Going to Canary Islands

What to do in Canary Islands

by Matt Link

The Greek writer Homer called them Elysium—the place of an idyllic afterlife—and the Romans gave them the name Fortunate Islands. Not that long ago, these seven islands and six islets, just 60 miles off the coast of northwest Africa, were some of the poorest parts of Spain, but now they overflow with touristic prosperity. Like a European Hawaii, the Canary Islands are a group of volcanic isles with near-perfect weather and dramatic scenery: from deep gorges to black sand beaches to Pico del Teide (the highest mountain in Spain). Plus, they’re just two hours flying time from the Iberian mainland.

About two million people live permanently on the seven main islands, named El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. Each year more than nine million European tourists make...

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