Islands of Eternal Spring, a quiet, secluded place that also has a reputation the best resort peace. The Canary Islands forever captivate those who have ever been here. And I, too, was no exception.

The Canary Islands is an amazing journey through time and space. Formally, it is. In practice, you will not find so much Spanish here: except perhaps the language. It was here that the ancient tribes of the Guanches, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands, lived. True Canarians do not consider themselves Spaniards and are even offended if they are called that.

Why is the Canaries called the islands of eternal spring? Here, the temperature is approximately the same all year round: not too hot, set off by pleasant ocean freshness, truly spring. 13 are concentrated here climatic zones and is the highest point in Spain - the stunning and mighty volcano Teide. Most tourists from Russia come to the island. He is definitely good. But other islands of the archipelago also deserve attention. There are seven in total:

• Lanzarote;
• Homer;
• Palm;
• Hierro.

If you ask me to name the best island in the Canary Islands, I will say: Fuerteventura. But you might like some other one the most. All of them are beautiful and unforgettable in their own way! But my heart belongs to Fuerteventura - the island of freedom, wind, flying sails of kitesurfers and happiness.

Many people think that the Canary Islands are named after canaries. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite. These little birds were first seen here and named after the islands. And the archipelago is named after dogs. The Spanish word for dog is el can. There are several versions of why dogs were given such an honor. Someone believes that ancient wild dogs lived here, someone says that the locals considered the dog to be a sacred animal. Nevertheless, the fact remains: the islands bear their name thanks to the dogs.

How to get there

The question of how to get to the Canary Islands is the easiest and most difficult at the same time.

The simplest - because there are not so many options. The most difficult - because most of them are expensive or inconvenient. Since the islands are in Atlantic Ocean, then practically the only way to get to them from the "mainland" is by plane. But between the islands you can both fly and travel by ferry.

By plane

In the Canaries, there are airports on the following islands - Tenerife, Hierro, Las Palmas.

There are 2 airports in Tenerife - North (Los Rodeos) and South (Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia). north airport serves flights arriving from Spain and departing to other islands. Yuzhny, in turn, is international and flights from Russia come here. There are many options for flights with transfers, but the most convenient direct flights from Russia () are carried out by 2 companies - Aeroflot and charter flights from Vim-Avia.

How long is the flight to the Canary Islands?

Travel time is 7 hours. But such a direct flight will cost about 500 EUR (34,000 rubles) per person in both directions from Moscow and a little more expensive from St. Petersburg (usually with a transfer in Moscow). You can see more accurate prices.

Clubs and nightlife

If you want to hang out, it's better to go to youth resorts or to Corralejo on. Although no city in the Canary Islands can be called a truly "discotheque", nevertheless, this area suggests a more relaxed and peaceful holiday.

1. In Lanzarote, nightlife lovers flock to Puerto del Carmen. In Corralejo, Fuerteventura, it's worth going to Mafaska or the Waikiki beach club.
2. In Gran Canaria, the main center of nightlife is Playa del Inglés and its surroundings.
3. But the leader among all discos in the Canaries is Lounge Cabana, which takes place in the Seaside Park in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

extreme sports

But there is more than enough extreme here: kitesurfing and windsurfing, many kilometers of hiking trips, paragliding, cycling routes, sailing, diving, horseback riding, camel rides - each island offers all these types of outdoor activities.

In Tenerife, divers can explore the El Condesito wreck, the Palmmar underwater cave, or explore the life of stingrays. The Arinaga Marine Reserve off the coast of Gran Canaria is of particular interest to lovers of the underwater world. And a Russian hydrofoil that sank here in 2003 is so well preserved that divers can get inside. Near Lanzarote there are coral caves Cathedral. It is worth considering that for independent diving you will need a diver's certificate, a dive book and a passport. Beginners are offered introductory dives to a shallow depth.

But the most important, of course, is kite and windsurfing. In Corralejo, where there are a lot of surfers, we were told that beginners are first trained ... on the beach! Too strong waves. But when they let you into the water, you will feel real freedom!

In Tenerife, the best place for surfers is Playa de las Americas and El Medano. On Gran Canaria - Playa del Aguila.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

Aloe, aloe and more aloe. This is the main product of the islands and the main souvenir that is brought from there. Of course, we are not talking about a plant in a pot, but about all kinds of products: creams and various care products, soap, jam - what they don’t do here!

In addition to aloe, cactus is more popular. Jam from it will also be a wonderful gift for friends and family. Shops on the embankments are full of standard souvenirs: magnets, cups, boomerangs, the nudist theme is played in an original way, and hipster buses are absolutely charming - from small toys to salt shakers and other utensils with their image.

How to move around the region

The two most convenient ways to travel within the islands are taxis and buses.
The two most convenient ways to travel between the islands are planes and ferries.

Taxi. What features exist

All taxis in the Canary Islands are official, the cars are painted white with a red stripe. If the taxi sign glows green, then the car is free.

Payment is by meter. Only the smallest islands have flat-rate taxis. As a rule, before the trip, the driver can roughly orient you how much the trip will cost.

The drivers are friendly, polite, ready to help, but unobtrusive.

Approximate prices: 1–1.5 EUR per kilometer. You can order a car in advance, or you can catch it on the street (it's even cheaper).

If you get into official taxis, and not to private traders, then there will be no problems!

Public transport

The Canary Islands has a well-developed bus network. The schedule can be found at bus stations and stops, you can take the bus along the entire route.

Buses run on schedule. This is a good, modern and comfortable transport. At bus stations, you can buy a ticket at the box office or from the driver, you can also get hooked at any stop and pay at the entrance. Inside the islands, we traveled by bus. I heard that there are situations when the bus simply does not come, but in my practice this has not happened. The buses always arrived on time and did not let us down.

Buses run between all major cities, the only thing to keep in mind is that the trip can be much longer than by taxi, as the bus will call into small villages and pick up passing passengers. But if you check the schedule ahead of time, you'll know what to expect.

Transport rental

Getting around each island by car is also very convenient. They are rented. But I don't drive, so it was irrelevant for me. In general, there are car rental points in every town and in every resort. Rental cars are available to travelers over 21 years of age. As a rule, a deposit is not required, but then you will not be able to leave the island by ferry. In some cases, you may still be asked for a deposit. Car rental costs from 30 EUR per day, but if you rent a car for a week or more, you can get a nice discount. By the way, you can order a car in advance, even from home, it will be provided to you right at the airport. You can see the prices for renting vehicles in convenient cities.

All the roads I have seen are free. But you need to be prepared for the fact that in some places the ideal track may end, and the primer will begin after it. Although recently almost all roads have been renovated and repairs are ongoing. The car must have full insurance. You will also need a passport and a driver's license.

A yellow line on the side of the road means you can't park here. Blue - that parking is paid.

You should not drive a car on Cofete (it is dangerous and no insurance covers the way there). In the Canary Islands, there are very large fines for traffic violations, so it is better to follow them carefully.

Canary Islands: holidays with children

I vacationed in the Canary Islands without children, but it seems to me that they are well suited for families with kids: the mild climate practically does not cause acclimatization, it is safe, comfortable and predictable in a good way.

In addition, there are many ways to entertain children in the Canaries: these are Loro Park in Tenerife and the large Zoo on, and the Ostrich Farm, and the Camel Park, and the water park.

But the most amazing thing is that here you can observe wildlife: charming chipmunks, large bird reservations, parrots that eat out of hand and much, much more!
The only thing to consider is the cold water in the ocean. For most of the year, you are unlikely to let the little ones swim in the ocean. And, of course, you should not leave children alone in the water, as there is a very strong current in the ocean. Even an adult can be carried away reverse flow. By the way, if you feel that you are being carried away, you need to swim not to the shore, but to the side! then you can swim.

Ski holidays

5 things to do in this region

1. Hear the silence in the roar of the ocean.
2. We went on a hike along one of the routes of the national parks of the Canary Islands.
3. Experience the colonial architecture of one of the two (or both) capitals: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
4. Watch birds, lizards, chipmunks or goats in the wild.
5. Feel like a tiny part of this huge, beautiful world!

: 28°32′11″ N sh. 15°43′17″ W d. /  28.53639° N sh. 15.72139° W d./ 28.53639; -15.72139(G) (I)

Etymology

According to another version, "dogs" were called sea dogs (lat. canis marinus) or sea lions, which previously had large colonies on the islands.

It is also possible that the indigenous population of the archipelago, the Guanches, regarded dogs as sacred animals. It is possible that the Egyptian cult of the deity Anubis with the head of a dog and the Canarian worship of dogs are not excluded.

In ancient Roman sources, there is also a version of the name of the islands according to the Berber tribes living in Morocco.

