Tinsel in the rigging – Christmas sailing

  • Tinsel in the Rigging – Christmas Sailing Trip from LLAS e.V. Brigg ROALD AMUNDSEN
  • Tinsel in the Rigging – Christmas Sailing Trip from
  • Tinsel in the Rigging – Christmas Sailing Trip from
Cabin charter
Tinsel in the rigging – Christmas sailing
1,545 €
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Islands in the horse latitudes – Christmas and New Year in the Canaries
Wednesday, 23 December 2026 – Saturday, 2 January 2027

Reduced: €1075 | Adults: €1545

Eleven days amongst the volcanic islands of the Canary archipelago. A time for sailing, for arrival and for celebration together – Christmas and New Year on board, with warm Atlantic breezes instead of snow outside the door.

There are years when you want to experience the festive season differently. Without stress, without overcrowded city centres, without the same old hustle and bustle. Instead: the sea beneath the keel, mild air on your skin, a tall ship under the stars and a crew that quickly becomes a small family. This trip is designed for exactly these days. We spend Christmas and New Year together on board, sail at leisure between the Canary Islands and let the year draw to a close in a way that's perhaps possible nowhere else.

The Canaries in winter – sun, wind and volcanic rock
The Canary Islands lie far to the south, almost at the latitude of the Western Sahara, yet still under the Spanish flag. A mild subtropical climate prevails here all year round, making them particularly attractive in December: pleasant daytime temperatures, clear nights, a sea warm enough that the Atlantic air feels welcoming.

Each of the islands is a cosmos of its own. Deep ravines, black lava beaches, lush laurel forests, rugged cliffs, old fishing villages and hamlets that seem to come from another time. We take the full eleven days to sail at leisure between the islands, to anchor in different spots and to get to know the archipelago from the sea – a perspective that remains hidden from most travellers.

Bound for La Palma
We start in Tenerife and set course for the western islands of the archipelago. Depending on wind and weather, our route takes us past La Gomera – the island with the famous whistling language Silbo Gomero and the misty laurel forest of Garajonay National Park. Perhaps we'll anchor off the small, wild island of El Hierro, the former "end of the world", where the prime meridian of the ancient world once ran.

Our destination is La Palma, the greenest of the Canary Islands – also called La Isla Bonita. Steep cliffs, dense forests, a massive erosion crater at the island's heart and Europe's youngest volcano, which only erupted here in 2021. Anyone unfamiliar with La Palma will discover one of the most unspoilt islands in the archipelago.

Christmas on board
Christmas Eve on the deck of a tall ship is something you won't forget a second time. We make ourselves comfortable – with candlelight, a shared meal, perhaps a few songs, tales from old logbooks and the particular quiet that only arises over the sea. The permanent crew conjures up a festive meal from the galley, and anyone who wishes can bring a little tradition from home on board. No consumer marathon, but a calm, heartfelt version of the holidays, carried by the community on board.

New Year's Eve over the Atlantic
A few days later we ring in the new year. In Spain, a particular tradition belongs to the turn of the year: eating one grape with each of the twelve chimes at midnight, one for each month of the coming year. Of course we join in. When the ship lies at anchor, perhaps in a sheltered bay or in the harbour of one of the islands, we raise a toast together, gaze at the starry sky above the Atlantic and celebrate the beginning of 2027 – quietly, warmly, in a circle that has become a small family in just a few days.

"Islands in the horse latitudes" – where does the name come from?
The Canaries lie on the edge of those latitudes that sailors have known for centuries as the horse latitudes – the windless high-pressure zones between the trade winds of the north and those of the south, roughly between 30 and 35 degrees north latitude. The name comes from a dark period of seafaring: sailors who were becalmed for weeks in these latitudes and had to stretch their water and feed supplies are said to have thrown horses they were transporting overboard. Hence: Horse Latitudes, Rossbreiten.

Today we cross these latitudes under quite different auspices. Instead of calms and feed shortages, we can expect moderate winds, clear visibility and an archipelago that is particularly special at this time of year. The name of our trip is a little nod to maritime history – and a hint that we're sailing in precisely the area where the great ships of discovery paused before heading further west.

Sail training at a relaxed pace
Even though this trip is more contemplative than some Atlantic passages, we sail actively. We work in watches between the islands, with manoeuvres on deck, shared anchorages, walks ashore and the opportunity to learn or deepen seamanship at leisure. An experienced permanent crew will teach you what you need. Prior experience is welcome but not essential – curiosity, enthusiasm for community and openness to the particular atmosphere of these days are quite sufficient.

What to expect
Eleven days among volcanic islands, with warm Atlantic air and deep-blue water. Christmas and New Year on board – cosy, communal, carried by the crew. A ship that becomes a little floating home for this time. And at the end, an island that is among the most unspoilt and beautiful of the archipelago.

Come on board. Celebrate with us. Let the year end differently.
Pictures by Anton Blanke

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LLAS e.V. Brigg ROALD AMUNDSEN
Commercial provider
Start of trip
23.12.2026
End of trip
02.01.2027
Departure
Santa Cruz de Tenerife

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Destination
Santa Cruz de La Palma

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Duration
11 days
Distance
approx. 300 nautical miles
Yacht
Traditional sailing vessel
Brig
163 feet
Language on board
German
Sailing area
AtlanticCanary Islands / MadeiraTransatlantic
Country
Spain
Interested in this trip? Message LLAS e.V. Brigg ROALD AMUNDSEN directly
"Tinsel in the rigging – Christmas sailing" from the harbour "Santa Cruz de Tenerife" to the harbour "Santa Cruz de La Palma" from 23.12.2026 to 02.01.2027
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