I was told my borrowed horse Luther had just two speeds as we headed out for our sunset ride through El Salobre on the island of Gran Canaria: “slow and super slow.” This, on my second to last day of touring the Canary Islands on Windstar Cruises’ Wind Star, felt like provenance, a gift. I had tasked myself every day of this inaugural 10-day Canary Idyll itinerary aboard Wind Star to look at the world with Luther-level languor, a last hurrah of quiet before the holidays. It was my moment to be quiet within myself not only onboard but also at these extraordinarily charming ports.
Luther, that gentle, molasses-slow giant, was my spirit animal.
Feeling fortunate in the Canaries
Our cruise with Wind Star, which carries up to 148 guests as well as 101 staff members, began at Santa Cruz de Tenerife and stopped at San Sebastián de La Gomera, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Madeira, Lanzarote, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria before debarking at Santa Cruz de Tenerife. While not a vastly experienced cruiser, I had already been to bustling ports like Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, and a part of me was expecting something similar.
What I was not expecting was the topography of this island. Like the Hawaii of Europe. All lush green mountains and ocean breezes, black sand beaches and palm trees. The Canary Islands, I quickly learned, might be a part of Spain but also something else entirely. There’s a reason this archipelago, just 60 miles off the northwest coast of Africa, were once called the “fortunate islands.” The people I met at these ports of call, the food I ate, the wine I drank, the black sand beaches where I floated under the sun, left me drunk with my own good fortune to be here.
I am at a crossroads in my own life that is both fortunate and unusual. My four sons have gone off to live their own lives, and I am searching for my next stage after raising them on my own for the last 25 years. Trying to tell myself that now is the time to slow down, to notice, to find peace, after a lifetime of running kids around and sitting on the sidelines.
I could not have chosen a better place than the Canary Islands.
On arrival, a late night wander through Santa Cruz de Tenerife
My flight didn’t arrive until evening in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which meant I had just enough time to check into the hotel Windstar had chosen for me right in the middle of the old town, the Iberostar Heritage Mencey, wash my face. Eventually, I headed out for that most important of Spanish traditions, late night tapas at a local restaurant, dining around 10 p.m. in a restaurant crowded with locals. I feasted on fresh local bread with salted butter and warm crab potato salad and ham croquettes with a glass of local wine. My wander home took me through the surprisingly quiet, balmy streets of old town Tenerife. A perfect introduction to the Canary Islands, as it set me up for a different pace. A slower pace, an unfamiliar pace so quintessential to Spain itself.
Unveiling the cruise experience on Wind Star
Before boarding the Wind Star on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, I took the 6 1/2 hour flight from Toronto to Dublin. My flight arrived in the morning and I connected in the afternoon for the four hour flight to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The layover was long but easy, with enough time to leave the airport and take the bus to the little town of Swords for a classic Irish breakfast.
For faster flights, the Madrid layover on my way home was excellent. Even better, next time I would consider flying direct from Newark to Santa Cruz de Tenerife if at all possible with United Airlines. The direct flight takes around seven hours and cuts down travel time significantly.
Seeing Wind Star at port, a jewel of a sailing ship, was a treat. As our captain noted on our first night, “You will feel like you are on an adventure in this ship.”
Indeed. That first night, I was rocked to sleep in my stateroom by waves as though I were in a hammock. Especially on sea days, when everyone on the ship found their corners to tuck under a blanket in the bright sunshine to enjoy a coffee or a signature cocktail. And we were always inspired by the ports of call we visited.
Whistling a happy tune in San Sebastián de La Gomera
Our first port of call was San Sebastián de La Gomera, a place so specific and unusual that Christopher Columbus couldn’t even tear himself away back in the 15th century. No small thing considering his agenda. Rumor has it that his extended stay had a little something to do with a little affair he was having with the female ruler of the island at the time, Beatriz de Bobadilla. I suspect it had more to do with the black sand beaches, the lush green hills and sweeping vistas from Benchijigua Nature Reserve. Or perhaps he was entranced by the unique whistle language, Silbo Gomero, unique to the island. In fact, I was lucky enough to take a walking tour of the charming port town and hear this UNESCO-protected language being taught to some local students. We stopped and rested, listened to the children’s musical whistling. Their giddy laughter when they got it right. Their easy joy.
Before leaving port, I spontaneously threw on my swimsuit and took the quick walk from our ship to the beach for an evening swim at my travel partner Eddy’s suggestion. Eddy and I met on a Windstar cruise circumnavigating Iceland just two years ago and instantly knew we would be simpatico travel pals. He is a travel agent, a thinker, a planner of epic proportions. I am happy to say yes to just about anything, especially my very first swim on a black sand beach. We joined locals for a sunset dip just before our ship left port, floating on our backs in the cool sea and wishing we had spent more time just being on this quiet stretch of beach. This, of course, is the true benefit of this type of small ship cruise. Small ports, fewer people, easy to shift plans on a dime. Or, as I discovered in our next port, to make new plans as we went along.
Old-world charm and wild winds on Santa Cruz de la Palma
We awoke to wild winds when we docked in Santa Cruz de la Palma. I had been toying with the idea of an excursion, but decided I wanted to focus two desires. I wanted to sample a decadent dessert and a coffee and I wanted to see the Canarian balconies, renowned for their ornate, wooden designs that marry form and function. What’s intriguing is that they are beautiful but also practical, as they offer ventilation on hot summer days. The colorful, covered balconies decorated for the holidays with greenery and flowers were easy to find, and Santa Cruz de la Palma was easy to navigate.