Geography

The archipelago consists of seven major inhabited islands and a few small ones. In the center is the largest island - Tenerife (2057 km²), Tenerife is the largest and most populous island. To the west are the islands of Gomera (378 km²), Hierro (277 km²) and Palma (708 km²). Gran Canaria is located to the east of Tenerife. This is the third largest island of the archipelago (1532 km²). Further east are Fuerteventura (1659 km²) and Lanzarote (795 km²). Of the six small islands, only the island of Graciosa (27 km²) is inhabited. To the east are the islands of Alegranza (10 km²), Montaña Clara (1 km²), Lobos (6 km²), Roque del Oeste and Roque del Este. There are 13 islands in total.

Geographically, the archipelago is part of Macaronesia - a group of volcanic islands along with the Azores, the Cape Verde Islands, Madeira and Selvagens.

Climate

The climate of the Canaries is tropical trade wind, moderately hot and dry, it is determined by:

1. Close proximity to Africa (Sahara desert), because of which the shergi (sirocco) wind blows here in waves, which brings heat and sand. The eastern islands are more arid;
2. Constant trade winds blowing from the northeast. They carry moisture and soften the influence of Africa;
3. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean, the cold Canary Current, the presence of a permanent anticyclone over the Azores softens the climate. It should be noted that due to the current, there is less precipitation on the islands, but it is not hot on the coastal beaches;
4. These islands are mountainous, so the climate and weather are also affected by altitude and topography. This is especially noticeable in Tenerife, Palma, Gran Canaria - the highest islands of the archipelago. They are said to be “continents in miniature”: the climate changes dramatically from sea level to the coast, where the temperature even in winter rarely deviates from 20 ° C, up to 2000 m in height, rising to which you can see snow, sometimes even in summer;
5. The entire archipelago is characterized by a significant difference in climate and weather between north and south - northern islands more green, moist, southern - dry.

In general, the islands are characterized by an extremely uniform temperature distribution. Most days are warm sunny dry weather, the water temperature is constant throughout the year, does not fall below 20 ° C, on the coast the air temperature rarely drops below 10 ° C and rarely rises above 25 ° C in winter, while in summer the temperature is rarely lower 20 °C, but often exceeds 30 °C.

Story

Before the arrival of Europeans to the islands, they were inhabited by Guanche tribes. Their development was at the level of the Stone Age, they were engaged in cattle breeding and primitive agriculture. Animal skins were used as clothing. They knew how to mummify their leaders. They left behind the pyramids of Guimar - an amazing monument of megalithic architecture.

In Antiquity, the Canary Islands were visited by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, as mentioned by Pliny the Elder.

Provinces	Adm. Centre	Population, people (2011)	Square, km²	Municipalities	Qty municipalities
Santa Cruz de Tenerife	Santa Cruz de Tenerife	995 429	3381	Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Cristobal de la Laguna, Arona, Adeje, La Orotava, Granadilla de Abona, Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz, Candelaria, Icod de los Vinos, Tacoronte, Los Llanos de Aridane, Guia de Isora, Güimar, El Rosario, San Miguel de Abona, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Santa Ursula, Santiago del Teide , Tegueste , San Sebastian de la Gomera , El Sauzal , La Victoria de Acentejo , La Matanza de Acentejo , Arico , El Paso , Brenia Alta , Tazacorte , Arafo , La Guancha , Garachico , Brenia Baja , Los Silos , Buenavista del Norte , Valle Gran Rey , San Juan de la Rambla , Valverde , Villa de Maso , San Andrés y Sauses , Frontera , Vallehermoso , El Tanke , Fasnia , Tijarafe , Puntallana , Barlovento , Hermigua , Puntagorda , Alajero , Fuencaliente de la Palma , Vilaflor , El Pinar de el Hierro , Garafia , Agulo
Las Palmas	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria	1 087 225	4066	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Telde , Santa Lucia de Tirajana , Arrecife , San Bartolome de Tirajana , Arucas , Puerto del Rosario , Ingenio , Aguimes , Galdar , Mogán , La Oliva , Pajara, Teguise, Tias, Santa Brigida, San Bartolome, Yaiza, Santa Maria de Guia de Gran Canaria, Tuineje, Teror, Antigua, Valsequillo de Gran Canaria, La Aldea de San Nicolás, Moya, Vega de San Mateo, Firgas, Agaete, Tinajo, Aria, Valleseco, Tejeda, Artenara, Betancuria

Population

The inhabitants are descendants of marriages between the Spaniards and the ancient indigenous population, the Guanches (proto-Berber population), although there is a significant preponderance in favor of the Spaniards:

Total population: 2,111,013

Cities with more than 10 thousand inhabitants as of January 1, 2005

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 378,6 Candelaria 20,6 Santa Cruz de Tenerife 221,6 Los Llanos de Aridane 19,9 San Cristobal de La Laguna 141,6 Santa Brigida 18,8 Telde 96,5 Guia de Isora 18,7 Arona 65,6 Pahara 18,2 Santa Lucia de Tirajana 56,3 Santa Cruz de la Palma 17,8 Arrecife 53,9 San Bartolome 17,5 San Bartolome de Tirajana 46,4 La Oliva 17,3 La Orotava 40,4 Tias 16,9 Los Realejos 36,2 Guimar 16,5 arucas 34,2 El Rosario 16,0 Adeje 33,7 Mogan 16,0 Granadilla de Abona 33,2 Teguise 15,8 Puerto de la Cruz 30,6 Santa Maria de Guia 14,1 Puerto del Rosario 30,4 Santa Ursula 12,6 Ingenio 27,3 Tuinehe 12,5 Aguimes 25,5 Teror 12,2 Icod de los Vinos 24,3 San Miguel de Abona 11,7 Galdar 23,2 Santiago del Teide 11,2 Tacoronte 22,3 Tegeste 10,3

The problem of illegal immigration

In recent decades, the Canary Islands have gradually become a transit point for immigrants from West African countries (Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Gambia, Senegal, etc.) who are trying to move from their countries to Spain or other countries of the European Union. Many die at sea before reaching land in their makeshift boats or rafts. The islands have special refugee camps, including specialized institutions for children, whose number among illegal immigrants is constantly increasing due to the fact that Spanish laws prohibit the deportation of persons under 18 years of age.

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Literature

• Knipovich N. M.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Bolshakov A. A. Behind the Pillars of Hercules. Canary Islands. - M.: Nauka, 1988.

Notes

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An excerpt characterizing the Canary Islands

