About the Canary Islands
Attracting millions of tourists every year, the Canary Islands offer visitors a wealth of things to see and do. With rugged coastlines, mild temperatures and a wide range of superb accommodation, visitors are spoilt for choice when deciding which island to visit.
Lanzarote 2009 is a far cry from the island of yesteryear, which was hardly ever visited. Tourists now flock to the island to make the most of its attractions.
The Canary Islands are seven specks of rock, scattered over 300 miles in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean. To the east lies the Sahara, from where the beaches of Fuerteventura have blown; to the north east lies the North of Africa, from where the Guanches, the original Canarians, once came. And to the north lies Spain, from where Conquistadors, colonialists and latter day lawmakers have laid the foundations for modem Canaries life.
From further north still come new Conquistadors wearing shorts and sunglasses. English, German and Scandinavian hordes are now descending on the islands all year round. Their effect on the Canaries is good for the tourism business but hasn't always been so good for the environment. However, while certain areas, notably the southern coasts of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, have capitalized on tourism and capitulated on the wider issues, relative newcomers to tourism, such as
Lanzarote, are progressing more slowly and surely. The smaller islands have yet to make up their minds, but as they all lack commercially exploitable beaches it seems unlikely that they will be experiencing more than a comparative handful of visitors in the near future. And yet, if all the land devoted to tourism was to be added up, it would still occupy only a mere fraction of the islands' total area and natural wealth.
The diversity of landscapes on the islands is quite amazing. While Fuerteventura is truly a desert island windswept, sandy and bare, La Palma is lush, verdant and fertile. And if the strikingly beautiful interiors of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Gomera are Gardens of Eden then the stark badlands of Lanzarote are surely the Valleys of Hell. The Canaries are volcanic islands, and volcanic islands are never dull. La Palma erupted as recently as 1971. On Lanzarote you can not only gaze at the awesome scenery created by earth shattering events that occurred centuries ago, you can also watch your lunch cooking now over the heat of the volcano beneath your feet.
What of the people themselves? Canarians look Spanish, speak Spanish, are imbued with Spanish culture, and to all intents and purposes are little different from their mainland cousins. They work hard in the fields, pay homage to the virtues of mañana, they enjoy their food, siesta and fiestas and know how to turn a tourist dollar.
So which is the best island for you? It may be a cliché but it is nonetheless true that there is an island for every kind of person. Tenerife is the biggest island in almost every sense. In Mount Teide it features the biggest scenery and it certainly has the greatest number of tourist attractions by day and night. In terms of all round appeal, however, Gran Canaria runs it very close.
Lanzarote information
Lanzarote will del
ight all those people who are environmentally aware yet enjoy the company of other tourists. The island solves the paradox of modern tourism , and the tourist attractions masterminded by design guru Cesar Manrique and the general ambience of this low rise island are very appealing. Lanzarote accommodation is reasonably priced and tourists can explore the whole island with a wide choice of appealing Lanzarote excursions on offer from most hotels.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura tend
s to polarize opinion: is it an oasis in the middle of an over-complicated world, as some have claimed, or is it simply the desert of first impression? The beaches here are certainly the best in the Canaries, and resorts to suit most tastes are springing up. Watersports aside, though, there are plenty of other attractions to keep visitors entertained.
Gomera El Hierro and La Palma
The lesser known islands of Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma are for the hardier, more inquisitive travellers. There are relatively few comfortable hotels, no international restaurants and best of all, as far as many are concerned, fewer tourists
. If you enjoy walking through beautiful mountain scenery for days on end, if you don't mind conversing with the aid of a phrase book in the local village bar and your idea of nightlife is gazing at the North Star, then one of these islands may be your Shangri-La. For most people, though, a day or two away from it all is enough. Island hopping is relatively easy and a few days on an unspoilt island combined with the creature comforts of a major resort offer the best of both worlds. Travel independently, look around the corner from the next hotel and you will soon discover that there is much more to the Canaries than just another winter sun tan.
The history of the Canary Islands
As the clouds cascade down the hillside to reveal the magical summit of Mount Teide, or the sun rises above the eerie moonscape of Lanzarote's Montafias del Fuego, even the most cynical onlooker will realize that the Canaries are a land of legends. The ancient Greeks and Romans called this archipelago the Fortunate Islands, and Homer tells us that blessed ones were sent to the Elysian Fields to enjoy eternal happiness in a land where winter was unknown. Could this have been the Canaries?
The author Plutarch wrote of fertile lands somewhere off the coast of Africa, where the breezes of springtime never stop. His source was the Roman leader Sertorius, who had heard it from an explorer.
Many writers link the lost continent of Atlantis with the Canaries. According to the great philosopher Plato, this rich, happy land, lying somewhere to the west of Gibraltar in the Atlantic Ocean, was destroyed by earthquakes and tidal waves nearly 12,000 years ago. After the cataclysm, only the mountain tops of Atlantis remained above the sea and constituted seven islands. The Canaries perhaps?
From Plato to Jules Verne the possibilities have stirred people's imagination, ranging from the theories of learned academics to the ramblings of wild eccentrics. By now the truth is surely lost in the myths and mists of time. What is undeniable, however, is the magical presence that these seven volcanic sisters possess. When you sight Mount Teide on a distant horizon you will understand the profusion of legends.
If you choose to visit Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma or any of the Canary Islands, you will find a wide range of holiday accommodation to choose from. Gran Canaria also offers tourists plenty of attractions and places to visit, and whether you choose to stay in a hotel or an apartment in Tenerife, Lanzarote or Gran Canaria, you won´t be disappointed. The best way to get around any of the Canary Islands is to hire a car directly from the airport.
