Island of La Palma

Shaped like a Stone Age axe the island of La Palma is only fifty kilometres long and twenty-five wide at its widest point. Dubbed La Isla Bonita or beautiful island, La Palma enjoys far more greenery than some of the other Canary Islands and is home to a massive range of flora and fauna including the Canarian Pine, cultivated citrus, avocado, chestnut, almond and banana trees. The coastal landscape is characterised by the steep volcanic cliffs and black sandy beaches as well as the ubiquitous banana plantations. La Palma has a population of about 90,000 of which most are based on the east coast in and around Santa Cruz and in "the valley" on the western side in the El Paso and Los Llanos areas.

  The Island of El Hierro

El Hierro is the smallest of the Canarian archipelago covering just 278 square kilometres. Located at the extreme southwest of the chain, the island has managed to avoid the comings and goings of the tourist industry and remains totally free of high-rise hotels and concrete jungles. El Hierro's coasts are extremely steep and rocky with many of the inaccessible cliffs towering up to a thousand metres above sea level, yet they shelter some of the island's most picturesque coves and natural swimming pools. For those of an outdoor persuasion El Hierro is well worth a visit.

The Island of La Gomera

Just a short ferry ride from Los Cristianos in Tenerife lies the unspoilt La Gomera. As yet untouched by mass tourism this tranquil island boasts the most amazing contrasts in landscape and scenery. The crystal clear waters and lush green laurel forests combine to make Gomera the ideal destination for nature lovers and those in search of a peaceful retreat away from the tourist bustle of the other islands. In particular the Garajonay national park is a protected paradise that captures the imagination of all those lucky enough to visit its verdant environs Located on the east coast of the island, San Sebastian is La Gomera's capital and main port. It has a permanent population of about 5,000 souls and is still a working fishing port although the ferry companies and private yachtsmen seem to dominate the sheltered harbour. There are a number of bars and restaurants in the town and plenty of places to hire cars and motorbikes or change money

The Island of Fuerteventura

Tourism came late to this relatively quiet and unspoilt island.

The first hotel did not appear until 1965 with the airport, El Mattoral, materialising over the next couple of years. Dubbed by the exiled poet Miguel de Unamuno as "an oasis in the middle of civilisation's desert", this previously overlooked island has become increasingly popular with the European holidaymaking community. In addition to the island's fine-looking natural landscape, Fuerteventura boasts some of the most stunning beaches found anywhere in the world. This aspect of the island's geographic make up, combined with the constant breezes, makes it extremely popular with water sports enthusiasts and sun worshippers alike and at least two of the sandy beaches have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award. The islanders themselves total about 30,000 and like the inhabitants of the rest of the Canary Islands are warm and friendly and ready to fiesta at the drop of a canarian hat.

The Island of Lanzarote

Of the seven islands that make up the Canaries, Lanzarote is the easternmost and lies just sixty miles off the coast of West Africa. As with all the Canary Islands, Lanzarote enjoys average temperatures of 22° C and a lot more than its fair share of sunshine. It is made up of seven municipalities: Accerife (the capital), Teguise, Haria, Bartalome, Tias, Tinajo and Yaiza and has a population that hovers around the 100,000 mark. The island's name comes from the Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malocello who arrived there in the latter half of the fourteenth century. Today tourism is by far the largest industry on the island but the traditional fishing and agricultural communities still add a touch of old world charm to this charming and picturesque island.

The Island of Gran Canaria

The most developed of the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is often referred to as "the miniature continent" because of its incredible diversity of landscape and climate. Lying to the east of Tenerife, this hugely popular holiday destination has something to please every kind of holiday maker from the big city bustle of the capital Las Palmas to the secluded serenity of its many beaches and lush woodlands. The island is divided into two dramatically different climatic zones: the humid north-central filled with beautiful green valleys, craters and other volcanic wonders; and the arid south, with desert-like landscapes where you'll find great places to swim and sunbathe on the huge beaches. Average temperatures change from 17oC in winter to 24oC in summer.