A Journey Through Volcanic Isles, Moorish Medinas & Sun-drenched Shores

Drop a sun-kissed Spanish city onto an island off the coast of North Africa, add a sprinkle of tropical charm and place an active volcano on the doorstep and you have Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Feast on tantalising tapas before exploring neighbouring San Cristóbal de la Laguna's UNESCO-listed Old Town, whose ancient doorways conceal exquisitely tiled courtyards and hand-carved balconies overlooking resplendent churches. Beyond, Tenerife is dotted with half-moon bays, immaculate golf courses, vineyard-covered hillsides, labyrinthine lava tunnels and sheer basalt cliffs: a primordial landscape sculpted by the fury of mighty Mount Teide.

Climb the vaulted cathedral's campanile for views of Vegueta, the charming cobblestone old quarter, and dip into the golden hall of the gracious 19th-century Gabinete Literario. Poema del Mar offers a world-class aquarium; Las Canteras brings clear shallow seas and 3km of buzzing beachfront boulevard; and Mercado del Puerto pulses with superb food stalls and tapas bars.

Beyond the capital, swim and dive with butterfly rays, turtles and (if lucky) endangered angel sharks, seek pristine golf courses and the north shore's surfing hotspots, or journey the island's verdant, mountainous spine to pretty villages, lava caves and the wildly beautiful sand dunes at Maspalomas.

Artist César Manrique put little Arrecife on the map. Explore his eclectic works in underground caverns, fabulous murals and his former home in nearby Tahíche, or sate your artistic appetite in contemporary gallery MIAC and the surreal underwater world of sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. The spectral landscape of Timanfaya, once a seething sea of lava shattered by volcanic eruptions, is ripe for 4x4 exploration, while the year-round waves of Playa de Famara invite beginners and pros alike to grab a surfboard and take the plunge.

Sun, sea, and atmospheric architecture are in abundance in Agadir, a buzzy coastal oasis nicknamed the ‘Miami of Morocco'. Stroll into a 1,000 years of memories along modern, tree-lined boulevards designed by Le Corbusier after an earthquake levelled much of the city in 1960. Like a phoenix, Agadir arose and arouses travellers seeking a tapestry of treasures. Meander the Marina to eat fresh fish by the harbour, stroll the beach-side promenade then cool off under the trees in the Valley of the Birds. Shop Souk El Had, with nearly 6,000 stalls laden with spices, tajines, and teapots, then climb the Kasbah of Agadir Oufella, where history lives amongst massive rammed earth walls.

Like a lighthouse, the majestic Hassan II Mosque beckons us to the shores of this bustling port city, its minaret soaring 690ft to the sky. Africa's biggest mosque is one of only two in Morocco open to non-Muslims, inviting us to marvel its mosaics, marble columns and 50 Murano glass chandeliers. Casablanca conjures a charismatic collision of tradition and modernity, the Habous Quartier's faded grandeur of French colonial Art Deco, whitewashed Moorish houses, narrow alleyways, small souks and olive markets in companion to its cosmopolitan nightlife, buzzing restaurants and Parisien-style cafes.

At the crossroads of Europe and Africa, this once rakish, countercultural Moroccan city has retained its bohemian, beguilingly artistic feel. People watch the demi-monde from the Petit Socco, heart of Tangier's seductive café scene, before strolling the Kasbah and cobblestone Grand Socco among a tangle of streets saturated in colour from tiles and painted cedarwood shutters and doorways. Iconic must-visits might include the 64-year-old Librarie des Colonnes, a sumptuous bookshop of literary greats; Café Hafa, for sunset sweet mint tea overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar; and El Morocco Club, for a nightcap on its rooftop terrace or in the city's only piano bar.

Enjoy the epitome of Spanish charm. Slowly discover Andalusian riches to reveal Picasso's birthplace, the Alhambra in Granada, Mezquita in Cordoba and the Ronda valley. Explore ancient heritage sites, dance the flamenco, dare to hike the Caminito del Rey trail and delve into white villages sprinkled amongst mango groves and avocado orchards. Sip cocktails by day and sangria by night. And as you watch the sun slip down, reflect upon this gateway of delights.