Travel Directory - Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, consisting of seven islands of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean. They are located off the northwestern coast of Africa. The islands and their capitals are: Gran Canaria - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife - Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote - Arrecife, La Palma - Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Gomera - San Sebastián de La Gomera, El Hierro - Valverde, Fuerteventura - Puerto del Rosario, La Graciosa - Caleta de Sebo. The islands form the Macaronesia eco-region with the Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira, and the Savage Isles. The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain, and the third largest volcano on Earth. According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. The following national parks are popular destinations: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente (on La Palma), Garajonay National Park (on La Gomera), Teide National Park (on Tenerife ), Timanfaya National Park (on Lanzarote).