Europe's whale-watching season is starting. Here's where to see them
We round up five destinations where sightings of cetacean life are almost guaranteed in the spring and summer months, from hotspots off the Azores coast to the skerries between Scottish islands.
Wildlife encounters don’t come much bigger than those with a whale. Coming face to fin with some of the largest mammals on the planet can be a deeply moving experience, one that’s become bucket list for many travellers. Since commercial whale-watching began around 70 years ago, it’s grown into a worldwide industry worth an estimated £1bn. An increasing number of countries are drawing up regulations that put nature first, but it’s still key to choose operators that prioritise animal welfare over close-up encounters.
Húsavík, Iceland
Come to the north coast of Iceland in early summer for minkes, humpbacks, huge pods of orcas and various dolphins — plus, Europe’s highest chances of spotting blue whales. You’re almost guaranteed a sighting of something between June and September, when krill are plentiful in the high latitudes and long days extend viewing opportunities. Popular departure points include Húsavík, whose harbour is lined by weatherboard houses. Some of Europe’s biggest scenery lies all around you, meaning you can combine boat trips with caldera hikes, visits to geothermic sites and drives to the most powerful waterfalls you’re likely to come across, away from the tourist trails of the south. Note that the country still allows some whale hunting.
How to do it
Pico Island, the Azores
The chances of seeing whales in the Azores are higher than almost anywhere else in Europe. Scientists estimate 30% of the world’s whale and dolphin species pass along the coast of this Portuguese archipelago between March and June, when it serves as a mid-Atlantic diner for migrating blues, fins, seis, minkes and humpbacks. Its food-rich, two-mile-deep waters at the edge of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge support sperm whales and dolphin species year-round, too. Most trips here involve some island-hopping via short flights or ferry crossings. Pico’s the pick — a rugged speck where you embark on sea excursions from former whaling villages, with encounters regulated by national guidelines. Saõ Miguel, the main hub, is a good all-rounder: expect beaches, hikes and local wine.
How to do it
Mull, Inner Hebrides
Minke whales are the main draw on Mull. Long-term studies have tracked a small resident population around this Scottish island, boosted by migrating minkes in summer, occasional orca and pilot whales, as well as Risso’s and bottlenose dolphins. The best time for sightings is May to September, when guided boat tours head out to sea. Alternatively, The Hebridean Whale Trail — the brainchild of the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust — links up coastal sites where you might spot sea life from land. It’s teamed up with local businesses and conservation charities to facilitate sightings; in summer on Mull, staff from the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust join the wildlife rangers at Glengorm Castle on the north coast for dolphin-watching on Thursday mornings.
How to do it
Ligurian Sea, Italy
Set up in 1986, the Tethys Research Institute was instrumental in the creation of the 34,000sq mile Pelagos Sanctuary, a marine reserve in the Ligurian Sea that stretches between the Italian and French Rivieras. Four years later it began offering citizen-science experiences here, which have the Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity’s stamp of approval. Small groups of volunteers join researchers living and working aboard a motorsailer for week-long summer cruises, helping compile data on an array of cetacean life: fin, long-finned pilot and beaked whales, plus a spotter’s book of dolphin species. Accommodation is cramped and participants are expected to muck in with chores, but as an insight into whale conservation the trip is outstanding.
How to do it
La Palma, Canary Islands
According to the International Whaling Commission, Spain’s Canary Islands offer some of the world’s most spectacular whale-watching. The Atlantic archipelago’s deep seas suit sperm, pilot and humpback whales, as well as a lucky dip of spring migrants, like fin, sei, blue and minke. You might spot bottlenose dolphins year-round, too. Tenerife and La Gomera are good bases, but for an all-round wildlife trip, La Palma is the nature island — a Unesco-listed biosphere reserve of forests, volcanic landscapes and starlight. Travellers can head out with naturalist guides to look for bird species including the Atlantic canary and barbary falcon, as well as hard-to-spot butterflies like La Palma Cleopatra, whose wings look like leaves. Wherever you go, authorities set strict rules for boat tours.
