MEDD

Known as the Isla Bonita, La Palma is the northwesterly most of the seven Canary Islands. Its capital Santa Cruz de La Palma is home to some of the most unspoiled seascapes in the archipelago. Formed by oceanic volcanoes off the northwestern coast of Africa, these Spanish islands are playgrounds for sun worshippers with their stunning black and white sand beaches and vertiginous volcanic peaks rising from the sea.

A volcanic archipelago off the western coast of Africa, Cape Verde was once a Portuguese colony before achieving its independence in 1975. Today, it’s home to a blend of both European and West African cultures that can be experienced through both its cuisine and music. Praia, which translates to beach in Portuguese, is the capital of Cape Verde and presides over the southern coast of Santiago where black and golden sand beaches encircle the harbor.

A lively port city on Cape Verde’s São Vicente, Mindelo is characterized by its colorful colonial architecture and soulful Morna music, a bluesy blend of African, Portuguese and Brazilian influences. Situated off West Africa’s coast, the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verde was once a Portuguese colony. As such, the Portuguese Brazilian tradition of Carnival is embraced through the annual festival and a year-round jubilant nightlife scene.

A surprising Spanish port on the North African coast, Melilla’s origins date back to the era of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The historic center, Melilla la Vieja, is set inside a walled fortress on the Alboran Sea where museums and churches, like the Capilla de Santiago, the only authentic gothic structure on the continent, are ripe for exploration. Hidden beyond the fortress walls, Ensenada de los Galápagos is an enchanting crescent beach sheltered by a dramatic limestone cove.