I would really only recommend a couple days in Cartagena, if that. From an architectural perspective, it's truly one of the most stunning colonial cities that we've visited. But the crowds were absolutely overwhelming. Palomino is the beach town that we really enjoyed. It was a bit of a drive to get there but we felt it was worthwhile, especially if you like a laidback bohemian beach vibe.
Hi from nearby Midland where it’s snowing yet again! We spent two months in four islands in the Canaries right before Covid sent us home and will go back someday. Weather was perfect - mid20s and sunny. Easy to get around by rental car or bus. Don’t miss Carnevale parades in Santa CruzTenerife, the costumes rival Rio. And the Tiede by night tour was great. All islands are excellent for walking and hiking. Enjoy! We’ll be watching for some videos.
We’re heading for Mexico soon but our March is open. Your newsletter reminded me to check out Colombia which I will do now!
So glad to hear that you had a long stay in the Canaries and enjoyed it! We've done a lot of research, of course, but always good to hear positive feedback from fellow slow travellers. Let us know if you need any tips for Colombia. We found Medellin and Cartagena a little intense for our taste but the other places that I mentioned in the newsletter were real winners for us.
We visited the Canary Islands in October 2025. The weather was nice and people were very friendly. The city buses were quite reliable to get around town and you pay the bus driver or get a bus card, most fares in town were two (2) euros per person. Taxis were also affordable.
In Tenerife you should visit “El Monasterio” restaurants (https://www.mesonelmonasterio.com/) is an old monastery converted into restaurants with delicious food, nice views and a beautiful garden. The restaurant is near Puerto de la Cruz which is a beautiful but touristy town.
There is also are plenty of hiking trails in the islands to see the volcanoes.
Excellent tips - thank you so much for sharing! I've added the restaurant to my wish list. We're looking forward to busing our way to great hikes around the island 😊
We live in Minnesota and I am struggling with the same decisions. I like the idea of a point system. While I’d like to spend a chunk of the winter out of the US, we have a large dog and some family issues that make an overseas trip unlikely. However, Malta is high on my list for someday. Somewhere between San Diego and Tampa is more likely for this year. Warmer, but not balmy. Hopefully, I’ll learn a few things by living vicariously through your adventures.
Juggling family responsibilities and a large dog does make an overseas getaway a little more complicated. We're fortunate that we can just pop our dogs under the airplane seat! In the meantime, the US does have a lot of great destinations to choose from and even Mexico isn't that far away.
It's so nice to see your newsletter and read about your travels again! Looking forward to seeing photos of the Canaries and hoping it works out very well for you and pups!
Fellow spreadsheet planner here! 🙋♀️ What ‘weather forecasting’ websites do you use? We’re planning a long term cycle tour and weather def plays a role in planning. Enjoy the Canary Islands!
Always love meeting a fellow nerd! We have two weather sites that we use for mapping out our destinations (in a spreadsheet that we have lovingly called "Places and Seasons"). The first is Climates to Travel and the second is Weather Spark, which was recommended to us by a nomad meteorologist couple (so you know it's good!).
The Canary Islands is a very good choice, as long as you avoid the busier resorts and stay in quiet villages. We were there in January last year and it was everything we hoped for: lots of sunshine, good (and very affordable!) food, good hiking, and even a bit of sunbathing or swimming in the ocean if you can do with not so warm water. Enjoy!
Well, I can't say that I'm eager for a chilly swim but everything else that you mentioned sounds perfect! Glad to hear that it was a good experience for you. 😊
Smart to head out of the cold and snow for 3 months, the Canary Islands seem beautiful! I wouldn’t have initially considered them, so I’m excited to see your blogs/video on them in the future. Have a great time!
We had a great time during our visit to Madeira and saw a lot of parallels with the Canaries, e.g. European culture in a subtropical climate; lots of excellent hiking opportunities. Hopefully it’s as good an experience in person as it is on paper! Looking forward to sharing more once we get there.
Crete is it for us. Living in Austria we can drive there via ferries and then have our own car - need one to get around, rentals widely available. Hundreds of great canyons to hike, great food, all very inexpensive esp. off season. Been there twice already for 3-4 months each and lovin' it!
I'll have to take a closer look at Crete and, in particular, the weather during the off season. We went there for a short visit a number of years ago and were impressed. I can imagine that it would be very appealing once most of the tourists have left for the season.
