanoes and solidified lava flows share space with tall Canary pine trees. Near the town of Fuencaliente, the San Antonio volcano is a distinctive cone with rock in shades of red and purple and far-reaching views from its rim.

P&O Cruises has tours to Cumbre Nueva on its 12-night Canary Islands cruise, departing Southampton on November 3, 2019, from £899pp (pocruises.com)

10. Cueva del Viento, Tenerife

The Cave of the Wind is one of the world’s longest lava tubes, with a labyrinth of tunnels totalling about 11 miles. You need a lamp to explore the complex. Information panels explain their formation during an eruption, though it’s quite easy to imagine the rush of molten lava through the channel. The visitor centre will fill in any gaps in visitors’ knowledge.

Enter the caves on Royal Caribbean’s 11-night Sunshine in the Canaries cruise departing Southampton on October 25, 2019, from £799pp (royalcaribbean.co.uk)

Check excursion availability before booking a cruise.