Best CANARY ISLAND for YOU? | TRAVEL GUIDE | Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma and Lanzarote
Summary
TLDRThis video guide explores the allure of the Canary Islands, focusing on Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and La Palma. Each island offers unique experiences, from Gran Canaria's diverse landscapes and colonial towns to Fuerteventura's expansive beaches and water sports. La Palma, known as 'La Isla Bonita,' boasts pristine nature and colonial charm, while Lanzarote is celebrated for its dramatic volcanic terrain and the artistic legacy of César Manrique. The video provides insights into hiking, beaches, historical attractions, and transportation, helping viewers choose their ideal Canary Island getaway.
Takeaways
- 🏞️ Gran Canaria is known as 'a continent in miniature' with diverse landscapes ranging from deserts to snow-covered peaks, offering a variety of hiking options.
- 🌊 Fuerteventura is the second largest island, characterized by its dry and arid climate, and is renowned for its expansive open spaces and excellent beaches for water sports.
- 🌲 La Palma, also known as 'La Isla Bonita', is famous for its lush greenery and dramatic volcanic landscapes, providing diverse hiking experiences and colonial towns.
- 🌋 Lanzarote is reminiscent of a volcanic landscape with a darker and more dramatic color scheme, offering hiking routes through its national parks and volcanic terrains.
- 🏖️ Beaches in the Canary Islands vary from natural to man-made, with Fuerteventura boasting the best beaches and Lanzarote having fewer natural sandy beaches but well-developed tourist beaches.
- 🛤️ Gran Canaria has a well-connected infrastructure with highways making it easy to travel between resorts, the capital, and the airport.
- 🏞️ Fuerteventura's transport is convenient with highways facilitating travel from north to south, though some inland roads can be challenging.
- 🌄 La Palma has winding roads that can be either a nightmare or entertaining, depending on one's preference, with good roads connecting the main towns.
- 🛣️ Lanzarote's transport infrastructure is similar to Fuerteventura, with easy navigation and highways for convenient travel.
- 🏰 Historical towns in the Canary Islands offer a blend of architectural styles, with Gran Canaria and La Palma having particularly notable colonial towns.
- 🎨 Lanzarote is historically significant for its colonization and is home to creations by César Manrique, a famous artist, sculptor, architect, and activist.
Q & A
Which Canary Island is referred to as 'a continent in miniature'?
-Gran Canaria is referred to as 'a continent in miniature' due to its diverse landscapes resulting from volcanic eruptions.
What are some of the recommended inland towns for hiking in Gran Canaria?
-The small inland towns of Arucas and Tejeda are recommended for town hiking in Gran Canaria.
Why is Caldera de Pandama a suggested hiking spot in Gran Canaria?
-Caldera de Pandama is suggested for hiking because it offers beautiful sceneries and can be combined with other activities due to its relatively quick completion time.
What type of architecture can be found in the historical towns of Gran Canaria?
-The historical towns in Gran Canaria feature a blend of modern colonial, gothic, renaissance, and neoclassical style buildings and architecture.
What is the main characteristic of the beaches in Gran Canaria?
-The beaches in Gran Canaria are known for their great options, often crammed with people, activities, and noise, especially during peak seasons.
Why is Fuerteventura known for its beaches and water sports?
-Fuerteventura is known for its beaches and water sports due to its large open spaces, dry and arid climate, and the quality of its beaches.
What historical significance does Fuerteventura hold in the Canary Islands?
-Fuerteventura is the oldest of the Canary Islands, dating back to volcanic activity 20 million years ago, and was the second island to be colonized.
What is La Palma known as and why?
-La Palma is known as 'La Isla Bonita' or 'the beautiful island' because of its stunning nature sceneries and green colors.
What are some of the world-class hiking locations on La Palma?
-Some world-class hiking locations on La Palma include the volcano road in the south, the huge caldera in the center, and the dense forest of Oscilas in the northeastern part.
Why is the astronomical observatory at Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma significant?
-The astronomical observatory at Roque de los Muchachos is significant because it is located 2400 meters above sea level and is considered the second-best place in the northern hemisphere for optical and infrared astronomy.
