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Wonders of Canary Islands

Teide volcano, Tenerife
Teide volcano / Enrique Mendez, / CC BY 2.0

WorldBlue  Highlights

Canary Islands is one of autonomous communities of Spain. These islands geographically belong to Africa.

It is hard to single out the most outstanding wonders of Canarian landmarks, but these could be:

  • Heritage of Guanche. This extinct culture was very interesting: Guanche left artificial cave settlements, petroglyphs, numerous sacred sites, and legends. It is possible that on islands existed other culture before the coming of Guanche.
  • Historical European cities. Here is located the first Renaissance city in the world – La Laguna and other interesting cities.
  • Ecosystems. On the fertile land of isolated islands have evolved unique ecosystems, such as laurisilva – remnants of subtropical forest that once covered also much of Europe.
The main islands of Canary Islands
  • El Hierro
  • Fuerteventura
  • Gran Canaria
  • La Gomera
  • Lanzarote
  • La Palma
  • Tenerife

Map with the described wonders

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WorldViolet Top 25 wonders of Canary Islands

Geological wonders

Mount Teide

Tenerife

3 718 m high volcano. Around the summit of the volcano are numerous species of plants and animals that are found only here, such as Teide bugloss with up to 3 m tall, red inflorescences. Sacred mountain to Guanches, seen as a gate to hell.

Grove of Teide bugloss, Tenerife
Grove of Teide bugloss / Jose Mesa, / CC BY-SA 2.0
Cueva de los Verdes

Lanzarote

Spectacular lava tube, some 6 km long. The cave includes a concert hall. Part of the cave – Tunnel de la Atlantida – is the longest known submarine lava tube, it is 1,500 m long.

Cueva del Viento

Tenerife

An enormous lava tube, 17 km long, the longest lava tube outside Hawaii Islands.

Bufadero de la Garita

Gran Canaria

Amazing, unusual vortex – blowhole. It has formed in prismatic basalt. Here near the sea coast has formed a constantly changing basin. As the waves come, it rises, flooding over the rims. As the waves recede, the basin empties, and water around it falls in it. Near it are smaller blowholes that resemble geysers.

Bufadero de la Garita
Bufadero de la Garita./ Soniahmoreno, Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Bandama Caldera

Gran Canaria

An impressive volcanic caldera, some 1000 m wide and up to 200 m deep, surrounded by nearly vertical walls.

Acantilados de Los Gigantes

Tenerife

Impressive wall of sea cliffs, rising up to 500 m tall.

Biological wonders

Drago Milenario

Tenerife

One of the most prominent trees in the world – a giant Canary Islands dragon tree with a circumference of at least 17.4 m.

Drago Milenario, Tenerife
Drago Milenario / Rafolas, / CC BY-SA 2.0
Garajonay laurisilva

La Gomera

The best example of a humid subtropical forest, a relict similar to the forest that covered much of Europe during the Tertiary period. Contains many unique species that are found only in this forest.

Garoé

El Hierro

Large specimen of the rare Oreodaphne foetens tree. This evergreen, fragrant tree was planted in 1957 on the site of an ancient, sacred tree that fell in a storm in 1610. The site and tree were sacred to the aboriginal Bimbache people.

Garoé - a younger tree in the site of the legendary tree, Canary Islands
Garoé – a younger tree in the site of the legendary tree / Jose Mesa, / CC BY 2.0

Archaeological wonders

Cenobio de Valerón

Gran Canaria

Massif of a soft volcanic rock that is protected with a basaltic arch. Guanches have made here some 300 caves that served as silos for grain. Beautiful sights from the site.

Cuatro Puertas

Gran Canaria

Mountain with four monumental entrances in an artificial cave – a sacred place to Guanche.

The mysterious Cuatro Puertas, Gran Canaria
The mysterious Cuatro Puertas / Juan Ramon Rodriguez Sosa, / CC BY-SA 2.0
Pyramids of Güímar

Tenerife

Six structures, built from stones without mortar, formed as stepped pyramids. Earlier there were nine such pyramids, now only six remain. Structures most likely were built in the 19th century as a part of agricultural practices, but there are also other theories.

