MissLJBeauty

1. Cultural immersion: heritage sites and festivals

Spend just a morning in the UNESCO World Heritage city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on Tenerife and you’ll understand the islands’ complex heritage which has influences from Europe, Africa and the Americas. Teror, founded in the 15th century and crowned by a basilica that’s a major pilgrimage site, in Gran Canaria is just as culturally significant. Fuerteventura’s former capital Betancuria and Lanzarote’s Teguise are picturesque urban spots, with characteristic, white-washed buildings, colonial architecture and lively markets.

When choosing between Canary Islands cruises or holiday packages, consider timing your visit to coincide with a local romería, a traditional Christian pilgrimage. Join residents as they dress in traditional clothing and share food from decorated carts along the route. Check municipal websites for festival dates and arrive early to secure a good viewpoint along the procession.

2. Cuisine: vineyards and volcanic barbecues

Did you know there are wineries in the Canaries? In Lanzarote, growers in La Geria plant vines in hollows scooped from black volcanic ash, with low stone walls shield each plant from Atlantic winds. When you tour a bodega here, you see how the ash traps moisture overnight, which means the vines survive with minimal irrigation. That practical adaptation shapes the faint mineral taste of the crisp malvasía wines.

Pair that wine with papas arrugadas and mojo sauces in a village restaurant and you taste ingredients that have travelled only a few miles. There’s a big emphasise on using local produce in ever-elaborate ways. At El Diablo in Timanfaya National Park, chefs grill meat over the heat that rises directly from the earth. Watch them lower food into a pit where volcanic warmth does the work!

3. Slow travel in the laurel forests

Ancient laurel forests like those in Garajonay National Park on La Gomera are the perfect setting for slow travel. Follow marked trails beneath dense canopies where filtered light softens every colour, on foot or by bike. The steady gradient of paths allows you to explore for hours without having to negotiate punishing climbs, leaving you free to focus on birdsong and the scent of damp leaves.

Tenerife’s Anaga Rural Park offers a similar experience, with narrow ridges that open onto small hamlets where farmers still terrace the slopes. Choose a locally guided walk and learn about the way of life here, discovering how to identify endemic plants and understanding how communities harvest water from passing clouds. Don’t let poor preparation ruin what should be a restful experience: pack layers, carry water and download offline maps before you set off.

4. Diverse outdoor adventure activities

There are four national parks in the Canary Islands, with further protected areas to enjoy, so you have ample opportunity for outdoor adventure in incredible surroundings whichever island you visit. Teide National Park crowns the list of beautiful places in Tenerife, with majestic Mount Teide – officially Spain’s highest peak – the most striking feature and a great stargazing spot. It’s accessible to most, with a gradual ascent that helps you acclimatise and wide paths reducing the risk of losing your footing, but using guided is recommended.

Other top options include kayaking beneath the cliffs of Gran Canaria’s coastline, where you spot caves and seabirds at eye level, driving to La Palma’s Roque de los Muchachos after sunset and watching astronomers set up telescopes and diving the teeming volcanic reefs of El Hierro. Contact certified local operators and check weather conditions the day before to help ensure safe, memorable adventure activities.