While I miss your regular postings, these occasional ones give me joy. . . We think our own full-time nomadding is winding down as we contemplate finding a “base,” in 2027. With plans for a couple 2-3 month sojourns annually. We’ve had some glorious cruise stops in the Canaries. And they are on our list for longer term stays. The hiking on the north side of Funchal is spectacular. We’re choosing a holiday pet sit in London followed by a lengthy cruise to Hong Kong and 5 months in Japan. We will follow your Canary adventures closely.
It seems that most people have a natural expiry date on their full-time travels although, even with a home base, the interest in exploring the world is still there. It sounds like you've got some wonderful forward plans. Five months in Japan should be incredible. If you like multi-day hikes, we highly recommend the Kumano Kodo. We've done it once and will surely do it again one day.
That would be very lovely...except that Funchal is on Madeira and we will be on the Canary Islands, which is in a slightly different part of the ocean! However, do let us know if you also have a stop on Gran Canaria. 😊
Silly me. . . I knew that. . . Between the Azores and the Canaries and Madeira and which belongs to which country and in which ocean, my brain gets muddled. That’s what six years of full-time travel will do to a person. Be well!
At 72 and 77, we feel ourselves slowing down AND every time we visit the storage shed before another “stint,” my husband bemoans the loss of his canvases, paints and guitar. Thanks for the Japanese tip though we are more walkers than hikers these days.
It's a real challenge to find hobbies that are portable enough for nomad life. Part of the reason that we ended up creating a home base is because Gillian really wanted to finally have a garden!
Thanks! After a lot of trial and error (and error), we've found that mapping out our decision tree is helpful and gives us something to refer back to when we start questioning our decisions all over again.😅 In the meantime, we're looking forward to practising our Spanish again and discovering what the Canaries has to offer.
I actually rewatched your Cartagena video just now. Yes looks busy! What was the beach town you liked?
I would really only recommend a couple days in Cartagena, if that. From an architectural perspective, it's truly one of the most stunning colonial cities that we've visited. But the crowds were absolutely overwhelming. Palomino is the beach town that we really enjoyed. It was a bit of a drive to get there but we felt it was worthwhile, especially if you like a laidback bohemian beach vibe.
Hi from nearby Midland where it’s snowing yet again! We spent two months in four islands in the Canaries right before Covid sent us home and will go back someday. Weather was perfect - mid20s and sunny. Easy to get around by rental car or bus. Don’t miss Carnevale parades in Santa CruzTenerife, the costumes rival Rio. And the Tiede by night tour was great. All islands are excellent for walking and hiking. Enjoy! We’ll be watching for some videos.
We’re heading for Mexico soon but our March is open. Your newsletter reminded me to check out Colombia which I will do now!
So glad to hear that you had a long stay in the Canaries and enjoyed it! We've done a lot of research, of course, but always good to hear positive feedback from fellow slow travellers. Let us know if you need any tips for Colombia. We found Medellin and Cartagena a little intense for our taste but the other places that I mentioned in the newsletter were real winners for us.
Hello!
We visited the Canary Islands in October 2025. The weather was nice and people were very friendly. The city buses were quite reliable to get around town and you pay the bus driver or get a bus card, most fares in town were two (2) euros per person. Taxis were also affordable.
In Tenerife you should visit “El Monasterio” restaurants (https://www.mesonelmonasterio.com/) is an old monastery converted into restaurants with delicious food, nice views and a beautiful garden. The restaurant is near Puerto de la Cruz which is a beautiful but touristy town.
There is also are plenty of hiking trails in the islands to see the volcanoes.
Excellent tips - thank you so much for sharing! I've added the restaurant to my wish list. We're looking forward to busing our way to great hikes around the island 😊
We live in Minnesota and I am struggling with the same decisions. I like the idea of a point system. While I’d like to spend a chunk of the winter out of the US, we have a large dog and some family issues that make an overseas trip unlikely. However, Malta is high on my list for someday. Somewhere between San Diego and Tampa is more likely for this year. Warmer, but not balmy. Hopefully, I’ll learn a few things by living vicariously through your adventures.