Lots of cafes and locally owned shops dotted the historic city center, and I found what has become, for me, the dessert to beat all desserts, the Principe Alberto. A chocolate tart/sponge cake with crushed almonds grown right on the islands, decadently drenched in strong coffee. “There’s no such thing as bad food in the Canaries,” a British woman said to me in line at the cafe while I was deliberating on my options.
Road trip of natural pools, hiking in the clouds, and charming villages in Madeira
Two days in Madeira, our only stop in Portugal, felt like a good time to rent a car. Fortunately, my pal Eddy relished the hair pin turns and long drives through dark tunnels, because this was by far the best way to get a real taste of Madeira. To think I might have missed out on a walk through the quaint fishing village of Camara de Lobos, just a quick drive out of the thriving capital city of Funchal, or had missed a chance to swim in the famous natural pools of Porto Moniz! I don’t think I spent more than 15 minutes indoors during my time in Madeira.
We hiked the TikTok famous hike through Stairway to Heaven, a section of the Pico do Arieiro trail, as the sun went down. The sunset’s power made me feel wordless and liquid.
That car gave me the chance to slow down, to notice everything, to take my time. From the thatched roof cottages of Santana to the laid back surfing village of Porto da Cruz, I got the full culture hug of Madeira without feeling rushed. While we went our own way, there were some tempting excursions on offer from Wind Star. A toboggan ride from Monte, at the tip of Funchal, down the steep streets of the city was a hit with other cruisers, as was the panoramic drive and Tuk Tuk ride in Funchal.
Life on Board
Wind Star’s size, carrying just 148 passengers, was perfect for me. Small enough to feel intimate and cozy, to get to know the staff and fellow travelers, but not so small that I felt pressure to engage if I wanted a moment to myself. A highlight was the onboard barbecue, where we danced the night away under the stars after a feast that took over one entire deck. We met a mom and daughter spending time together after a tough year, a couple on their 50th wedding anniversary and a pair of newlyweds.
And, as ever, it was the staff who really made everything special. How they manage to remember not just names but also preferences, little details like how I like my coffee or sending a piece of chocolate cake to my room after I mentioned it in the dining room one evening, is heartwarming. They became friends, so much so that I felt quite sad to leave them behind.
Volcanic wine and walking in volcanoes on Lanzarote
Lanzarote doesn’t look like anywhere else. It is stark and rocky and wild. A tough place to grow anything and yet life thrives on this island. Most importantly, its wine industry continues to thrive. Especially the Malvasia Volcanica grape endemic to the island’s volcanic soil, producing a crisp, cold white wine with mineral and citrus notes unlike anything I’ve ever sipped.
Every view in Lanzarote was otherworldly, almost impossibly different, almost like being on the moon. From the Green Lake to walking inside a volcano at Caldero Blanca, and from camels lounging outside Timanfaya National Park to quiet seaside villages perched on volcanic rock, it’s all unique. And best enjoyed at a slow easy pace, preferably sipping a glass of wine.
Coffee, oranges, and Luther on Gran Canaria
Our final two days were spent in Gran Canaria, which felt like five different islands in one. At first blush, Gran Canaria was industrial, busy, hectic. A culture shock after the peace and quiet of Lanzarote. A trip to the north sent me to verdant greenery and massive rocky cliffs. A trip south featured sand dunes to rival the African desert, so close and yet so far. Everywhere I looked felt like a different island entirely. Especially when our excursion, a horseback riding experience, took us a quick drive away from Las Palmas and we slowed right down. Just in time for my fateful meeting with Luther, that gentle giant. Eddy is a comfortable rider with years of experience, and I was determined not to let my anxiety get the better of me though Luther’s size did not help.
But the peaceful surroundings, the sun setting over the southern foothills of Gran Canaria from the peak of Pico de las Nieves to the Maspalomas dunes, the cactus flowers blooming all around us, brought me back to myself. Reminded me of where I was, and how far I’d come, and why I was here. To try new things. To get out of my own head. To slow down and breathe.
And so on my last day, I joined an excursion out to the other side of the island, the Agaete region. We stopped at the little town of Puerto de las Nieves, where I hung out with some locals going for a morning dip. Watched stray cats and dogs sunning themselves. Wondered if it would be strange if I just moved here for awhile. There was something about the sea and the cliffs and the tranquility that appealed to me.
Then back on the bus to visit a farm in the hills. Bodega Los Berrazales is far from the tourists and the beaches and the shopping. We took a road that felt like putting on jeans two sizes too small. Squeezing past little tables of men playing cards, clothes lines of colorful t-shirts, rows of houses that looked like they were hugging each other.
Here I wandered through the orange groves. I ate some cheese and honey, not just delicious but vital to the local economy and the cultural identity of the island. The sale of goat cheese and honey supports small, sustainable farms like this one, which also incidentally produces the only coffee in Europe. I wanted to lie down in the tall grass afterwards for a little nap.
Ultimately, the greatest gift of my Canary Islands cruise on Wind Star was that I had learned to slow down. Learned to be present. Learned to drift from island to island with ease and joy. Now I have two speeds myself. Slow and super slow.
