The Canary Islands are a collection of islands belonging to Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean north west of Africa. It includes the following main islands: Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro, as well as several smaller islands.

The islands have a collective population of around 2 million and are a very popular holiday destination with a varied landscape that includes volcanoes such as Mount Teide in Tenerife, which is the highest peak of the Canary Islands. There are four natural parks here including: Caldera de Taburiente in La Palma, Garajonay in La Gomera, Timanfaya in Lanzarote and Teide in Tenerife.

There is a strong natural environment here which includes volcanic craters, forests, beaches and lovely blue, clear waters, as well as a vast amount of wildlife which inhabits the islands; whales and dolphins can be spotted in the water and rare species of birds can be found here. So although the islands can get touristy at times, the magnificent scenery offers a different environment.

The diet here consists of a lot of fish with Spanish, Latin-American and African flavours all added to dishes so there won’t be any worries about bland food. The climate allows for exotic fruits to be cultivated which are often served as dessert.

The sub-tropical climate here means that even in the winter, temperatures remain fairly high and there is minimal rainfall which may explain why this is such a popular place with tourists; the islands see around 10 million visitors a year. As a result the islands are very tourist friendly, with several resorts that cater to European tourists.
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