The Canary Islands are in a way like Spain’s Hawaii. Like the Hawaiian Islands , these islands were formed by volcanic eruptions in a tropical location off Morocco’s coast. However, unlike Hawaii, it does not rain much here, so these islands are much drier, almost like desert islands.

The Canaries have become the favorite destination for many Europeans looking for a sunny location in the winter.

We enjoyed visiting three of the eight different islands.

Tenerife

Our first stop was the largest island called Tenerife.

On our first day we drove up the national park where you can view the volcano El Teide which at 12, 198 feet high is Spain’s tallest mountain. It’s an amazing place to visit. Even though the last eruption was in 1909, hardly any vegetation has returned to the landscape & you can easily see past lava flows.

We also enjoyed walking on the cobblestones in three of the oldest towns on the island. A common architecture style in the Canaries are wooden balconies outside the homes.

All over the Canary Islands you see banana trees.

The Canary Islands provide Europe with most of their fresh bananas. Most are grown on Tenerife; but, every island we visited had plots of land dedicated to this crop.

Tenerife has 2 very unique plants. One you only see in the volcanic region in the high altitude near Mount Teide.

We were only able to see remnants of the Tower of Jewels which has bright red flowers when it blooms.

The other unique plant is called The Dragon Tree. To me, they look like a different version of the Joshua Tree. Although a tree, it is actually in the asparagus family.

It is called a Dragon Tree because its canopy has branches resembling a multi-headed dragon, its gnarled roots resemble dragons’ feet, & its sap hardens into red blobs resembling a dragon’s blood. It is the only tree in the world whose sap turns red when it dries.

This oldest Dragon Tree is well protected inside a botanical park & is estimated to be over 1,000 years old.

A few other pictures from Tenerife.

La Palma

This island is far less developed than Tenerife & is much easier to get around. It has the most active volcano activity in the Canary Islands. The Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge last erupted in 2021 for 85 days near the town of Santa Cruz.

We drove up to the Caldera de Taburiente which is inside the national park named for it. This is a huge volcanic crater that has many paths you can walk around it. The day we were there, the crater was covered in clouds, but you could still feel its enormity.

La Palma is also a destination for amateur star gazers & professional astronomers. Close to the crater rim, you can see many telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory including the world’s largest telescope. You also see giant mirrors in the area.

La Palma’s main city is Santa Cruz. It has a replica of Columbus’ flagship the Santa Maria. Columbus used Santa Cruz a port for three of his voyages to the New World. It was his last stop after leaving Spain before heading across the Atlantic.

For several centuries, the Canary Islands remained a major hub for ships traveling to the New World. At one time, Santa Cruz was Europe’s 3rd busiest port behind only Antwerp, Belgium, & Seville, Spain.

Santa Cruz is a lovely place to spend a few hours.

Gran Canaria

We arrived into Gran Canaria with a mixture of clouds, rain, & sunshine that stayed with us the three days we were here.

We stayed close to the port in La Palma & had a beautiful view of the cruise ships. During the night they would leave & we would awaken to new ones docked in the port.

On our first full day we drove to the southern part of the island which was sunny & warm. The Dunas de Maspalomas is the location where most tourists seemed to go for sunbathing.

Another area we toured was was more inland & reminded me a lot of America’s Southwest.

The second day we explored the island’s north side which was cooler, more mountainous, & had very narrow windy roads.

We enjoyed a stop in Tejeda. It is known for its yummy almond pastries at Dulcería Nublo.

After Tejeda, we drove to Firgas which is famous for its fizzy mineral water, it is called the “Village of Water.”

Firgas has the Paseo de Canarias which is a promenade with lovely tiles & displays that celebrate each Canary Island along with every municipality on Gran Canaria.

Our last stop was at banana plantation to learn about different banana varieties & how they are grown in the Canary Islands.

The main banana grown here is the Cavendish variety. It is smaller in size so banana plants produce more of them on their bunches making them more profitable per plant.

I wanted to visit the Canary Islands for two reasons.

First, I had heard from various European friends how much they liked the Canary Islands.

