The islands are estimated to be 30 million years old, relatively young by geological standards. Their existence was known, or at least postulated, in ancient times, and in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias, Plato spoke of Atlantis, a continent that had sunk beneath the ocean floor in a great cataclysm that left only the peaks of its highest mountains above the water. Whether Plato was being allegorical is uncertain, but the islands gained an almost mythic reputation, passed down from one classical writer to the next, as a Garden of Eden. This also fits in with the islands' latter day nickname, the Fortunate Islands. There is no evidence, despite all the purple prose, that the Phoenicians or Greeks ever landed in the Canaries.

The largest town in the Canaries, Las Palmas unmistakably has a big city feel. It sits on the north-eastern tip of Gran Canaria and has begun swallowing up La Isleta, a small island to its north. The old historical centre is around the Vegueta and Triana districts in the south, and the city hugs the coast up a series of long boulevards a good 3km (1.8mi) to the bustling Santa Catalina and Puerto de la Luz. The 3km (1.8mi) long beach Playa de las Canteras is on the western edge of the land bridge to La Isleta, and at Playa de las Canteras you’ll find the tourist office, the bulk of the hotels, the bars and more bars, shops and more shops. It is probably the only city in the Canaries where you may need to use the bus service to get around.

The Casa/Museo de Col?n is a gorgeous example of Canarian architecture with fine wooden balconies overlooking two patios. Although it’s called Columbus’ house, it’s uncertain whether he stayed there, and most of what you see was the residence of early governors. Inside is an odd assortment of navigational charts and pre-Colombian artefacts brought back from Latin America, with a few model ships and Hispanic-Flemish school portraits thrown in for good measure. The Catedral de Santa Ana is the city’s main place of worship and took 350 years to complete. Nearby, the Museo Diocesano, set on two levels around the Patio de los Naranjos contains the standard collection of religious art and memorabilia, including old manuscripts and wooden sculptures.

The Museo Canario is the city’s main museum, and is dedicated to chronicling Gran Canaria’s pre-conquest history. It boasts the world’s largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls and displays Guanche implements and a collection of pottery. The Centro Canario de Arte Moderno is the city’s main museum of modern art and shows temporary exhibits. Traditionally, the Calle Mayor de Triana has been the main shopping street in Las Palmas, and is now a pedestrian mall. Ciudad Jard?n is a curious relic of the late 19th century, when the British dominated the economic life of the islands, and is an odd mixture of architectural styles ranging from British colonial to Andaluc?an.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the busiest ports in Spain, and its long harbour sees countless container ships, cruise liners and a host of inter-island ferries and jetfoils. Everything of interest lies within about 1km (0.6mi) of Plaza de Espa?a. The town has three museums, of which the Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre is easily the most interesting. It houses several Guanche mummies and skulls, a handful of artefacts, and a natural sciences section. The Museo de Bellas Artes is home to an eclectic mix of paintings by Canarian and Flemish artists, including Breughel, and war buffs will probably enjoy the Museo Militar de Almeyda, displaying the cannon that supposedly blew off Nelson’s arm when he attacked Santa Cruz.

The Iglesia de San Francisco is a gorgeous baroque church built in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the austere fa?ade of the Teatro Guimer? nearby belies a sumptuous interior. The city’s oldest church is the Iglesia de la Concepci?n, which has a beautiful bell tower. African slaves were traded at the 17th century Castillo de San Juan on the waterfront. When you’ve had it with sightseeing, the Parque de Garc?a Sanabria is a great place to relax with a coffee at a shady teraza table, although you’ll find cafes and terazas all over the city.

The party part of the Canaries, this is where millions of sun-starved snowbirds from northern Europe congregate year-round to sun, swim, do the sex thing and break each other’s heads open. From lager louts to Swedish sun worshippers, they’re all here within a couple of kilometres of suntan oil-soaked sand and tour operator-infested city blocks. When you tire of the water and sand, you can try a host of theme parks like Palmitos Park, a subtropical oasis crammed with exotic flora and 230 species of birds; Mundo Aborigen, with about 100 model Guanches posed to look like how the real thing used to look; or Sioux City with, believe it or not, good and bad guys shootin’ each other up for your entertainment. The dunes at Maspalomas are probably one of the best parts of the beach and are a protected park. That doesn’t stem the tide of the great unclad from the nearby nudist beach wandering through after a hard bake.

It hardly ever rains on Lanzarote, so all the water you drink and wash in is likely to be desalinated sea water. It’s an incredibly arid place, and at first glance may not appear to offer much, but UNESCO has declared the entire island a Biosphere Reserve. The volcanic terrain is bizarre, and it’s worth taking your time to move around the island away from the three main resorts. It’s not worth spending much time in the capital, Arrecife, as Cueva de los Verdes & Jameos del Agua are probably the main attractions. The first is a 1km (0.6mi) long chasm that is the most spectacular part of an 8km (5mi) lava tube, formed by an eruption 5000 years ago. There is a beautiful, azure lake in the middle of the Jameos del Agua, another lava tube. Bars and a restaurant have been installed around the lake as well as a concert hall seating 500, with wonderful acoustics. Tiny, blind crabs live in the water.

The most in-your-face activity in the islands is beach-lazing, but you don’t have to look hard for more active pastimes. Mountain bikes are readily available, and the islands lend themselves to cycling. Plenty of tracks in the country are fine for hiking, and by the coast conditions for surfing and windsurfing are excellent. For windsurfers, the Bah?a de Pozo Izquierdo is the best beach on Gran Canaria, which is the windiest of all the islands. The swimming is generally better in summer, as the Atlantic has powerful swells in winter. Go snorkelling or scuba diving and you might see rays, grouper, barracuda, turtles, tropical fish and the occasional shark. Deep sea fishing and sailing are good for those with a little more money to spend, and the fishing off Gran Canaria is excellent.

Tag: Canary Islands