Atlantic Islands

• Canaries & Azores
• Cape Verde

Sunkissed yet prone to the wild vagaries of sea storms, the Atlantic Island’s scenery, culture, architecture, and wildlife are made for small ship explorations, affording travellers more in-depth exploration. There are beautiful Portuguese and Spanish-inspired UNESCO-listed towns with an easy vibe and cobbled streets. The volcanic landscapes offer some of Europe’s finest hiking. In The Azores, resident sperm whales come out to play, and you will enjoy frolicking dolphins around the Canaries. The rum grogue of Cape Verde and dry wines of Pico are dangerously good.  

Expedition cruise vessels feature expert lectures on the Atlantic landscapes and the cultures you pass through, from how slavery fashioned Cape Verde to viticulture and the migration of whales. Snorkelling and kayaking may well be offered off your vessel.

The best time to visit the Atlantic Islands depends on which islands you're considering, as the Atlantic Ocean encompasses many climates and locations. Generally speaking, the summer and winter months are popular due to warm summer days and nights and balmy winter days.

Visiting the Canary Islands, Azores, and Cape Verde from October to April offers several advantages, including optimal weather conditions, safer sailing outside the hurricane season, and unique wildlife viewing and cultural experiences. These factors make this period the most favourable for expedition cruises to these Atlantic islands.

The headline act is whale-watching. Sperm whales, pilot whales, and even migrating blues and orcas can be seen throughout the year alongside Atlantic dolphins. Birdlife is important as there are a number of endemic species. Among The Azores’ 300 recorded species is the endemic Priolo (Azorean bullfinch), while blue chaffinches are found around Mt Teide.

These islands transition from mixed Creole culture to the south, the legacy of slavery, through Spanish and Portuguese occupation to the North, where classical cities of palaces, ancient churches, cobbled plazas, and convents are reminders of Balearic pre-eminence. Expedition travellers will discover how Cape Verde’s society emerged from slavery, how the Canary Islands fused a style different from the Spanish mainland, and how whaling brought wealth and power to the Azores for several centuries before this iniquitous practice ended.

Adventure is wedded to the sea along these mid to east Atlantic archipelagos. Soaring volcanoes with fiery calderas and lava-contorted landforms ensure off-shore hiking in the likes of Fogo, Faial, and La Gomera, which will feature in off-ship activities. The drop-off from these volcanic islands and an influx of cold currents ensures fabulous marine biodiversity of whales and dolphins to be explored by zodiacs. Exploration is to see and experience the islands, bays, and verdant mountains by ship, just as those who came centuries before.

You can enter Cape Verde without a visa, but a bigger post-Brexit stumbling block for travellers to the Canaries and The Azores, both within the EU, is that a British passport must have been issued less than ten years before the date you enter the country. So check! It’s a pedantic loophole catching people out. All three of the Atlantic island archipelagos in this guide accept Euros.

Don’t forget insect repellent for Cape Verde, windproof jackets, especially when sailing around The Azores, and sturdy hiking shoes, as trekking and volcano visits are always available on expedition vessel itineraries. Likewise, remember seasickness medication or patches because the Atlantic can launch fearsome swells, even in summer. Above all, bring a spirit of open-mindedness for the Canaries, which in places has escaped mass tourism; bring binoculars for The Azores as you’re sure to see whales, and sample Cape Verde’s nightlife and let the spirit of fado and grogue remind you how good it feels to travel.