Second, one of my maternal ancestors came from these islands. Maria Josepha Leal Goraz was born in 1724 on the island Fuerteventura. As a young girl, she immigrated to the New World to New Spain (now in Louisiana). It’s always fun to learn a little more about your family history & roots.

Spain has once again given us a lovely experience. Wish I could say my Spanish has improved; oh well, you can’t have everything. 😂🤣

Andalusia is Spain’s southern region. The Moors controlled this area for almost 700 years from the 8th Century until almost the end of the 15th Century. Their presence left behind many castles built with Arabic architecture & features.

Two years ago, we visited Seville & Cordoba by train. This time we rented a car so we could explore all Andalusia including cities & small villages.

Almería

Almería is the driest place in Europe & has its only true desert climate. They get lots of sunshine & little rain (only about 8 inches annual precipitation).

For many miles all around Almería’s outskirts spread over 100,000 acres you will see greenhouses; this sprawl is nicknamed “The Sea of Plastic.” In the winter, Almería provides most of Europe’s fresh fruits & vegetables.

 Almería has been occupied throughout history ranging from the Romans to the Muslims (who built their largest Alcazaba (fortress) in Spain here as well as other iconic city landmarks) to the Catholics who built the Cathedral that still stands today.

Málaga

Málaga is a beautiful city with marble streets, beautiful architecture, & wonderful culture.

It’s so lovely that 5 large cruise ships were docked in the harbor when we arrived.

We enjoyed visiting the Picasso Museum. It’s fitting to have a museum for Picasso here because this is where he was born & lived as a child. The museum is in his old nursery school.

The museum displays art from many phases in his career including paintings, sculptures, pottery, sketches, & prints. I’ve been reading the book, “My Life With Pacasso,” by Francoise Gilot. I was happy to see some pieces exhibited that she mentions in the book.

As a vegetarian it is often difficult to find veggie tapas; but, in Malaga we found a restaurant with many yummy choices. It was fun to to enjoy this Spanish cuisine custom.

Like most large cities along the coastline in Andalusia, it has a large Moorish Alcazaba fort & palace which were adjacent to some Roman ruins.

I enjoyed the Flamingo Show in Granada so much that I wanted to see another show that featured both male & female dancers.

Once again, the tap dancing & movements were amazing!

Ronda

This is a small inland city away from the Mediterranean Sea situated on a mountain top overlooking a deep gorge. Its history dates back to the Romans.

The city is known for two reasons. First, it is the home to modern bullfighting & has the world’s oldest bullring. To see a bullfight here, you must come the first week in September which is when their one & only performance is.

The second notable thing about Ronda is its spectacular Puente Nuevo Bridge.

It took 2 attempts to build the bridge. The first bridge collapsed in 1741 killing 50 people. After 34 years of construction, in 1793, the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) as it was & still is called was completed.

Its eventual span was 216 feet & its height is an impressive 322 feet above the canyon floor.

It is supported by thick vertical supports rising up from, and in places, attached to the narrow canyon walls. 

We also enjoyed driving around the mountains near Ronda to visit some classical “Spanish white towns” & one which is no longer white.

The blue village Júzcar is now nicknamed “Smurfville”

Before leaving Ronda, we enjoyed a few other Spanish favorites.

Cádiz

We only had one evening to explore this old town; but, we enjoyed what we saw.

Located on a peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cadiz offers a unique blend of history, culture, & beautiful beaches.

Founded by the Phoenicians, it is believed to be the oldest continually inhabited settlement in Europe.

Often when you walk through a town in Spain in the afternoon during siesta, it is so quiet you could whisper to someone across the street and hear them. But, come 6:00pm, it’s like all the doors open & everyone comes out on the streets.

In Cadiz, we enjoyed watching families walking together, people singing along the waterfront, & friends meeting in small restaurants to enjoy a small dessert or drinks together.

On our drive back to Madrid, my husband tracked down the grave of “The Man Who Never Was” located in Huelva outside Seville.

If you are interested in knowing more about this true WWII espionage event, there is a very good 2021 Netflix movie titled “Operation Mincemeat” which stars many leading British actors.

Final thoughts on Spain.

