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Nature in its purest form

On the Canaries, the islands themselves are the greatest treasure. So close to each other and yet so different, they all boast the most incredible landscapes so the visitor can explore all the facets of an amazing and fanciful natural world.

Here you will find a unique rural setting where you will encounter volcanoes with magical landscapes created by lava, untamed woodlands, pinewoods, immense expanses of dunes, coastlines and mountainous areas, in spaces that are protected because of their rich bio-diversity and their numerous indigenous species which include dragon trees, junipers and viper’s bugloss.

Rural tourism on the islands is a unique experience. You can stay at houses that conserve all the flavour of days gone by or in small, friendly hotels with a family atmosphere; in the mountains or in picturesque villages where hospitality is a tradition; near the sea or in the silence of the countryside - it is up to you.

The gentle temperatures of the islands enable you to enjoy all the open-air leisure options 365 days a year: you can follow the footpaths on foot, on horseback or riding a camel, make a bicycle tour or go canyoning down the ravines that are brimming with vegetation; or explore the mysteries of the volcanic tubes, climb incredible walls of rock or dive in the crystal-clear waters and find yourself surrounded by rays and amberjacks.

From the air, the Canary Islands are just as spectacular. There is nothing better than to para-glide over the mountains and beaches in order to absorb all their beauty.

The Canary Islands are part of the region of Macaronesia, one of the most important in the world for their rich bio-diversity. Exclusive to this region is laurisilva, a virgin laurel woodland which once covered the entire Mediterranean basin and which has its last redoubt here.

The Canaries have 141 protected areas, four of which are are National Parks. There are four Biosphere Reserves and a total of 1,386 native plants, 546 of which are peculiar to these Islands.

The clarity of the sky and limited light contamination have led to the installation of two international astronomical observatories from which, among others, significant solar studies are carried out.

The Archipelago has hundreds of volcanoes and a rich variety of ecosystems and microclimates, which enable certain protected animals to survive such as the white-tailed and Bolle’s laurel pigeons, the Canarian lizard known as the tizón, the blue chaffinch and the osprey.

Protected Areas

The Canary Islands has the greatest number of protected natural areas of any region in Spain with a total of 146 natural areas protected in one form or another representing almost 45% of the islands surface. On the other hand, the Canary Islands is the fourth richest region of the world in endemic plant species, with about 600.

 For more information please see: Natural Spaces Network of the Canary Islands. (only Spanish)

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