Recently we travelled to The Canary Islands on a Defence group tour. This was our first time to these beautiful islands and as is usually the case our stay was not long enough! The good thing about Islas Canarias however is that the temperature is pretty steady all year round which means one has ample opportunity to visit and also take advantage of the beach.
We stayed in a hotel in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria that was within walking distance of Islas Canteras, one of the main beaches. Sun beds and umbrellas can be hired on the beach and there are also many shops and restaurants along the waterfront to keep you busy.
I recommend you visit the botanical gardens in Las Palmas. These gardens are impressive and also provide some great exercise, as it’s a little laborious wandering the somewhat rocky terrain. At the gardens you can see some great examples of local plants and trees and they also have a notable cactus garden.
Tenerife is also a must see! We took the ferry from Gran Canaria to the island, then a bus tour through the National Park and up to Mt. Teide, the dormant volcano. Mt. Teide provided some impressive scenery that I imagine would be similar to what a meteorite might look like – or Mars! This volcano would make an interesting hiking experience. Rock climbing is also possible here.
Along the way we stopped at a local restaurant for a delicious meal of chicken soup, jamon, Canary wrinkly potatoes with Mojo sauce, steak and fish.
It was a great trip but 4 days wasn’t long enough. When it gets cold in Madrid, think about a visit to Las Canarias for some sun, sand and surf. Next time we might hit one of the resorts and take some day trips to some of the other islands.
