Canary Islands – Do You Really Know These Affordable Paradise Islands?
Bienvenido a las Islas Canarias!
Welcome to the Canary Islands!
When most people think of the Canaries, the first things that come to mind are Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés, a Finnish karaoke bar, or sunburned Scandinavian skin that looks more like a prawn than a Californian surfer. Fortunately, the Canaries are much more than beaches, tourist stalls, and restaurants specialising in steak-burger-texmex-sushi — which is why I chose a different kind of image above. Lounging on the beach is wonderful when you’ve arrived from the cold, and a dip in the sea is refreshing in summer heat, but personally I crave variety and new experiences on holiday. I’ve really appreciated that in the same destination you can also visit charming little towns or walk through mountain forests admiring spectacular views.
Lanzarote’s tens of square kilometres of landscape buried by volcanic eruptions reminded me more of the Moon or Mars than our own planet. Fuerteventura has incredible water sports spots and the most beautiful beach I’ve ever visited. And I’ve also lived in Thailand for over 5 years and travelled around Southeast Asia, so I’ve seen my share of beaches…
The northern parts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are full of mountains, beautiful villages, and valleys where sandy beaches and palm trees have given way to cacti and conifers. The roads are in good condition and there’s plenty to see when travelling by bicycle or car.
The three smallest islands are best suited for nature experiences. La Palma’s avocado and orange trees, La Gomera’s UNESCO World Heritage Garajonay National Park, and El Hierro’s incredible scenery are absolutely worth visiting. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to the three smallest islands myself yet, so I don’t have travel stories with photos and videos to offer. I’m planning to visit the smaller Canary Islands later this year.
So there are options for every taste, and having visited the Canaries several times in recent years, I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the nature in particular — something I haven’t really heard people rave about.
