Located approximately 100 kilometers off the northwest coast of Africa is the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands. Although these volcanic outcroppings have been inhabited since pre-historic times, it was the Gaunches who permanently settled the islands around 1000 BC. Over the ages, the Canary Islands have been visited by sailors and tradesman from Carthage, Rome, Phoenicia and the Arab countries. The islands were conquered by Spain and used as a way station for galleons. It was here that ships carrying the Conquistadors would pick up the easterly trade winds that would carry them to the New World. The Canary Islands would defend themselves against British and French invasions in the early 19th Century and play a role in Francisco Franco’s takeover of Spain in the mid-20th. Today, the Insula Canaria, Latin for island of the dogs, are a self governing autonomous community.

Roll Over Map to Explore the Canary Islands

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The archipelago consists of seven main islands plus several smaller ones. One of the main islands is Tenerife. It boasts the highest mountain in Spain and is the country’s most populated island. The mountain is the Teide volcano, a World Heritage Site and the third largest island volcano on Earth. It is on this island that you will find the modern and iconic Auditorio de Tenerife and the major tourist attraction of the Teide National Park. The island of Fuerteventura is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and is the oldest inhabited of the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria hosts the Maspalomas Dunes, a popular tourist attraction. The island city of La Palma is home to numerous museums that display Canary Island artifacts and reveal the storied history of the islands. The other islands are also home to museums, national parks and historic landmarks. Each island displays in its own way the unique history as well as the natural beauty of the flora and fauna of the islands.

Guests will enjoy the unique sport of Canarian style wrestling and the cuisine of roasted fish, the papas arrugades potato dish and, of course, the local mojo sauce which is the ancestral basis for all Latin American and Caribbean mojo sauces.

Due to its location, the Canary Islands have a subtropical climate that produces long hot summer days and cooler winter days. With this marvelous climate, natural wonders and beaches, the Canary Islands are a major tourist destination attracting over 12 million visitors per year.

If you are planning a holiday you should travel to El Hierro, Canary Islands. The smallest island in the group is also one of the most beautiful. It is located off of the African coast and is a must see for everyone who loves to travel. You can enjoy El Hierro anytime because it is warm and sunny all year round. The island is stunning with rugged coastlines and mountainous landscape. It is home to some of the most unique animals in the world including the endangered El Hierro Lizard. Unlike most islands, El Hierro is full of large forests that are home to the Canary Island pines and wax myrtles. The thousand year old junipers grow up to 70 centimetres tall and are an amazing sight to see.

What attracts visitors to the island is the beautiful cliffs and abundant sea life. It is one of the most famous destinations in the world for scuba divers and snorkelers. The island has over 25 diving sites that are recognized all over the world and the visibility is amazing because the waters are incredibly deep. Divers and snorkelers had better take their underwater camera’s because they will see spiny globefish, black sea bream, trumpet fish and black coral. Hammerhead sharks have been spotted along with giant rays, triggerfish and tuna. One of the most popular diving spots on El Hierro is Mar Las Calmas as the sea is very calm.

Other popular activities on the island include rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, cave exploration and wind surfing. If you want to see the entire island you must hire a car or take a taxi. Most of the tiny villages have a personal taxi driver who would be glad to show you around the island.

If you like to hike you must travel to Pozo De Las Calcosas and Charco Manso. Both are located on the north coast of the island and have naturally formed swimming pools. Even the houses are built with stone. Be sure to take your hiking boots as the only access is straight down the cliff on a narrow path.

Valverde is the islands capital and has traditional restaurants where you can dine on fresh fish and traditional tapas. Stay the night at one of the quaint hotels or book a local bed and breakfast.

El Hierro Canary Islands is a holiday that everyone should experience. Grab your partner, your family or your friends and head to one of the most beautiful destinations in the world.

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Gran Canaria, of the Canary Islands, has a population of over 1 million people. This makes Gran Canaria the most heavily populated island in Spain. The island is located about 93 miles off of the northwest coast of Africa and 838 miles to the south of Europe. The island’s capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria which is also both the largest city and the capital of the Canary Islands at large.

The island was first settled as early as 500 BC by the Canarii. Orginally called Tamaran (Land of the Brave), Gran Canaria was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile in 1483. In 1492, Christopher Columbus docked in the Port of Las Palmas en route to the Americas. The island has been a part of Spain since this very early conquest.

