The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic
Ocean some 1.500 Km. southwest from the Spanish
main land. Geographically they lie in front
of the Atlantic coasts of Africa. People used
to call them the 'Islas Afortunadas' (fortunate
islands) for its nearly permanent good climate.
These islands are volcanic and constitute
an authentic natural paradise with extraordinary
geological value and an exhuberant nature.
It is without any doubt the most relevant
tourism destination in Spain due to its permanent
Spring weather, its amazing beaches, seaside
resorts and the numerous possibilities for
entertainment. The islands are seven: Tenerife,
Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La
Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
FUERTEVENTURA
Camel
travel 
Tourism
office:
Av. Primero de Mayo, 33.
General information:
15.551 inhabitants. Capital: Puerto del Rosario.
Altitude: 16 metres above sea level.
Fuerteventura is the largest island (in coast
kilometres) and geologically it is the oldest
of them all (around 30 million years). It's
also the one with less volcanic activity.
Wide plateaus dominate the lanscape of this
island. Apart from its magnificent beaches
it offers many possibilities for fishing and
sea sports, like windsurf or the more trendy
kite-surf. It's also a good place for small-game
(rabbit, paldrige). The lanscape is very dry
and flat. In the 18th century it was used
as a food storage base for the other islands.
In tourism it offers two different areas
of relevance: 'Corralejo', to the north, with
a vast accommodation choice and restaurants,
and 'Jandía' to the south, also with
a superb coastline, many hotels, bungalows,
apartments, shopping areas, etc. Gastronomically
it is a bit poor, but certainly most foods
have to do with fresh fish or 'jareado', goat
meat and some suprisingly good cheeses. The
'majorero' cheese ranks among the best in
Spain and has become a usual sourvenir. Another
good variety of cheese is the 'Queso de la
flor del Guía'.
LA
GOMERA
General information: 6.010 inhabitants.
Main town is 'San Sebastián de La Gomera'.
Aiport 34 Km. from San Sebastián.
Celebrations: 'Fiestas patronales
San Sebastián', January 20th. 'Los
Remedios', July 2nd. 'Fiestas colombinas',
in September.
Also known as the 'Isla Colombina' in memory
of the last western point where Christopher
Coulumbus was before setting his sails to
America. La Gomera is the second largest island
in surface with a complicated orography due
to the carvings, canyons and cliffs created
by erosion. The lansdscape is varied with
protected forests at the national park of
'Garajonay' with a much admired nature of
particular interest to biology lovers. One
of the most common trees in the island is
the palm tree as woud correspond to this climate.
Some places of interest are: 'La fortaleza',
big round geological formation in the form
of a hole, 'Laguna Grande', a vast plateau
with some rare vegetation, 'La degollada de
Peeraza', the place where it is said the first
murder ever in this island took place, and
'Roque Agando'. La Gomera is a great place
for rural tourism lovers, with many trecking
possibilities and where open-air sports find
its perfect environment.
LAS PALMAS
DE GRAN CANARIA
Tourism office:
Plaza Comandante Ramón Franco
(opposite to the 'Santa Catalina' park)
General information: 355.563
inhabitants. Gando Airport 20 Km. from Las
Palmas city.
Celebrations: 'Santa Ana',
July 26th.
The city of Las Palmas was founded in 1478
following an urbanistic model of Sevilla with
a rich area and a commercial area. The river
that used to cross the city dried up and today
has been burried under a highway. Gran Canaria
is an example of cosmopolitan city. The closeness
to Africa, the mixed tourists all year round
and the Russian, Cuban, Korean and Japanese
fishing fleets provide an interesting human
landscape that also has enriched the variety
of foods one can find in the city: Chinese,
Japanese, Libanese, Iranian, Indian, French,
Russian, Bulgarian, Escandinavian, Korean,
Hungarian, Argentinian,... apart form more
traditional foods from regional Spain. It
might be the city in Spain that offers a wider
choice of restaurants outside Madrid or Barcelona.