I love finding things that are unique to a country & something I would never see in America. Here are a few.

I’ve heard the term “The Rock of Gibraltar” most of my life referring to something or someone being strong & dependable. However, until you see Gibraltar, you don’t realize how impressive it is & appropriate that saying is.

It is spectacularly huge & stands out on its peninsula making everything else around it seem small & insignificant.

The other unique thing about this place is it has been a British possession since 1713 despite many failed attempts by Spain to retake it. Spain’s many failures can be directly attributed to the great efforts Britain made to continue holding it.

To enter Gibraltar, you only need your passport to walk across its border with Spain.

In all my travels, this is the first & only place I’ve ever had to cross an active airport runway to enter a country.

As soon as you cross the border, you realize you are on land that belongs to Britain.

Gibraltar has one long shopping street where most shops are run by Spanish workers; but, English is the spoken language. You can pay in Euros, but you get change in British Pounds.

Interesting fact, John Lennon & Yoko Ono got married in Gibraltar on 20 March 1969 which is mentioned in the Beatles song “The Ballad of John & Yoko”- “Peter Brown called to say, “You can make it okay”, you can get married in Gibraltar near Spain…”

Many tourists take the cable car to the “Top of the Rock” like we did. Once there, you can easily see all the reclaimed land on the Western side used to accommodate most of Gibraltar’s residents which numbers around 38,000.

The views from the top are very nice. You can look out over the Mediterranean Sea & see Morocco in Africa as well as get a view all along the Spanish coastline & down to lower Gibraltar.

A second interesting fact about Gibraltar is that it is the only place in Europe where wild monkeys live.

Centuries ago, the Moors brought Barbary Macaques with them to Spain from Algiers & Morocco.

It is believed there are now 240 ea. Barbary Macaques on Gibraltar.

These monkeys are very bold & will jump on your back looking for food in your backpack. I made sure to keep my distance; but, they were fun to watch.

The British government ensures the monkeys are well fed & given good care. This maintenance may only be due to the local superstition that goes “If the apes leave the Rock, then the British will too”. During WWII, Winston Churchill did not want to risk losing strategic Gibraltar, so when the monkey population started dwindling, he personally ordered British troops to North Africa to bring back more monkeys to the Rock.

Another attraction are the tunnels built during the Great Siege of 1779-83 & even more dug during during WWII. There are over 34 miles of tunnels inside the Rock.

It was fun seeing Gibraltar & touring a place that felt like a British island in Spain.

Mediterranean sunset from our hotel.

If you get the chance, then come to Granada, Spain! Here the Spanish & Arabic worlds overlap beautifully in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The highlight of any visit to Granada is visiting the Alhambra that towers over the small city.

The Alhambra was initially only a fortress known as an Alcazaba (Arabic for “Citadel”); but, Muhammed I Ibn Al-Ahmar who founded the Nasrid Empire in 1238 added the royal residence. Eventually, Granada ended up being the last Muslim strong hold in Spain.

On 2 January 1492, Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand vanquished the last Muslim sultan & took control over Granada & the Alhambra. They were living in the Alhambra palace when they granted Columbus the funding for his historic voyage on which he discovered the New World.

The palace is a blend of Christian & Muslim influences. The architecture & gardens reminded us of our visits to Iran & India.

We had a lovely hotel in the old town.

The city has a nice mixture of places to eat with Spanish & Arabic cuisine.

In Granada’s Sacramonte neighborhood, the Flamenco dance originated over 500 years ago.

We went to the Zincalé flamenco show which has been hosted by the Cordoba family for generations in a traditional cave home.

In this show only the women danced. The men sang & played the guitar. Their rhythmic tap dancing would have put Michael Jackson’s dancing to shame.

Nostalgia rules in Spain for Spaghetti Western & Clint Eastwood fans. Italian director Sergio Leone chose to make his movies in various locations in Spain which is why they are called “Spaghetti Westerns”.

When my husband & I were in northern Spain in 2023 walking the Camino Frances route, I commented how the terrain made me feel like I was in an old Western movie when he told me that many were made in Spain.