- And what, did our militias make a benefit to the state? No! only ruined our farms. Better still a set ... otherwise neither a soldier nor a peasant will return to you, and only one debauchery. The nobles do not spare their lives, we ourselves will go without exception, we will take another recruit, and all of us just call the goose (he pronounced the sovereign so), we will all die for him, - the orator added, animated.
Ilya Andreich swallowed his saliva with pleasure and pushed Pierre, but Pierre also wanted to speak. He moved forward, feeling animated, not knowing what else and not knowing what he would say. He had just opened his mouth to speak, when one senator, completely without teeth, with an intelligent and angry face, standing close to the speaker, interrupted Pierre. With a visible habit of debating and holding questions, he spoke quietly, but audibly:
“I believe, my dear sir,” said the senator, mumbling his toothless mouth, “that we are not called here to discuss what is more convenient for the state at the present moment - recruitment or militia. We are called to respond to the proclamation with which the Sovereign Emperor honored us. And to judge what is more convenient - a recruitment or a militia, we will leave to judge the highest authority ...
Pierre suddenly found an outlet for his animation. He became hardened against the senator, who introduced this correctness and narrowness of views into the upcoming classes of the nobility. Pierre stepped forward and stopped him. He himself did not know what he was going to say, but he began animatedly, occasionally breaking through in French and expressing himself bookishly in Russian.
“Excuse me, Your Excellency,” he began (Pierre was well acquainted with this senator, but considered it necessary to address him officially here), “although I do not agree with the lord ... (Pierre faltered. He wanted to say mon tres honorable preopinant), [my esteemed opponent,] - with the lord ... que je n "ai pas L" honneur de connaitre; [whom I do not have the honor to know] but I believe that the estate of the nobility, in addition to expressing their sympathy and delight, is also called upon to discuss and discuss those measures by which we can help the fatherland. I believe, - he said, inspired, - that the sovereign himself would be dissatisfied if he found in us only the owners of the peasants whom we give him, and ... chair a canon [meat for cannons], which we make of ourselves, but would not have found co-co-counsel in us.
Many moved away from the circle, noticing the contemptuous smile of the senator and the fact that Pierre speaks freely; only Ilya Andreich was pleased with Pierre's speech, as he was pleased with the speech of the sailor, the senator, and in general always with the speech that he had last heard.
“I believe that before discussing these issues,” Pierre continued, “we should ask the sovereign, most respectfully ask His Majesty to communicate to us how many troops we have, what is the position of our troops and armies, and then ...
But Pierre did not have time to finish these words, when they suddenly attacked him from three sides. The Boston player Stepan Stepanovich Apraksin, who had long been known to him and was always well disposed towards him, attacked him most strongly. Stepan Stepanovich was in a uniform, and, whether from a uniform or from other reasons, Pierre saw a completely different person in front of him. Stepan Stepanovich, with suddenly manifested senile anger on his face, shouted at Pierre:
- Firstly, I will tell you that we have no right to ask the sovereign about this, and secondly, if the Russian nobility had such a right, then the sovereign cannot answer us. The troops move in accordance with the movements of the enemy - the troops decrease and arrive ...
Another voice of a man of medium height, about forty years old, whom Pierre had seen in former times among the gypsies and knew for a bad card player and who, also changed in uniform, moved closer to Pierre, interrupted Apraksin.
“Yes, and this is not the time to argue,” said the voice of this nobleman, “but you need to act: there is a war in Russia. Our enemy is coming to destroy Russia, to scold the graves of our fathers, to take away our wives and children. The nobleman thumped his chest. - We will all get up, all of us will go, all for the king, father! he shouted, rolling his bloodshot eyes. Several approving voices were heard from the crowd. - We are Russians and will not spare our blood to defend the faith, the throne and the fatherland. And nonsense must be left, if we are sons of the fatherland. We will show Europe how Russia rises for Russia, the nobleman shouted.
Pierre wanted to object, but could not say a word. He felt that the sound of his words, no matter what thought they conveyed, was less audible than the sound of an animated nobleman's words.
Ilya Andreevich approved from behind the circle; some briskly turned their shoulders to the speaker at the end of a sentence and said:
- That's it, that's it! This is true!
Pierre wanted to say that he was not averse to donations either in money, or peasants, or himself, but that one would have to know the state of affairs in order to help him, but he could not speak. Many voices shouted and spoke together, so that Ilya Andreevich did not have time to nod to everyone; and the group grew larger, disintegrated, again converged and moved all, humming in conversation, into the large hall, to the large table. Pierre not only failed to speak, but he was rudely interrupted, pushed away, turned away from him, as from a common enemy. This did not happen because they were dissatisfied with the meaning of his speech - and it was forgotten after a large number of speeches that followed it - but to inspire the crowd, it was necessary to have a tangible object of love and a tangible object of hatred. Pierre became the last. Many speakers spoke after the animated nobleman, and all spoke in the same tone. Many spoke beautifully and originally.
The publisher of the Russian messenger Glinka, who was recognized (“writer, writer!” was heard in the crowd), said that hell should reflect hell, that he saw a child smiling at the flash of lightning and thunder, but that we will not be this child.
- Yes, yes, with thunder! - repeated approvingly in the back rows.
The crowd went up to a large table, at which, in uniforms, in ribbons, gray-haired, bald, seventy-year-old nobles were sitting old men, whom Pierre had seen almost all of them, at home with jesters and in clubs outside of Boston. The crowd approached the table without ceasing to buzz. One after the other, and sometimes two together, pressed from behind to the high backs of chairs by the leaning crowd, spoke the orators. Those standing behind noticed what the speaker did not finish, and they hurried to say what they missed. Others, in this heat and tightness, fumbled in their heads to see if there was any thought, and hurried to speak it. The old nobles familiar to Pierre sat and looked back at one or the other, and the expression of most of them only said that they were very hot. Pierre, however, felt excited, and the general feeling of a desire to show that we didn’t care about anything, expressed more in sounds and facial expressions than in the sense of speeches, was also communicated to him. He did not renounce his thoughts, but he felt guilty about something and wanted to justify himself.
“I only said that it would be more convenient for us to make donations when we know what we need,” he said, trying to outshout other voices.
One nearby old man looked back at him, but was immediately distracted by a shout that began on the other side of the table.
Yes, Moscow will be surrendered! She will be a redeemer! one shouted.
He is the enemy of humanity! shouted another. “Let me speak… Gentlemen, you are crushing me…”

At that moment, Count Rostopchin, in a general's uniform, with a ribbon over his shoulder, with his protruding chin and quick eyes, entered with quick steps in front of the parting crowd of nobles.
- Sovereign Emperor will be here now, - said Rostopchin, - I have just come from there. I believe that in the position we are in, there is not much to judge. The sovereign deigned to gather us and the merchants, - said Count Rostopchin. “Millions will pour out from there (he pointed to the merchants’ hall), and our business is to set up a militia and not spare ourselves ... This is the least we can do!
Meetings began between some nobles who were sitting at the table. The entire meeting passed more than quietly. It even seemed sad when, after all the previous noise, old voices were heard one by one, saying one: “I agree”, another for a change: “I am of the same opinion”, etc.
The secretary was ordered to write a decree of the Moscow nobility stating that Muscovites, like the Smolensk people, donate ten people out of a thousand and full uniforms. The gentlemen in the meeting got up, as if relieved, rattled their chairs and went around the hall to stretch their legs, taking some by the arm and talking.
- Sovereign! Sovereign! - suddenly spread through the halls, and the whole crowd rushed to the exit.
On a wide course, between the wall of the nobles, the sovereign passed into the hall. All faces showed respectful and frightened curiosity. Pierre stood quite far away and could not quite hear the sovereign's speech. He understood only, from what he heard, that the sovereign spoke of the danger in which the state was, and of the hopes that he placed on the Muscovite nobility. The sovereign was answered by another voice, announcing the decision of the nobility that had just taken place.
- Lord! - said the trembling voice of the sovereign; the crowd rustled and again fell silent, and Pierre clearly heard the so pleasantly human and touched voice of the sovereign, who said: - I never doubted the zeal of the Russian nobility. But on this day, it exceeded my expectations. I thank you on behalf of the fatherland. Gentlemen, let's act - time is more precious than anything ...
The sovereign fell silent, the crowd began to crowd around him, and enthusiastic exclamations were heard from all sides.
“Yes, the most precious thing is ... the royal word,” the voice of Ilya Andreevich spoke from behind, sobbing, who did not hear anything, but understood everything in his own way.
From the hall of the nobility the sovereign passed into the hall of the merchants. He stayed there for about ten minutes. Pierre, among others, saw the sovereign leaving the hall of the merchants with tears of tenderness in his eyes. As they later found out, the sovereign had just begun a speech to the merchants, as tears splashed from his eyes, and he finished it in a trembling voice. When Pierre saw the sovereign, he went out, accompanied by two merchants. One was familiar to Pierre, a fat farmer, the other was a head, with a thin, narrow-bearded, yellow face. Both of them were crying. The thin one was in tears, but the fat farmer sobbed like a child, and kept repeating:
- And take life and property, your majesty!
At that moment, Pierre felt nothing but a desire to show that everything was nothing to him and that he was ready to sacrifice everything. His speech with a constitutional direction seemed to him like a reproach; he was looking for an opportunity to make amends. Upon learning that Count Mamonov was donating the regiment, Bezukhov immediately announced to Count Rostopchin that he was giving away a thousand people and their maintenance.
Old man Rostov could not tell his wife what had happened without tears, and immediately agreed to Petya's request and went himself to record it.
The next day the sovereign left. All the assembled nobles took off their uniforms, again settled in their houses and clubs and, groaning, gave orders to the managers about the militia, and were surprised at what they had done.