But the visit to the island would be incomplete
without the experience of the other parts
with different landscapes, towns, villages,
with a lot of authentic feeling.
SANTA
CRUZ DE TENERIFE
Tourism office:
Plaza de España.
Edificio del Cabildo Insular.
General information: 203.787
inhabitants. Playa de las Américas:
76 Km from Santa Cruz.
Tenerife is the largest of all the Canary
Islands (2.034 Km2). Like the rest of the
islands it's a perfect vacation place for
its climate and landscape. Average maximum
temprature in rarely above 24°C, and minimum
averages rarely fall below 14°C except
in the mountains. Nature in this island is
inmensly important, specially the park of
the mount 'Teide'.
The landscape is desertic in the south and
forest covers many parts of the north with
the alisian winds hitting its coast regularly,
forming a cloudy ceiling some days. There
are many trails for trecking in wild nature.
The national park of Teide holds a powerful
volcanic area with a large variety of autoctonous
plants in contrast with the mineral richness
of the volcanic rock.
EL HIERRO
General information: 3.687 inhabitants.
Main town is Valverde.
Celebrations: 'Romería
de la Virgen de Los Reyes' first Sunday of
July.
El Hierro is a small island (287 Km2) that
reaches an altitude of 1.501 meters at the
'Pico de Malpaso'. It only hosts two municipalities,
Valverde and Frontera. Valverde is the head
town to an area of 105 Km2 and is placed in
the interior in a region called "Las Brunas",
difficult lands filled with volcanic formations.
Quite near, on the coastline, the port of
'La Estaca' and the beach of 'Tamaduste' complete
the places of interest. To the east, Frontera
is famous for its local wines and pineapple.
They have traditional figues and a popular
dessert called 'quesadillas'. Good fishery
and cheese makers abound. The island holds
the natural habitat of some huge lizzards,
the 'lagartos de Salmor' nearly extinguished
and protected by law.
LA PALMA
General information:18.000 inhabitants.
Main town Santa Cruz de La Palma.
La Palma island is located to the northeast
of the islands. Also known with the name of
"Isla Bonita" (pretty island) all its landscape
is dominated by a huge valley-like round geological
formation called 'La Caldera de Taburiente',
one of the biggest in the world of its kind.
The inside of this formation is today a national
park and can only be accessed by foot or with
4x4 vehicles (book in advance). Once you are
there you can enjoy the multitude of plants
belonging in this ecosystem and the beauty
of nature in this rare and beatuiful environment
tunnelled by water ways.
Another singular view of this island is the
Route of the Volcanoes, a path through different
volcanic formations one of which , the'Teneguía',
became active in 1971. The uniqueness of the
landscape can be admired also from road trips
as well as in trecking tracks having the island
a quite complete road network that reaches
all parts of the territory. Forest tracks
have been made available and directions signs
in them will help you find your way.
LANZAROTE
Tourism office: at the airport
General information: 18.000 inhabitants.
Main town: Arrecife.
Impressive fields of solidified lava make
up this island. The island had different volcanic
activity periods throughout its history. From
the nature viewpoint of Montaña Rajada
you can admire a vast sea of dry lava that
reaches the coastline. Waves and bizarre shapes
of lava have created a picturesque landscape.
Inhabitants have learned to live alongside
this unusual landscape, and have suceeded
in farming melons, onions, tomatoes and also
vines in 'La Geria'.
There are two prehistoric caves of interest:
'Cueva de los Verdes' (Haría) with
its spectacular rock formations, and the 'Cueva
de los Jameos del Agua' also a natural spectacle.
Both have car-parks in case you reach them
by car.
Beaches in this island have good waves for
windsurfers. The popular ones have a beach
cleaning service. 'El Papagayo' beach is one
of the most popular and unspoilt and has fine
white sand. It lies between two cliffs forming
a small inlet. The rocky setting is ideal
for snorkelling as the waters are usually
calm here.