Achbinico Cave

Tenerife

Sea cave – an important sacred site. Although this is the first Christian shrine in the Canary Islands (1446), it was used for rituals for at least three thousand years long. It is possible that here for centuries was kept the permanent fire.

Architecture and legendary wonders

San Cristóbal de La Laguna

Tenerife

This historical city was founded in the late 15th century. Its historical center consists of two parts – Upper City and the Renaissance Lower Town, the first so-called “ideal city”, containing many valuable buildings from the 16th – 18th centuries. This is the oldest planned Renaissance city.

Auditorio de Tenerife

Tenerife

Spectacular arts center building, designed and constructed by Santiago Calatrava and built in 2003.

Auditorio de Tenerife
Auditorio de Tenerife / Diego Delso, / CC BY-SA 3.0
Barranco de Badajoz

Tenerife

A large ravine where many visitors have reported unusual experiences – sightings of angelic beings, poltergeists, balls of fire, demons, etc.

Torre del Conde

La Gomera

Fortified manor, built in the time period between 1447 and 1450. The oldest European-built extant structure in the Canary Islands, constructed in Gothic style.

Las Palmas Old Quarter

Gran Canaria

This historical city was founded in 1478. The city contains numerous valuable buildings and has preserved its Renaissance street pattern. This city in many ways defined the urban pattern of later Latin American colonial cities, with Plaza Mayor and main buildings around this square.

Centre of Las Palmas with the cathedral
Centre of Las Palmas with the cathedral / Juan Ramon Rodriguez Sosa, / CC BY-SA 2.0
Casa de los Balcones

Tenerife

This city house was built in the Baroque style in 1632. This three-floor house is adorned with woodcarvings, and ornate balconies, the house contains many art values.

Nuestra Señora de Regla Church in Pájara

Fuerteventura

Small historical church (1687) with interesting, rich facade decoration. Some specialists see the Aztec influence in these decorations, while others consider this to be local style.

Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre

Tenerife

The best museum of the prehistoric Canary Islands, nature, and history of islands. Especially valuable is the large collection of Guanche mummies.

House of Catalina Lercaro

Tenerife

House of legendary Catalina Lercaro – a woman who was forced into an unwanted marriage and due to this killed herself. Now the house is the best-known ghost site in the Canary Islands.

Arucas San Juan Bautista Church

Gran Canaria

Very ornate Neo-Gothic church, constructed in 1909 – 1977.

Puerto de La Cruz Archaeological Museum

Tenerife

An important collection of Guanche cultural artifacts including pottery and several Guanche mummies. Especially valuable is a figurine of Guatimac – an owl-shaped idol, one of the few idol figures found in the Canary Islands.

San Juan Bautista de Telde Church

Gran Canaria

An old church, built in the first half of the 16th century in simple Gothic forms, with later Neo-Gothic towers from the early 20th century. Valuable monument of art is altarpiece and a statue of Christ made by Tarasco Indians.

WorldYellow Recommended books

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Canary Islands


DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Canary Islands show these islands at their sun-soaked best. From sandy beaches to craggy peaks, this uniquely visual guide provides cutaways and floor plans of all of the major sights. Special coverage of the islands’ unique geography and the wildlife of the archipelago includes its volcanic rock formations and geysers, diverse flora, and marine life.

The Canary Islands: A Cultural History


The seven volcanic Canary Islands that bask in the Atlantic offshore from the north-west African coast have long had legendary connotations. To the Greeks, they were the Gardens of the Hesperides, blessed with a perennial spring-like climate, while the Carthaginians christened them the ‘Purple Isles’ on account of the rich dye material they obtained there. Inhabitants have ranged from the early Berber-descended Guanches, of whom cultural traces still remain, to the rich blend of European and Latin peoples that evolved after the Spanish conquest in the fifteenth century.


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