In fact, the iconic final scene from “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” movie was filmed only 40 miles south from where we walked in the Mirandilla Valley near Santo Domingo de Silos.

To refresh your memory, here is a link to the epic final showdown in the cemetery.

Sad Hill Cemetery is not a real graveyard – it was built entirely from scratch for “The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly” in 1966. After filming ended, it was abandoned for nearly 50 years. 

Overgrown & forgotten, this iconic filming location was very nearly lost until a group of very dedicated movie fans set out to find it. They discovered the famous circular plaza buried inches below the ground. 

For months, volunteers from around the world came to help with this labor of love & the iconic filming location was saved! 

We enjoyed having fun with some borrowed props & walking around this restored movie set located south of Burgos, Spain.

To see other iconic Spaghetti Western movie film locations, we went to the Tabernas Desert in southern Spain near Alméria. With only about 9 inches rain per year, this area looks like parts of Arizona & New Mexico.

Our first stop was called Western Leone. It undoubtedly looks like an old Western movie town.

The second movie set that was only a few miles away is called Fort Bravo/ Texas Hollywood. Not only have many Western movies been filmed here; but also movies including Lawerence of Arabia & Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade.

They also conduct live Western shows. The actors speak Spanish, but it isn’t too hard to follow the plot. Always some bad men up to no good & a sheriff to save the day.

I also had the opportunity to pet a few animals.

It felt so good to be on the final stretch to Santiago which was almost 9 miles because we took a longer route to avoid the crowds.

The trail started out on a rustic old path that pilgrims have traveled for centuries.

The best part was the fact that we had a beautifully sunny day to walk into Santiago.

A short time into the walk we were serenaded by this artist.

We passed the old Areeira Pilgrim’s Inn which welcomed pilgrims & muleteers starting in the 18th Century which is now an old farm house. On its wall is a statue showing San Antonio Abade who is the patron saint for animals. Notice the piglet at his feet. Until a few years ago, this statue was still being taken down to be used in processions during which the locals would offer alms to it to cure their sick animals.

A few fun things we saw along the way.

With a few miles to go, we reached the small Chapel of St. Mary Magdalena in Milladoiro which is located at the place where pilgrims on the Camino Portugués get their first glimpse of the Santiago cathedral’s twin spires in the distance.

All along the route there are always mileposts, signs, & yellow arrows pointing the way to the cathedral; but, when you are in big cities, for some reason, the path is not well marked. Of all places, that same thing happened in Santiago which is why it is handy to have an app on your phone to use to stay on the Camino.

We finally arrived to the glorious Cathedral Santiago de Compostela! Always a great feeling & such a marvelous ending destination.

This arrival was markedly different from our arrival in 2023 when we hiked the Camino Frances.

Upon arriving, the last step is to obtain the final stamp in your Pilgrim Passport to receive your certificate of completion. The administrators closely check the recorded stamps to ensure you walked the entire route before issuing the final stamp & completion certificate.

Outside the official Camino registration office is the final mileage maker.

I had so many stamps in my passport I ran out of room & was putting them in odd places! Both sides were fully covered. No doubt that I had walked the official 280 km.

We walked 178.5 miles in 16 days with 2 very rainy days on the route,

Our hotel for the evening was an old monastery called the Hospederia San Martin. Many pilgrims stay here after completing the Camino. It’s easy to tell the pilgrims by their clothes, backpacks, & looks of relief combined with jubilation.

On our last stay in Santiago, I found an old grocery store that has been open since 1929 called Victoria. I went there again with their main attraction being their homemade cinnamon rolls. They are almost exactly like the ones I made when I was growing up. A well deserved treat indeed!

Old Santiago looks like a medieval city with stone streets & buildings. It is a fun place to wander around. Most buildings contain souvenir shops & restaurants.

We were told that an American couple who we had seen off & on the trail since Pontevedra had paid to have the Botafumeiro swung at the evening mass in the cathedral. The Botafumeiro is a giant censer used for burning incense. Eight priests use ropes & a pulley system attached to the cathedral’s ceiling to swing the giant censer & fill the cathedral with perfumed smoke. Its name comes from the Galician words “botar fumeiro” meaning “to throw smoke”. 