Napoleon started the war with Russia because he could not help coming to Dresden, he could not help being misled by honors, he could not help but put on a Polish uniform, he could not help but succumb to the enterprising impression of a June morning, he could not refrain from a flash of anger in the presence of Kurakin and then Balashev.
Alexander refused all negotiations because he personally felt offended. Barclay de Tolly tried to manage the army in the best possible way in order to fulfill his duty and earn the glory of the great commander. Rostov rode to attack the French because he could not resist the desire to ride on a level field. And so precisely, due to their personal characteristics, habits, conditions and goals, all those innumerable persons who participated in this war acted. They were afraid, conceited, rejoiced, indignant, reasoned, believing that they knew what they were doing and what they were doing for themselves, and all were involuntary tools of history and carried out work hidden from them, but understandable to us. Such is the unchanging fate of all practical workers, and the more they are placed in the human hierarchy, it is not freer.
Now the figures of 1812 have long since left their places, their personal interests have vanished without a trace, and only the historical results of that time are before us.
But suppose that the people of Europe, under the leadership of Napoleon, had to go into the depths of Russia and die there, and all the self-contradictory, senseless, cruel activity of the people - participants in this war, becomes understandable to us.
Providence forced all these people, striving to achieve their personal goals, to contribute to the fulfillment of one huge result, about which not a single person (neither Napoleon, nor Alexander, nor even less any of the participants in the war) had the slightest expectation.
Now it is clear to us what was the cause of the death of the French army in 1812. No one will argue that the cause of the death of Napoleon's French troops was, on the one hand, their entry at a later time without preparation for a winter campaign deep into Russia, and on the other hand, the character that the war assumed from the burning of Russian cities and inciting hatred for the enemy in the Russian people. But then, not only did no one foresee the fact (which now seems obvious) that only in this way could the eight hundred thousandth, the best in the world and led by the best commander, die in a collision with twice as weak, inexperienced and led by inexperienced commanders - the Russian army; Not only did no one foresee this, but all efforts on the part of the Russians were constantly directed towards preventing that which alone could save Russia, and on the part of the French, despite the experience and so-called military genius of Napoleon, all efforts were directed towards this. to stretch out to Moscow at the end of the summer, that is, to do the very thing that was supposed to destroy them.
In historical writings about 1812, French authors are very fond of talking about how Napoleon felt the danger of stretching his line, how he was looking for battles, how his marshals advised him to stop in Smolensk, and give other similar arguments proving that then they already seemed to understand there was the danger of the campaign; and Russian authors are even more fond of talking about how, from the beginning of the campaign, there was a plan for the Scythian war to lure Napoleon into the depths of Russia, and they attribute this plan to some Pful, some to some Frenchman, some to Tolya, some to Emperor Alexander himself, pointing to notes, projects and letters that actually contain hints of this course of action. But all these allusions to the foresight of what happened, both on the part of the French and on the part of the Russians, are now put forward only because the event justified them. If the event had not taken place, then these hints would have been forgotten, just as thousands and millions of opposite hints and assumptions are now forgotten, which were then in use, but turned out to be unjust and therefore forgotten. There are always so many assumptions about the outcome of each occurring event that, no matter how it ends, there will always be people who will say: “I said then that it would be so,” completely forgetting that among the countless assumptions there were made and completely opposite.

Holidays in Spain can please the most demanding travelers, regardless of whether you decide to spend your vacation on the mainland of this beautiful country or on the islands. Read about holidays on the mainland. If you still prefer a vacation on the islands, below I have collected a lot for you useful information. I hope it's useful. The Spanish islands - Canary and Balearic - amaze with a variety of landscape and climatic conditions. But they are united by the fact that they are all literally created for perfect holiday. It is only important to understand which island is exactly what you need in this moment just for you.

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canaries- symbol luxurious life"new Russians" of the early 90s, the edge of eternal summer, a stunningly beautiful archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean with picturesque valleys and cliffs, wide beaches, and a very favorable climate. The archipelago includes 7 large islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote) and several small ones. Interestingly, the capital of the island is alternately two cities: every four years, the capital status passes from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or vice versa.

Canary Islands(Islas Canarias - in Spanish, Canary Islands - in English) is an autonomous province of Spain, but the nature and atmosphere here are absolutely not European. Those who are looking for real exotics come here: stunning landscapes with lush tropical vegetation, beaches with black volcanic sand (there are also beaches with golden sand!), real ocean waves, ripe tropical fruits, etc.

Moreover, holidays in the Canary Islands are by no means necessarily passive-relaxed: there are so many natural and cultural attractions and opportunities for outdoor activities on the islands that not a single outdoor enthusiast will be bored here. Volcanoes and "Martian" landscapes in the valleys of solidified lava, waterfalls, prehistoric monuments, not to mention the numerous diving and surf clubs, the service in which is of the highest (!) European quality.

Canary Islands - which island to choose as a "point of deployment"

If we describe all the islands of the archipelago briefly, then Gran Canaria- the largest, hospitable and one of the most picturesque islands of the Canary archipelago. Rest here can be surprisingly diverse, exactly the way you want at the moment. Among the many hotels in the main resort of Gran Canaria - Maspalomas - you can find a place to stay for every taste. On the Tenerife, traditionally popular with Russians, is a rich night life and a lot of entertainment for children and adults (in this sense, the island of Tenerife is perhaps unrivaled), but the coast is sometimes steep and rocky. True, there are also good sandy beaches, but the island, in any case, is considered less picturesque compared to the same Gran Canaria and any other of the islands of the Canary archipelago.

Rest on Lanzarote Nature lovers will definitely impress – there are as many as 300 extinct volcanoes. On the La Palma and El Hierr o few beaches suitable for swimming, but surprisingly beautiful and full of greenery. Rest on these islands is measured and calm. Fuerteventura It will also appeal to those wishing to take a break from the hustle and bustle. A mysterious La Gomera will enchant with ancient legends about witches, fabulous landscapes and will interest fans of ecotourism.

Get to the Canaries quite simple: there are international airports in Tenerife (in the north of the island - TFN, and more favorable for tourists, located in the south of the island, Tenerife Sur Aeropuerto (TFS)), Gran Canaria (LAS, 20 km from the capital of the island), Fuerteventura (FUE ) and Lanzarote (ACE). A direct flight, for example, from Moscow to Tenerife will take about 7 hours, and you will have to fly to the rest of the Canary Islands with a transfer. Many airlines fly - Aeroflot, S7, Spanish Iberia and Vueling, the ubiquitous European "giants" such as Lufthansa, Finnair, etc.

Tenerife

The largest of the islands of the Canary archipelago - its area is more than 2 thousand km², length - 80-85 km, and maximum width (in the southwest) - 50 km. The length of the coastline is 342 km. The nature here is truly exotic, because from the coast of Tenerife to the coast of Africa - only 300 km (while to the Iberian Peninsula, to mainland Spain - about 1000 km.

Tenerife resorts - how to choose

The most popular resorts of the island of Tenerife:

Los Cristianos (Los Cristianos) - perfect for families with children, since, on the one hand, the place is quite calm, without big waves and strong winds, and on the other hand, there are many entertainments and parks around, which are primarily interesting for young tourists.

Playa de Las Americasplaya de las americas) – a super-modern resort, with excellent infrastructure, perfect place for those who prefer a noisy, fun holiday.

Costa Adeje (Costa Adeje) - in fact, the wide beaches of Costa Adeje smoothly turn into the beaches of Playa de las Americas, and the strip beautiful beaches stretches in this part of the island for more than six kilometers. Costa Adeje is a place, compared to Las Americas, more relaxed, conducive to family vacations. There is a trend here: the farther from the border with Las Americas, the quieter.

The western, farthest tip of Costa Adeje at the excellent beach of Playa El Duque (Platja El Duque) is the most privileged and, of course, the most expensive part of the resort, and it is here that the best hotels and apartment complexes in the south of Tenerife are located.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) - this city, which is the capital of the island, is certainly interesting to visit: both in the city itself and in its environs there are a lot of must-see attractions. The city and its borders have several good beaches, however, I would not recommend Santa Cruz for a beach holiday: the wind rose here is such that in the northern part (where Santa Cruz de Tenerife is located) it is often cloudy and rainy. So it’s definitely worth visiting the city while traveling around the island, but as a “point of permanent deployment”, I personally would recommend one of the resorts in the southern part of the island.

El Medano (El Medano) - located in the southeast of the island, open to all winds, so it is suitable for windsurfers.

Attractions in Tenerife

Natural attractions of Tenerife

Climate and beaches of Tenerife

The main thing people go to Tenerife (as well as to other Canary Islands) for is the unique climate and magnificent beaches. The length of the coastline of Tenerife is 342 km. The southern part of the island is better suited for a beach holiday: the climate here is drier and sunny (while to the north of the mountain range formed in Tenerife as a result of volcanic eruptions, the climate is damper and cooler). The island is located at the latitude of the Sahara desert, so even in the ocean the water warms up by the end of summer-autumn above 24 degrees (which, in my opinion, of course, is not Caribbean +27, but already enough for more or less comfortable swimming).

The best beaches and tourist centers of the island are concentrated in the southwest, in two areas: Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas. In the southeast, there are quite strong winds and waves, so lovers of windsurfing and kitesurfing are dear here.

Tenerife is a volcanic island, so it has many beaches with black volcanic sand, which is considered terribly useful due to the large amount of minerals in its composition.

However, the island also has many beaches with traditional light golden sand (in the south). All of them are man-made, and the sand for them was specially brought here from the Sahara.

Teide National Park

The park is located around the impressive Teide volcano, "concurrently" being the highest point of the island (3718 m). The beauty of the park, with its almost unreal landscapes, as well as unique flora and fauna, is truly impressive. The park is especially beautiful from April to June, when many plants bloom.

More than 2000-meter height can be reached by car on a quite decent quality asphalt road. Then you can take the funicular up another 1000 meters higher. The funicular operates daily, rises from 9:00 to 16:00, and the last descent is at 16:50 from the top (data as of June 2016, check the time on the spot!).

