If you're looking to go above and beyond your typical paradisiacal island vacation and want to experience much more than just pristine sandy beaches, the astonishing diversity and extreme landscapes of the Canary Islands offer many kinds of paradises to relaxed vacationers and adventurers alike.
With seven different islands to choose from, a holiday in the Canary Islands has something for everyone. Find out why you should go and which island you should pick...
All the islands of the Canary Islands have a volcanic history, which explains the black beaches of the islands. All the sandy beaches you will find on the islands are man made. The islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean , about 100 to 400 kilometres from Morocco and Western Sahara The Teide vulcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain of Spain, topping the Mulhacén in the Sierra Nevada by more than 200 metres. El Hierro saw the last volcanic activity on 2011, when an undersea volcano erupted just of the southern coast.
Prepare to find yourself awe-struck at the extra-terrestrial landscapes of this extraordinary island, which boasts about 300 volcanoes. Even though all seven islands are of volcanic origin, Lanzarote has most recently felt the devastating effects of its volcanic eruptions in the 18th and 19th centuries, when some 200 square kilometers were scorched and covered in ashes.
This region of petrified lava make up the National Park of Timanfaya and its Mountains of Fire, where visions of a lifeless, prehistoric (or even apocalyptic) earth, with enormous craters of an incandescent red color, can be seen on a bus or even camel tour. Its unique atmosphere has made it a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the most impressive natural parks in all of Spain.
Corralejo on the north coast is a popular spot for British holidaymakers with miles and miles of unspoilt beaches and dunes, a range of nightlife options from romantic meals overlooking the sea to fun-filled nights out in bars and clubs, and activities for all of the family. Other popular resorts include Caleta de Fuste which is a hit with families due to its sheltered beach and calm waters, and Costa Calma on the Jandia Peninsular, a good spot for watersport enthusiasts with miles of golden sand. To make the the majority of any trip to the island, hire a car to explore the volcanic landscape inland.
The volcanic nature of the island of Tenerife meant that the land has few natural beaches. Those that exist are characterised by black sand created from the island's volcanic rocks. The demand for tourist sun-bathing space, however, has led to the creation of resorts and man-made beaches, with golden sand having been imported in some cases. Some of the best beaches of Tenerife are Los Gigantes and San Juan in the west and Fañabe, in the South with its golden s, showers and excellent facilities. Also popular are Torviscas with its marina, Playa las Americas for its grey sandy stretches and los Cristianos' beach. Candelaria in the east has a small black shingle beach. Up north Puerto de la Cruz has a beach with fine black sand, and at Santa Cruz golden sand has been imported for its Terasitas beach.
British tourists head to resorts such as Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise and Haria where accommodation is on offer for a range of budgets and tastes from all-inclusive five-star resorts and eco lodgings to budget apartments.
The oldest of the Canaries, this island is known for its kilometers-long beaches of white sand and shallow, clear water, perfect for water-skiing, wind-surfing, fishing, or sailing. It has the longest coastline of all seven islands, spanning 340 kilometers, and is easily accessible by a 40-minute ferry from Lanzarote.
Fuerteventura is also notable for its dry climate, giant white sand dunes, and camels ready to give tourists a lift only a stone's throw from the beach. One is reminded of the island's close proximity to Africa, specially when visiting the Dunes National Park, where the tranquility of snaking dunes likens to a mini-Sahara.
The individual islands in the Canary archipelago tend to have distinct microclimates. Islands such as El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera lying to the west of the archipelego have a climate which is influenced by the moist gulf stream. As one travels east toward the African coast, the influence of the gulf stream diminishes, and the islands become increasingly arid. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote the islands which are closest to the African mainland are effectively desert or semi desert. In terms of its climate Tenerife is particularly interesting. The north of the island lies under the influence of the moist atlantic winds and is well vegetated, while the south of the island is arid.
The other three islands that complete the Canaries - La La Gomera, El Hierro and Palma- offer serene holidays away from the crowds as they are still relatively undiscovered and unspoilt. Only La Palma is served by direct flights from the UK into Santa Cruz de La Palma airport (SPM) while you can reach all three islands via flight or ferry from Tenerife.
Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) is the busiest of the Canary Islands and dozens of airlines serve the island.
Only a few cities in Africa are served, though Mauritania Airways started flying to a number of Mauritanian cities from 2009 onwards. Binter Canarias , has flights from Marrakech to the islands.
Tenerife is serviced by two airports: Tenerife North (TFN) and Tenerife South (TFS).
