Thursday, November 4, 2010

Exploring the Big Four Canary Islands (Spain)


Guest post by Amanda Hattersburg. Amanda writes about everything travel related focussing on Canary Islands holidays. She writes frequently on travel subjects and enjoys publishing guest articles.

Despite being a set of seven distinct islands, much of the tourism in the Canaries is centred on four of the islands.

Being the second largest of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura boats a booming tourist economy. Although a quieter destination than other islands in the region, holiday makers are attracted by the wealth of opportunities for exploration here. The island is home to over 150 beaches and many archaeological sites: creating the perfect balance between exploring natural wonders and local history. The waters off the coast of the island are home to whales, dolphins, marlin and turtles; ensuring that underwater exploration is a must when visiting the island.

Tenerife has often been heralded as the party island in the region but there is much on the island to entice those looking for a little more from their trip. Holiday makers are able to visit such natural wonders as the volcanic crater of Mount Teide (photo above)and the cliffs of Los Gigantes, whilst those looking for some historical and cultural exploration will find a visit to Puerto de la Cruz is a must.

Individuals enjoying Canary Islands holidays will often wish to explore the natural habit of the island of Gran Canaria. The island has been described as a horticultural centre due to the countless plantations home to numerous species of plant and crop, but Gran Canaria also boasts huge sand dunes which can be explored to the full on the back of a camel. Not only are there countless natural features to the island but the bustling metropolis of Las Palmas enables tourists to explore the biggest city in the region. Las Palmas is home to various different local sports and at the right time of the year holiday makers can find the city in full swing during one of the many local festivals. This is the perfect time to explore the cultural heritage of this fascinating region.

The remaining of the big four islands in the region, Lanzarote, provides holiday makers with possibly the most interesting landscape to explore. The entire island has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to the unique volcanic landscape which is found here. A trip to the Fire Mountains will enable visitors to fully experience the wonders of this inhospitable landscape as they will be guided through the area on the back of a dromedary and will witness the earth seethe in places despite the area being officially described as dormant.

Whichever of these four islands is the chosen destination there is huge scope to explore one of the most interesting areas of the world.

18 comments:

Marina K Villatoro said...

There is something I never thought of visiting! And they look great!

Heather Dugan (Footsteps) said...

Sounds like each island has some terrific opportunities for adventure. Lovely photos and a great description of the islands' differing personalities.

Trotter said...

It's always a treat to land on this blog!! Great job!!
The pictures of the Canary Islands are fabulous!!

Mark H said...

@trotter: Than you. It a while since I've visited your blog too.

the destination india said...

outstanding locations and shots.nice efforts.

richardtede said...

something that i ever wish to visit . most beautiful part of the world

Sherry Ott said...

Great write up on the differences! I think I would prefer the last 2!

Mark H said...

@india: Thank you

@richardtede: I hope that you get a chance.

@sherry:Lanzarote for me too.

Anonymous said...

I know you had to stick to a minimum number of words, and you do a great job, but for history & culture on Tenerife, better than Puerto de la Cruz would be La Laguna, the original capital and the old part of the city is a world heritage site. Modern captial Santa Cruz also boasts a lot of history (Nelson lost his arm here in the 1797 Battle of Santa Cruz for instance). The island has so much more to offer than most travel brochures indicate.

Mark H said...

@islandmomma: Thank you for your great suggestion. La Laguna sounds well worth checking out.

luxury hotel said...

How I loved to visit Canary Islands. Your post and picture made me convinced to have a adventurous weekend this coming December...Thanks for the lovely picture.

Sophie said...

Wow wonderful places to visit. The best thing about the internet is you get to reach information that is beyond your imagination. Information keep coming and the good thing about it is you get to travel while reading because the way the article has been presented is so realistic and quite inviting.

Mark H said...

@luxury hotel: Thank you - enjoy.

@sophie: The internet is so powerful today - it is difficult to imagine travel without it.

victorian inn bed and breakfast said...

All the Four Big Canary Islands are very beautiful, fascinating and worth visiting places in Spain. They all offer magnificent scenic view of beaches and mountains with wealth of activities for visitors includes snorkeling and scuba diving.

Mark H said...

@victorian inn b&b: I like the fact that each have their own qualities and reasons for visiting.

Cell Phone Tracking said...

you made my day, wow. what a great experience reading your write. Where are you planning for your next trip?


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Luxury Villa Holidays With Flights said...

Canary Island is a very great place for the vacations.. I have been there several times and I always like to visit.. There is no boredom over there.. Thanks for sharing the information regarding it..

cheap flights to prague said...

Hi,
My name is Bill. I live in Aberdeen. Well I have been to Tenerife island in Spain. It is very beautiful. I would like to visit other islands also.

 
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