What is the main difference between the beaches of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote?
-The main difference is that Fuerteventura offers a variety of natural and human-made beaches with great conditions for swimming, while Lanzarote has fewer natural coves and beaches, with most being developed for tourism.
What is the historical significance of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands' colonization?
-Lanzarote was the first island visited by Spanish explorers and was home to the first capital of the Canary Islands, Teguise, until 1852.
How does the transport infrastructure of Lanzarote compare to Fuerteventura?
-The transport infrastructure of Lanzarote is similar to Fuerteventura, with convenient highways and straightforward roads, making it easy for tourists to get around the island.
Outlines
🌋 Exploring Gran Canaria's Diverse Landscapes
Gran Canaria is described as a 'continent in miniature' due to its varied landscapes shaped by volcanic eruptions. The island offers a rich mix of desert scenery in the south, rugged shores in the north, and lush forests and valleys. It is a haven for hikers with infinite possibilities, including routes through historical towns like Arucas and Tejeda, and famous spots such as Pico de las Nieves and Caldera de Pandama. Gran Canaria's historical towns blend modern, colonial, gothic, renaissance, and neoclassical styles, with Puerto de Mogán and Las Palmas being notable examples. Beaches are abundant, though they can be crowded, and the island's infrastructure makes getting around convenient, especially along the east and south coasts.
🏝 Discovering Fuerteventura's Open Spaces and Beaches
Fuerteventura is characterized by its low population density and vast open spaces, making it the second largest Canary Island after Tenerife. Despite being drier and more arid than Gran Canaria, it offers a unique beauty with its dramatic, dry, and volcanic landscapes. The island provides excellent hiking options with unobstructed views and is known for its beaches, which are ideal for water sports. Fuerteventura's history dates back 20 million years and includes pre-colonial kingdoms and colonization by the Spanish. The capital, Puerto de Rosario, and historical sites like Betancuria and Mirador del Rio pay tribute to the island's rich past. The island's beaches are accessible and varied, with options for surfing and other water activities.
🌿 La Palma: The Beautiful Island of Nature and Scenery
La Palma, known as 'La Isla Bonita,' is famous for its lush greenery and diverse geography, ranging from volcanic landscapes to mountainous regions. The island offers world-class hiking with locations like the Volcano Road, the central caldera, and the dense forests of Otilas. La Palma's colonial towns, such as Santa Cruz de La Palma and Los Llanos, are charming and rich in history. The island is also home to an astronomical observatory at Roque de los Muchachos, renowned for its optimal conditions for optical and infrared astronomy. Beaches on La Palma are dramatic and mostly of black volcanic sand, with decent options found in coastal towns. The island's roads are steep and winding, offering either a challenging or entertaining drive.
🏜 Unveiling Lanzarote's Volcanic and Artistic Charm
Lanzarote is known for its dramatic volcanic landscape, reminiscent of Puerto Montaña and influenced by the artist César Manrique. The island offers limited hiking variety compared to others but provides routes through Timanfaya National Park and Los Volcanes Natural Park. Lanzarote's history is significant in the Canary Islands' colonization, being the first visited and having its first capital, Teguise. The island's artistic heritage is evident in Manrique's creations and the Cueva de los Verdes. Beaches are not as abundant in natural combs, but developed tourism has created swimmable beaches in resort towns. Lanzarote's transport infrastructure is convenient, with highways facilitating travel from north to south and straightforward smaller roads.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Canary Islands
💡Gran Canaria
💡Fuerteventura
💡Lanzarote
💡La Palma
💡Hiking
💡Colonial Towns
💡Beaches
💡Nature and Scenery
💡Transport Infrastructure
💡Cultural Attractions
Highlights
Gran Canaria is known as a continent in miniature due to its diverse landscapes from desert to snow-covered peaks.
Gran Canaria offers infinite possibilities for hiking, with varied terrains from valleys to mountains and volcanoes.
For town hiking in Gran Canaria, the inland towns of Arucas and Tejeda are recommended for their colorful colonial architecture.
Pico de las Nieves and Roque Nublo are famous spots for inland hiking in Gran Canaria.
