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Canary Islands

General Information about Canary Islands

Known in Spanish as islas Canarias the Canary Islands is the ideal holiday destination. The capital of the Canary Islands is shared Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The capital of Tenerife is Santa Cruz de Tenerife and is the second largest city in the archipelago group with a population of over 221,600. Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria is the largest city and is the ninth largest populated city in Spain.

Most visitors head straight to Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz but there are many other beautiful islands to explore such as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura which is famous for it's watersport's. The islands of La Palma and La Gomera offer some amazing walking paths and it is said by many that La Palma's beauty surpasses all of the islands in the group.

The Canary Islands has many national parks that are open to the public as well many historical buildings and Cathedrals. It would be impossible to come to the Canary Islands and not fall in love with the islands beautiful surroundings and people.

Climate

Find Out About The Climate On The Canary Islands

The climate on the Canary Islands is typically tropical with warm hot summers and mild winters with temperatures rarely falling below 16 degrees. July and August are the hottest months to visit with average temperatures of 35+ degrees, while March through to June sit around 25 to 30 degrees. Due to the islands being located so close to the coast of Africa the Canary Islands enjoy spring like weather all year round. Most of the rainfall occurs during the winter months with strong winds from the Sahara causing mild sand storms.

Geography

Geographical Information On The Canary Islands

Spain's Canary Islands are made up of eleven islands with the larger ones being Tenerife, La Palma, Lanzarote, La Gomera, Hierro, Fuertenventura and can be found in the Atlantic Ocean off the Western Sahara, Grand Canaria is the largest island. The other islands are La Graciosa, Alegreza, Lobos, and Montafla Clara. The islands are filled with sandy beaches, bays, beautiful reefs and capes as well as cliffs and steep rock faces. The island of Tenerife is home of the tallest mountain in Spain with Mount Teide measuring over 3,718 metres high.

Festivals and Events

Discover What's Happening On The Canary Islands

If you are a fan of classical music then you must visit the Canary Islands in the month of January for the annual Canary Island Music Festival held at Tenerife and Gran Canaria over 7 weeks. Also for the the music lovers is the popular Canary Islands Heineken Jazz Festival held at Tenerife in June and July. Live jazz performances are performed in open-air concert style which draws jazz musicians from far and wide and is an event not to be missed. For the film buffs there is the annual Las Palmas International Film Festival held at the end of February. The week long festival features contemporary art films all over the city as well as awards for the best films.