Canary islands

Reasons to go:

1. Tenerife
  • Climbing Pico del Teide. Permit is required to climb the last 200 meters and see the caldera. This is a great opportunity to smell the volcano that is alive, and to experience the heat of the steam coming out of the cracks in the rocks.
  • Climbing Pico Viejo - oads of beautiful colours, especially around the “nostrils”.
  • Circular walk around Chinyero volcano (the youngest one) following the PR-TF 43 trail.
  • Parque Rural de Anaga. Permits are required for hiking in El Pijaral and Zona de Exclusión de Monte de Aguirre.
2. La Palma
  • Ruta de los Volcanes. A trail paraller to the Ruta de los Volcanes (GR-131) from Refugio El Pilar to Cráter del Hoyo Negro is spectacular, with many calderas, big birds and great pine trees.
  • Bosque de los Tilos.
  • Stargazing with an astronomer and an amature telescope. Especially if you happen to be in La Palma during Perseid or Geminid meteor showers in mid August or mid December respectively. Not free. Book well in advance.
  • Walks from Roque de los Muchachos to see different telescopes, including MAGIC (a system of two Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes).
  • Salinas de Fuencaliente - traditional salt works.
  • On my wishlist: visiting the observatory.
3. Fuerteventura
  • Volcano Bayuyo offers a beautiful circular walk around the rim of its caldera. Stunning views of the north part of Fuerteventura.
  • Caldera de la Laguna has been destroyed by mining and hence offers a glimpse of the internal geology of a volcanic cone. A short walk up to the caldera is a museum of colorful rocks and exposed layers.
  • Parque Natural de Corralejo - expansive sand dunes with loads of interesting plants, insects and footprints of diverse wildlife. Some of the sand here is made from shells of marine creatures, it’s white and completely different from what you’ll find in Las Dunas de Maspalomas.
  • Popcorn Playa (28.75244, -13.89971) - one of the popcorn beaches. They are made from Rhodoliths that are shaped like popcorn.
  • Wave watching in Parque Natural Jandia. View from Faro Punta Pesebre (lighthouse) is amazing.
  • Las Lagunitas in Isla de Lobos, just off the coast of Fuerteventura. A fragile salty wetland ecosystem of outstanding beauty. Great for watching birds and insects. A permit to visit might be required, check online. Best to visit on a less busy day.
4. La Gomera
  • Ruta 18 in the Garajonay National Park - a circular trail through different ecosystems. Includes Mirador Del Morro De Agando which has the best view of the whole island.
  • Don’t miss Miel de Palma - it is brewed from Guarapo, the sap of the Gomeran Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis), with no added ingredients. It is dark in colour and tastes like liquid toffee.
  • On my wishlist: Los Organos Natural Monument.
5. Gran Canaria
  • Las Dunas de Maspalomas - a chance to experience tall sand dunes within minutes walk from the city.

Notes:

  • Lanzarote is still on my wishlist.
  • Sim cards: Orange is better than Movistar. Set aside an hour for queueing and waiting for your sim card to be registered with your passport.
  • My favourite supermarkets were Mercadona and HyperDino. Some supermarkets don’t allow backpacks inside, but they are usually not worth a visit.
  • A useful website for island hopping is hellocanaryislands.com.
  • Cicar is a great local car hire company, it might not appear on aggregate websites.
  • Repsol gas stations allow you to check and fix tyre pressure for free.