A Little Christmas in Spain (and Portugal)

We see many holiday decorations being installed on our cruise around the Canary Islands and finally, just after the cruise, find some that are actually illuminated.  On each island, we see decorations in process and Christmas fairs arriving and setting up.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa Cruz de la Palma

Madiera, Portugal

Arrecife, Lanzarote

At the end or our trip, we spend a night in Madrid, flying from Tenerife and continuing to London and Seattle the next day.  The holiday lights are lit in Madrid as we stroll main squares and Christmas markets, including Plaza de la Cibeles with the city hall and Plaza Mayor, the principal public square in the heart of Madrid.

Streets decorated

Christmas fair

Plaza de la Cibeles

City Hall as advent calendar

Mercado de Navidad in Plaza Mayor

We wander the streets, plazas, and fairs, and then stop outside Plaza Mayor for an aperitivo.

Aperitivo

The decorations and fairs in process throughout the cruise are fun to see and it's even more fabulous to see the streets and buildings lit up and holiday markets open on our last night!