Canaries are a whole archipelago of small islands of volcanic origin that are geographically related to Spain, but are actually located on the same latitude as African deserts.
Contents
- Canary Islands
- Tenerife
- Gran Canaria
- Fuerteventura
- Lanzarote
- How to get to the Canary Islands?
- What is the weather like on the Canaries?
- Transport in the islands of Spain
- Buses
- Taxis
- Car rental
- What to consider when buying a tour of the Canaries?
- Hotels Canary Islands
- Meals all-inclusive in the Canaries
- main resorts of Tenerife
- Resorts Gran Canaria
- Resorts Lanzarote
- Resorts Fuerteventura
- Attractions Canary Islands
- National Park and Mount Teide, Tenerife
- Other attractions Tenerife
- Attractions Gran Canaria
- Attractions Lanzarote
- Interesting places in Fuerteventura
- Holidays with children on the Canary Islands
- Children's entertainment in Tenerie
- Entertainment for children on Gran Canaria
- Entertainment Lanzarote
- Video. Canary Islands( official promo video)
- Video. Spanish Ballet
- Video. Folklore. Canary Islands
Canary Islands
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest island in the archipelago. In the center of the island stands the active volcano Teide, which conditionally divides Tenerife into the northern and southern parts. The climate of the southern part of the island is much hotter and drier than the north, where the humidity is higher, stronger than the wind and more precipitation. But in terms of vegetation the north of Tenerife is much richer.
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most important island in the archipelago. Has an almost perfect round shape. In the center of the island is the extinct volcano Nieves. A feature of the relief of Gran Canaria can be considered deep rocky ravines that stretch from the top of the volcano to the very coast of the ocean. In Gran Canaria, there is also a difference between the northern part of the island and the southern one. In addition to the more arid climate, in the south of Gran Canaria, sandstorms sometimes occur, which the wind brings from the Sahara desert.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is the second largest island in the Canary Islands, closest to the African continent, it is only 100 km from the Western Sahara. This explains the highest temperature performance, Fuerteventura - the hottest island in all the Canaries. However, the heat here is very easily tolerated, since the island is constantly being blown by the trade winds of the Atlantic, which makes the rest on it very comfortable.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote is the fourth largest and most unusual island of the Canary archipelago. Due to frequent eruptions in the past, most of the island's territory turned into a lifeless desert from frozen lava. Lanzarote is an island of lunar landscapes and ideal silence( there are no forests, so there are no birds, cicadas and other living creatures).Lanzarote is ideal for those who decided to relax literally from everything and enjoy themselves loved ones.
The rest of the islands of the Canary archipelago are very small in size and not significant in terms of tourism development.
How to get to the Canary Islands?
You can get to the Canary Islands only by plane. From large cities of Russia in high season( from May to October) airlines organize charter flights. Tickets for charter are usually sold only as part of the finished tour( hotel, transfers, insurance).Those who prefer to travel independently will have to fly on regular flights through Moscow or other European cities.
European airlines often arrange sales for 2-3 months before departure, you can buy tickets at very competitive prices. European low-costers also sell tickets at low prices, but it is important to remember that these companies have tickets sold without taking into account the cost of baggage and food - these services will have to be paid additionally.
It's easier to get to Tenerife airport than to other islands, as most airlines fly there. Several European airlines also fly to Gran Canaria. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are associated only with the world only through Tenerife or Gran Canaria.
If you are not our suitable flight to Gran Canaria, or you need to get to Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, you need to get to Tenerife, then on the domestic flight of Tenerife - Gran Canaria( 30 minutes, from 100 euros round-trip)or by ferry( an hour on the road, from 40 euros, car transportation is possible).Approximately the same rates to other islands.
Tenerife has two airports: northern and southern. They are at a decent distance from each other on different ends of the island. Airports connect the bus service. When buying tickets( especially if you are flying with a transfer to Gran Canaria) it is necessary to specify which airport will take off or landing. If docking in different airports, you need to take into account the travel time from one airport to another.
A list of airlines that fly to Tenerife North Airport can be viewed here. Air companies working with the southern airport of Tenerife, you can find here. Information about Gran Canaria is here.
What is the weather like on the Canaries?
Despite the proximity of the islands to each other, the climate here is different. The air temperature in Gran Canaria is higher than in Tenerife, an average of 3-5 degrees, but the water is slightly colder. From August to April in Tenerife, an average of 3-4 times more precipitation than in Gran Canaria.
In general, the temperature is comfortable enough to rest here all year round. In winter, it holds in the region of 18-20 degrees of heat, in summer the column of the thermometer rises to 26-28 degrees. On the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote approximately the same weather throughout the year.
