Boat and Ferry Travel

Trasmediterránea runs a slow, comfortable ferry service weekly between Seville and Cádiz and the Canary Islands: Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), 49 hours; Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), 40 hours; Lanzarote (Arrecife), 34 hours 30 minutes. The boat has cabins, a tiny pool, restaurants, a recreation room, and a dance club, but it's not a luxury cruise and clearly rather impractical, both money- and time-wise.

Fred Olsen, Naviera Armas, Líneas Romero, and Trasmediterránea operate inexpensive ferries between all seven islands, although if you’re traveling to or from El Hierro, La Gomera, or La Palma to the eastern islands, you usually need to get a connecting ferry from Tenerife. Most interisland trips take one to four hours; the few boats departing near midnight are equipped with sleeping cabins. Note that schedules change, particularly in high winds or storms, so it's imperative to call ahead to double-check. Fred Olsen has several ultrasleek trimarans, which accommodate vehicles and are the quickest way to go between islands.

Contacts

Fred Olsen. 902/100107; www.fredolsen.es.

Líneas Romero. 928/596107; www.lineasromero.com.

Naviera Armas. 902/456500; www.navieraarmas.com.

Trasmediterránea. 902/454645; www.trasmediterranea.es.