The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy of an excellent tropical weather and a humidity of 74% that remains throughout the whole year round. The reason why these islands have become such a relevant tourist hotspot, is probably because every single one of them has something completely unique and different to offer visitors like cultural diversity, different types of nightlife to enjoy, amazing beaches and a weather that allows for you to enjoy all different types of outdoor activities and of course, amazingly beautiful landscapes. 7 different islands called Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro form this archipelago. There are also some smaller islands also worth noting like Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Lobos.
Each one of the islands offers its own unique peculiarities, but each in its own can provide you with the perfect location to spend your dream vacation. The islands are home to a UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are also considered as a whole patrimony of mankind.
Courtesy of Thomas Tolkien at flickr.com
El Hierro
El Hierro is the most southern island of the Canaries and it belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which is constituted by the islands of La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and Tenerife. Its capital is Valverde, the place where the airport is located. El Hierro has two other counties called La Frontera, which is the second largest county after Valverde and El Pinar, which is known for being the territory with the most nature reserves.
El Hierro is also the smallest of the Canary Islands and also the one with the least population in least visitors. When it comes to preservation and renovation of the environment, El Hierro has many ongoing projects for the creation of renewable resources and due to this projects, the UNESCO considers the place a geological park. El Hierro is popular for its sports culture and mainly for its native Canarian Wrestling. This sport is very similar to other forms of wrestling but some believe this is one of the most pure forms of the sport that we know today. The main purpose of Canarian Wrestling is to have your opponent touch the sand with any part of their body except their feet. Palo Canario is another popular sport traditional to this region in which opponents face off and battle using sticks and attempt to make contact with each other without actually hurting themselves. The sport is considered a game more than a competitive activity.
Water sports are also very popular in the region as well as soccer, dirt bikes and paragliding.
Courtesy of Till Krech at flickr.com
La Gomera
La Gomera is considered one of the most important islands in the archipelago and its capital is San Sebastian. Inside the island you can find Garajonay National Park, a place that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The pre-Spanish traditions of the island are still pretty much kept alive and you can still see some of the local working on traditional clay slabs the same way it was done hundreds of years ago. Another time honored tradition of the island is the Gomero Whistle, a language that was developed based on whistling that allows people to communicate from a distance. Whistling is done by using only your mouth and your fingers to produce different sounds. The language is mandatory teaching in schools around the island. Religious celebrations are also very popular here and every five years, they observe the descent of the Virgin of Guadalupe and a statue is transported from San Sebastian by boat to different islands for the next two months.
La Palma
The fifth most populated island in the Canaries and also the fifth in size. In the downtown area, you can find the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, another park in the Canaries but also one of the most popular amongst visitors for being home to places like Roque Idafe and the Riachuelo de la Caldera, two beautiful locations you have to see with your own eyes. The Volcano Route is another great trip to take across the island through beautiful mountain ranges and volcanic landscapes.
Tenerife
This is the largest and most populated island of Spain. The island also has its own national park named Parque Nacional del Teide, one of the most visited parks in the world due to its great diversity of plants and animal species. The Carnival of Santa Cruz is one of the most important and popular festivities taking place in the Canary Islands and it occurs here in Tenerife. The architecture of Tenerife is unlike that of anywhere else in the world, with a mix of colonial structures and also modern buildings like the famous Tenerife Auditorium.
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