In Spain, the association of Las Pueblos más Bonitos de España award towns with the label of ‘one of the most beautiful towns in Spain’ based on whether they meet certain criteria – the population must be under 15,000; it must be certified as a site of architectural or natural heritage; buildings must be well preserved and there must be pedestrianised areas; and there has to be green zones. Towns can be added and removed from the list. Currently there are five in the Canary Islands. Which, in theory, makes them…

The prettiest towns in the Canary Islands

Agulo, La Gomera

Despite being a natural stunner of an island, La Gomera’s small towns aren’t particularly pretty. Even the historic capital, San Sebastián, isn’t a great looker. It has some nice pockets, but overall it’s a workaday Canarian town. In that respect, Agulo does stand out from the Gomeran crowd. But it’s not the narrow streets lined by colonial buildings which earns it a place on the list, it is the location. Agulo sits on a shelf between towering cliffs, a natural viewpoint with Mount Teide on Tenerife being the spectacular focus point. Tourism is small scale – there are a handful of restaurants, pensions, and a couple of small hotels. In all the times I’ve visited Agulo, I’ve never been when it’s sunny, hence the dull photo.

Betancuria, Fuerteventura

Small in size, big in historic stature, Fuerteventura was founded in 1404, making it one of the earliest post-conquest settlements in the Canary Islands and, as such, it was once considered the capital of all the islands – the ones that were settled at that time at least. The former capital of Fuerteventura is postcard pretty – or maybe that should be ‘Instagram pretty’ these days – with immaculate whitewashed traditional Canarian buildings and bursts of vibrant bougainvillea cascading over walls. During the day, its shops and restaurants bustle with day-trippers. During the night it is, well, shut. We’ve stayed there overnight and were shocked to see just how much everything closes up when the day trade vanishes. Lovely for a visit though … when the sun’s still up.

Garachico, Tenerife

My favourite of the bunch, Garachico in the north west of Tenerife has traditional Canarian architecture, grand churches, pretty plazas, swimming pools made from lava, and lots of very good restaurants. It also has two of the best boutique hotels in the Canaries. As the town sits on a semi-circular peninsula hemmed in by steep cliffs, there’s been no room for expansion, which means it hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years. Like Betancuria, Garachico also welcomes coach excursions during the day. Unlike Betancuria, there’s a thriving local population which means it maintains its traditional Canarian town vibe 24 hours a day. For me, Garachico is the prettiest town in the Canary Islands.

Teguise, Lanzarote

Indisputably picturesque, Teguise in the north east of Lanzarote is possibly the second prettiest town in the Canary Islands. Another one of the oldest conquistador settlements in the Canary Islands, it was the island’s capital for over four hundred years. Like most places on Lanzarote, its buildings are blindingly white, contrasting sharply and pleasingly with the surrounding volcanic landscape. The town is immaculately maintained and home to artisan shops, intriguing small museums – including a pirate one in the Santa Barbara Fort overlooking the town – and restaurants and cafes tucked away in historic buildings. What’s interesting is, each of the towns on the list have a very different personality. Teguise’s is arty and slightly Bohemian, its residents a mix of Canarian and more recent settlers.

Tejeda, Gran Canaria

Whilst I go along with the inclusion of the other Canarian towns on the list, Tejeda in the centre of Gran Canaria is where I part company with Las Pueblos más Bonitos de España. My measure for whether a town is pretty or not is how photogenic it is. There are places I could go back to time after time and still find plenty to photograph. Tejeda isn’t one of them. The setting is spectacular, the town facing out over Gran Canaria’s mountainous hinterland. Some of the architecture is pleasant enough, but nothing special. I think the biggest problem for me is Tejeda caters more for day-trippers (lots of establishments close when the day visitors leave) and people with second homes and therefore doesn’t feel as authentic as others on the list. But it does occupy a breath-taking position.

Whether anyone agrees with all of the towns on the list or not, there is one thing that is certain, this is not one of those randomly and quickly compiled lists. It is that increasingly rare creature – a considered travel list that is useful when travellers are seeking somewhere picturesque in Spain to visit.

Try to answer without Googling, and I’m willing to bet few will get it spot on.