This rite is usually reserved for special Holy Days; but, anyone can pay to have it done at any mass.

The mass was a nice way to end our 2025 Camino Portugués adventure.

Today felt like true Fall weather with low temperatures, a cool breeze, & sunny weather mixed with clouds along with leaves strewn on the ground.

Today’s walk took us almost exactly 10 miles. Before leaving, we started the day doing some more touring around Padron.

We hung out until the stores opened & I bought some Padron pepper seeds. 🤞I’ll be successful growing them in my garden next summer.

Next , we took a short walk up many steps to where it is a believed St. James preached when he came to Spain in 40 AD.

Outside Padron, we visited the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor de Iria Flavia. It dates from the 5th Century & is believed to be the world’s oldest church dedicated to The Virgin Mary.

According to tradition, Iria Flavia was where the boat that carried Saint James’ body from Haifa in Palestine landed in Spain. So, this spot is key in the “Translatio de Santiago” legend which tells how St. James’ body was moved by sea arriving at Iria Flavia where this church is located & was then transported overland to Compostela.

From there we walked through many small villages & various farms in the countryside. Here are a few images from along the way.

The Sanctuary of Nosa Señora de Escravitude (The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Slavery) is in A Coruna. Its interesting name comes from a miracle that happened here. A sick man was walking to Santiago seeking a cure for his illness. On the way, he stopped at this church to drink from its fountain & within 72 hours without any medical treatment, his illness was cured. The man then exclaimed, “Thank you, Virgin, for freeing me from the slavery of illness!” Afterwards many pilgrims came to this church seeking a miracle by drinking from the same fountain & their donations allowed the structure seen today to be built. We weren’t able to go inside because it was closed when we were there.

These things also caught our eyes on the trail.

On the Rua de Francos in tiny Teo where we are staying is the oldest stone cross on the Camino dating from the 14th Century which ranks it among the oldest crosses in Spain. It was erected to help mark the pilgrimage route from Portugal to Santiago.

With only 13.8 KM to go, we will arrive in Santiago tomorrow.

We enjoyed dinner with a couple from LA who we have seen periodically on the trail since Vigo.

As you meet people along the way you have 3 choices for a greeting, “Hola, “Buenas días,” or the most common for pilgrims, “Buen Camino.”

We left the quaint little Spanish town Caldas de Reis on a chilly morning on a hike almost as long as yesterday at 14.6 miles.

We left a little later than normal hoping most pilgrims would be ahead of us; but, we still met many along the way.

Our first stop was at this small church Saint Marina of Carracedo.

There are many stone crosses on the Camino. This one caught our eye because it also had a pilgrim figure on it.

Much of the route still followed the old Roman road Via XIX through paths shaded by trees & rocks covered in moss.

Various images from along the way.

Fun art work.

Close to our destination, we took a detour adding a few miles to our route. Few pilgrims make this detour.

Our main purpose for the detour was to visit the Convent of San Antonio de Herbon which was built in 1396. We met the caretaker who opened the chapel for us to visit.

The first peppers arrived in Spain from the New World in 1496 when Columbus returned from his second voyage there.

The Franciscan monks at this convent are known for bringing the now famous Padron Peppers to Spain from Tabasco, Mexico, in the 1600s.

Back then, friars maintained gardens to sustain the convent, then traded or sold their surplus crops for necessary goods. The monks harvested the mature red peppers, dried them, & then crushed them into powder not only to preserve them; but also, to be able to easily transport them to other regions.

At some unknown time in the past, the Padron Peppers began to be enjoyed when they were still green.

These fresh green Padron Peppers were only known in central Galicia. Rough roads & long distances kept these green peppers a local secret well into the 20th Century when paved roads & refrigerated trucks made it possible to distribute them widely

We first tasted these peppers on our last Camino, now we enjoy a plate at dinner most evenings

These small green peppers are pan fried in olive oil, then sprinkled with sea salt.

The local saying goes, “Os pimentos de Padron, uns pican e outros non” which means “Some Padron peppers are hot , some are not”.

