Canary Islands – Where Should You Go?
For anyone who has been lucky enough to visit the region it is not hard to see why the Canary Islands are one of Europes top holiday destinations, playing host to over 12 million visitors each year. With the combination of a tropical climate, long sandy beaches, diverse wildlife and an amazing array of geological features to visit it is understandable why so many people enjoy spending time in the area. There are a number of islands in the archipelago, a handful of which are uninhabited, and the largest (Tenerife) is actually Spains most populous island.
Tenerife is the largest island in the Canaries with a total land area of just over 2,000 square kilometers. It is also the most popular island in terms of the number of tourists visiting each year with around 5 million people visiting per annum. One reason so many tourists visit Tenerife is due to the massive volcano that has become a symbol of the autonomous region. At 3,718m high, the summit of Mount Teide represents the third highest volcano in the world and while it has not erupted in over 100 years, it is still considered active.
Fuerteventura is estimated to be the oldest island in the Canaries, dating back to around 20 million years ago when it was created as a result of an eruption from the Canary hotspot. Along with being the oldest, it is also the second largest behind Tenerife at over 640 square miles. Fuerteventura has become a popular destination for tourists that desire a quieter destination than Tenerife without sacrificing the superb climate and scenery.
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island in the archipelago with over 830,000 inhabitants. The largest city and also the joint capital city of the autonomous region is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria located on Gran Canaria. Gran Canaria is often called a miniature continent due to the huge diversity of climates and landscapes found across the island. It sees around 2.2 million visitors per year who mainly visit the warmer southern part of the island.
The island closest to the Spanish coast is Lanzarote, which is thought to have been the first island inhabited by European tourists for obvious reasons. Due to its geographic location, Lanzarote enjoys a slightly cooler climate, but this is by no means a cold island. Being the forth largest island in the Canaries, Lanzarote is slightly smaller than its western neighbor Fuerteventura, but it is no less interesting, especially with the recently designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve situated on the island. Some specific areas not to miss are the beaches of Playa de Papagayo and Playa Blanca, and the Cueva de los Verdes lava tube.
Find out more – Cheap Holidays To Lanzarote