That’s partly because there are different ways of approaching this question. And it’s partly because the answer is liable to change. A few years ago, the generally accepted number of main Canary Islands was seven. Now it’s eight. In a way neither are right and yet, in another way, both are.

For a start, what is an island?

This is National Geographic’s definition: “An island is a body of land surrounded by water. Continents are also surrounded by water, but because they are so big, they are not considered islands.”

National Geographic also go on to say – “Many islands are quite small, covering less than half a hectare (one acre). These tiny islands are often called islets.”

There’s nothing about whether they are inhabited or not. And that makes those subtropical waters very murky.

So, how many Canary Islands are there?

The Canaries are made up of large islands, small islands (islets), and lumps of land protruding from the sea that ambiguously lie somewhere between being tiny islets and big rocks. Wikipedia states there are eight main islands, five islets, and eight ‘roques.’

The main Canary Islands

Up until a few years ago it was generally accepted there were seven main islands. Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. In 2018, Spain’s Comisión General de las Comunidades Autónomas officially recognised La Graciosa as the eighth inhabited Canary Island. Until then, it had been classed as an islet.

Subsequently, La Graciosa is now classed as one of the main Canary Islands … but it isn’t the same as the others, and it isn’t the eighth island, but I’ll come back to the latter later.

The reason it isn’t the same is the others all have their own island governments, independent of each other. La Graciosa, with a population that hovers around the 700 mark, administratively belongs to Lanzarote. That makes it different. Having lived in the Canary Islands, that not insignificant fact makes it difficult to treat La Graciosa on quite the same level as the other seven. Then there’s the next level down.

Canary Island islets

The five islets consist of Islote de Lobos (Fuerteventura), Montaña Clara, Alegranza, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. The last four, along with La Graciosa, also make up the Chinijo Archipelago, one of the largest marine reserves in the European Union. Although not inhabited, a couple of the islets have had inhabitants and Los Lobos still has buildings which are occupied at certain times of the year.

Canary Island ‘roques’

Finally, there are the ‘roques,’ big chunks of land rising from the ocean. They are not big enough to be considered an islet, yet too big to be simply classed as a rock. Wikipedia lists eight of these, but one of these is connected to the land and, offhand, I can think of at least three ‘roques’ that aren’t included. But these lumps of rock are just a distraction from the main question.

I previously mentioned that I didn’t consider La Graciosa as the eighth island. That’s because in all the years I lived in the Canaries, I regularly saw references to an eighth island, and it wasn’t La Graciosa. Every week, in a Spanish newspaper, I would read news from all seven main islands followed by reports from a place historically considered the eighth island, Venezuela. Admittedly, that’s a bit of a curve ball, but I wasn’t the one who named it the eighth island.

Anyway, there’s another eighth island, a proper Canary Island. Canarios know what it is and so do others who know the Canaries well. It makes an appearance in my upcoming book set on the islands. If you want to know more about it, keep an eye on my website and Facebook page for more information.

Recently, Andy and I contributed text and images for an article about the Canary Islands. The images the magazine initially chose showed only the arid, volcanic side to islands even though I’d provided a mix of scenery, designed to show how green some parts were. Unfortunately, this portrayal of the Canaries as being arid rocks isn’t uncommon, and yet the reality couldn’t be more different, as illustrated by one of my favourite views in the archipelago, this vista from above Tejeda on Gran Canaria.

I must admit to being selfish when it comes to spots where there are outstanding views. I especially like those which require some effort to get to, where there are no nearby lay-bys or car parks where coaches can disgorge hundreds of people who reap the same rewards for the paltry investment of a handful of steps. It’s important that there are accessible viewpoints where the beauty of nature can be shared by everyone, but I also want places which remain unspoilt, where to enjoy them involves an immersion in and an appreciation of the surrounding countryside. This spot between Cruz de Tejeda and the cave village of Artenara is one such place.

Whenever we’ve walked the route, we started at Cruz de Tejeda, meaning there’s a meaty ascent before we reach the ridge which traverses Gran Canaria’s mountainous central region. It’s a world of pine and almond trees, of ancient caves with fertility symbols painted on their rough walls, and of epic views of the island’s interior canyons, valleys, and peaks, including the iconic Roque Nublo on the other side of the great valley.

Whilst crowds gather at the base of that sacred rock, those who walk this cumbre get to enjoy Gran Canaria’s remarkable panoramas all to themselves.

There are also things we think we know.

Social media can often be a forum full of people spouting things they think they know and doing so with unshakeable, definitive confidence.

An example of this caught my eye the other morning. It was a comment on a sponsored post about the Canary Islands which popped up in my facebook feed. The comment wasn’t about the contents of the article, it was prompted by the photo which accompanied it – a section of verdant coastline. The person who posted it questioned the image’s authenticity as they had been to the Canary Islands and had never seen any greenery at all, only thirsty, barren landscapes. They knew for a fact the Canary Islands were dry rocks so the image was “too green to be the Canaries”. They had seen so for themselves. You can’t argue with first hand experiences.

A few years ago a Tripadvisor Destination Expert from one of the eastern Canary Islands questioned a similarly green photo posted on the site’s Tenerife forum because, again, it seemed too green to be Tenerife.

The things we think we know.

Like thinking something is widely known; something which seems so obvious, partly because millions upon millions of people have visited the place, it would seem insulting to the intelligence to even mention it.  And that is huge swathes of some Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro) are green, lushly so, rainforest green in fact; ancient forests that are recognised by UNESCO as being natural sites of special importance.

“Not far off the north-west coast of Africa lies the island of La Gomera, one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands archipelago in the Atlantic. These high, volcanic islands are the first to receive the rains arriving from the west, and have thus retained the remnants of a rich and luxuriant forest — the laurisilva or Laurel forest — on their windward peaks.”

There might be things we do know, but we sure as hell don’t know what the next person does or doesn’t know.

There are also parts of the Canary Islands which are as barren as Mars, the places which get the least rain and so tend to attract the most people, which is why perceptions of the Canary Islands, in the United Kingdom especially, have been skewed for decades. Plenty of visitors know the reality, but they are still in a statistical minority.

The Canary Islands known by Canarios is a quite different place to the one ‘known’ by a huge chunk of visitors. When I mentioned to a Spanish friend that the recent UK Celebrity MasterChef episode filmed on Tenerife was filmed in Santa Cruz and showcased the best of Canarian cuisine, both traditional and contemporary, her response was “I’m glad… in Canarias, we think British people only know about our sun.”

In a way parallel universes do exist.

In the travel blogosphere there’s a tendency for people to talk as though everyone who travels is internet savvy – clicking links galore and posting Instagram pictures of anything that moves… or doesn’t. Contrastingly, on mainstream travel sites location experts talk among themselves about travel blogs as though they’re things to be treated with suspicion, and fear anything which involves the word ‘update’. Many of us inhabit a universe which exists somewhere in the middle.

Tripadvisor got me thinking about parallel universes, especially in relation to destination perception. Not for the first time a question about the differences between the Canary Islands was met with a response that there wasn’t much. This no doubt reinforced the original poster’s research which had failed to come up with significant variations between the islands.

The reason why is simple. There are no differences in the Tripadvisor travel universe they inhabit. In ten Canary Islands forum pages, each with twenty different questions, only four posts were about locations or subjects that weren’t related to resorts – a measly 2%. Some islands rarely get a mention. I’ve carried out this research a number of times and the outcome is always similar.

I don’t need to labour the point about the image people who don’t know the islands will get from this picture. And yet it is light years away from reality… another universe away. On all the Canary Islands resorts make up only a small percentage of the land mass, yet it’s their image which dominates.

Going into detail about the differences between the Canary Islands would fill a book, so I’m only going to provide a brief snapshot as an illustration why it’s essential to universe-hop when carrying out travel research.

El Hierro

Scenery: Lying on the western edge of the archipelago, El Hierro’s scenery ranges from green fields and forests to stark volcanic slopes. Parts are more like Yorkshire than a subtropical island.
Beaches: Not the island to visit for a beach holiday, although there are black sand beaches and sea pools.
Culture & tradition: Having only a tiny population means cultural and traditional activities are on a lower scale than the larger islands, but they are deep-rooted and there’s nowhere that isn’t authentic.
Gastronomy: The weakest of all the Canary Islands in our view, but you are guaranteed good Canarian cuisine wherever you stay.
Accommodation: Seriously limited with no big hotels and, apart from a couple of small hotels, mostly quite basic accommodation. Ideal for people who don’t want slick, resort type places to stay.
More information about El Hierro.

Fuerteventura

Scenery: Mostly curvaceous, tangerine hills dotted with white hamlets. There are green ravines to be found but overall the landscape seems closer to North Africa than any other Canary Island.
Beaches: They’re stunners – generally long, golden sand affairs. The Corralejos Dunes are like a mini Sahara.
Culture & tradition: The arid landscape isn’t great for farming and so there’s never been a substantial local population – the former capital is still smaller than the average village. Like all islands there are interesting traditions and the Canarian culture is evident away from the resorts, but again not as strong as in the more populated islands.
Gastronomy: Away from resort and coastal areas, choice can be limited and, as many restaurants cater for a day-tripping clientele, it can be difficult to find a good restaurants open after a certain time.
Accommodation: Fuerteventura is one of the islands with the highest percentage of all inclusive visitors. There are some interesting smaller hotels, but accommodation with a difference is limited.
More information about Fuerteventura.

Gran Canaria

Scenery: A wonderful variety ranging from epic valleys and dense forests to volcanic cauldrons and tropical ravines. Superb for exploring on foot.
Beaches: Being located where the eastern Canary Islands meets the western ones you get the best of both worlds when it comes to beaches, from black volcanic sand to the golden Maspalomas Dunes.
Culture & tradition: A large Canarian population means lots of traditional fiestas as well as a sophisticated cultural scene in the bigger towns.
Gastronomy: Resorts offer a wide range of international choice… as resorts generally do. Outside of the resorts there’s a good range of Canarian restaurants serving food which ranges from the traditional to the more creative. Las Palmas is one of the best locations for tapas in the islands.
Accommodation: From standard and luxury resort hotels to small rural hotels with bags of personality, Gran Canary is one of the islands with the most varied choices of accommodation.
More information about Gran Canaria.

La Gomera

Scenery: The south is quite arid whilst the north is green and lush with terrain that can switch from looking like South America to African rainforest to the Atlas Mountains. Crowning its centre is the ancient laurisilva forest in Garajonay National Park. Deep ravines cut into the land make it an island where getting around involves constantly veering in and out from the coast or ascending and descending steep slopes – in many ways La Gomera remains untamed.
Beaches: Another island which isn’t great for beaches, there are plenty of black sand playas but none are standouts.
Culture & tradition: Another island with a low Canarian population means that although you know you’re on one of the less developed of the island in tourism terms there isn’t the same depth of traditional or cultural scene as you’ll find in the likes of Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Gastronomy: For its size there’s a good choice of Canarian restaurants most places, even inland thanks to it being a popular walking destination. In coastal areas, like Valle Gran Rey, there are some interesting restaurants due to a neo-hippy influence.
Accommodation: There are no intrusive resort hotels. Even the biggest, the Hotel Jardin Tecina, blends nicely into the scenery above Playa Santiago. Again thanks to its popularity as a walking destination, there’s a good choice of individualistic rural hotels.
More information about La Gomera.

Lanzarote

Scenery: Although the terrain is generally tree-free like Fuerteventura, Lanzarote looks completely different from its neighbour – it is the most obviously volcanic of the islands and possibly most other-worldly of the islands with a few unusual and quirky natural attractions.
Beaches: Another good choice if golden, sandy beaches are at the top of anyone’s holiday preferences list.
Culture & tradition: See entry for Fuerteventura.
Gastronomy: There’s a good blend of the traditional and the contemporary both in coastal areas and inland. Maybe not the strongest as far as traditional Canarian cuisine goes, but lots of good restaurants to try.
Accommodation: The other island with a ‘too-high’ level of all inclusive accommodation (more than 50%) which means a more limited choice of smaller, individualistic hotels. But there are some.
More information about Lanzarote.

La Palma

Scenery: It’s known as La Isla Bonita – the beautiful island – and that’s what it is. One of the most diverse in scenery terms with waterfalls and rivers, Jurassic Park ravines, volcanic landscapes and forests.
Beaches: A weak spot, there are black sand playas but La Palma isn’t a place we’d choose for a beach holiday.
Culture & tradition: One of three Canary Islands with the richest historic pasts (Gran Canaria and Tenerife being the other two) La Palma hasn’t been as affected as much by mass tourism. Subsequently, as far as traditions and cultural activities goes it occupies a perfect spot between the most populated and least populated islands.
Gastronomy: It’s always been good for traditional food but in the last few years there has been a blossoming of a more contemporary Canarian cuisine scene. It’s now one of our favourites for interesting restaurants serving local dishes with a difference.
Accommodation: Staying below the mass tourism market has one downside – accommodation on La Palma is more limited than it should be. There are some interesting plans to improve the situation, including a hotel in a lighthouse.
More information about La Palma.

Tenerife

Scenery: With pine forests, ancient laurisilva woods, the volcanic wonderland of Teide National Park, banana plantations and surreally wind-sculpted pumice rock formations along the east coast, Tenerife is the most scenically diverse of the islands in our view.
Beaches: The best of the western islands for beaches but no match for any of the eastern islands. There are good beaches with black sand and not such black sand. Any golden beaches, and there are a few, have been imported.
Culture & tradition: With the highest Canarian population and boasting a colonial city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tenerife is one of the islands to experience Canarian culture at its strongest, as long as you stay in the areas favoured by Canarios since the conquest of the island.
Gastronomy: It’s not just the fact the island has five Michelin star restaurants which makes it tops for gastronomy, there’s a huge culture of eating out among the local population – there are restaurants everywhere; and many of the best are far away from the main tourist resorts.
Accommodation: Like Gran Canaria, Tenerife has the most varied selection of accommodation – from high end luxury resort hotels to stylish boutique hotels in gorgeous colonial buildings.
More information about Tenerife.

Like I said, these are only meant as snapshots, brief tasters designed to highlight there are differences between the Canary Islands… but only those in the universe I inhabit.

She was right. One of the most picturesque towns in the Canary Islands, Garachico, pales into plain Jane-ness when compared with the likes of Besalú in Catalonia or Halstatt in Austria.

But neither is it fair to compare the historic towns in the Canaries with their mainland equivalents. Their charm comes from a different well, one which was constructed by a mini united nations of explorers, adventurers, merchants and colonists. Various architectural influences have resulted in a legacy of colonial towns and districts with streets which are rather unique.

Their original designs in the 15th century owed much to the influence of mainly Portuguese and Andalucian settlers as well as Castilians from Extremadura. Most were simplistic agricultural abodes, evolving in style and grandeur as the centuries passed and colonists made their fortunes. An eclectic mix of humble cottages and noble townhouses can still be found in traditional areas across the Canary Islands, sometimes in bigger towns and cities whose historic attractions are well known to visitors, at others in villages and hamlets which still lie off the beaten track.

Tenerife, the big

The most famous example of perfectly preserved colonial streets in the Canary Islands is in San Cristobál de La Laguna on Tenerife. It is so perfectly preserved the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the old quarter 627 buildings are classed as having preserved status, 361 of these were built between the 16th and 18th centuries. It’s a university city, so it’s historic but with a youthful vibrancy.

Tenerife, the small

Remaining off the beaten track, Los Silos in Isla Baja was founded by Portuguese, Castilians, Genoese and Catalans in the late 15th century. The colonial streets spread out from a central plaza with a church, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, unlike any other on Tenerife. This not very well known town plays host to an International Storytelling Festival each December.

Gran Canaria, the big

For centuries, since it’s foundation in the late 15th century, Gran Canarias’ capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was confined to two districts, Vegueta and Triana and this is where the best examples of colonial architecture are to be found; it’s also good for a tapas crawl and some decent live music bars.

Gran Canaria, the small

This town with two names, San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Tunte, was the location of a battle between the island’s aborigines and the conquistadors, with the locals winning against a better equipped army. A signposted route leads to all the historic points of interest, including the most beautiful street in the village… which you probably wouldn’t find without the way being pointed out.

La Palma, the big

One of our favourite ‘big’ (a relative term) Canary towns, Santa Cruz de La Palma was razed to the ground by French pirates in 1553. That’s obviously not particularly good news. But every cloud has a silver lining. The town had to be completely rebuilt more or less from scratch which means there’s a colonial consistency to the architectural style which isn’t found to the same extent elsewhere in the Canary Islands.

La Palma, the small

La Palma’s colonial buildings tend to be more colourful than those on other Canary Islands. There are a few places where this is evident, one of the least well known being Santo Domingo in Garafia, a town which was isolated for centuries, the main road not connecting it with the outside world until the 1960s. This was an area settled by wealthy Portuguese Jews who’d been expelled from Portugal in the late 15th century.

Fuerteventura, the big

Big is relative once you move away from the more populated Canary Islands whose history tends to be richer. Founded in 1404, postcard pretty Betancuria is one of the oldest Canarian towns. Nowadays it’s one of the biggest attractions on Fuerteventura with excursionists filling its picturesque immaculate streets during the day. After dark it’s a ghost town.

Fuerteventura, small

La Oliva, thought to be named after the wild olive trees which thrived here, is more sprawled out than most historic Canarian towns. There’s more of a colonial North African outpost about it as a result, especially around the 17th century Casa de los Coroneles.

Lanzarote, the big

Teguise, with its hilltop fort, whitewashed buildings and maze of streets is one of the most attractive of the historic towns found on the Canary Islands. It was Lanzarote’s capital until 1852 and deserves a visit, but maybe not on market day when it draws hordes of handicraft seeking visitors.

Lanzarote, the small

With a low Canarian population, Lanzarote isn’t the best island for finding lots of examples of colonial architecture. Yaiza beside Timanfay National Park claims to be one of the best preserved villages in the Canary Islands. In all honesty it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me as being in the same league as other historic towns on other islands which is why the photo is of Castillo de las Coloradasa on the coast in the municipality of Yaiza rather than of the town.

La Gomera, the big

La Gomera is perfect for walking holidays but not so great for pretty, historic towns. San Sebastián de la Gomera is the biggest and Columbus stopped off here to stock up on water, and have a romantic dalliance perhaps. The older quarter of town has colonial houses, but it doesn’t have quite the same charm as traditional towns on other Canary Islands.

La Gomera, the small

Agulo is another Canarian village which claims to be one of the best preserved in the islands. For me it is probably the most charming village on La Gomera due to its clifftop location and also because there are plenty of examples of colonial buildings. It’s name comes from either the aboriginal word for waterfall, a Berber town of similar name, or a term used for a ‘cut-off’ place. Take your pick as nobody can say for sure.

El Hierro, the big

The most magical of the Canary Islands is possibly the poorest in terms of colonial architecture. Capital Valverde is best bet, but there’s nothing which really stands out.

El Hierro, the small

What El Hierro does have that other Canary Islands don’t is the best example of very early colonial architecture. Guinea in the El Golfo Valley is colonial in the purest sense in that the basic hamlet of stone huts with thatched roofs was home to very early colonists. It might not boast the most elegant examples of colonial architecture, but it does have some of the most evocatively interesting and as such is now an Eco-Museum. It also has giant El Hierro lizards. We’re not talking Komodo dragon sizes, but impressive enough.

These are only meant to serve as examples to counter views of the Canary Islands being simply made up of soulless tourist resorts. There are many, many more towns with colonial districts to be found across the Canary Islands, many of which remain strangers to the millions of sun-seeking visitors who worship on the archipelago’s beaches each year.

Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+

“There’s no real difference between Tenerife and Lanzarote.”

As travel advice goes, it was on a par with ‘McDonalds is the place to go to try local dishes’.

All the Canary Islands are different in many ways. The differences may be big, such as diverse epic scenery, and they may be small, items on local menus or aspects of traditional architecture. Even the people who inhabit the islands can be different in some ways. Subsequently each island has its own distinct personality.

Which island is most suited to any individual depends on what factors are most important to them when they travel.

Which Canary Island is best for beaches?

When it comes to natural, gold sand beaches the eastern Canary Islands leave the western islands for dead. The like of the Corralejo Dunes in Fuerteventura put it top of the list for having the sort of beaches you fantasise about on a dreary day at work.

Which Canary Island is best for gastronomy?

Tenerife tops the table when it comes to gastronomy, it is the only Canary Island with Michelin star restaurants (there are four). There is also a greater choice of quality modern and traditional Canarian restaurants than on any other island as there is more of a culture of eating out amongst the local population. It’s not so noticeable in resort areas and the bigger towns but when you spend any time in rural areas on the islands you soon discover which is more set up for day-trippers than locals. Generally speaking, it’s easier to find places to eat in rural areas in the western islands than in the eastern islands. Overall, the quality of culinary choice across many of the islands has soared over the last decade.

Which Canary Island is best for walking?

This is more difficult as all the islands are good for walking. La Gomera has the best reputation but we reckon La Palma is just as good because of its diversity and because its less well know many trails are quieter. But Gran Canaria and Tenerife also offer some cracking walking routes in wonderfully diverse countryside.

Which Canary Island is best for surf action?

Both Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are good for the likes of windsurfing and kite-boarding and Tenerife and Gran Canaria have some popular surf dude spots as well. But Fuerteventura’s beautiful breezy beaches make it tops.

Which Canary Island is best for land based sports?

The Canary Islands have become incredibly popular as natural training grounds for athletes from around the world. Bradley Wiggins might have trained on Tenerife and Premier League football teams frequently flight out to kick a ball about in the sun above Costa Adeje, but Lanzarote is out in front when it comes to hotels which have adapted to meet the needs of sports people as well as sunseekers.

Which Canary Island is best for getting away from it all?

Tiny El Hierro was once thought to be at the end of the world and it still feels as though it is. Touch down, log off, enjoy solitude. La Gomera comes next for wallowing in that far from the madding crowd vibe.

Which Canary Island is best for luxury hotels?

There has been massive investment in the development of luxury hotels on Tenerife over the last decade or so, especially in the south and south west of the island. This has transformed tourism in some of the what was once considered quite naff tourist areas. Now there’s more individualistic 5 star hotels than you can shake your designer sunglasses at and business is booming.

Which Canary Island is best for rural hotels?

It might surprise, but the islands which are most popular in the mass tourism tables also offer the best choice of rural hotels, often in gorgeous looking colonial mansions. It’s too close to call between Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

Which Canary Island is best for stargazing?

Remember these are African skies, brimming with sparkling jewels. La Palma has some of the clearest night skies on the planet. Go gaze at its heavens in awe.

Which Canary Island is best for volcanic terrain?

Tenerife boasts the third largest volcano in the world and at its foot is a huge crater filled with solidified lava plains, surreal rock formations and mustard coloured cones. However, Lanzarote goes one further as the whole island looks like a volcanic battlefield. Plus you can’t cook chicken over a volcano on Tenerife.

Which Canary Island is best for tradition?

There’s a common misapprehension that the smaller islands as well as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are most authentic because they’ve been least spoilt. They haven’t been developed as much as the more populated islands but that low local population also means there’s a more diluted Canarian culture than on the likes of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma where there are more colourful fiestas than there are days of the year. There was a spoof travel article in a Spanish magazine recently which claimed people who actually came from Fuerteventura were so rare you could make a wish if you ever met one.

Which Canary Island is best for culture?

For the same reason as above, big local population, Gran Canaria and Tenerife have the widest choice of museums, theatres and concert venues, the standout being Santiago Calatrava’s Auditorio de Tenerife.

Which Canary Island is best for history?

People often forget the Canary Islands were once at the crossroads of the world; the final port of call before adventurers headed to the New World. Columbus set off to America with water drawn from a well in La Gomera whilst Admiral Nelson didn’t go as far as leaving his heart in Santa Cruz on Tenerife but he did leave part of his arm. La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the islands for wandering colonial, historic streets.

Which Canary Island is best for nightlife?

Obviously the best places for nightlife for sun-seeking tourists are the islands with the biggest purpose built resorts – Tenerife and Gran Canaria, with Tenerife shading it in the cabaret bars and nightclubs stakes. However, there’s a very different but equally lively local nightlife scene in the bigger towns and cities on the Canary Islands which remains off most visitors’ radar. Again Gran Canaria and Tenerife are best for a taste of Canarian nightlife and both have some excellent musicians, our favourites being GC’s The Good Company.

Which Canary Island is best for weather?

