Winter in the Canaries & the Algarve — Beginning in Tenerife
This winter we are spending seven weeks between the Canary Islands and Portugal’s Algarve. The first two weeks are devoted to a guided tour of two Canary Islands — Tenerife and La Palma — with the Canadian tour company Wheel & Anchor.
We arrived in Tenerife a day before the tour began, giving ourselves time to get oriented in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It was a perfect way to ease into island life before meeting the other participants for drinks in the hotel lobby that evening. The group of 18 travellers represented nearly every corner of Canada — from British Columbia to the East Coast — and several had travelled with Wheel & Anchor as many as nine times.
We also managed to fit in a visit with great boating friends Dave and Judith, who spend their winters on Tenerife, Canary Islands. We had such a great time catching up with them.
Some pics of our lovely ocean front hotel
We spent a wonderful half day with boating friends Dave and Judy
The following morning, we met our local guide, Dario, and headed out for a walking tour of Santa Cruz. The afternoon concluded with local food and drinks at a charming outdoor restaurant overlooking the harbour — a relaxed and welcoming introduction to both the city and our fellow travellers.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a fascinating history. Founded on May 3, 1494, by the Spanish conquistador Alonso Fernández de Lugo, it began as a modest port settlement marked by the planting of a silver Holy Cross to commemorate the conquest of the island. Thanks to its strategic Atlantic location, the town evolved from a small fishing village into an important commercial, naval, and military centre, defending itself against numerous pirate raids over the centuries.
Perhaps its most famous moment came in 1797, when the city successfully repelled a British naval attack led by Admiral Horatio Nelson — who lost his right arm in the failed assault.
Santa Cruz officially became the capital of the island and province in 1833 and, since 1927, has served as co-capital of the Canary Islands alongside Las Palmas.
Pics from our walking tour of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
And so our winter adventure begins — shaped by history, ocean air, and new Canadian friendships under the Atlantic sun.
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