Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are located about 1000 kilometers south of Spain, and only 115 kilometers from the African coast. The average temperature on the Canary Islands is 22 degrees Celsius on the coasts, and there are no significant differences in the temperatures between night and day. In winter, it is rarely colder than 19 degrees Celsius. During the summer months is almost never more than 25 degrees on the Canary Islands: Compare with the Spanish mainland where the temperatures in summer approaches 40 degrees Celsius. That makes the Canary Islands a perfect holiday destination in summer even if most of us only has the Canary Islands in mind as a winter destination.

The Canary Islands are already a classic holiday destination for Britons, Germans, Scandinavians and other Europeans, but the truth is that even the Spaniards travels a lot to the warm and sunny Canary Islands. For years the Canary Islands have been the classic honeymoon destination for just married Spanish couples. That until Asia and the Caribbean became popular and affordable destinations from Spain just a few years ago.

Although there are many Spaniards living on the Happy Islands. That is the name that the Canary Islands receives in Spain.

Those who travel once to the Canary Islands and then believe that they know everything about Spain are quite wrong: For most Spaniards the Canary Islands are just as exotic as to other foreigners. 

Around 8 million tourists travels to the beautiful Canary Islands every year. The fact that almost half of them already have visited the Canary Islands earlier means al lot, if you once visit the islands you always want to return! The tropical climate on the Canary Islands and the 150 kilometers of sunny coasts and beaches must have something to do with that. 


The Canary Islands are something like an European version of the popular Caribbean holiday destinations: The music, the accent, the people's attitude, the lifestyle, the climate, the famous carnival and so much more resembles more the life in Caribbean countries than in other places in Spain.

The Canaries is the only Ultra-Peripheral Region of Spain. It offers its visitors a land of contrasts and an area of cultural encounters. A wide and dynamic range of leisure, culture, sport and conference facilities is also available. The official currency is the Euro. The Canarian archipelago lies about 100 kilometers off the western African coast. It consists of seven islands: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.

The Canary Islands are volcanic in origin. The Canaries is part of the natural region of Macaronesia, along with the archipelagoes of Cape Verde, the Azores, Madeira and Salvajes. The status of capital city is shared by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. There is a modern and efficient network of travel infrastructures on the islands: Eight airports (six of them international airports), many commercial and recreational ports and an extensive network of roads. The Canaries receives more than 10 million tourists annually. The climate is typical of subtropical ocean regions, with warm temperatures all year round. The average yearly temperature is over 20 degrees centigrade. This enviable climate means the archipelago enjoys great biological diversity and remarkable richness in terms of landscape.

Local food on tha Canaries is very varied and tasty. One of its most distinctive ingredients is gofio, that is, roasted maize meal, which is used in a variety of recipes and prepared in different ways. Also worthy of interest are the local small salted “wrinkly” potatoes, cooked in their skins (papas arrugadas), the spicy sauce (mojo picón), the Canarian stew, made with salted fish and yam (sancocho), the watercress-based thick soup (potaje de berros), the vegetable, chickpea and meat stew (puchero), another traditional stew made with meat and pasta (rancho), and finally ropa vieja, a mixture of chickpeas, potatoes, meat and vegetables in a delicious sauce.