The climate of the city is noted for its variety. The coasts rarely see frost or snow, though the mountain ranges on the inner part of the island do. Some areas of the island see heavy rainfall while other areas see barely any rainfall at all. The southern part of the island is the most favorable during the summer months when the temperature averages in the upper 70s to low 80s F (24-27 C).

If you plan on visiting Gran Canaria, you can count yourself among the 2.2 million visitors to the island each year. Most of the tourists flock to the south coast so, if you’re intending on a less crowded atmosphere, you may want to head to one of the other coasts. While in Gran Canaria, there is much to see and do.

The Palmitos Park is a large bird park located in the south. Visitors can see birds native to the region that they may not see again in their lifetime. The Dunes of Maspalomas are a popular destination as is the lighthouse located nearby. If you love nature, you’ll adore Gran Canaria! With its many rocky outcroppings, mountains and forests, those tourists seeking outdoor adventure won’t be disappointed.

While on Gran Canaria, be sure to visit the town of Aguimes. Located on the eastern part of the island, the town has been restored to reflect the atmosphere of a quiet, traditional island center. Aguimes is home to well-preserved cave dwellings, Guayadeque Ravine and a church built directly into the hillside. The cave restaurants in Aguimes are worth the trip alone not to mention not to mention the scuba diving opportunities at the marine reserve.

The miles of beaches, acres of forest and bustling night life may just make Gran Canaria the best choice of island destinations! No matter what time of year you decide to vacation, you’ll find that the climate supports any and all activities on the island. Whether you stay at a resort or a smaller, more quaint hotel, you’re sure to have the time of your life on Gran Canaria.

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La Gomera is the second smallest island of the Canaries. The Canaries are located approximately 80 miles off the coast of Africa, but they are, in both province and territories, Spanish. It sits in the Atlantic Ocean, as part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The capitol is located in San Sebastian. La Gomera, like its sister islands, is mainly of a volcanic origin that provides both natural wonder for tourists and educational value for geologists and scientists who wish to study the famous volcanic plains of the island.

The inhabitants of La Gomera have several traits linked to their island that are unique to the rest of the Canary Islands. They have a special way of communicating with each other across the deep ravines, or Barrancos, that the volcanic eruptions of the past have formed. This communication system is known as Silbo Gomero, which is a type of whistling dialect unique to that area of the world. Although the Canaries were settled by those who came from Lisbon in 1336, then by Spain later on, the islands still retain their aboriginal heritage. In 1489, the natives that inhabited La Gomera faced defeat at the hands of the influx of settling Spaniards. They fled to the mountains of La Gomera and prayed to their god to deliver them from their enemies. Today, the mountains serve as the center of the island, and archaeologists have unearthed numerous relics and sites that indicate that the site was indeed very sacred to the natives of the island.

An interesting historical fact about this Canary Island is that Christopher Columbus made La Gomera his port of call before he was to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1492. He was romantically attached to the then governor, Beatriz de Bobadilla y Ossario, and she gave him sugarcane, which in turn became the first to reach the New World.

The climate of La Gomera is generally dry, mirroring its large volcanic landscape. However, the mountains contained within the territory yield a dense, jungle-like climate, while the cliffs can be humid and sweltering.

The North of La Gomera showcases not only the beautiful ocean, but great villages and cities that depict the rich culture of the island. Hermigua is a romantic little village that’s beautiful to visit. The most popular destination in La Gomera, however, is the Valle Gran Rey, which is the legendary valley of the Great King. It’s historical and entertaining. Agulo is not to be forgotten. The valley boasts colonial housing structures and crooked streets that echo of days past, when Spanish settlers occupied the island. Also, due to the strategic placing of the island on the coast, you can indulge in whale-watching. La Gomera has everything from lush, rugged mountain ranges and beautiful blue oceans to misty tropical rain forests and historical points of interest. The volcanic wonders of the island are a great way for any family to examine the power of Mother Nature. La Gomera is a wonderful island to visit.

