The Canary Islands are an archipelago of seven islands and many other small islets. The Canary Islands belong to Spain and their culture is entirely Spanish but Celtics, Greeks and Romans reported on this archipelago of volcanic origins, and called it the Fortunate Islands, Garden of the Hesperides and the Atlantida.
Many historians surmise that the legendary continent Atlantis was located here and furthermore, the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped at this point on their travel to discover the New World.
The Canary Islands have an appeal which today attracts millions of visitors annually with the help of some 600 miles of coast and more than 500 beaches. Each island has a different landscape, ranging from fine golden sand to rugged areas where you can swim in the natural pools which form between the rocks.
In addition, the top lying waters, between sea level and a depth of 150 metres, are warm with temperatures which oscillate between 18 and 23 degrees in February, the coldest month, and between 22 and 26 degrees in August, the hottest month. In the water, both in the depths of the sea and close to the coastline, the richness of the underwater world calls for the practice of sub-aquatic activities. All of the islands attract divers and submariners, but the Island of El Hierro, the west of Tenerife, the region of El carbon, the south east of Gran Canaria along with the Archipelago Chinijo and the north of Lanzarote are the most ideal locations.
Out of the water, the Canaries have 15 incredible golf courses and the Islands enjoy excellent conditions for sailing, deep sea fishing and popular watersports.

Related Pages: Spain Guide

	Location:	Atlantic Ocean, off the northwestern coast of Africa
	Size:	2864 sq miles
	Population:	1,843,755
	Capital City:	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
	Language:	Spanish
	Currency:	Euro (€)
	Country Code:	+34
	Time Zone:	GMT
	Electricity:	230 volts 50 Hz
	Ferry Ports:	Arrecife, Corralejo, Los Cristianos, Las Palmas, Morrojable, Playa Blanca, Playa Santiago, Puerto del Rosario, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Sebastián de la Gomera, Valle Gran Rey, Valverde
	Airports:	North Tenerife, South Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote
	Size:	www.spain.info

By Car Roads are generally good. It doesn’t take long to get around. The road network isn’t particularly extensive and it’s fairly hard to get lost.

By Bus Buses are the most common method of public transportation around the islands (buses in the Canaries are known as ‘Guaguas’). Each island has its own service which will get you to most of the main destinations, although services are not particularly frequent on the smaller, less populated islands.

By Rail There are currently no rail services on the islands. There are light trains in development, but as yet, services have not been opened.

By Ferry If you want to travel between the islands then the best option is to take a ferry. Regular ferry services connect the Canary Islands to each other. Ferries also operarte to and from Cadiz in the Spanish Peninsula.

By Air All of the Canary islands have airports. The majority of International Airlines (and flights from Spain) fly to Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote. You can fly to the Canaries from most European cities, with or without stopovers in Spain (usually Madrid).

The Carnival (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Boggie down in the best Carnival north of the equator.

Whale watching

The Canary Islands home to 26 of the 80 species of whales which exist in the world. Whale watching from any of the boats authorised for this purpose is a unique experience.

Mount Teide (Tenerife)

The highest peak in Spain.

Water and wind sports (Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria)

Incomparable conditions for surfing, windsurfing and other sports. Every year Grand Slam windsurfing competitions are hold and valid for the World championships.

Europe's largest telescope (La Palma)

Gaze at the stars from the heavenly vista of Roque de los Muchachos.

La Gomera and El Hierro

You can't miss these incredible islands.

Tenerife has incredible Masca, a mountain-side picturesque village that looks out to sea. Gran Canaria has rugged mountains inland and golden beaches in the south. Fuerteventura is flat with vast areas of sand dunes. La Gomera is a hidden gem with deep gorges and fine hills for intrepid walking. La Palma is the lush lushest of the lot, with the most beautiful coastline, while El Hierro, a UNESCO biosphere, is rugged, rocky and utterly remote, the most western point of Europe. Lanzarote offers a volcanic landscape and the Timanfaya National Park which allows you to get close to the heat within the Earth.

The old fishing villages, colonial towns, and hilltop hamlets offer a slice of the local island life. The major cities are sure to spice up your visit with a mixture of cultural and architectural influences and they're where you should plan on spending your time if you're here during Carnival (February/March). The largest celebration is held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife