A Holiday Guide To The Canary Islands

by Katy Bivens

Situated in the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles from the coast of Africa, the Canary Islands enjoy a climate that is reported to be the best in the world. Average temperatures vary little during the 12 months of the year, peaking at around 27 degrees in the summer and falling to a low of 21 degrees in the winter.

The most popular winter holiday destination in Europe, The Canary Islands are Spanish and tourism is the main industry. The islands offer a wide choice of self catering apartments and villas, most with pools. English is widely spoken.

The coastal areas of all the islands are well developed with hotels, apartment blocks and villas. Many of the apartments and villas were purchased by absentee owners who spend only part of the year in their properties. Most are rented during the remainder of the year on a self catering basis, a profitable business as holiday accommodation is in demand all year because of the agreeable climate.

Tenerife is triangular in shape with a dormant volcano and mountains splitting the island into two distinct areas. The south is warmer and drier and is the home of most of the tourist areas, whilst the north is greener and cooler. Tenerife is the most popular of the Canary Islands with tourists.

Gran Canaria has the largest population of the seven Canary Islands and is home to the largest town, Las Palmas which is a shopper’s paradise. Like Tenerife, Gran Canaria’s climate is split into tow distinct halves with a hotter, drier south and a cooler, greener north. Mountains separate the two.

Again, like Tenerife, tourists flock to the south of the island which is home to the well known beaches of El Ingles, Maspolmas, and Casa de los Coroneles. If you visit Gran Canaria you should take trips to the picturesque fishing villages of Puerto de Morgan, Pasito Blanco and Puerto Rico.

The Canary Islands were formed by volcanic eruptions in the 17th and 18th centuries. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in Lanzarote where the landscape is black and almost moon-like. The National Park of Timanfaya includes spectacular scenery and is a popular tourist choice. The beaches here are famous for their fine sand.

Fuerteventura is home to the longest beaches in the Canary Islands. The stretch running between the towns of Pajara and Jandia offers some 4 miles of golden sand. This area is popular with divers who can enjoy the spectacular underwater world.

The other 3 Canary islands are less developed in terms of tourism and offer much less choice of self catering apartments and villas. Tenerife has a ferry service to the island of La Gomera which has large banana plantations and small sandy bays. La Palma, or Green Island as it is also known, is, as the name suggests, home to lush green forests. The island also has spectacular waterfalls and a wild landscape. The smallest of the Canary Islands is El Hierro which is very popular with divers.

The popularity of the Canary Islands results from a climate that is close to perfection, and varied and spectacular scenery. Tenerife and Gran Canaria take this variation to an extreme with the north and south of each island experiencing different local climates and vegetation. Visitors to these islands return time after time, as each experience is a different one.

About the Author:

Self catering villa accommodation in the Canary Islands is understandably the favoured holiday choice in Europe, especially in winter. Weather varies little during the year, and you can enjoy fascinating scenery, sandy beaches, and wild landscape.