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Of the seven famous Canary Islands that dot the coast of Africa, La Palma is the fifth-largest and one of the most-visited. It is the most north-westerly of the islands. The capitol holds most of the island’s population in Santa Cruz de la Palma. Just like all of its other sister islands, La Palma boast of an origin that is mostly volcanic. The island itself rises four miles out of the Atlantic Ocean. Out of all seven of the Canary Islands, La Palma is the most volcanically active. Since the Spanish occupied the islands in the 1400s, there have been seven recorded eruptions, the most recent eruption occurring in 1971. Since then there has been at least one tsunami hoax that was broadcast on the BBC radio.

During the period of European Colonization, the Canary Islands were inhabited by Canarians, or as they were then called, Guanches. However, the natives of La Palma are more specifically referred to as, Auaritas. The original origins of these aborigines are unclear, but it is theorize that they descended from the Berbers of Northern Africa. While many historians believe that the Canary Islands were known to exist by both the Phoenicians and the Greeks, the earliest record of the islands was by the Roman Pliny the Elder. From 1405 to 1493 the natives fought the Spanish settlement in many violent and bloody battles until the natives were ultimately conquered by Spain. Alonso Fernandez de Lugo initially defeated the island’s last king, Tanausu. The island grew to become a prosperous trading post on the way to the New World and drew immigrants from all over Europe.

Much of the tourism that permeates the island are those who come to look at the “Flora and the Fauna,” or the stunning natural beauty of the island. Like the other Canaries, La Palma’s climate is quite dry. However, the terrain ranges from huge mountains and volcanic craters to forests and white sand beaches with blue water. They have a rich variety of plants, insects and animals. Some of the plants are even protected by law.

Roque de las Muchachos is the highest point on La Palma. It is so named after a small group of rocks at the top of the point, which comprise the “muchachos.” It contains an observatory, but the road is closed from sunset to sunrise because car headlights interfere with observations. Garafia is a small region that contains many even smaller towns to visit, such as Santa Domingo de Garafia, Las Tricias, El Tobaldo, Llano Negro, Don Pedro and El Castillo. Puerto Naos is the first of two tourist villages on La Palma. There are lots of restaurants and tourist shops to visit here. There is also a beautiful Black Sand Beach and the Hotel Sol Elite, the best lodging on the island. The most-visited spot, however, is Santa Cruz, the island’s capitol. This city has many winding streets, quaint cafes, shops and attractions. There is even a replication of the famous Santa Maria.

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Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean just off of the coast of Africa. As with the rest of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura is under Spanish rule but, unlike any other Canary Island, was named a biosphere reserve in 2009 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The island was first settled by the Maho people of North Africa. These early peoples lived in subterranean dwellings and caves, many of which have been excavated. Relics and pottery found in these excavations have given historians an idea of early life on the island. In 1405, the island was conquered by the French and named Betancuria. It wasn’t until 1927 that Fuerteventura became a part of the Canary Islands.

Fuerteventura is the second largest island of the Canaries, second only to Tenerife. Home to the longest beaches, sun and surf lovers from around the world flock to the island every year. The island is known as ‘the island of eternal spring’ due to its pleasant, year-round climate. An average temperature of 35 C (95 F) in the summer months is rivaled by an average of 22 C (72 F) in the winter. October sees the highest rainfall, with the rest of the year being fairly dry. The Calima sandstorm brings with it high temperatures and very dry air. The Calima often brings African locusts to Fuerteventura which are otherwise not present.

The island is home to a diverse array of wildlife. The threatened Canarian Egyptian Vulture is found here as are wild dogs and cats. Geckos, squirrels and migratory birds are in abundance and a large number of insects reside here. Insects and birds tend to congregate around resorts and other holiday developments, probably because of the ready availability of food and water. Visitors to the dunes of the island may spot the stunning blue banded bee or the caterpillar hunting wasp. Both of which are native to the island.

Tourists to the island should be sure to visit Corralejo; made up of a long beach, sand dune and remote bay. Surfers particularly enjoy Corralejo as its constant, steady winds provide waves year round. Cofete is home to the Villa Winter, a striking home that is bordered by empty beaches making it a rather lonesome residence. Naval buffs will want to visit the site of the SS American Star: in 1994 the ship beached in Playa de Garcey, collapsed to one side in 2007 and finally slipped completely under the surface in 2008.

Even though Fuerteventura is the second largest island in the Canary Islands chain, it is not as attractive to tourists as some of the other islands. This may make it the perfect holiday destination for those that desire a less crowded atmosphere. The long beaches and vast array of wildlife are sure to be attractive to nature lovers around the world.

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