Transport in the islands of Spain
Buses
The most convenient way to travel in Tenerife - buses. Transport lines are served by Titsa company, its buses are painted in bright green color, the timetable and information on the routes you can find here.
You can save a lot on travel if you buy a special Bono( Bono) ticket - it's a plastic transport card, on account of which money is paid and used to pay for travel. Pay for the bus driver( entrance only through the front door);if the card suddenly ran out of money, you can always pay in cash. If you pay in cash, prepare a trifle, the driver can refuse to accept large bills. Bono tickets are not personal, they can pay for any number of passengers, if only enough money in the account.
In Gran Canaria, the bus service is provided by Globo, information on routes and costs can be found here. At Fuerteventura, the bus company is called Tiadhe, the official website of the company is here. In Lanzarote, the carrier is engaged in transportation of InterCity, additional information is here.
Taxi
Taxis on the Canaries are painted exclusively in white, on the roof there is a small lantern that lights green if the car is empty. Travel inside the city in terms of 1 km is cheaper approximately twice than trips between cities. Also, the tariff rises at night. All machines are equipped with a counter, according to which payment is made.
Usually taxi drivers in Tenerife do not cheat customers. In the hotel and restaurant you can call a taxi through the concierge service, on the street free cars parked in one place and they are always visible from afar. In addition to taxi transportation in Tenerife provide excursion services, the details need to find out from the taxi driver.
Car rental
If you wish, you can rent a car in the Canary Islands. Conditions here are standard, there are enough rental companies. To rent a car you will need an international driver's license, a plastic bank card with a reserve of funds on your account( when renting a rental company blocks a certain amount in the account in case of fines for violation of traffic rules or accidents, the amount of the lock depends on the type of vehicle and the lease term).A person who takes a car for hire must be over 21 years of age and have a driving experience of at least 1.5 years.
In case you plan to travel a lot around the island, especially when traveling long distances, a rented car can become the cheapest means of transportation.
It should be remembered that on Tenerfia and Gran Canaria there are places where the road turns into a complex mountain serpentine, the ride on which can cause serious problems for inexperienced drivers. Also for self-driving, you need a good driving skill by navigator or map( most likely in a foreign language).
The insurance that you will be given at the time of renting may contain nuances( for example, do not apply to driving on dirt roads in rural areas) - it is worth to know in advance what coverage area your insurance policy has.
Parking can cause difficulty during peak hours in major tourist cities.
Yellow road marking means a place for parking or stopping public transport, which is strictly forbidden to use ordinary cars, for which a considerable penalty is due. White marking means that you can park any car for free. Blue markings mean paid parking, leaving the car here it is necessary to attach the payment coupon to a prominent place under the windshield.
What to consider when buying a tour to the Canary Islands?
The peculiarity of rest on the Canary Islands can be considered the absence of sightseeing facilities in the conventional sense: there are no significant museums, no historical ruins and fortresses. The main sightseeing objects here are natural parks and reserves, and the main entertainment at many resorts is a calm contemplation of the surrounding landscapes.
For fans of active fun in the Canary Islands, there are several resorts with a vibrant nightlife, families with children will find two or three amusement parks, water sports lovers can safely go here to learn the wave. But the main theme on the Canary Islands is ecotourism and everything connected with it.
Hotels in the Canary Islands
Despite the replicated in Russia pattern that the Canaries are expensive, here you can find an option for any budget.
The choice of hotels can be made on the site booking.com. Here almost all the Canary Islands hotels can be brought to your attention for every taste.
There are expensive respectable hotels where Europeans and persons who are accustomed to premium class service stop at a respectable age. The level of service in these hotels is impeccable, the interior of the rooms can compete with the atmosphere of the monarchs, for breakfast at the restaurant you can see black caviar, and the staff will simply anticipate all your desires. But in such hotels, as a rule, life stops after 22.00, and in the district there is not a single entertainment institution that could disturb the rest of the fastidious guests.
If the boring life is not for you, choose a hotel closer to Las Americas on Costa Adeje Tenerife. The prices here are more democratic, the hotels are simpler, but the simplicity of the situation is compensated by active life on the territory and outside the hotel: discos, karaoke bars, shopping arcades and gay animation will not let you sit in the room.
Absolutely budget options for 2-3 * are chosen by surfer sportsmen, for which the main criterion is the quality of the wave, and the level of the hotel is the tenth thing. Suitable beaches for wind surfing can be found on all islands of the Canary archipelago. Lanzarote even has a wind surfing school in Russian.