The ascent and subsequent descent on the funicular cost €25 (adult ticket) and €12.50 for children. In 10 minutes, the 38-seat funicular cabin will take you to a height of 3555 meters, and after climbing the funicular, you will only have about 200 meters to the very top. Those who wish can climb there on foot, but for walking, you must first obtain a pass from the park administration. Upon presentation of a passport, it is usually issued to everyone, and absolutely free of charge.

It is popular for tourists to meet the sunrise at the top of the Teide volcano. There is even a guest house where you can spend the night for €20 in tolerable conditions. Don't be fooled: it just sounds romantic, but in practice... I remember how we once decided to "romantic" meet the sunset on the top of Mount Etna in Sicily (the height of Etna is 3329 m).

(By the way, it was in August, and the temperature on the coast was about +40 degrees. And on Etna, not even at night, but in the evening, at sunset, +8 degrees, and in addition - a piercing wind. As a result, my husband even refused get off the bus (this is what most of our group did), and I, pulling on not only my warm clothes, but also my husband’s sweater and windbreaker, in company with a couple of the same travel maniacs, ran to photograph that very “sunset” Two short runs from the bus and back - and even in this form I was numb. An altitude of more than 3000 meters is no joke to you, even in the summer in the south!)

But in the afternoon, climb the funicular, at least to observation deck on the Teide, probably worth it. You just need to arrive either right at the opening (by 9 o’clock) or after lunch, since there are a lot of people who want to climb to the top of the volcano, and you risk “killing” the whole day in line for the funicular.

Laurel forests (Laurisilva)

Laurisilva is a rare evergreen relic forest that appeared several millennia ago, during the Jurassic period, when there were probably no people on Earth yet. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Laurisilva is located in the northern part of Tenerife, in the Anaga mountain range, at an altitude of 500-1000 m.

This spectacle is truly unique: prehistoric trees intertwine branches overhead, from which juicy garlands of green moss hang. The ground is covered with a dense carpet of moss, verdant ferns and other vegetation, and tree trunks and stones, due to dampness, are covered with lichens.

There are many in the forest hiking trails with pointers. One of them - the most spectacular - leads to the Anaga lighthouse located at the extreme northern point of the island, from where a breathtaking view of the mountains and the ocean opens. Several trails lead through the thicket of the forest, offering rest at tourist camps. The longest route ends at the small but very colorful village of Taganana.

Directly through this relict forest in the mountains of Anaga leads the TF-12 highway. A visit to the forest can be combined in one day with an excursion to the top of Teide. If you are traveling by car, then, having driven to the volcano along the road from the south side, you will have to go down the only way, moving north, right through the forest.

Just like for a trip to Teide, here you will need warm clothes and comfortable shoes, because here it is much cooler than in the southern part of the island, and the asphalt and paths are slippery from the constantly drizzling rain.

Cultural and historical sights of Tenerife

Auditorio de Tenerife

One of the famous concert halls in the world, the creation of the outstanding Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, impressive not only for its appearance, but also, according to experts, for its amazing acoustics.

Auditorio de Tenerife, built in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 2003, is both an opera house and concert hall. Tourists have the opportunity to visit the site as spectators: tickets are sold 2 hours before the performance or concert, and also from 10 am to 3 pm (Mon-Fri), and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm. Prices are very moderate: from 15 to 90 euros.

Pyramids of Guimar

Like most pyramids on our planet, these, located in the town of Guimar, in the southeast of Tenerife, are full of mysteries.

Scientists are still arguing, trying to unravel the mystery of their origin and purpose. These pyramids, laid out of processed stones of volcanic origin, have a strictly defined orientation to the sun, they are very similar to the pyramids in Mexico, Peru and Mesopotamia.

The famous traveler Thor Heyerdahl proved that the pyramids also have a sacred meaning - how else to explain that all 6 pyramids have stairs facing the sun, and on the top of the highest of them on the day of the summer solstice you can observe a double sunset?

An ethnological park has been created around the pyramids, in the museum of which, in particular, an exposition dedicated to the discoveries of Thor Heyerdahl is presented. The ticket price for an adult is €18, for students under 25 years old €12.15, for children €5.50. The pyramids and the ethnological park are open to the public daily, from 9:30 to 18:00, except for Christmas (December 25) and New Year's Day (January 1).

Official website (there is a version in Russian): http://www.piramidesdeguimar.es/

Basilica of Candelaria

The most famous religious landmark in Tenerife is the Candelaria Basilica (located in the city of Candelaria). It is worth your attention: a high bell tower adjoins the cathedral, richly decorated from the inside, consecrated in honor of Our Lady of Candelaria. The basilica was erected on the site of the old temple, relatively recently, in 1959.

Admission is free, the doors are open from Monday to Friday 7:30 - 13:00 and 15:00 - 19:30, and on Saturdays and Sundays - without a break, 7:30 - 19:30.

Twice a year, the basilica becomes the epicenter of folk festivals - on February 2 and August 15. Thousands of pilgrims come here, but events, unlike many other places of worship Virgin Mary, are held here not in a purely religious way, but very cheerfully, with dancing and fireworks.

La Orotava (La Orotava)

A city in the north of Tenerife, in a picturesque valley, founded by the Spaniards in the 16th century.

Approaching Orotava from the east, along the TF-21 highway, stop at the observation deck - mirador, named after the German explorer von Humboldt (Mirador de Humboldt), from here offers stunning views of the city and the valley in which it is located.

The architecture, typical of the Canary Islands of that time, has survived to this day in its original form. Architectural history lovers will meet here a large number of mansions with carved wooden balconies. In one of these mansions, the most famous (Casa de los Balcones), today a museum and a craft workshop are open, and opposite it stands the oldest building in the city, a 500-year-old building, the “House of the Tourist” (Casa del Turista), open to the public .

Another attraction of the city is the church. Iglesia de la Concepción(Iglesia de la Concepcion) is the best example of 18th-century Canarian Baroque in the archipelago. Tourists who have visited the countries of Latin America will find similarities with the churches built there. This architectural monument of national importance - a baroque church with two symmetrical bell towers and rich facade decoration - is visible from afar.

Orotava also has a botanical garden. True, it is not very impressive compared to the continental European ones, but still the flora of the subtropics and tropics is well represented in it. Plants from different continents were brought here, and now the garden's collection includes more than 3,000 species.

Part of the territory of the botanical garden is occupied by Victoria Park, designed specifically for walking in the shade. The attraction of Victoria Park is the magnificent tomb of Roch, carved from delicate Carrara marble.

Every year in June, on the eighth day of the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi), a solemn procession marches through the streets of La Orotava. On the eve of this very important event in the life of the city, they are decorated with original carpets of flower petals, sand, stones and colored sawdust. The action is called “Carpet Day” (Dia de las Alfombras). And this, perhaps, is the main thing for which tourists tend to La Oratava.

The largest and most spectacular carpet is traditionally spread on the square in front of the city hall. Two dozen craftsmen start working on its creation from multi-colored volcanic sand from the Teide volcano a month and a half before the holiday. Unlike the monumental sand canvas in the main square (by the way, the pattern never repeats), the smaller-scale flower paintings on the streets of La Orotava appear directly on Carpet Day.

There are a lot of tourists in the city that day, which creates certain problems, in particular, with parking. The maximum number of spectators is at 10-13 o'clock, since the process of creating carpets causes the greatest interest. As a rule, none of the tourists waits for a religious procession led by a bishop.

"Carpet Day" in La Oratava in 2017-21:

Icod de los Vinos (icod de los Vinos)

Like Orotava, Icod de los Vinos is a typical Canarian town built by the Spanish in the 16th century, with traditional colonial architecture, imposing mansions, several cathedrals and, like Oratava, wooden balconies. All the old buildings are concentrated in the city center, and their inspection will not take more than a couple of hours. Pila Square, one of the most beautiful squares of the Canaries, is built up with old mansions, among which the Casa de los Caceres stands out, which now houses a museum. There is also a small botanical garden here. Nearby is the Church of St. Mark, erected on the site of an ancient sanctuary of the Guanches.

But the most important sights of Ikod are not architectural: the city is famous for its wines, and most importantly, for the sake of which tourists come here - a thousand-year-old dragon tree (one of the types of dracaena) with a trunk of more than 10 meters in girth, which was included in the List in 2011 world heritage UNESCO. The tree grows in a park near the Church of St. Mark, and experienced tourists say that it is not worth paying money to see the tree up close, as it looks much more impressive from afar.

About three kilometers from the city center is the Wind Cave (Cueva del Viento) - a bizarre lava tunnel that stretches for more than 17 kilometers, almost Martian-looking. The Wind Cave is the longest cave of its kind in all of Europe. Its voids are located on three levels. You can walk along it with a guide (the tour must be booked in advance), the journey takes 2 hours and requires at least basic physical fitness.

Amusement parks in Tenerife

Tenerife is truly famous for its amusement parks.

Loro park in Tenerife

The name Loro Parque is translated as "Parrot Park", but here the matter is far from limited to parrots. This is huge park entertainment (with an area of ​​more than 13 hectares), located in the suburbs of Puerto de la Cruz, where you can see a huge variety of animals and plants. In fact, if you want to combine visits to the zoo, circus, oceanarium and botanical garden in one excursion, you are here. But get ready that it will take a whole day to walk through the park and visit at least some of the shows held here. The park opened in 1972, and it really began with the fact that only 150 parrots lived on 1 hectare. Today, the collection of parrots in the park has increased to 4,000 individuals of 350 different species, and has become the richest in the world. So Loro Park has become the world's largest center for the study and conservation of parrots.

Every day, the park hosts a variety of shows with animals: 5 times a day - with sea lions, 4 times - with dolphins (here, by the way, the largest swimming pool in Europe for dolphin shows), Loro show (with parrots) - 6 times a day day, etc. More than 40 million people visit the park every year.

The owners of Loro Park also own the second amazing amusement park on the island - Siam Park, and it is possible to visit both parks in two days, with a double ticket at a discount.

In Loro Park, you can see sea lions and otters, gorillas, chimpanzees and marmosets, jaguars and rare white tigers, flamingos and pelicans, alligators, as well as piranhas and various sharks (the longest tunnel in Europe is in the local aquarium). The park is only the second place in Europe where killer whales live and breed in captivity. In the zone of wild birds, birds are kept without cages, almost in natural conditions. Plus, the park has a large greenhouse with truly rare orchids. On the territory there is a children's playground "Kinderlandia", a station where chicks grow, a zoo of cubs, which can also be viewed, a market and many restaurants.

The park's newest attraction opened in 2014 - a large aquarium with jellyfish beautifully illuminated in the dark.

Address: Avenida Loro Parque s/n.

Loro Parque is located in the north of the island and is easy to find by following the signs. From popular resorts in the south of the island, for example, from Las Americas, you can get here in an hour and a half.

Opening hours: 8:30 - 18:45 (entrance closes at 16:00, but I advise you to come to the opening).

Entrance ticket for adults (from 12 years old) - €34, for children - €22. Combined ticket for 2 days to visit Siam Park and Loro Park (without the cost of transfer from the resorts): adult - €58, child - €28.

Siam Park in Tenerife

Siam Park in Tenerife main park water activities on the island. It is located in Costa Adeje, close to the popular resorts of Las Americas and Los Cristianos. The territory of the park is huge: it occupies almost 19 hectares. The creators of the park set an ambitious goal: to build the most spectacular water attraction in all of Europe.

The Thai theme in Siam Park can be traced everywhere (which is not surprising, as its name implies): all slides, park buildings and restaurants are designed in Thai style. In total, the park has 25 buildings, which are the largest collection of Siamese-style buildings outside of Thailand. The park's designer, Christoph Kissling, received permission from the Royal Family of Thailand for full program exploit the title and theme. However, he abandoned the concept of exact copies of palaces, temples and Buddha statues, so that all the buildings on the territory of Siam Park are fantasy. It is home to the world's largest Thai-style building outside of Asia, and is home to the world's largest giant dragon sculpture.

The construction of the park began in 2004, and it was finally completed in 2008. The total cost of the project was 52 million euros. The grand opening of Siam Park was personally attended by the Princess of Thailand.

They say: what of the water activities are not in Siam Park - it is almost impossible to find somewhere else. There is a surf school in the "Palace of Waves" - a pool with artificial waves and an artificial white sand beach. Here you can catch the highest artificially created wave in the world (about 3 m). In addition, slides with six racetracks have been erected in the park; twin turntables spinning in different directions; the vertical slide "Tower of Power", rushing along which you will watch through the transparent walls of sharks and rays. And in 2012, a 200-meter-long slide was built in the park. Lovers over a relaxing holiday can ride rafts on the river (“the lazy river” here has the highest elevation in the world - 8 m). For children, there is a Lost City play area with 120 different games. On the slider "Dragon", inside a funnel with a diameter of 20 meters, light shows are arranged.

The park's restaurants offer visitors both Thai dishes and traditional fast food. The park also has its own charming, small, Thai floating market.

The park is built on a hill, and its slides and other structures follow the terrain. In addition, this is the world's first green water park, and this is also its uniqueness. The water here is heated to +25°C, and its creator, designer Christoph Kissling, called Siam Park "the world's first water park under open sky with air conditioning.

The address: Autopista TFE-1, Salida, 28.

A free bus to the water park runs from the resorts of Las Americas, Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje.

Opening hours: daily, from 10:00 to 18:00, entry - from 10:00 to 17:00.

Adult admission ticket for the day - €34, children - €23. Adult premium ticket for the day (with towel, locker and lunch) - €51, children - €36. Adult ticket for 2 days to visit Siam Park and Loro Park (excluding transfer costs) - €58, children - €39.50.

Eagle Park in Tenerife (Jungle Park Tenerife)

Near Las Americas in Tenerife, there is another amazing attraction - the Park of the Eagles. A complex has been built here, where animals - from tigers, lions, crocodiles and ending with fur seals and monkeys - live in natural conditions. Fur seals delight viewers of all ages with fun performances.

But calling card Eagles Park is a unique show featuring birds of prey. Trained eagles (this is an exception, very rare!) perform various steps and tricks, delighting the audience. You can spend the whole day in the Eagles Park in Tenerife: in addition to performances with the participation of animals and birds, there are many other entertainments here.

For visitors, there is an 800-meter high-speed bobsleigh track, where you can ride through the real jungle. Tourists are also offered to feed the inhabitants of the Park (of course, not all, but only those with whom it is safe to communicate).

Visitors themselves have the opportunity to have a bite to eat at a local restaurant.

The cost of tickets to the Park of the Eagles in Tenerife: for adults (over 11 years old): €26, for children (depending on height) - €9-17.50. (For attractions you need to pay extra).

Eagle Park in Tenerife is open all year round, from 10:00 to 17:30 (entry until 16.30).

The easiest way to get here is free buses, every day plying from Las Americas and from Los Cristianos.

Monkey Park in Tenerife

Monkey Park is not the most popular amusement park in Tenerife (compared to Siam Park or Loro Park ) . But if you love monkeys and lemurs, you should visit here. A pleasant difference between this park and the Parrot Park (Loro Park) is that in the Monkey Park you can communicate with the animals very close. It is absolutely safe, so visiting the park will be a great pleasure, especially for children.

The park is quite small and it is unrealistic to get lost in it. Allocate 3-4 hours for a visit: there is simply nothing else to do here. The route passes through a contact zone where you can communicate with animals, a swamp with alligators, a reptile zone, zones of small and large primates, and then - birds. Several species of lemurs, chimpanzees and monkeys live in the park. There are also iguanas in the park that can be hand-fed.

In the middle of the day, lemurs overeat and no longer seek to communicate with visitors, but strive to doze off. Therefore, it is better to come in the morning or, conversely, closer to closing.

Feeding the animals is almost a mandatory part of visiting the park: without treats, the animals will simply ignore you. But if you come with a treat, be sure: lemurs will sit on your neck, or they can get into your pocket or steal a camera or bag. “Animal food” is sold at the entrance to the park, but you can take with you, for example, apples with grapes, lettuce, and biscuits for parrots. Lemurs and monkeys are very fond of dates and bananas, but they quickly gain weight from them, so these fruits are not allowed to be brought into the park.

But do not try to force feed or caress the lemur: if you "get" them hard, they bite.

Address: Llano Azul 17 La Camella, Arona.

Monkey Park is not far from Las Americas, but public transport not reach him. It takes about 10 minutes by car from Las Americas, the park is located right off the TF-1 highway and is easy to find.

Opening hours: daily, from 9:30 to 17:00.

Entrance: for adults (over 12 years old) - €10, for children from 5 to 12 years old - €5.

Official site: http://monkeypark.com/

San Miguel Castle in Tenerife

To be honest, I was wondering where to attribute this attraction: to the historical ones, or to the amusement parks? It's still a castle...

But the fact is that the Castle of San Miguel in Tenerife is an exact, though slightly reduced copy of the one that exists in reality. medieval castle, built for a costume show. As conceived by the creators, this action takes the guests back several centuries, to the romantic era of chivalry, familiar to us from historical books and films about King Arthur.

At the entrance to the castle, all guests are given multi-colored capes: during the tournament, you were drawn to cheer for a knight wearing a cape of the same color. The entrance is guarded by riders willingly posing for photos.

At 20:00 the gates open and the action begins. First - a short tour: you will pass through the armory, where the king himself personally greets each guest of the castle. This moment will be captured by a staff photographer, and towards the end of the tournament, the photos will be ready, and you will be offered to purchase the photo you like. (For this reason, you can’t take pictures on your own in the weapons room (but outside of this room - as much as you like)).

Then the guests enter the hall where the jousting tournament is held. At the start of the show, the armored knights demonstrate a variety of riding tricks. The winner wins the right to choose the "lady of the heart" from the spectators who supported him. And the "lady of the heart" goes to a place of honor in the royal box until the end of the performance. However, the honorary role of the “lady of the heart” has a serious drawback: the “lady”, alas, will have to do without a hearty knightly dinner of soup and chicken. And the rest will have to eat it from iron dishes with their hands, due to the lack of forks and spoons in the Middle Ages. But an indisputable advantage of the medieval way of life will seem to be an unlimited amount of white and red wine, which, of course, will also have to be drunk from iron glasses.

The role of the entertainer at the dinner is played by a black dwarf who impresses the audience with his ability to put out a burning torch in his mouth.

In the second part of the program, there is a fight "not for life, but for death", during which only one of the strongest of the six knights will survive. Here you need to loudly support your knight, since the one whose supporters expressed their support more actively than others wins the tournament. The outcome of the battle, in the end, depends only on you. Here it is permissible to whistle, shout, jump, stomp your feet, rattle dishes and insult the “rival” knights with not quite decent gestures. It is not allowed to throw bottles and other heavy objects at knights.

It should be noted that an unlimited number of strong drinks contributes to an adequate perception of what is happening in the arena even by guests who are rather restrained in everyday life. Medieval still...

San Miguel Castle is open to visitors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays (during summer) and Saturdays. The show itself usually starts at 20:30. The cost of tickets to the castle of San Miguel: for adults - €48, for children - €24.

The castle is located in Aldeia Blanca on the TF-65 road to San Miguel. Exit from motorway No. 24 (if you move from the west side - before reaching the interchange - turn to the airport).

The nearest bus route to the castle is No. 416 (Las Americas - San Miguel)

Gran Canaria

The third largest island of the Canary archipelago (1560.1 km², 50 km in diameter), Gran Canaria, is sometimes called a “continent in miniature”: the variety of climatic zones, flora and fauna on the island really justifies such an “exaggeration”.

Resorts of Gran Canaria - how to choose?

Tourist area located in the southern part of the island - Maspalomas (Maspalomas), also sometimes called Costa Canaria (Costa Canaria) - these are magnificent, wide and stretching for 17 kilometers, beaches with the finest golden sand. It is the oldest tourist destination in Gran Canaria. The main attraction of Maspalomas (and the whole island of Gran Canaria, if you think about it) are the Dunes (Dunas de Maspalomas): the Sahara desert in miniature with the purest golden sand and a 5-kilometer luxurious beach.

Maspalomas has united 6 resorts, in fact, flowing into one another:

Bahia Feliz - a favorite place for windsurfers. There are two first-class windsurfing schools here. But for other guests, this resort will not be so attractive: at any time of the year, especially in winter, there are strong winds and waves.

Playa del Aguila- quiet and small resort, located in the southeast of the island of Gran Canaria, between the resorts of Baia Feliz and San Agustin. The resort is popular with windsurfers (there are several centers for practicing this type of outdoor activity) and everyone who does not like fuss, but is looking for the ocean and sun away from the noise of large resorts. The beaches here are mostly pebbly, but you can also find sandy ones. The beaches stretch in a continuous strip along the promenade. Hotels here are mainly 3-4 * categories, as well as many apartment complexes and bungalows. There are practically no opportunities for shopping and entertainment here, you need to go to neighboring resort cities for them.

San Agustin - one of the most popular resorts on the island of Gran Canaria. Located in the southern part of the island. A feature of the resort is a beach stretching for 2 km with dark gray sand of volcanic origin. There are plenty of entertainment, restaurants, bars, shops, etc., but most of all, this resort attracts the attention of lovers of family holidays, including those with children. The surrounding picturesque cliffs protect the beach from the wind and set you in a relaxed and peaceful mood, and the abundance of children's entertainment will not let even the most spoiled little tourists get bored. So, for example, the theme park Sioux City (City of Sioux) is located next to the resort of San Agustin. The main feature of the park is its resemblance to a typical American village of the Wild West. On the territory of the park there are saloons, in which traditional shootouts (of course, staged!) and other cowboy attractions take place every now and then. Throughout the day, actors and knife throwers put on a variety of vibrant shows in the park. An unforgettable sight - cowboys drive a herd of cows. And in the evening, visitors enjoy an open-air picnic, and this event is very popular with children.

Near the resort there is a sports flying club of Gran Canaria, from where helicopter rides are also made. Fans can make a parachute jump. Yacht trips are also available here. Add adrenaline and a trip along the longest karting track in the Canary Islands (1650 meters).

San Agustin is no less famous for its thalassotherapy clinics, in particular, the largest thalassotherapy center in the Canaries "Talasoterapia Canarias" is located here, from the terraces of which magnificent views of the ocean coast open. Therefore, in San Agustin there are quite a lot of vacationers of venerable age.

Playa del Ingles- the largest resort on the entire coast of Gran Canaria. Perhaps the best beach on the island with fine golden sand. The resort is democratic and cheerful. It got its name at the beginning of the 20th century - even then English sailors “came off” here in pubs. Since then, life has been going on here in full swing. In terms of the scope of fun in all of Spain, this place is second only to Benidorm and Ibiza. Playa del Ingles has a well-developed tourist infrastructure: excellent hotels and restaurants, street markets and luxury shopping centers, nightclubs, bars, water activities, water parks and much more. The four-kilometer beach Playa del Inglés in its western part turns into sand dunes.

Campo International - a fashionable resort with lots of greenery, a natural palm oasis and luxurious 5-star hotels. Rest here is calm, and in the evening, when everything interesting is just beginning on Playa del Inglés, Campo International is already falling asleep. The architecture here is mostly low-rise buildings. The main attraction of the resort is the 120-year-old lighthouse, the largest and oldest in the entire archipelago of the Canary Islands.

In the Campo International resort, in a nature reserve covering 400 hectares, there is a large golf course (18 holes) - the Maspalomas Golf Club. Here you can also take a break from the bustle of the metropolis, watching birds of rare species that live in the local freshwater lake. The beaches of the Campo International resort smoothly merge into the beaches of the Meloneras resort.

Meloneras - a resort with a long promenade - a promenade for leisurely walks, along which there are numerous restaurants. bars and shops. There is also a large Varadero shopping center, several new hotels surrounded by greenery with a huge territory. The most impressive of them is the Gran Hotel Costa Meloneras, which houses one of the two casinos located in Maspalomas. Also in Meloneras is the Convention and Exhibition Center. Meloneras is no further from Maspalomas Golf than from Campo International, but there is another 18-hole golf club, Lopesan Meloneras Golf, much closer. According to golf enthusiasts, it even surpasses the Maspalomas Golf club, because the Lopesan Meloneras Golf course offers stunning views of the ocean coast.

Pasito Blanco - located in the southwestern part of the island. Small resort with sandy beach, few shops and restaurants. There is a yacht port and the Lopesan Meloneras Golf Club.

Not far from Maspalomas there are separate nudist beaches. However, the whole of Gran Canaria is a resort without superfluous prejudices, and even on ordinary beaches here every second walks without any clothes at all.

Puerto Rico - the second most important resort of the island, the southern center of water activities in Gran Canaria. Here you can rent a yacht, go diving, windsurfing, make boat trip on a boat or even a vessel with a transparent bottom, go water skiing or go fishing. There is a port for yachts, but large ships do not enter here. Recently, this resort has become a favorite place on the island for tourists with children. Today, the port is divided by the beach into two parts, and on the rocky slopes there are several dozen hotels and apartments, quite of the same type.

The beach in Puerto Rico is small (only 280 m long), but very cozy, with light sand, located in a bay and therefore protected from waves.

Puerto de Mogan- a small resort built on the site of a former fishing village, with Andalusian-style houses, allowing you to plunge into the romantic atmosphere of southern Spain. To the west of Puerto de Mogan are impregnable mountains that can be admired from the observation deck. The resort also has a port for yachts, so it is very convenient for boat trips.

On the northern coast of Gran Canaria there are picturesque cliffs, stones of volcanic origin, small bays with azure ocean water. The central part of the island is a riot of diverse tropical vegetation, evergreen trees and an interesting mountainous terrain with two high peaks (Pico de las Nieves (Pico de las Nieves, 1949 m) and Roque Nublo (Roque Nublo, 1813 m above sea level).