Like Gran Canaria, Tenerife, the largest island of the Canaries, boasts a big variety of mountain, forest, and beach landscapes with an ever-warm climate. Most notably, it contains the majestic Mount Teide , a massive volcano which, at 3,718 meters, is the highest peak in all of Spain and the third largest volcano in the world.
The Canary Islands' location off the North African Coast implies that they enjoy year-round sun. Lanzarote, for example, sizzles at around 28C in August. And even if you visit between November and February, you'll still be able to enjoy a blast of much-needed heat and can expect temperatures of up to 23C in November in Tenerife.
These mountain ranges separate the island into two climate zones, with the north being greener and more humid and the south being hot and dry. If you're a wine connossieur, you would love a drive up north to Taraconte, famous for their red wines, where fertile vineyards contrast with coastline cliffs. There are also a number of beautiful old colonial cities to visit, including Garachico to the west, which has black sand beaches and naturally-formed pools, and La Laguna to the north, a historic city considered to be the cultural capital of the Canaries. La Orotava is another old city which is adorned with colonial mansions and gorgeous gardens, located in the sea of banana plantations that make up the Orotova Valley.
King's Day: Across Spain, this is the main event in the Christmas Calendar to celebrate the coming of the three kings. Gifts are exchanged and elaborate parades are held.
Getting there: Tenerife has two airports, Los Rodeos airport in the north and the Reina Sofia airport in the south. Most international flights come through the Reina Sofia airport, whereas inter-island flights arrive at Los Rodeos. Ferries arrive at the city of Santa Cruz from Gran Canaria, La Palma, and Fuerteventura.
Dia de Canarias; May 30; throughout the Canary Islands: Canarian culture is celebrated on this public holiday to celebrate the autonomous Canary Islands' Parliament's first session in 1983.
The Canary Islands are linked by a smaller airline called Binter Canarias , which also has a flight to Marrakech from a couple of the islands.
As the coastline consists mostly of jagged cliffs, the majority of the beaches on the island are small coves. Nevertheless, beaches such as Valle del Gran Rey and Playa de Santiago have that crystalline water and golden sand all vacationers seek. Also recommendable to see is the Acantilado de los Organos, or the Organ Cliff, which contains thousands of basalt columns soaring up from out of the water, giving the impression of a giant, rocky organ.
Getting there: There are no international flights to Gomera, so you have the option of taking a flight first to Tenerife-Reina Sofia and then catching a ferry, or flying into Tenerife-Los Rodeos and catching a connecting flight to Gomera. Ferries arrive at the city of San Sebastian from Tenerife.
La Palma is also know as la isla bonita," or pretty island," because of its lush greenery, blue skies, and coasts formed by volcanic lava. The island was declared a Biosphere Reserve due to its treasure trove of ecological sites. Here you will find natural springs such as Nacientes de Marcos, volcanoes, gullies, and laurel woods like Bosque de El Canal.
Trasmediterránea and Fred Olsen , are the main operators between the Canary Islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma.
Canarian cuisine is a mix between African cultures, Latin and Spanish. Most of Canarian cuisine is a variety of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish, generally light meals, more easy to digest in a warm climate. Meat is generally consumed as a part of stews or as steaks.
The local fish is pretty good. You will find a wide variety of international recipes of fish and seafood, too. Two popular fish dishes from Tenerife are Caldereta, a meal with tomatoes, goat meat and potatoes and the Sancocho Canario, a salted fish, usually white, in a mojo" sauce.
This is the smallest island of the Canaries, as well as the least populated and least traveled, which makes it a perfect spot for those wishing to get away from it all and experience nature to its fullest. Its clean beaches and mountain scenery provide a relaxing, non-package tourist vacation.
A plateau and mountainous area make up the central part of the island, where rises up as the highest peak. From here, you can admire the views of the gulf, forests, volcanic craters, and of the entire island. The coast also offers a fascinating and unfamiliar sight with its cliffs jutting out from under the water, as if they were little crag islands. El Golfo is where the largest amount of cliffs can be found along with the some of the highest viewpoints of the area.
Other attractions on El Hierro include its natural swimming pools of tranquil water at Tamaduste and Monacal, both situated in the north. In La Frontera, separated from the rest of the island by mountains, you can taste some delicious products cultivated on its fertile lands: wines, smoked cheese, tortillas. A curious sight is the region of Sabinar, where the Sabinas, trees native to the island, can be seen. These trees are unlike any others, with their trunks bent over double and twisted into strange shapes by the strong winds of this region.
Arepas - tortas made from fine corn flour filled with minced meats, cheese, or lovely mango.