Despite being half Spanish, I’ve never found the opportunity to head to the far south western corner of the European continent. Known for all year-round warm weather and dramatic volcanic landscapes, I finally travelled to 4 out of the 7 Canary Islands. Each island is entirely unique, yet many have a view of Mount Teide, the largest active volcano in Tenerife – known locally as the Father, its last eruption was in 1909.
Tenerife is the most well-known island, with a large coastline to the south offering many resorts with warmer temperatures. The beaches on all the islands I visited were a black volcanic sand (very soft) and the waters were a deep blue and mild in temperature. The North feels a little more authentic with a large number of resorts and the island’s largest towns, including the capital. I visited some local towns in the north, including Garachico, at the foot of the mountain which has a lovely old town. My highlight of the trip was spending a night above the clouds in the Teide National Park. The geological landscape surrounding this “monolithic” volcano was spectacular. The National Park, where I stayed, only has one accommodation, with several hiking trails around it. During my late-night walk, I marvelled at the clear skies and constellations.
I then went to La Gomera, an island marked by craggy volcanic mountains and National Parks has a unique laurel forest. The Parador has a very attractive position, high up above San Sebastián with a view across the sea and distant view to Teide. The port of San Sebastián de La Gomera was the last stop for Christopher Columbus before his first voyage to the Americas in 1492 and even today is the starting point of many rowing and sailing challenges across the Atlantic.
I flew the local airline Binter Canarias to the island with the most volcanoes, La Palma. Many may recall the eruption Tajogaite eruption from 2021. The island is also home to the second highest mountain, after Teide, Roque de Los Muchachos. Due to the cloud cover it was impossible to get a good view of the summit – yet having a car meant I could also explore some more incredible viewpoints of flora, volcanoes, mountains and an abundance of banana plantations. Seeing the volcano and the remaining lava left by the last eruption was a real highlight!
My final stop was the more well-known island of Gran Canaria. Upon arrival I hired a car and headed into the middle of the island to enjoy the wonderful views and discover the craters of the La Caldera National Park. The roads were the narrowest I had come across out of all the islands, but worth the slow journey up to the breathtaking as the panorama with Teide in the distance! The island is much more than just the beaches and sand dunes, You can also enjoy astronomy tours up here along with hiking trails. Most people consider the island to be just for enjoying the beaches and sand dunes – a visit to the middle of the island is not to be missed.
To be honest I felt the island had a feeling of space in general especially around the coastline. The south of the island had the most pristine beaches. I enjoyed my brief visit to Las Palmas the capital. The city is large, but the old town was full of charm, and a series of concerts were taking place in Cathedral square, so a great atmosphere into the night.