Caldera de Pandama is a small hike that can be combined with other activities due to its relatively quick completion time.
The area north of the small town of Cruz de Tejeda impresses with unique hiking experiences.
Gran Canaria's historical towns blend modern, colonial, gothic, renaissance, and neoclassical styles.
Puerto de Mogán and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are famous for their well-preserved historical old towns.
Fuerteventura is the second largest Canary Island, known for its open spaces and freedom.
Fuerteventura offers dramatic, dry, and volcanic landscapes that provide a unique hiking experience.
The island's historical attractions include the oldest of the Canary Islands with pre-colonial kingdoms of Maxurata and Handia.
Betancuria and the statues of the two kings Ayose and Guise represent Fuerteventura's rich history.
Fuerteventura's beaches are highly regarded, offering a variety of natural and man-made options.
La Palma, known as 'La Isla Bonita', offers diverse geographies from volcanic landscapes to green mountainous regions.
Hiking in La Palma provides world-class locations, from volcano roads to dense forests.
Santa Cruz de La Palma and Los Llanos are colonial towns that showcase the island's rich history and culture.
Roque de los Muchachos, an astronomical observatory, is renowned for its prime location for optical and infrared astronomy.
Lanzarote is known for its dramatic volcanic landscapes and the influence of César Manrique on its art and architecture.
Timanfaya National Park and Los Volcanos Natural Park offer unique hiking experiences among volcanoes and calderas in Lanzarote.
Lanzarote's beaches, while limited in number, have been developed to provide swimmable areas for tourists.
Transport infrastructure in Lanzarote is highly developed, making it convenient to travel from north to south.
Transcripts
so
what is the best canary island to visit
for you
i will narrow this guide down to the
following four islands
frankenaria forte ventura
lanzarote and la palma
as i've yet to visit and enjoy the last
three islands
but trust me guys these four islands
have plenty to offer half a lifetime of
travelling
i will review the following topics for
each destination and at the end of the
video i will summarize the video to make
it easier to understand the pros
and cons of each island so which is
better for you well you will have to
decide
if you want to see more videos like this
please do not forget to like and
subscribe to the channel it is greatly
appreciated
first up is gran canaria a continent
in miniature throughout history
volcanic eruptions have left the canary
islands very varied
and diverse this is even more so
significant for gran canaria as it's
home for
both desert scenery in the south rocket
and harsh shores in the north then
forest and vegetation
scattered across gran canaria's many
valleys mountains volcanoes and peaks
peaks which are sometimes snow covered
in the winter
the nature and hiking is long beloved
and appreciated by people traveling to
gran canaria
many come here several times a year and
have done so for decades
gran canary has infinite possibilities
when it comes to hiking
whether it's in gran canaria's
historical old towns
walking between old but well-maintained
churches and buildings in many colorful
variations
for town hiking i personally recommend
the small inland towns of arukas
and tyrell
[Music]
if you want to take in the best
sceneries i recommend you to go once
again
inland hiking near famous spots such as
pico de las nieves and rock nuplo is
always a great option
another famous place is a small hike
around caldera de pandama
i would suggest combining this with
something else as it can be done
relatively quickly
if you want to skip the beaten track i
was personally very impressed with the
hiking in the area
just north of the small town of cruise
did tejeda
gran canaria is equally famous for its
historical towns with a blend of
modern colonial gothic renaissance and
neoclassical style buildings and
architecture
so many in fact that i honestly haven't
seen anywhere near all of it
some of the most famous old towns are
puerto de mogan ambiguous
old town the latter is part of the
island capital las palmas
less visited towns i can recommend would
be fiagas and san mateo
both which could be easily combined for
the same day in a rental car
regarding gran canaria speeches i will
keep it short almost
all popular resorts on the green
canaries south and coasts can boast of
great beaches
not all are completely natural and
there's been plenty of human
intervention towards making the beat
just as ideal as possible
you're basically spoiled with great
options the only thing that could be
possibly be bothersome for certain
persons
is the lack of privacy
the best beaches are quite often crammed
together with people activities and
noise
of course based on seasonality
fourth and last getting around the
island most of the east and south coast
is connected via highway with
several lanes getting to and from the
