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Visit the Canary Islands/Canaries, Spain

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The autonomous region of the Canary Islands or Canaries is made up of seven principal islands:

• Gran Canaria
• Tenerife
• Fuerteventura
• Lanzarote
• La Gomera
• La Palma
• El Hierro

And six minor ones:- Alegranza, Graciosa, Montana, Clara, Lobos, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste.

The capital of the region is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The population is some one and a half million, at a surprisingly high density(200sq km), in an area of 7000sq km, roughly the same as the Basque and Madrid regions.
The islands are 1000km southwest of mainland Spain in the Atlantic ocean and, at the nearest point, just 100km from the coast of North Africa.

Each of the islands has its own special charm. Here you can find spectacular geological parks created by many volcanic eruptions, seemingly endless golden sand beaches, forests that are unique worldwide, rare and indigenous fauna and flora and a people, of unknown origin, that are always welcoming.. The islands have a sub-tropical climate. The temperatures, pleasantly warm, are the same for all the seasons and rain is scarce, especially on the southern slopes of the mountains.

Heritage

The heritage of the Canaries is overwhelmingly the product of external influences. The exceptions are the cave paintings and the stone engravings from before the Conquest.
Among the gothic buildings, the ones that stand out are:- the cathedral of Las Palmas and the castle of San Gabriel de Arrecife.
The Moslem influence is best seen in the church of San Telmo(Las Palmas) and in the Conquista in La Laguna.
The baroque style is well represented in the palaces of La Orotava, La Laguna and the neighbourhood of Vegueta. In the same idiom are the churches of San Agustin(Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife) and the Betancuria in Fuenteventura.

vDeclared as of world heritage importance is the town of San Cristobal de la Laguna(Tenerife) with buildings such as – casas senoriales, convent of Santa Catalina, church of La Concepcion, palace of Consistorio and the Villanueva del Prado.

Festivals traditions and gastronomy

In all the local communities there are very colourful religious festivals, especially those involving gypsies – the one that stands out is that of San Benito in Laguna. Among civil festivities the most popular is the very colourful Carnaval, which is held in many towns and villages and has now acquired a growing reputation abroad.

Local folk music is a distinctive kind of flamenco with the sorondongos, the folias, the malguenas, las isas and the seguidillas being the most popular.
Canarian wrestling is specific to the islands. Its origin is obscure. Some claim it belongs solely to the archipelago, others believe they can detect Egyptian influences.

The local gastronomy is very varied. For some dishes the ingredients are to be found only in the islands. Very popular are the local sauces of great texture and flavour, such as bogas and samas, which are used mostly for fish dishes. Other favourites are Canarian bananas and “papas arrugas” – potatoes cooked in sea water and eaten without being peeled. Sweet dishes are popular too, among the best known are rice with honey and sweet plantains with milk.

History

The first inhabitants of the Canaries were the Guanches who arrived in successive waves from north Africa. From 1291 there were various expeditions from Europe, notably, Genoa and then from Aragon and Mallorca.
The forerunners of the Conquest were the Juan de Betancourt and Gadifer de la Salle, the latter on behalf of the Court of Castile. The colonization of the islands took place, in earnest, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The islands were wanted,principally, as supply ports for the fleets on their way to the Americas. For that reason one of the first tasks was to develop new crops that would be able to supply the boats.
The history of the Canaries is a microcosm of the relationships between Europe and the Americas over the past five hundred years.- one of exploitation and bitter aftertaste.
Nowadays, ironically, visitors who want to discover and enjoy the islands are welcome, but this time on a much fairer footing.

Countryside

An accident of geography has bestowed on the Canaries its greatest asset – its natural environment. The mixture of location, climate and volcanic activity have made it a special place to enjoy and study.

As a consequence, the Canaries have 145 specially protected Nature Reserves which make up 40% of the surface of the islands and include the many unique flora and fauna of the islands.

The diversity is outstanding – including beaches and snow, rocks and sand, forests of mountain and plain, all producing micro climates: in short, an island continent where the islands complement each other without losing what they have in common.

The Canaries account for a quarter of all the national parks in the whole of Spain. The National Park of Carajonay(Gomera) has been recognised by UNESCO and there are three reserves of Biosphere importance, such as the island of Fuego in Lanzarote. Other outstanding locations are: El Teide and Caldera of Canadas(Tenerife), the Caldera of Taburiente(La Palma), Timanfaya and Los Jameos del Agua and the Volcanoes(Lanzarote), the forests of Laurisilva and the rock formations of Roques at Garajonay(La Gomera), the dunes of Maspalomas(Gran Gomera) and the Park of Jandia(Fuerteventura).

Coasts and beaches

More than five hundred beaches along the six hundred miles of coastline are suitable for bathing .

But variety is the most distinctive feature. One can find beaches of fine golden sand interspersed by areas where it safe to swim only in the constructed pools between the crags, then beaches made up of totally black volcanic sand.

The best known beaches are at – Papagayo(Lanzarote), Montana de arena(Gran Canary) and the dunes of Corralejo and Jandia(Fuerteventura).

Activities and sports

The Canaries enjoy ideal conditions for water sports such as, windsurfing, fishing for blue merlin and scuba diving. The warm climate, with an average annual temperature of 22 degrees makes enjoyment of the crystal clear water an option at any time of the year.

The kind of rock formation lends itself to ´classical´rock climbing, as well as free climbing. There are many schools and well known ´walls´ which are very popular among the enthusiasts of this sport.
The many forest routes and local tracks are ideal for exploring especially on horse, donkey or camel, either with a guide or in organised groups. Keen hikers will find the varied terrain caters for all levels of fitness and challenge.
For lovers of golf there are six courses.

Getting there and about

The only way of getting to an island is by sea or air! Fortunately, the islands have eight
airports and innumerable ports of all sizes. The ferry services between the islands are frequent and well publicised locally.
The distances, once one is on a main island, mean that car hire is essential if one wants to explore freely. Hire rates are usually cheaper than in mainland Spain. Local bus services exist but tend not to be frequent.