All inclusive on the Canary Islands
In the Canary Islands, unlike in mainland Spain, many hotels offer all-inclusive meals. Most of these hotels are located in Tenerife. Usually guests who live in the "all inclusive" system can use additional services. For example, the right is given once for a rest period free of charge to visit the restaurant "a la carte".
The power system does not depend on the category of the hotel - it can be a budget 3 *.Most often, all-inclusive holidays are provided by inexpensive, middle-class hotels, oriented to a noisy and fun holiday with the whole family.
Major resorts of Tenerife
The main part of the resorts of Tenerife is located in the south, due to the geographical features that were mentioned at the beginning of the article.
- Playa de las Americas - the largest and most popular tourist resort of Tenenryfe. The main number of entertainment institutions of the coast, bars, restaurants, shops and discotheques are concentrated here.
- There are only hotels on the coast of Las Americas, there are no residential quarters and separate private houses - this is a realm of rest and round-the-clock fun. At Las Americas the largest selection of hotels - from cheap to luxury. All the beaches here are equipped with breakwaters, so the water here is always calm and suitable even for the youngest guests.
- Los Cristianos is a nearby resort with Las Americas, which visually looks like its natural extension. Some tour operators sell it as part of the coast of Las Americas. Los Cristianos's plus can be considered relative quietness and calmness, as it is somewhat away from the epicenter of the nightlife of
- At the same time Las Americas is just a few kilometers away, so if you want you can very quickly reach the noisy part of the coast. Los Cristianos is not very popular with Russians, and the choice of hotels here is more modest, we appreciate in Las Americas
- El Medano( El Medano) - is a small city a couple of dozen kilometers from Las Americas. The resort is interesting only to yachtsmen and windsurfers, as there is always a strong wind blowing away ordinary tourists. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes here, but there are not too many hotels and their level is rather modest. Stores are also mostly designed for surfers, and not for European women of fashion. In El Medano there is a school of surfers, equipment rental points, every year there are world surfing competitions
- Playa Paraiso( ) is a quiet and peaceful resort near Las Americas. There are several cheap hotels, as well as premium hotels with a huge territory and a lot of entertainment for wealthy tourists. Also, Playa Paraiso is popular with divers due to the fact that here the most beautiful and clean beaches all over the coast. In Playa Paraiso, the whole life is concentrated on the territory of the hotel, the beach is suitable for those who like a lazy holiday on a deckchair and do not plan to often go outside the hotel
- Costa del Silencio - a resort very similar in atmosphereon Playa Paraiso, but a little further from Las Americas. There are no expensive hotels, most of the guests are couples with children who do not plan active nightly entertainment. Almost all hotels on the Costa del Silencio are all-inclusive and include a children's infrastructure
- There are also quite a few apartments for self catering and accommodation. An important feature of the Costa del Silencio is the absence of beaches, since the beach here is steep, and the sand strip is absent. Seaside beaches at the resort to tourists are replaced by a huge pool with sea water
- Puerto de la Cruz is the northern part of Tenerife the second most important resort on the island. Russians are practically non-existent, but the English and Scandinavians of Puerto de la Cruz are much more popular than Las Americas. In addition to holidaymakers, a fairly large number of local residents live here. Unlike Las Americas, in Puerto de la Cruz, you can stroll through the streets of residential quarters, taste real local cuisine and experience the rhythm of everyday life. Tenerife
- Los Gigantes is another resort onwhich is not available for swimming beaches. Los Gigantes is located on the west of the island, geographically it merges into Puerto de Santiago and the beach of La Arena - the only beach on the coast where you can swim in the ocean from the shore. Los Gigantes is popular with yachtsmen and lovers of recreation in small towns among locals away from a large crowd of tourists. Even in these places you can most often watch from the shore of dolphins and whale pilots.
Gran Canaria Resorts
The longest stretch of beaches in the south of the island is called Maspalomas and includes several separate beaches.
- Campo Internacional is a respectable beach, where only 5 * hotels are located for wealthy guests. The nature here resembles a park area, this is the most expensive shore of Gran Canaria. There are no tall buildings and bright lights, prices for accommodation are available to a very small number of people, and from the traditional aristocratic "joys" - golf, horse riding, contemplation of nature prevail
- Playa del Ingles is a democratic beach onwhich can be found hotels of various categories, as well as many bars, restaurants, discos and shops. Playa del Ingles is an exclusively hotel area, where local residents do not live. This beach is especially popular with students from Europe, who gather here in huge crowds and arrange completely crazy parties. In addition to the hotels in Playa del Ingles, you can find inexpensive apartments for living
- Meloneras is a relatively new resort designed for yachtsmen, as there is no beach here. There are a couple of casinos, a congress palace, several golf courses. In general, this resort is somewhat more democratic than the Playa del Ingles, but it is still designed for a mature, specific audience, preferring a relaxed and relaxing stay.
