Canary Islands & Madeira

The capital of the Emerald Isle is, with its friendly locals, fascinating history, legendary literary tradition and charming mix of medieval, Georgian and modern architecture, a city of unforgettable character. It lies on the east coast of Ireland along the banks of the River Liffey. Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, Trinity College and the beautiful square St Stephen’s Green lie south of the Liffey, whilst the glorious Custom House, majestic Four Courts and famous General Post Office add grace to Dublin’s Northside. Crossing the river the high-arched Ha’penny Bridge is one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks.

A charming mix of both modern city and old town, La Coruña is capital of the Spanish province bearing the same name in the rugged and beautiful region of Galicia. The symbol of La Coruña, nicknamed the ‘Crystal City’ for the glass-fronted buildings along its attractive seafront promenade, is the 2nd century lighthouse Torre del Hercules. Beautiful old streets and squares are found in Ciudad Vieja. The heart of this old town is the colonnaded Maria Pita Square surrounded by delightful shops, cafes and restaurants.

Famously contested, Gibraltar is a renowned headland in the Mediterranean Sea.
In ancient times known as the Pillars of Hercules with it’s African counterpart, Mt Abyla, the Rock has remained under British rule for the last 300 years, despite being connected to Spain.
A towering 1400 ft outcrop that separates the Mediterranean from the Atlantic, Gibraltar was named Jebel al-Tarik by the Moorish General Tarik who landed there in 711 AD.
See the famous Barbary apes that occupy the island as well as St Michael’s Cave and the Siege Tunnels or admire the view to Africa from a cable car.

A city with maritime roots, Arrecife first appeared on maps in the 15th century as a small fishing harbour. It has since 1852 been the capital of Lanzarote, the northernmost and fourth largest of Spain’s Canary Islands. Lanzarote, which lies just four degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer and enjoys a sub-tropical climate, is volcanic in origin. Arrecife’s Calle Leon y Castila has a wealth of shops and is an opportunity for duty free shopping.

The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is dominated by Mount Teide in the central mountain range and several spectacular valleys covered with lush landscape, banana plantations and pinewoods. Santa Cruz, the island's capital, offers a number of museums, and churches to explore together with tempting shops and restaurants. The exotic gardens of Garcia Sanabria Park are worth a visit as is Loro Parque, with its tropical gardens, collection of parrots, and an aquarium with sharks, sealions and penguins.