They consist of eight inhabited islands and a few smaller uninhabited ones.
The main islands: Tenerife (largest, with the Teide volcano: 3,718 m, highest point in Spain)
Gran Canaria (most populated, famous beaches such as Playa del Inglés and the dunes of Maspalomas)
Lanzarote (volcanic lunar landscape, Timanfaya National Park)
Fuerteventura (long white beaches, water sports paradise)
La Palma (nicknamed "La Isla Bonita"; extensive forests and stargazing)
La Gomera (laurel forests, Garajonay National Park)
El Hierro (smallest and quietest, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve)
La Graciosa (small, car-free, officially the 8th inhabited island since 2018)
Key features: Subtropical climate: spring-like year-round (20-28°C), hence the "islands of eternal spring"
Volcanic origin: all volcanically formed.
Autonomous community of Spain with its own parliament, but fully part of Spain of the EU
Population: approx. 2.2 million (2024).
Tourism is the largest source of income (approx. 13-15 million tourists per year).
Official language: Spanish, but with its own Canarian dialect
Guanches were the original inhabitants (Berber origin), largely extinct after the Spanish conquest in the 15th century.
In short: guaranteed sunshine, diverse (from black lava beaches to green mountains), volcanic, Spanish but with an African touch in terms of location and climate.
Popular destination for Europeans looking to escape the winter.
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