00:00Hello and welcome to Travel Smart Weekly, your guide to the very best of travel
00:05from the independent. We aim to entertain, inform and inspire about the industry of
00:11human happiness. Whether you're traveling on a shoestring or ready to sign up for
00:15the long haul luxury trip of a lifetime, we have the inside information you need
00:22to make the most of your time and money. Today it's all about the islands and in
00:28particular the diverse, beautiful and culturally intriguing isles scattered
00:33across the Atlantic.
00:42Let's start in the far north, Iceland, the seismically active island that's never
00:50been better connected with the UK.
00:58A wide range of airlines will fly you from airports across Britain to Keflavik
01:03International Airport. If you touch down during the day you'll see the way the
01:09island has been sculpted by nature at the raw edge of the world and if it's
01:14after dark you may even see some lava flowing. No need to fret, the Icelandics
01:20are brilliant at predicting and managing volcanic activity and won't let tourists
01:26get in harm's way. The airport is a mid-Atlantic transit point offering
01:32onward connections to a range of North American cities. Even if you're in
01:37transit you may have time to soak in the joys of the Blue Lagoon where sheer
01:42indulgence is powered by the simmering heat of the restless earth. Much better
01:47to stretch your stopover and enjoy the most exciting city in the far north,
01:54Iceland's capital Reykjavik. Don't miss Harper, a spectacular concert hall on the
02:01water side which demands exploration. You can wander in at any time from 8 a.m.
02:08to midnight to see how the low northern light filters dramatically into a
02:13geometrically ambitious space and for a fabulous view across the city and its
02:19shoreline. Ideally take the route one ring road right around this far North
02:27Atlantic nation but if time does not allow make the Golden Circle day trip.
02:32Marvel at the site of the original Giza which gave its name to all the others
02:37worldwide. Then walk through a tectonic fault where the North American and
02:42Eurasian plates collide and where the nation's parliament was established in
02:47930 AD making it the oldest Parliament in the world.
02:52Fly 2,000 miles south and you reach the Portuguese Islands which are strung out
02:59so prettily across the Atlantic.
03:03I adore the Azores which I regard as the prototype for the new world.
03:13San Miguel is the main island at the heart of the archipelago but all nine
03:19deliver travel joy. In particular Corvo and Flores mark the extreme west of
03:26Europe. Madeira has long been a destination for visitors in search of
03:31warmth, relaxation and indulgence. Increasingly though this Atlantic
03:36fragment is becoming a destination for active travellers. Hiking along the
03:41levadas built beside irrigation canals, playing golf or boarding a basket for a
03:46high-velocity trip down the hillside above the capital Funchal.
03:54Spain's Canary Islands are even closer to the equator yet still only four hours
04:00flying time from the UK. I've been lucky enough to visit them all and I think the
04:06most rewarding and multifaceted is the largest island Tenerife which has
04:12everything from the ancient settlement of La Laguna, the highest mountain in
04:17Spain and great tourist attractions including water parks.
04:22Lanzarote is the top draw for cultural travellers due to the extraordinary
04:27creations of CĂ©sar Manrique whose work drew inspiration from the geology and
04:33colours of the island. His home constructed amid a field of volcanic
04:38bubbles is a work of art in its own right.
04:41Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura make good choices for beach lovers while to make
04:48the most of La Gomera and La Palma you'll need your hiking boots on and a
04:53special mention for El Hierro, the westernmost Canary Island where nature
04:58is firmly in control and you'll feel a million miles from modernity.
05:08On Travel Smart Weekly we aim to give the very best travel advice and this
05:14week we're taking your questions. So Simon, Emma has asked is it possible to
05:20fly between the various North Atlantic island groups such as from the Canaries
05:24to Madeira or even South America? Great question and wouldn't it be marvelous if
05:30you could easily do that. There's really busy networks around the Canaries and
05:34also around the Azores but I'm afraid between the groups the best you can hope
05:39for is really from Funchal, the capital of Madeira, going to Lanzarote, Tenerife
05:46North Airport, not the usual one in the south, also Las Palmas and the odd
05:51flight to Fuerteventura but for reaching South America I'm afraid the
05:55last flight departed about 10 or 15 years ago to Venezuela, now you're going
06:01to have to go back probably via the Portuguese or Spanish mainland, maybe
06:06even to Casablanca in Morocco. Alternatively you could fly back to the
06:11UK. You could do but that would be very tedious and it would also increase your
06:15carbon footprint so my advice really is it's a great idea to have a two-center
06:21Atlantic Island holiday, best combining Madeira with one of the Canary Islands.
06:27Very nice and if you have any travel questions for Simon please email us at
06:33travelsmart at independent.co.uk
06:39That's all we've got time for. Cape Verde, Bermuda and St Helena will have to wait
06:45for another episode of Travel Smart and be sure to check out the next episode
06:49online, on your smart TV or on the Independence mobile app. For all the
06:54latest travel news, reviews and advice go to independent.co.uk
06:59forward slash travel and do check out my daily travel podcast.
07:15you
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