- Bahia Felis is an exclusively surfer place where there is nothing to do for ordinary tourists because of strong winds. There are excellent conditions for water sports, there are two surfing schools, one of which is headed by the multiple world surfing champion
- San Augustin is another small resort with a specific direction. Here is one of the largest and best centers of thalassotherapy in the world. In San Augustin, the public travels exclusively for high-quality medical services. Prices at the resort can not be called cheap. Very good in San Augustine beach of fine gray sand of volcanic origin
- Puerto Rico is a very popular resort for European families with children of different ages. There are a lot of water attractions namely the family plan: rent of yachts and catamarans, walks on a boat with a transparent bottom, water motorcycles and fishing. Near Puerto Rico is perhaps the most beautiful beach on the entire island - Playa Amadores, which is located in a bay of ideal shape with imported white sand.
- Puerto de Mogan is a small resort in western Gran Canaria. This is a charming city, built in the traditional Andalusian style. The vacation here will be like a rustic vacation with all the relying attributes - small home restaurants, craft shops with unique crafts by local craftsmen, and leisurely walks on the boat
Resorts Lanzarote
- Puerto del Carme n - mostA large island resort area, located in its southern part;excellent beaches, good infrastructure, nearby town with restaurants, shops and a never-ending nightlife.
- Arrecife - magnificent sandy beaches, close to historical sights: Castles of San Jose and
- Costa Teguise - quiet quiet beaches, leisurely leisure, near water park golf courses
- Playa Blanca - white sand, family rest, a lot of hotels, good infrastructure
- - the quietest and ye men of all the resorts;excellent quay with cozy restaurants, great views, luxury holidays
Resorts Fuerteventura
- Corralejo is the northernmost and most popular resort of the island. Beautiful white sand, plenty of water and beach entertainment for every taste
- Caleta de Fuste ( also called Castillo) - for active tourists. Casino, large shopping center, restaurants, golf courses, varied night life
- Costa Calma is a very popular resort among German tourists. In summer, due to strong winds attracts many surfers. A distinctive feature is a wide long sand bar. On the beach there are often nudists
- El Cotillo - quiet quiet place with good infrastructure, very picturesque beaches. It is not suitable for normal navigation because of strong winds and waves, capable of sinking fishing boats. On the road along the coast, it is recommended to move around on large heavy jeeps, because small cars easily blow off the wind
- Morro del Jable - a combination of an excellent and in all senses of a developed tourist area with untouched time the old city
Attractions of the Canary Islands
National Park and the volcano of Teide, Tenerife
Teide is an active volcano, to the top of which you can climb a cable car or on foot. Hiking will take a whole day. The funicular will take you to the top in less than 10 minutes, but such a rapid ascent( about 125 km per minute) may be contraindicated for some people due to a too sharp drop in altitude.
In winter, the funicular is often closed due to weather conditions. In the summer at the foot of a fairly large queue of people wanting to climb to the top. If you do not want to waste time, you can buy tickets in advance on the official site of the cable car( Russian version here).
Important: The funicular will take you to the top of the volcano, but not to the very mouth. To visit the mouth of Teide, you need a special permit, which you can try to get here( the site is English-speaking).The permit is issued free of charge, for a pass to the vents it is necessary to have it printed, and also to take with them a passport for identification.
The climb to the caldera can cause some difficulties, since the air here is too discharged, and the air temperature lasts around 5 degrees of heat. But if you overcome all the difficulties and still see the crater of the volcano, you will have a unique chance to imagine what the Earth looked like before the times began in the era of great eruptions and a break in the continents.
For the most courageous and physically strong, you can recommend a night excursion to the volcano. From the top of the Teide opens a fantastic view of the starry sky, especially in August during the active stargazing. This sky is unlikely to ever be seen from the earth.
Other attractions of Tenerife
- The ancient cities of the era of conquest - Garachico, Candelaria, La Laga, Icod de los Vinos, La Orotava .Small towns perfectly preserved the architecture, traditions and way of life of the locals
- Gorge Mask and the village of the same name. After visiting an authentic island village you will find an exciting safari through the picturesque gorge
- La Gomera is a small island 35 km from Tenerfe, which is interesting because from here Christopher Columbus went to seek India( eventually conquer America).There is a well from which water was collected for ships, the church in which Columbus prayed for the fortune of the
- Spanish ballet is a show of Spanish dances held in the "Pyramid of Arona" in Las Americas.
