In addition to the Balearic Islands, the Canaries are popular, among other things, because here in Europe you can spend your holidays in mild temperatures even in winter. While the values on the Canary Islands in summer are an average of 25 ° C, the average in winter is still around 20 ° C. Too little for a swim in the eastern Atlantic – but ideal, for example, to explore the diverse landscape of the islands… whether on Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera or El Hierro. Hikes and trekking tours or bike tours can lead you through lush green and colorful valleys, dense tropical forests with subtropical vegetation and past fragrant orchards, as well as through barren volcanic landscapes, volcanic deserts or along huge gorges. Those who want to specifically discover the varied flora and fauna can do so best in the 146 nature reserves of the Canary Islands. Among the best-known among them are Teide on Tenerife and the Garajonay National Park on La Gomera – the latter generally standing for fed up with nature. The landscape of the islands naturally also includes numerous beautiful beaches with some romantic to hidden coves. However, there are also cultural attractions on the islands… in addition to entertainment culture in the large and small tourist towns, where you can get to know the sociable, lively Spanish side of the Canary Islands. An encounter with Canarian culture and an insight into history are provided by splendid Spanish architecture and idyllic fincas, Cave paintings in the historical Guanche site in Gáldar and a museum with interesting facts about the indigenous people of the Canary Islands, or Betancuria, the former island capital of Fuerteventura, which was founded in 1405 and takes you into the colonial era. And culture and nature at the same time is Valle Gran Rey, the famous terrace landscape on La Gomera, at the feet of which you can also expect 800 m long, beautiful beach culture.
La Gomera
Undiscovered pearl in the Atlantic
As the second smallest of the seven Canary Islands, La Gomera is about 1300 kilometers from the Spanish mainland and 300 kilometers from the African mainland and offers pleasant temperatures of around 22 degrees all year round. Due to its unique flora and fauna, La Gomera was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 and fascinates nature lovers with a unique combination of very different landscape zones, deep gorges, rainforest-like cloud forests, black sandy beaches and wild, romantic vegetation. A tour of the Canary Islands often leads to this Canary Island. The Garajonay mountain in the national park of the same name is the highest point on the island at 1,487 meters, with almost 23,000 inhabitants spread over an area of 369.76 km².
Natural paradise and cultural treasure: Sights on La Gomera
The volcanic island of La Gomera shines not primarily with miles of sandy beaches, but with a variety of landscapes that range from the more than 1000-year-old laurel forest to the green valley of Valle Gran Rey in the sun-drenched west of the island and can be discovered on more than 600 kilometers of hiking trails. Original villages such as the small town of Agulo in the north, with their old colonial buildings and winding alleys, allow visitors to immerse themselves in the island’s past, which still maintains its traditions and has retained its agricultural character. A cultural peculiarity of La Gomera, the whistling language El Silbo, which only exists here (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982), is anchored in the eventful history of the island and is even taught in local schools. Whales and dolphins can often be seen on boat tours along the coast of La Gomera – tourists can also marvel at the impressive Los Organos rock on the north coast of the island, which resembles a giant organ and is one of the highlights of La Gomera. The viewing platform Mirador de Abrante offers fascinating views over the island and the Atlantic up to the Teide on Tenerife at a height of 600 meters above sea level and is a magnet for visitors on the otherwise very quiet Canary Island.
Masca canyon
The Masca Gorge is located on the Canary Islands archipelago in the north-west of Tenerife. Hiking in this gorge is one of the scenic highlights of every outdoor and study traveler visiting Tenerife. The hike begins in the mountain village of Masca and descends 700 meters in altitude to finally end on a natural beach on the Atlantic Ocean.
The village of Masca
Just the approach on an adventurous serpentine road gives an idea of the spectacular diversity of the upcoming hike. The village of Masca, which belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is spread over several hills in three districts. All around, rugged mountain ranges of volcanic origin rise, the dark color of which brightens the spring with a light green shimmer. The houses of the village nestle against the mountain slopes, surrounded by agricultural areas, palm trees like from a picture book and bougainvillea. From here you can already see the blue sea, the goal of the hike through the Masca Gorge.
Tour of the Masca Gorge
The steep path down runs in a “Barranco”, a water-bearing gorge. The path is rocky and natural, some watercourses have to be crossed, which are fed by small waterfalls along the gorge. Lush vegetation accompanies the traveler, the path is lined with agaves and almond trees. Head-high cacti have positioned themselves to the right and left of the increasingly narrow gorge. It’s done after about four hours. The pre-ordered water taxi is waiting on the beach and takes the hiker back to his starting point via Los Gigantes
Las Palmas
a metropolis with flair
One thing you can always rely on in the Canary Islands – the sun! This is an archipelago spoiled by a mild climate, and Las Palmas on Gran Canaria is one of the highlights of international tourism. Here the flair of nearby Africa mixes with the culture of the European continent and the lightness of distant Cuba. In the past century, many islanders emigrated to Central America and, before returning to Gran Canaria, were very willing to be infected by the lifestyle of the countries on the other side of the Atlantic in their adopted home.
The port as a gateway to the world
The port of Las Palmas has always been Gran Canaria’s gateway to the world. Christopher Columbus once used this on his waterways to the New World. The ocean is the lifeline of this colorful and worth seeing city with its numerous picturesque quarters and numerous colonial buildings are the pride of the people who live here. Around the Plaza Cairasco in the old town of Triana, along the shopping street Calle Mayor and on the picturesque restaurant terraces.
Old town charm
The numerous first-class tapas “temples” are for those who like good taste alone a reason to visit Las Palmas. One of the preferred destinations is the Plaza Mesa de León, where the tables stand in front of the magnificently spruced up Art Nouveau facades of the old houses and where the busy metropolis during the day shows its peaceful side in the evening. The old town of Vegueta has a special charm, because the venerable Santa Ana Cathedral could also be borrowed from a motif from Central America.
Beautiful bay with fine sand
House, the “Casa de Colón”, dates from the 17th century and the Museo Canario houses the most extensive collection of old Canarian finds. The handsome Teatro Pérez Caldós sees itself as the cultural center of Las Palmas and the Playa de las Canteras on the wide bay is blessed with fine-grained sand and a beautiful boulevard.