Juggling family responsibilities and a large dog does make an overseas getaway a little more complicated. We're fortunate that we can just pop our dogs under the airplane seat! In the meantime, the US does have a lot of great destinations to choose from and even Mexico isn't that far away.
It's so nice to see your newsletter and read about your travels again! Looking forward to seeing photos of the Canaries and hoping it works out very well for you and pups!
Great to hear - thanks so much! We're really looking forward to getting back into a few months of slow travel and sharing as we go.
Glad you skipped Taiwan as we were told the winters can be surprisingly wet and chilly. And here in Osaka, apartments aren't winterized either!
Ha, good tip...especially because I've been lobbying Gillian for Taiwan in 2027. 😅
Fellow spreadsheet planner here! 🙋♀️ What ‘weather forecasting’ websites do you use? We’re planning a long term cycle tour and weather def plays a role in planning. Enjoy the Canary Islands!
From a fellow Gillian 😊
Always love meeting a fellow nerd! We have two weather sites that we use for mapping out our destinations (in a spreadsheet that we have lovingly called "Places and Seasons"). The first is Climates to Travel and the second is Weather Spark, which was recommended to us by a nomad meteorologist couple (so you know it's good!).
The Canary Islands is a very good choice, as long as you avoid the busier resorts and stay in quiet villages. We were there in January last year and it was everything we hoped for: lots of sunshine, good (and very affordable!) food, good hiking, and even a bit of sunbathing or swimming in the ocean if you can do with not so warm water. Enjoy!
Well, I can't say that I'm eager for a chilly swim but everything else that you mentioned sounds perfect! Glad to hear that it was a good experience for you. 😊
Smart to head out of the cold and snow for 3 months, the Canary Islands seem beautiful! I wouldn’t have initially considered them, so I’m excited to see your blogs/video on them in the future. Have a great time!
We had a great time during our visit to Madeira and saw a lot of parallels with the Canaries, e.g. European culture in a subtropical climate; lots of excellent hiking opportunities. Hopefully it’s as good an experience in person as it is on paper! Looking forward to sharing more once we get there.
Crete is it for us. Living in Austria we can drive there via ferries and then have our own car - need one to get around, rentals widely available. Hundreds of great canyons to hike, great food, all very inexpensive esp. off season. Been there twice already for 3-4 months each and lovin' it!
I'll have to take a closer look at Crete and, in particular, the weather during the off season. We went there for a short visit a number of years ago and were impressed. I can imagine that it would be very appealing once most of the tourists have left for the season.
While I miss your regular postings, these occasional ones give me joy. . . We think our own full-time nomadding is winding down as we contemplate finding a “base,” in 2027. With plans for a couple 2-3 month sojourns annually. We’ve had some glorious cruise stops in the Canaries. And they are on our list for longer term stays. The hiking on the north side of Funchal is spectacular. We’re choosing a holiday pet sit in London followed by a lengthy cruise to Hong Kong and 5 months in Japan. We will follow your Canary adventures closely.
It seems that most people have a natural expiry date on their full-time travels although, even with a home base, the interest in exploring the world is still there. It sounds like you've got some wonderful forward plans. Five months in Japan should be incredible. If you like multi-day hikes, we highly recommend the Kumano Kodo. We've done it once and will surely do it again one day.
We will be in Funchal in mid-january! A cruise stop If you are there, would love to meet up
That would be very lovely...except that Funchal is on Madeira and we will be on the Canary Islands, which is in a slightly different part of the ocean! However, do let us know if you also have a stop on Gran Canaria. 😊
Silly me. . . I knew that. . . Between the Azores and the Canaries and Madeira and which belongs to which country and in which ocean, my brain gets muddled. That’s what six years of full-time travel will do to a person. Be well!
At 72 and 77, we feel ourselves slowing down AND every time we visit the storage shed before another “stint,” my husband bemoans the loss of his canvases, paints and guitar. Thanks for the Japanese tip though we are more walkers than hikers these days.
It's a real challenge to find hobbies that are portable enough for nomad life. Part of the reason that we ended up creating a home base is because Gillian really wanted to finally have a garden!
Thanks! After a lot of trial and error (and error), we've found that mapping out our decision tree is helpful and gives us something to refer back to when we start questioning our decisions all over again.😅 In the meantime, we're looking forward to practising our Spanish again and discovering what the Canaries has to offer.