Cruise to the Canaries for an unforgettable volcano trek

Tuesday, 22, Dec 2009 09:39

The Canary Islands is a beautiful destination that requires several trips to explore all of its wonderful attractions - and one highlight that should be prioritised is the volcanic scenery on the island of La Palma.

Holidaymakers taking Canaries cruise holidays can stop off at La Palma - a lush, green isle with some impressive mountains - and enjoy the full sight of its spectacular volcanoes by following a hiking trail designed for this purpose.

The Ruta de los Volcanes - Volcanoes Hiking Trail - travels through the Cumbre Vieja Nature Park, which is home to many of the oldest volcanoes on the island and forms part of the core area of Malta's official World Biosphere Reserve.

It takes between six and eight hours to complete, begins at the Refugio del Pilar - or El Paso - and travels uphill to the summit of Birigoyo, where hikers can choose to travel right to the top or go around it in the direction of Fuencaliente.

This is where the stunning natural sights of this part of La Palma start to dominate the trek, with volcanoes such as La Barquita, Hoyo Negro, San Juan, La Deseada and Martin to take in.

Visitors sailing to La Palma should take full advantage of their cheap cruises by exploring the island's other attractions too.

If you're heading there in the summer, see if your trip coincides with one of the few days of the year that the Roque de los Muchachos Astrophysics Observatory is open to the public.

La Palma is one of the best places in the world for observing the night sky and the hidden wonders of space through a telescope as it has a high-quality sky unhampered by light pollution.

If you can't make it to one of these open days, you can still access the observatory's grounds and enjoy the amazing views of Caldera de Taburiente National Park and the rest of the island.

Other attractions for those heading on last minute cruises to La Palma include its various museums, the La Palma Marine Reserve and its cuisine, which excels in the areas of wine and desserts.