- The knightly tournament is a traditional medieval interactive show where the spectators are offered a traditional medieval meal, during which the fights of equestrian and foot knights are demonstrated.
- Boat trips - going to the open sea for fishing, watching games of whales and dolphins, or for deep-sea diving
- - ancient stepped structures shaped like pyramids of Mexico
- Pueblo Chico - miniature park, brought together in one place all the local attractions. In addition to the buildings and structures in the park, scenes from the usual life of local residents are exhibited: work in the field, a holiday, rest and so on.
Attractions of Gran Canaria
- Sioux City - a historic town in the style of the Wild West, built near the Maspolamos in the natural canyon
- Submarine Adventure - underwatertourist boat departing from the port of Puerto Mogan
- Guayadeque caves - amazing houses with all modern amenities carved right in the rock, in whichstill lives more than a dozen families
- Cactus Park "Cactualdea Park" - a collection of several thousand species of cacti and other exotic plants
- Mundo Aborigen( Mundo Aborigen) is an artificially constructed ethnic village of the Guanche - the inhabitants of the island of the pre-Columbian era. Aborigines of the Canary Islands were surprisingly different from their counterparts in the same latitudes: instead of the dark-skinned, curly little tribes, the Canaries were inhabited by tall, fair-haired people whose origins are still disputed by scientists
Attractions Lanzarote
- Cueva deLos Verdes and Hameos del Agua - volcanic caves formed by hardened lava. In ancient times in the caves, locals were hiding from attacks of pirates
- La Heria - unique vineyards that locals grow in the literal sense of the word on bare stones. Lanzarote wines are considered very rare and are brought to Europe by order of individuals and restaurants
- Cesar Manrique House Museum is a very unusual house built in a lava cave by a famous Spanish artist in the 1970s. Now the museum houses an exhibition of art works by various authors
- The island of La Graciosa is a very small island near Lanzarote. Graciosu mentions in his novel "Don Quixote" the great Cervantes. According to legend, pirates hid here their innumerable treasures, which until now lie in hiding places and do not give rest to local treasure hunters. Another interesting feature: the island does not have any vegetation at all
- Cactus Park Lanzarote - picturesque lawns planted with cacti, around an old but still functioning mill
Fuerteventura
- The Oasis Park is a huge territory, decorated in the style of the African savannah. The park contains up to 7000 species of plants and animals.
- The village of Betancuria is one of the first settlements of the island( 15th century), located in the vale of the extinct volcano
- Deep sea fishing - sport fishing in the open sea from the side of a special boat
- Camel safari - a short walk along the sandy barkhans of the island on horsebackwool of the desert. "Similar safaris are conducted on horses and jeeps.
- House of Gustav Winter is the villa of German industrialist Gustav Winter, who actively worked on designing submarines for fascist Germany. The house is associated with a lot of rumors and conjectures, since the place during the Second World War was top secret. It is known for certain that under the house there were numerous underground passages and grottos that were filled up by order of the owner after the end of the war. There is a version that the treasures of the Nazis are hidden in these grottoes.
Holidays with children on the Canary Islands
Children's entertainment in Tenerife
- Lore park is the largest collection of parrots in the world. In addition to the colorful birds, there live arctic penguins, gorillas, sloths, flamingos, sharks, various amphibians and other animals
- Jungle Park - the emphasis is on eagles, the park positions itself as a piece of wildlife. Also there are other animals and an extensive collection of tropical plants from different parts of the world.
- Siam Park is one of the best water parks in Europe, there are several unique attractions, the most unusual of which is a water slide pierced through an aquarium withfish
- Monkey Zoo ( Monkey Park) - another zoo in which the tame lemurs live. It is better to come in the morning, while the lemurs are not yet tortured by tourists and overfeeded.
Fun for children in Gran Canaria
- Aqualand-Maspalomas is one of the largest water parks in Europe, builtrelatively recently
- Palmitos Park - a kind of menagerie where reptiles, birds, monkeys, tropical fish and other animals are found
Entertainment on Lasarote
- Tourist sub sub-sub "Sub Fun-III" , which descends to a depth of 30-40 meters, and for 45 minutes allows tourists to see the underwater world of the island
- Aquarium Lanzarote - a large collection of local and tropical aquatic inhabitants, as well as the opportunity to swim in the outdoor pool with a real two-meter shark
- Rancho Texas Park is a typical zoo built in the style of the Wild West andIt is reminiscent of other zoos in the archipelago. The main pride of the park is unique white tigers that are almost never found in zoos in the world.
- Holiday World is an amusement park that also has an excellent bowling alley and one of the bestdisco