Discover the 7 main islands of the Canaries
The Canary Islands are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in Macaronesia in the Atlantic Ocean. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Morocco and the Western Sahara. They are the southernmost of the autonomous communities of Spain.
The seven main islands are (from largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. The archipelago includes many smaller islands and islets.
1.TENERIFE
Tenerife is dominated by Mt. Teide, a dormant volcano that is Spain's tallest peak. The island may be best known for its Carnaval de Santa Cruz, a huge pre-Lent festival with parades, music, dancing and colourful costumes. It has many beaches (with sands from yellow to black) and resort areas, including Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas.
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2. FUERTEVENTURA
Fuerteventura is known primarily as a holiday destination due to its white-sand beaches and year-round warmth cooled by constant winds. The multitude of beaches that wrap around it are interrupted by cliffs and sheltered coves. It's popular for water sports, especially surfing, windsurfing and waterskiing.
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3. GRAN CANARIA
The Gran Canaria island has black lava and white sand beaches. Its southern beaches include bustling Playa del Inglés and Puerto Rico as well as quieter Puerto de Mogán and San Agustín. In the north, capital city Las Palmas is a major stop for cruise ships and duty-free shopping. The island’s interior is rural and mountainous. The Maspalomas Dunes are sand dunes located on the south coast of the island. A 404-hectare area of the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, they have been protected as a nature reserve since 1987.
4. LANZAROTE
Lanzarote is known for its year-round warm weather, beaches and volcanic landscape. Timanfaya National Park’s rocky landscape was created by volcanic eruptions in the 1730s. Cueva de los Verdes has caverns formed by an underground river of lava. East-coast resort Puerto del Carmen is home to whitewashed villas, beaches and dive centres.
5. LA PALMA
The rugged, forested terrain of La Palma is dotted with volcanoes like Teneguía and Cumbre Vieja. The island's capital, Santa Cruz de la Palma, is a port town with narrow cobbled streets and houses with wooden balconies. The Caldera de Taburiente National Park has a huge crater-shaped formation and is covered in pine forest and cut by waterfalls.
6. LA GOMERA
La Gomera is marked by craggy volcanic mountains crisscrossed with hiking trails. In higher altitudes, dense forests of ferns and moss-covered trees grow in the mists of Garajonay National Park. Toward the coast, the Valle Gran Rey canyon leads past the whitewashed cliffside village of La Calera and ends at black-sand Atlantic beaches.
7. EL HIERRO
El Hierro, nicknamed Isla del Meridiano (the "Meridian Island"), is the smallest and farthest south and west of the Canary Islands with a population of 11,659 (2023). Its capital is Valverde. El Hierro has limited construction to less than half of its total surface and buildings to two floors, maintaining its traditional look and social structure more than the other six major Canary Islands.
WHEN TO GO: The best times to visit the Canary Islands are spring (March-May) and Fall (September-November). Spring offers warm weather, fewer tourists, and lower rates. Fall also enjoys mild weather with sunny skies and less rain than other times of the year.
HOW TO GET THERE: Most of the islands have their own airports, but the Gran Canaria Airport and Tenerife South Airport are the busiest of them all. By sea, you can get to the main islands from Huelva in Spain and Portugal's island of Madeira.
HOW TO GET AROUND: On the islands, hiring a car is usually the best way to get around and you will be able to discover the remote regions of each island freely. You can also continue driving to closer islands such as Fuerteventura and Lanzarote with a ferry crossing.
EAT PAPAS ARRUGADAS (wrinkly potatoes with salt) & MOJO PICON (red spicy sauce)
ROPA VIEJA (seasoned and fried shredded beef served with rice and a side salad)
LAPAS GRELHADAS (grilled limpets served with lemon)
DRINK CAVA
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