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Canaries in Spring 

Saturday 27 March - Saturday 10 April 2010

Sun-drenched ports of call and a myriad of delightful destinations

Blessed by a climate that is almost perfect all year round, with temperatures hovering constantly in the high 60s and 70s, the beautiful islands of Madeira and the Canaries are a haven for peace, quiet and pure relaxation! There wil be plenty to do and see ashore and alfoat and the itinerary offers a lovely blend of leisurely days cruising at sea, floral delights, sightseeing and shopping ashore.

COMPLIMENTARY TOURS

SANTA CRUZ, TENERIFE  Plantlife is rich and colourful on Tenerife and a fitting port for our included tour. We will depart from our ship and take a short drive travelling by La Laguna, the second most important town of Tenerife, located in the centre of the Agurre Valley and just a few kilometres from the capital. As we continue westwards, we pass Tacoronte, one of the best wine growing regions on the island. Puerto De La Cruz is the bustling holiday town that first introduced tourists to the charms of Tenerife. This port on the north western coast of the island occupies an idyllic location where the Orotava Valley reaches the Atlantic Ocean – an ideal photo opportunity.  We will visit the Botanical Gardens of Puerto De La Cruz, founded in 1788 by King Carlos III of Spain as a stop over for the hundreds of plant species brought over from America, Asia and Africa. Although many plants did not survive, there are still more than 4,000 species, some have grown to incredible proportions. We will see different kinds of vegetation and trees, interesting for their dimensions, antiquity and eccentricity, or for their place of origin. The garden has a Canarian flora herbarium and has an investigation programme running. Our next stop will be at the garden of Risco Bello, located in the heart of Taror Park. We will enjoy a walk through these beautiful gardens and discover the lakes, fauna and aquatic flora, which combine with the luxurious Canarian vegetation. We can stroll over a Japanese bridge, through a grotto and past a waterfall. Finally, our last stop before heading back to our ship will be at the Hotel Tigaiga situated in Taror Park. In the subtropical gardens we can discover a wide variety of trees, shrubs and plants from all over the world growing along side a variety of endemic flora. While sitting on the garden terrace, coffee will be served.

FUNCHAL, MADEIRA  The picturesque white-washed capital of this mountainous Portuguese island has a timeless charm, delightfully enhanced by a benign climate that fills this 'floating garden' with the year-round colours and perfumes of subtropical flowers and fruits.  The Botanical Gardens of Funchal are one of the best examples of Madeiran landscaped gardens and are host to a profusion of plants and flowers from all over the world which thrive in the island's temperate climate.

Departure from the pier we go towards the Botanical Gardens, a private Quinta belonging to the Reids family – where the climatic conditions are much in favour of exuberant vegetation.

The Botanical Garden boasts harmonious forms, contrasting colours and more than 2000 plants. It is government owned and serves as a Science and Culture Centre. Throughout the gardens visitors can find the plants labelled with their scientific names, common name and origin.

The garden has 5 main areas to visit namely the Indigenous and endemic, Tree Garden, Succulents, Tropical/ Cultivated/Aromatic/Medicinal and the Loiro Park (where there are some exotic and rare birds.

We will end our tour at the market called "Mercado dos Lavradores where you will find almost everything from flowers, agricultural products - vegetables, fruits, etc and you will also have the opportunity to browse in the surroundings of the market where there is a small shopping centre and embroidery shop.

EXCLUSIVE GARDEN CLUB BENEFITS

• Programme of talks, Gardeners' Question Time, Cocktail Party
• 2 x half-day Garden Visits
• FREE car parking at Southampton
• £50 per cabin on board spend
• Hosted by Garden Expert