Canary Islands travel guide |
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| Laying roughly 100 km west of the Moroccan coast, Spain's Canary Islands sit on the same latitude as the Sahara Desert. It should therefore come as no surprise that they enjoy the kind of sunny climate that has made the Canaries into one of Europe's most popular beach destinations. In fact, the islands are so popular that they are strongly connected to mainland Europe. It is just as easy to book a charter or discount flight from London, as it is to do so from Madrid. The islands are also connected to Europe by means of a regular Naviera Armas cruise liner that departs from Portugal, stopping at the Portuguese island of Madeira along the way.
The other great Canary Island is Tenerife. It is physically the largest island in the archipelago, but much of the island is a rocky desert dominated by the 3,718 m volcano Teide. Teide stands as the highest mountain in all of Spain, and its ice-encrusted peak still spews jets of sulphurous gas into the atmosphere through numerous fumaroles. Fans of mountain trekking will enjoy the challenge of the multi-day hike through the desert and up the mountain, while everyone else can reach the top by driving up to the cable car station. Remember to bring warm clothes, however. The thin air and prevailing winds guarantee that Teide's peak is chilly, even in mid-summer. Like Gran Canaria, Tenerife is also a European beach mecca, complete with surfing, wind surfing and para-sailing, and renowned for its lively nightlife. When the tourist developments (such as Las Americas) on the south coast get to be a bit too much, visitors can always relocate to the city where the locals live, Santa Cruz. This pleasant and very Spanish city is situated on the island's green side, and offers a totally different view of life on the island. However, just because Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the most popular of the Canary Islands does not mean they are the only ones with something to offer to visitors. The other Canaries are just as well endowed with beautiful beaches and outdoor attractions, plus the added advantage of being off the beaten tourist track. Fuerteventura, for example, has long, white sand beaches on both its north and south coasts, good surfing, and even a developing golf scene. La Gomera's earliest days as a tourist destination were spent as a hippie enclave, but the thick tropical forest of Garajonay National Park draw in nature lovers, hikers and mountain bikers. There are also beaches, scuba diving and whale watching. El Hierro has the interesting distinction of having been "the end of the world" at one time, as the zero meridian line ran right through the island. Today it is known as the best scuba diving spot in all of Spain's waters.
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For a list of hotels with direct booking facilities please click on your place of interest below |
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| Tours of the Canary islands | ||
Beach Resort Vacation on La Palma Island Canarias
Customized Charter Sailing Vacations in The Canary Islands
Private Driver Chauffeur Transfers on the Canary Islands
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Among the Canaries, two islands are by far the most popular with visitors: Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Gran Canaria is the most heavily populated island in the archipelago, with over 800,000 people. It's capital of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city of 377,000 people, one of the largest in 
The island of La Palma boasts a hiking trail that is a "must see" for any European fan of vulcanology, namely the "Ruta de los Volcanos." Part of the GR-131 trail, this route carves a path through terrain pockmarked by volcanic craters and fumaroles. More volcanism can be seen at Lanzarote's Timanfaya National Park, which encloses an area that was buried in lava during a 1730s eruption and has barely changed since. The park and other parts of the island show many signs of volcanism, from cavernous lava tubes to fumaroles to hot rocks to geysers.