The peppers’ genes render about 1 in 10 only mildly hot. This taste characteristic is called “Spanish Roulette” which has become part of the Padron Pepper’s appeal.

Padron acknowledges their legacy peppers with a statue honoring the women who grew & picked the peppers.

Padron is also famous for being the place where St. James’ (Santiago) bones were brought to Spain. A church honoring this event is in Padron.

The Church of Santiago in Padron stands on a temple built by the Romans to honor Neptune, god of the sea. The first church was built here in the 10th Century & the current structure was finally completed in the mid-19th Century.

According to legend, after Jesus‘s death & resurrection, his disciple James travelled to Roman Hispania to evangelize & came to Padron. He travelled all around Spain when Mary appeared to him in a vision in Zaragoza, after which he returned to Jerusalem where he was martyred.

it is said that his disciples Theodore and Athanasius placed James’ body in a boat & sailed west across Mediterranean through the Pillars of Hercules at Gibraltar, and headed north along the Atlantic coast until they found a safe haven where they moored their vessel to a “pedron” which is Spanish for a “big stone” which is was here & us where this city’s name is derived.

The legendary “pedron” mooring stone is displayed in the altar at this church.

James’ two disciples moved James’ remains to be buried at Santiago de Compostela, then they remained in Padron to evangelize.

Legend has it that some shepherds in a field saw a star shining on the site of St. James’ grave during a key period in the struggle against the invading Muslims in the 8th Century. As news about the shepherds’ miraculous discovery spread to the defending Christian armies, they took heart & in 722, at the critical Battle of Covadonga, they saw St. James riding down from heaven on a magnificent white charger to lead the Spaniards to victory.

From that time on, Saint James, or Santiago (Iago was his name’s old spelling) became known as Spain’s patron saint.

We left Pontevedra just as the sun was hitting the old medieval bridge called the Ponte do Burgo.

This bridge was originally built by the Romans; but, by the 12th Century had fallen into disrepair when it was eventually restored.

It served as an essential element on the Camino Portugués allowing pilgrims to reach Santiago.

The Gothic- style arches were added by King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella in the late 15th Century.

We knew from start this was going to be our last long hiking day at 15 miles, so we took our time enjoying the countryside, animals, & people along the way.

Like before we walked on an old Roman road.

Via XIX or the Via Neuva was a Roman road dating from Augustus Caesar’s reign in the 1st Century BC. It was 318 km long. This road preserves the most milestones from any Roman road with 287 still existing. Quite an archeological feat since there were 34 ea. Roman roads in Spain & at least 372 ea. roads in the entire Roman Empire.

A little less than an hour after leaving Pontevedra we said goodbye to any fellow pilgrims taking the Spiritual Way to Santiago. The 79 year old women we had met a few days earlier planned to take this route.

We passed by this old church called Saint Maria de Alba. It provided a nice setting for some photos & an opportunity to be entertained by a guitar player.

The route took us in & around many small vineyards.

We had the option so we took a small detour to the Barosa River Falls that once had 17 mills along its banks.

A few other attractions along the way.

For a small fee, pilgrims could get a special wax stamp put in their pilgrim passport. I already had one & my passport is almost full, so I did not get one; but, many others did.

On our 9 mile walk today leaving Arcade, we crossed the 10th Century bridge Ponte Sampayo which was built on the foundation from the original Roman bridge.

Once we crossed the bridge, the path took us inland having us saying goodbye to the Atlantic Ocean which we saw everyday for the past 12 days.

I think everyone on the trail was very happy to stash all their rain gear into their packs & enjoy a lovely day on the Camino.

There were many fun sightings to enjoy along the way.

At one point we were given a choice between 2 paths that basically paralleled each other. We chose the one through the woods away from the road.

The small Santa Marta Church was built in 1617.

We reached Pontevedra in the early afternoon.

After a short break at our hotel, we enjoyed walking around the city’s old town. The must see for any pilgrim is the Sanctuary of the Peregrina (Pilgrims). It is built in the shape of a scallop shell which is traditionally carried by pilgrims. It is the only rounded scallop- shaped church in Spain.

Other places & things we enjoyed seeing in the old town.