Look at a map, all the islands lie in a cluster off Africa. They all enjoy subtropical weather which means a warm sunny climate throughout the year. But there are differences, some of which are quite obvious. The western islands are greener with lush agricultural lands and thick forests, the eastern islands have less rainfall and subsequently are arid and forest-free. On the other hand, the western islands aren’t as breezy. Gran Canaria and Tenerife sitting in the middle enjoying a mix of both. Generally speaking southern parts of all islands are best for sunshine, eastern parts have the windiest conditions.

Ultimately, if you want to enjoy the best of the Canary Islands you just have to visit them all.

Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+

Returning to Fontanales in Moya on Gran Canaria after less than a year, our eyes were immediately drawn to a shiny new stand in the centre of the small town. It was part of a Ruta de Queserías, a campaign to promote the area’s queserías (cheesemakers). The stand listed the names of nearby queserías; an arrow pointed in the relevant direction and additional info told us how far away each was – all extremely helpful. As there were three cheesemakers within a few hundred metres, we decided an explore was in order.

There’s something worth knowing about the Canary Islands; local councils love shiny promotional materials. Occasionally more work can be put into creating glossy promotional material than into the actual initiative itself. We realised pretty pronto this was the case with the Ruta de Queserías.

Our trail took us up a narrow street lined with low cottages fronted by vines, roses and geraniums. Within moments we swapped buildings for the rolling pastoral lands which surround Fontanales. A musical tinkling of bells assured us we were deep in goat country. Where there are goats there is cheese.

The first cheesemaker was supposed to have been within 400m. However, after 500m and no additional cheese route signs, the alarm bells started to mingle with that of the goats’ bells. We passed three houses, none of which had any indication at all they might be the abodes of cheesemakers.

We wandered up a concrete ramp driveway to the nearest house where a man was pottering about in a yard. We reckoned he had cheesemaker potential. We were wrong. But he did point us in the right direction, to a house further along the lane… with no sign identifying it as a cheesemaker.

We toddled up the concrete drive to this one and found another man pottering about (there’s a lot of unspecified pottering about in these sort of places). This time the man confirmed he was indeeed a cheesemaker… but he didn’t sell direct to the public.

The obvious question here is why go to the trouble of creating a cheese route when you can’t actually buy cheese from the cheesemakers? It might be the obvious question, but you learn it’s best not to look for logical in the Canary Islands.

A bit more verbal prodding and the cheesemaker pointed out another house, that of Madre Vieja, where we might actually be able to purchase some cheese.

Again there were no signs to identify it as a quesería but the mooing and bleating as we approached, mingled with the unmistakeable aroma of slightly soured milk, seemed hopeful signs. As we reached the house a woman poked her head out of a door.

“Quesería?” We asked.

‘Si,’ Madre Vieja replied with a smile, opening the door wider so we could enter.

I guess we expected a bit of a farm shop affair. Instead we entered a living room area with a sofa and a wooden table with scales on it. Off to one side was a cupboard-sized room with a couple of huge pans filled with creamy milk – the quesería. As our eyes adjusted to its dim interior we saw much of the room was taken up by an open unit whose shelves were filled with musty, dusty rounds of cheese. Proper cheese; mature and gorgeous.

For cheese lovers, it was like discovering a pungent smelling Aladdin’s Cave.

The next 5 minutes or so were spent relishing generous slivers of savoury semi-curado covered in paprika, picante curado with a gofio coat and, best of all, creamy, smooth and powerful queso de flor (the ‘flor’ part coming from the flower of cardoon, a thistle-like plant). They were all sigh-inducingly tasty, so we bought three huge wedges. Whilst Madre Vieja weighed out the cheese to decide a price (€12), her son showed me around the small farm, specifically a cave byre populated by calves.

Transaction concluded, we said our ‘adios’ and sauntered back to Fontanales happy as Larry with our cheesy haul.

We’re used to the ways of the Canary Islands, so know the unconventional aspects of the Ruta de Queserías are quite typical of the way some things work on the islands. But it’s not particularly user friendly for visitors who don’t speak Spanish.

It would be a shame for anyone passing through to miss out on Fontanales’ cheese – it is exceptional. Adventurous travellers can always do what we did and follow the signs. But for anyone who doesn’t want to trawl the countryside questioning locals there is an alternative – family run Restaurant Sibora in Fontanales has cheese from Madre Vieja as well as other local cheesemakers. And, as a bonus, it is served with a dollop of their delicious homemade tomato jam.

Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+