Palma is known for a number of events and festivals that portray the colorful Spanish culture. The city organizes a number of festivals throughout the year that are popular with the tourists that give them a chance to be a part of the local tradition. A few examples of the traditional festivals of the Spanish island are the Procession of the Three Kings, the carnival and the colorful nit de foc which is also known as the “Night of Fire”.
The Night of Fire is one of the most popular festivals in Palma and is organized during the month of June. The festival that takes place in the Parc de la Mer is organized during the feast of Saint Joan. The festival marks the beginning of other summer festivals and includes several entertainments and a magnificent display of pyrotechnics. Lighting huge bonfires is also a part of the tradition. You definitely will love this festival if you love fireworks.
(Image courtesy of David de Mallorca)
The beautiful coastal town of Los Gigantes has something else to boast other than the black sand beaches and its magnificent cliffs.One of the best things you can do here is the dolphin watching and the whale watching organized by a number of boat operators. The south western coast of the island is a great place for watching the dolphins in their natural habitat. I have been a couple of times to Tenerife now and I would say the dolphin watching tours organized by Flipper Uno is one of the best.
Flipper Uno offers one of the best excursion for watching whales and dolphins. You definitely will enjoy the trip to watch the dolphins leap out from the water. You might feel sea sick the Flipper Uno people will help you out.What’s more Flipper Uno also offers a full refund if you don’t happen to see any dolphins or whales. Make sure you don’t miss out on the Flipper Uno excursion when you visit Los Gigantes.
(Image courtesy of Secret Tenerife)
If you are going to the volcanic island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, then the Teide National Park is a must visit. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Teide National Park has the Teide-Pico Viejo, a volcanic mountain that is the highest in the whole of Spain and the Mediterranean. It is also regarded as the third tallest volcano in the world and is a beauty that stands out in the island. The most visited National park in the Canaries, the volcano was considered as a mythological mountain for the aboriginal Guanches.
The national park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The hill slopes are covered with the Canary Island pine, a pine species that is endemic to the Canary Islands. The national park is also home to a great deal of invertebrates like spiders, beetles and other insects. If lucky you could also get to see the Canary island lizard or the Canary wall gecko which are species of reptiles endemic to the island. Do not miss out on the cable car tour to the top of the volcano and take some great pictures!
(Image courtesy of extranoise)
Located just outside Los Cristianos is the renowned Monkey park of Tenerife. An interesting place where a number of endangered species of primates are bred, the Tenerife Monkey park is a must visit especially if you have children in your visit to Tenerife. My 8 year old son was the one that enjoyed our trip to the monkey park the most. It is just a 5 minute drive from Playa de las Americas or Los Cristianos. The park is home to a number of species of primates- both endangered and others.
The zoo also has a number of other animals like lemurs, parrots, iguanas and toucans. The park is a must if you are an animal lover as you can get to interact with the animals in the zoo. Do not forget to take some nuts or fruits when you visit the zoo as your children(or even you) will enjoy feeding the animals there! The zoo is open from 09:30 hours to 17:00 hours.
(Image courtesy of Radio Ga Ga)
Overlooking the resort town of Puerto del Carmen is the historic town of Tias. The town has a history dating back to the 15th century and the name Tias is known to have arised when the Governor of the region planned to name the town after his aunts and the word “tia” literally mean aunt in Spanish. Tias was mainly dependent on fishing and agriculture for its economy until the 1970’s when tourism became an important industry here. The town is well connected by air and is known to be the most popular tourist destination is the island of Lanzarote.
Tias boasts of a number of golden sanded beaches that attracts hundreds of tourists everyday. It is also home to a number of beautiful buildings with the Spanish touch example being the Church of Candeleria that was constructed way back in the 18th century. You could also check out the golf course or go for some shopping in the local boutiques and Tias is always full of surprises for the regular tourister.
(Image courtesy of monstermunch99)
Lanzarote, a beautiful island in the Atlantic is located 75 miles off the Africa shore. It has an area of 845 square kilometers and is the fourth largest of the Canary islands. The island was first named in the native language as Titerro(y)gatra which literally means “the red mountains”. It was later named after the Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malocello.
Lanzarote is volcanic in origin and the region is well known for its beaches of white,golden and black sand complemented by the beautiful and the tranquil waters of the Atlantic. You should checkout the Timanfaya National Park that consist of an arid volcanic region known for its hot geysers and which has been declared a Biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Lanzarote is also known to have the world’s largest submerged volcanic tunnel named the “Tunnel of Atlantis”. You can also rent a bicycle and go about cycling or play golf in the extensive golf courses found in many of the resorts.
La Palma, the smallest of the Canary islands and is located off the North West coast of Africa in the Atlantic. It is often referred to as the Isla Bonita due to the natural beauty of the island. The island perhaps got the name due to the presence of a large number of date palms here. La Palma is predominantly volcanic of origin and the island is said to raise for a height of 7 kilometers from the Atlantic floor. Its is perhaps the only active volcanic site in all of the Canary islands,but that doesn’t make it infamous when it comes to tourists. Its is known to be one of the favorite tourist destinations in the Canary islands.The volcanic activity is closely monitored, so tourists have nothing to worry about.
Being a volcanic island, the island has so much to boast about. It is home to a number of endangered species of birds and anyone would love to go on a hiking in the forests in the island that teems with wildlife. The Taburiente National park is another place that shouldn’t be missed out.
Located off the coast of Africa, is La Gomera, the second smallest of the Canary islands and considered to be one of the best tourist destinations in the Canary islands. The island is volcanic in mature and is roughly circular. The islands highest peak, Garajonay lies at 1487 meters above mean sea level. The regions is covered by tropical rain forest and is a part of the Garajonay national park which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The beauty of the island lies in the forests and valleys of striking beauty. It really is a perfect idea of a tropical holiday.
La Gomera is known for its local wine and tastes best when accompanied with the local delicacy of roasted cheese,pork or goat meat. Another culinary treat is the almorgrote, a cheese spread and a syrup extracted from the palm tree. The place is also considered to be the last stop for Christopher Columbus before he set out on his renowned discovery of America.
Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canary islands is a Spanish island in the Atlantic ocean near the African continent. It has a tropical climate and hardly does it rain here. The island itself is considered to be volcanic in origin and is believed to have been occupied by humans since the 11th century BC. The island is a lengthy one and several hundreds of kilometeres of beaches. When its all about beaches, it has some of the best beaches in the Canary islands and is a heaven for anyone who loves sun, sands and water sports.
Scuba divers and big game fisherman are attracted to ths island due to the presence of whales, marlins,turtles and dolphins and other interesting sealife. Its not just the beaches in Fuerteventura, but also the volcanoes that have been extinct for thousands of years. They are a must visit as they give you the feeling that your are in Martian land. And animal lovers, you can spend your time by going on safaris as the island is home to a number of endangered species of animals and plants!
Tenerife also referred to as the Island of Eternal Spring is the largest of the seven Canary Islands and is located of the coast of Africa. Tenerife is known for its warm weather and has been a popular tourist destination for people ever since 1890. Tenerife has a number of contrasts and has something for everyone. It has green lands in the north and arid regions in the south. It has golden and black beaches that offers a number of water sports and other fun activities.
In the earlier 14th and 15th century, Tenerife was known as the Island of Inferno by georaphers owing to the high volcanic activity in the island. The Anaga massif in the northeastern region of the island has several high gorges with beaches of black sand interspersed between them,while the Teno massif in the northwestern region has a rather unusual langscape and has the Acantiladoes de los gigantes or the Cliffs of the Giants where the cliffs reach a height of upto 500 metres. These places are a must see when you plan a holiday to the island.
