Situated off the northwest coast of Africa, sun-drenched Canary Islands is one of the most preferred holiday destinations of Spain. The archipelago lies closer to the North Africa, yet they have their own unique flavor.
Thousands of tourists and travelers from every corner of the world dream of visiting exotic Canary Islands.
Canary Islands – Geography
Six islets and seven islands make up the stunning Canary Islands. The islands are Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and Ei Hierro.
Each of these islands has its individual climatic and geographical features. In fact, Canaries are very popular for their landscape deviations. There are hundreds of volcanoes, rolling sand beaches, sand dunes, rich and thick forests, and amazing cliffs brindle these Atlantic charms. The islands have over 250 kilometers of coastline.
Canary Islands – Climate
The islands’ normal climate is subtropical as it is situated around 4 degrees from the tropic of cancer. The islands are often called as the ‘the islands of eternal spring’ for their mild temperatures. The islands are situated in the course of Canary current that flows toward southwest and this location has made the islands’ weather pleasant throughout the year.
The average and usual temperatures of the islands are some degrees lower than that of other places on the same latitude. The average temperature of the islands varies from 26 degrees centigrade to 28 degree centigrade during summer. However, the eastern part of Canaries is a little bit hotter than rest of the islands.
The islands which are closer to the Africa are drier too than those of the western islands. The temperature in winter generally ranges from 20 degree centigrade to 22 degree centigrade. However, the temperature goes below even 8 degree centigrade at winter nights. During summer, hot and dry wind blows from the Sahara. Even then the temperature remains cooler than other part of Africa as the hot wind passes over cold sea water.
Due to Atlantic depression, sometimes in winter the islands suffer from stormy wet periods. La Palma, Gran Canaria and Tenerife islands experience tropical rains, while Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are known for dry and sunny weather all through the year.
Canary Islands – Attractions
The Canaries have near about 255 kilometers of coastline. The islands possess different types of landscapes. Tourists from throughout the globe come to explore the beauty of Canaries especially for their year-round comfortable weather and diverse landscapes. The islands have 4 biosphere reserves, 4 national parks and over 140 protected places. The tourists coming to these parks are not allowed to camp in.
There are a number of luxurious resorts in Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura islands. These resorts are hugely popular for bustling nightlife.
- Tenerife – This is the largest amongst the Canaries. The island is famous for nightlife, whale and bird watching, walking through the forest and lots more. The highest mountain of Spain, Pico del Teide is in this island. Loro Parque is a park that has a vast collection of over 3000 parrots. Chimpanzees, alligators, penguins, jaguars, Killer Whales, tigers, sharks and porpoises are other amongst other attractions of this national park. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the one of the capitals of Canaries that tourists don’t forget to visit. Fishing is one of the important points of attraction of this island.
- Gran Canaria – This is perhaps the most varied island with never-ending things to do. From reading on the sea beach to wild water games; from shopping to visiting historical sites, there are a plenty of things that attract tourists to visit this island. Las Palmas, the largest city of Canary Islands is situated in this island.
- Lanzarote – This is another island that tourists love to explore. This island has been declared as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is sculptured with an arid volcanic landscape as well as over 300 volcanic cones.
Canary Islands – Transportation
The Canaries is one of the most popular holiday destinations of Europe and thus it is well connected with rest of the continent. There are two airports in the archipelago; one is on Gran Canaria and another on Tenerife. Tourists mostly avail the air transport to get into the islands. However, ferry service by Naviera Armas, a Spanish company, is also available. The tourists have a number of choices for getting around the islands. The choices may include train service, bus service, ship service, air service and rent-a-car service.
Canary Islands – Food
Canarian cuisine is a splendid combination of Latin, Spanish and African cultures. Canarian dishes are mainly made up of fresh vegetables, fruits and fishes. Canary Islands are famous for plantain bananas. To cope with the warm climate, the people of Canaries prefer easy to digest light meals. Some popular and delicious Canarian dishes are,
- Caldereta
- Sancocho Canario
- Tapas Concept
- Papas Arrugadas
- Gofio
- Conejo en salmorejo
- Miel de Palma
- Mousse de gofio
- Arepas
Tourism is the most significant part of the islands’ economy. Millions of foreigners from throughout the country come to these islands to explore its natural beauty. If you’ve already started planning for the next vacation tour, you can give Canaries a thought.
About the author: Jonny Pean enjoys travel to far-off and exotic places. He contributes articles in various blogs and forums.