resort the capital
and the airport is fast and convenient
certain roads
inland can be well let's say exciting if
you want to see historical sites without
hordes of people
you will need to stomach some of gran
canaria's six segregate mountain roads
second up is fort ventura even though
for the ventura have a low population
density
it does offer huge open spaces and the
size of the island is pretty large
it is the second largest island next to
tenerife just slightly eating out green
it is significantly more dry and arid
than gran canaria
but of small in terms of open spaces
that create a feeling of freedom and
privacy
it is also known as the island with the
best beaches both volition
and water sports the nature and hiking
scene on fort ventura is different from
that of gran canaria
the beauty of nature falls to the eyes
of the beholder
but the ventura looks more rough
dramatic
dry and volcanic which is amazing in its
own right
but does not offer the same variety as
some of the other canary islands
fort ventura does offer some amazing
hiking options and some of the routes
have great open views which are
unobstructed
and reveal huge areas of water and if
the weather is right
the neighboring islands
i recommend the trip to the top of
caldera and hondo near lahares
if you're not much for heights i advise
her walk in the coral
sand dunes and hiking towards
the dramatic views cliffs and caves near
ahui onto
a tourist west coast
in terms of the island's historical
attractions
it is worthwhile to know that water
ventura is the oldest of the canary
islands
dating back to volcanic activity that
happened 20 million years ago
before the catholic conquest of the
island it was separated into two
pre-colonial kingdoms of
maxurata and handia a history i won't go
in depth with in this video
it was the second canary island to be
colonized by showing the bitten court
and gatifa di lazar they established
visitoria as the island's capital
and it remained as such until 1835 when
the current capital
took over puerto de rosario
[Music]
if you enjoy history then beating korea
is a must see
if you're heading to bethen korea please
do combine it with the two
statues representing the two kings ayose
and guise and go to miradomorovilosa
these places are respectively paying
tribute to the pre-colonial history
and the volcanic and natural part of
portuguese history
if one work is synonymous with what
material it is probably
beaches from north to south
and from east to west you will always be
able to find a nice sandy beach
in little of no time from the natural
beaches belonging to the sand dunes of
corralejo
or the equally inviting natural beaches
stretching for several
kilometers at the coast of handia you
can easily access a beach
as nature intended them to be
other beaches either natural or those
smouldered by people
offer protected bays whether it's those
found in caleda de fuste near the
airport
oil cotilo in the north westernmost
corner of the island
if you want to surf you also have plenty
of options
of course keep in mind that the weather
can help dictate the best spots on any
given day
i personally experience a lot of
activity on the beaches
south of el cotillo and mahanicho the
northernmost village on the island
[Music]
transport infrastructure makes fort
ventura
super convenient traffic is very
overbearing and you'll likely spend most
of the time on the highway
going from corralejo in the north all
the way to handia in the south
the only time you might find the roads
overly exciting is when leaving the
korea
valley through its southern corridor
third up is la palma the palma is also
known as
la ila bonita the beautiful island
the island is located in the canary
island group's northwestern muskola
this island is famous for its nature
sceneries and green colors
even though the island is quite small it
does offer plenty of diversity in its
geography from its volcanic landscapes
in the south
to the green and mountainous central and
northern parts of the island
the hiking and nature on la palma is
some of the best i have personally
experienced for hiking it offers some
world-class locations from the volcano
road in the south
hiking in the huge caldera in the center
to walking in the dense forest of
ostilas in northeastern part of la palma
the scenery also offers plenty of
diversity with volcanic beaches
dramatic cliffs and even viewpoints
above the clouds
as with gran canaria i also enjoyed some
of la palma's colonial towns for walking
i would especially recommend the capital
of santa cruz la palma
in the east and los lanes in the west
second we see historical attractions i
already mentioned santa cruz de la palma
and noslanas for the canary island style
of colonial towns
most of the island's attractions are
centered around its stunning and
dramatic nature
however if you're interested in some of
the older history related to
its residence head to some undress and
sources and visit the ronaldia
distillery
more famous is rogue de los muchachos