Lanzarote 2009 is a far cry from the island of yesteryear, which was hardly ever visited. Tourists now flock to the island to make the most of its attractions.
The Canary Islands are seven specks of rock, scattered over 300 miles in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean. To the east lies the Sahara, from where the beaches of Fuerteventura have blown; to the north east lies the North of Africa, from where the Guanches, the original Canarians, once came. And to the north lies Spain, from where Conquistadors, colonialists and latter day lawmakers have laid the foundations for modem Canaries life.
From further north still come new Conquistadors wearing shorts and sunglasses. English, German and Scandinavian hordes are now descending on the islands all year round. Their effect on the Canaries is good for the tourism business but hasn't always been so good for the environment. However, while certain areas, notably the southern coasts of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, have capitalized on tourism and capitulated on the wider issues, relative newcomers to tourism, such as
Lanzarote, are progressing more slowly and surely. The smaller islands have yet to make up their minds, but as they all lack commercially exploitable beaches it seems unlikely that they will be experiencing more than a comparative handful of visitors in the near future. And yet, if all the land devoted to tourism was to be added up, it would still occupy only a mere fraction of the islands' total area and natural wealth.
The diversity of landscapes on the islands is quite amazing. While Fuerteventura is truly a desert island windswept, sandy and bare, La Palma is lush, verdant and fertile. And if the strikingly beautiful interiors of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Gomera are Gardens of Eden then the stark badlands of Lanzarote are surely the Valleys of Hell. The Canaries are volcanic islands, and volcanic islands are never dull. La Palma erupted as recently as 1971. On Lanzarote you can not only gaze at the awesome scenery created by earth shattering events that occurred centuries ago, you can also watch your lunch cooking now over the heat of the volcano beneath your feet.
What of the people themselves? Canarians look Spanish, speak Spanish, are imbued with Spanish culture, and to all intents and purposes are little different from their mainland cousins. They work hard in the fields, pay homage to the virtues of mañana, they enjoy their food, siesta and fiestas and know how to turn a tourist dollar.
So which is the best island for you? It may be a cliché but it is nonetheless true that there is an island for every kind of person. Tenerife is the biggest island in almost every sense. In Mount Teide it features the biggest scenery and it certainly has the greatest number of tourist attractions by day and night. In terms of all round appeal, however, Gran Canaria runs it very close.
Lanzarote information
Lanzarote will del
ight all those people who are environmentally aware yet enjoy the company of other tourists. The island solves the paradox of modern tourism , and the tourist attractions masterminded by design guru Cesar Manrique and the general ambience of this low rise island are very appealing. Lanzarote accommodation is reasonably priced and tourists can explore the whole island with a wide choice of appealing Lanzarote excursions on offer from most hotels.Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura tend
s to polarize opinion: is it an oasis in the middle of an over-complicated world, as some have claimed, or is it simply the desert of first impression? The beaches here are certainly the best in the Canaries, and resorts to suit most tastes are springing up. Watersports aside, though, there are plenty of other attractions to keep visitors entertained.Gomera El Hierro and La Palma
The lesser known islands of Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma are for the hardier, more inquisitive travellers. There are relatively few comfortable hotels, no international restaurants and best of all, as far as many are concerned, fewer tourists
. If you enjoy walking through beautiful mountain scenery for days on end, if you don't mind conversing with the aid of a phrase book in the local village bar and your idea of nightlife is gazing at the North Star, then one of these islands may be your Shangri-La. For most people, though, a day or two away from it all is enough. Island hopping is relatively easy and a few days on an unspoilt island combined with the creature comforts of a major resort offer the best of both worlds. Travel independently, look around the corner from the next hotel and you will soon discover that there is much more to the Canaries than just another winter sun tan.The history of the Canary Islands
As the clouds cascade down the hillside to reveal the magical summit of Mount Teide, or the sun rises above the eerie moonscape of Lanzarote's Montafias del Fuego, even the most cynical onlooker will realize that the Canaries are a land of legends. The ancient Greeks and Romans called this archipelago the Fortunate Islands, and Homer tells us that blessed ones were sent to the Elysian Fields to enjoy eternal happiness in a land where winter was unknown. Could this have been the Canaries?
The author Plutarch wrote of fertile lands somewhere off the coast of Africa, where the breezes of springtime never stop. His source was the Roman leader Sertorius, who had heard it from an explorer.
Many writers link the lost continent of Atlantis with the Canaries. According to the great philosopher Plato, this rich, happy land, lying somewhere to the west of Gibraltar in the Atlantic Ocean, was destroyed by earthquakes and tidal waves nearly 12,000 years ago. After the cataclysm, only the mountain tops of Atlantis remained above the sea and constituted seven islands. The Canaries perhaps?
From Plato to Jules Verne the possibilities have stirred people's imagination, ranging from the theories of learned academics to the ramblings of wild eccentrics. By now the truth is surely lost in the myths and mists of time. What is undeniable, however, is the magical presence that these seven volcanic sisters possess. When you sight Mount Teide on a distant horizon you will understand the profusion of legends.
If you choose to visit Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma or any of the Canary Islands, you will find a wide range of holiday accommodation to choose from. Gran Canaria also offers tourists plenty of attractions and places to visit, and whether you choose to stay in a hotel or an apartment in Tenerife, Lanzarote or Gran Canaria, you won´t be disappointed. The best way to get around any of the Canary Islands is to hire a car directly from the airport.
Labels: Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, history of the Canary
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