here you'll find an astronomical
observatory
it is located 2400 meters of sea level
according to certain statistics it's the
second best place
in the northern hemisphere for optical
and infrared astronomy
the beaches on the palm are certainly
beautiful and dramatic
however you're not as spoiled for
choices as in granaria and for the
ventura
most beaches of a black volcanic sand
and not so idyllic
swimming conditions this does however
not mean you can't find some decent
beaches
most of the bigger coastal towns have a
decent to good beach
with santa cruz la palma and los can
cajos on the east coast
and has a court down portuguese on the
west coast
[Music]
an alternative to the beaches are the
natural pools
found on the northern shores chiakwa
soul and piskinas
for the roads and transport you clearly
feel that palma is the steepest of the
islands
plenty of windy roads for the most parts
of the island makes driving here either
a nightmare
or very entertaining depends on who you
are
good roads do exist through the center
of the island between the two main towns
los lanos and santa cruz to the palmer
as well as the roads going around this
southern end of the island
if you want to go to rogue de los
muchachos then you won't be able to
avoid the windy roads
but the views and nature on this road is
in my opinion hard to compete with
last but not least lanzarote nancy rota
is known for its volcano-clad landscape
it reminds me most of puerto mantura out
of the islands i have visited
and is also its neighboring island the
color scheme of the island is darker and
even more dramatic than what is found on
fort ventura
lanzarote was the home of cesar manrique
a famous
artist sculptor architect and activist
he left a huge mark on the canary
islands what lived his biggest marks on
his home island
hiking and nature is much like each
sibling island fort ventura
dramatic views volcanic landscapes
calderas and mostly rye and arid
lanza road does offer plenty of hiking
routes but the variety in landscapes
will be limited compared to the likes of
frankenaria and la palma
i recommend finding a route for tim and
fire national park
orlos volcanoes natural park and walk
between the seemingly
endless amount of volcanoes and calderas
if you find yourself around leblanc
and the southern end of the island i
recommend you to walk from the resort
towards the famous playa del papagayo
lanzarosa is one of the most
historically significant islands when it
comes to
canary islands colonization because it
was the first island to be visited
by sean de bethenko and gaddy far de la
salle it was also home to the first
capital of the island's
tiquis tiquis was the capital of
lanzarote from the 15th
century until 1852.
the history presented across the island
today is much related to the island's
natural heritage
such as timothy national park and all
creations
designed by sisa enrique to the north of
lanzarote i also
heavily recommend to visit hamiltos de
la cua here mankind and nature intermix
and
inner cave lagoon is home to the
incredible small blind trips
when it comes to beaches lanta rotate
does not offer many natural comb
and remember beaches just like la palma
however due to its better developed
tourism infrastructure mankind has
played a part in making good beaches on
the island most tourist resort towns
such as playa blanca
porto del carmen irecif and costa
degrees have great swimmable beaches
which i admittedly like footage of
when it comes to transport and
infrastructure i once again can't stop
relating to fort de ventura
getting around the island is super
convenient and highway can take you from
north to south
the smaller roads are also mostly
straightforward and very friendly to
also drivers
now it's time for a quick recap everyone
has their own theory island
some prefer the dramatic landscapes for
fort ventura and lanzarote
others love hiking the green mountains
of kraken area and la palma
if you look at my boxes you can see my
suggestions for the strengths of each
island
for gran canaria it's the colonial
villages diversity in nature
and its great tourist infrastructure
portugal feels very free-spirited and
spacious
easily has the best beaches of any of
the islands
in my opinion and it's fantastic for
sports
cycling and anything going on in
and above the water
la palma out of the four islands seems
the most authentic
it also matches dragon area in its
diversity in nature
and it does also have its two great
colonial towns
lanzarota for me has the most dramatic
nature it's great for art
and architecture and it has some easy
day trips that can take you
to timil fire national park go see some
of say some enrique's creations
i know there are seven islands but sadly
i only have managed to visit for so far
here at the end i would love to hear
from you which is your favorite canary
island
if you enjoyed this video i would love
for you to subscribe to the channel
and give this video a like this was all
from me for now thank you for watching
you
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