Sights of Gran Canaria

Natural attractions of Gran Canaria

In the central part of Gran Canaria, a few kilometers from the city of Tejeda (Tejeda) is the famous Roque Nublo National Park(Roque Nublo). The main attraction of this huge (26 hectares) park is the Roque Nublo rock of the same name, - basalt cliff 60 meters high. From its top you can see the Teide volcano of the neighboring island of Tenerife. In the national park, extremely popular among ecotourists, you will be surprised by the diversity of flora and landscapes.

Roque Nublo National Park Address: Los Manantiales, S/N, 35015 Tejeda.

Another nature Park located in the northwestern part of Gran Canaria, it is Tamadaba National Park(in the northwestern part of the island, near the city of Agaete. Tamadaba occupies 7500 hectares, and most of it is located in the mountains, at an altitude of more than 1000 meters. The park is unusually picturesque: here you can admire the protected pine forests, dizzying gorges in which unique cacti, and the park is also a habitat for a large number of birds of rare species.

Away from the coast, south of the city of Carreteria, there is a small Doramas natural park. This is a pretty landscaped park with laurel and dragon trees, as well as waterfalls and lakes. It was defeated by the British in the 19th century.

Another impressive natural attraction of Gran Canaria is Caldera de Bandama. It is located in the northeastern part of the island, a few kilometers from the capital, Las Palmas, near the town of Tafira Alta. This nature reserve consists of two parts: Bandama Peak and Bandama Caldera. At the top of the peak, at an altitude of 569 meters, there is an observation deck that offers an impressive panorama of the capital of the island and its environs, and in clear weather, even the outlines of the neighboring island of Fuerteventura (to the northeast of Gran Canaria) are visible from here.

Caldera (in fact, the crater of the volcano) Bandama with a diameter of 1000 meters and a depth of 200 meters. At the bottom of the crater, if you go down the path (rather steep, so you need comfortable shoes), among palm trees, fig and orange trees, you can see the remains of farm buildings, and in the 17th century, a merchant from Holland, Daniel Van Dam, grew grapes on the slopes of the volcano. (And it is in the part of this merchant that the park is named).

Very close by is the oldest (founded in the 19th century) and one of the most prestigious golf clubs in all of Spain (Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Royal Golf Club of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria).

Cultural and historical sights of Gran Canaria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

In the capital of Gran Canaria, the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, more than a third of the total population of the island lives. It is here that the nightlife of the entire island is concentrated. The city shares with Santa Cruz de Tenerife the status of the capital of the entire Canary archipelago (the status passes from one city to another every 4 years). Of the attractions worth visiting in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, it is worth noting:

• Medieval Quarter of Vegeta with picturesque narrow streets and the famous cathedral Santa Ana with half a thousand years of history; here, on the square in front of the cathedral, you can admire and Bishop's PalaceXVIcentury, buildings of the city hall and colorful buildings in the colonial style. On one of the facades you will see the bronze figures of eight dogs - it is these animals that have earned the right to decorate the coat of arms of the Canary Islands with their image.
• Casa de Colon (Casa de Colon, that is, "House of Columbus"). The building was the residence of the governors of the island, and, according to legend, Christopher Columbus stopped here during his journey to the shores of America, waiting for his ships to be repaired; today there is a museum dedicated to the great navigators and geographical discoveries of the past, as well as a library and a research center.
• Museum of the Canary Islands with an exposition on the theme of pre-Hispanic culture and archeology. In the 11 halls of this museum, you can see many exhibits of various eras (from 500 BC to the 15th century) - figurines of ancient gods, ceramics, Cro-Magnon mummies, models historical buildings and much more. Of particular interest here is the exposition that tells about the history of the Guanches, the indigenous population of the Canary Islands archipelago.
• Museum of Science and Technology ELDER(the exposition is fully interactive; the museum has an impressive collection of aircraft models);
• Atlantic Center contemporary art (opened in 1989, the collection includes about 2600 exhibits) – interesting museum avant-garde art, designed to show the influence of the traditions of Europe. Africa and Latin America on the Canarian culture. It is interesting that the Center occupies an old building of the 18th century, the facade of which has been preserved character traits colonial style.
• Museum of Nestor, which contains the work of the famous local artist Nestor Martin Fernandez de la Torre. He was born in Gran Canaria and, being part of the symbolist currents in Europe, left behind an impressive collection of works.

Arucas (Arucas)

14 km from the capital is the town of Arucas, famous for the largest rum factory in the entire Canary archipelago (the factory is called “Destilerias Arehucas”, has been operating since 1884). However, Arucas also has something to see not for fans of this drink: in my opinion, the neo-Gothic church of San Juan, built in the 20th century, is of much greater interest. The towers of the church, 60 meters high, and the rest of the facades are lined with black basalt from a local quarry. Because of this, the church looks gloomy, even ominous, against the background of the bright houses in the colonial style surrounding it (from a distance it seems completely black). In the interior of the church, multi-colored stained-glass windows deserve attention, as well as the figure of the resting Christ, which belongs to the hand of the local sculptor Manuel Ramos Gonzalez.

Telde (Telde)

To the south of the capital, on the east coast of the island, there is a small town of Telde. Its historical center is included in the list of national treasures of Spain, and it is no coincidence: on cobbled streets immersed in greenery, there are lovely colonial-style houses, the facades of which are decorated with carvings and mosaics. Particularly impressive is the church of St. John the Baptist founded in the 15th century. The Gothic temple itself was subjected to multiple restorations and rebuildings (even in the 20th century, the church got a new tower in neo-Gothic style), but the original gates of the 15th century have been preserved here.

Among the interiors of the church, of particular interest is the Flemish gilded wooden altar (XVI century), as well as the crucifixion of Christ, an image made around the same period by Mexican Indians in a unique traditional technique.

Artenara (Artenara)

Far from the last place, among all the historical sights of Gran Canaria, is the mountain village of Artenara (in some sources its name Artinare is found). This is one of the oldest villages in Gran Canaria, which arose even before the arrival of the conquistadors. In addition, it is also the highest mountain (located at an altitude of 1270 meters). The village is unique in that many houses here are simply built into the rock (and at the same time they have all the most modern amenities).

The chapel deserves special attention of the guests of Artenara La Hermita de la Cuevita(La Ermita de la Virgen de la Cuevita), which houses the famous miraculous statue of the Mother of God Cuevita.

Archaeological Park and Museum Pintada Cave

The Museo y Parque Arqueológico Cueva Pintada Archaeological Park and Museum is located in the northern part of the island, in the town of Gáldar. The city of Galdar (Agaldar) was the capital of the ancient kingdom of the Guanches in the pre-Hispanic period of the island. This tuff cave, with vases, potsherds and fragments of human skeletons, was discovered in the northern part of the island by chance, in 1873, during agricultural work. Presumably, the cave once served as a necropolis for the Guanches.

This cave is popularly known as the Painted Cave in Galdar, which is not surprising: here you can see six communicating caves, on the walls of which amazing drawings have been preserved - researchers suggest that this is an ancient calendar. Archaeological research in the complex continues to this day.

Amusement parks in Gran Canaria

In addition to excellent beaches and resorts, Gran Canaria has a lot of activities that can make your vacation truly unforgettable! Like the neighboring island of Tenerife, Gran Canaria is famous for its amusement parks.

Maspalomas water park in Gran Canaria (“aqualand Maspalomas”)

World-famous water park, owned by a network of world-famous water parks. In order to simply bypass it completely at a fast pace and visit each of the huge number of attractions 1 time, it will take several days, because the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe park is more than 13 km 2. It is this amusement park that is advised to tourists in Gran Canaria in the first place: a good mood and a powerful adrenaline rush are guaranteed! In the park there are rides that are quite harmless, and there are for real extreme people. For example, a slide consisting of three almost vertical pipes. Here is the world's widest slide with the most impressive angle of inclination. This is why some rides do not allow children under the age of 12.

For those who are alien to all this extreme, the park is equipped with a huge pool with a Jacuzzi and a lazy river. The park also has a large selection of attractions for the youngest guests.

Usually the park is open from 10 am to 5 pm, but it is better to check the opening hours and ticket prices.

The address: Carretera Palmitos Park, Km 3, 35100 Maspalomas, Las Palmas, Spain

SIOUX CITY THE PARK

Sioux City is a 320,000 sqm theme park stylized as a Wild West town. Highly recommended for western fans, kids and anyone who likes to fool around. The development of the park includes houses typical of the Wild West, a church, a ranch, a bank and a saloon.

Actors perform performances here all day long, such shows as “Duel to the Death”, “Brawl in the Saloon”, “Indian Rain Dance” are offered to the attention of the public. Several times a day for main street cowboys chase away a herd of bulls, and also show a scene about a bank robbery followed by a criminal being hanged in a city square. Everyone is given the opportunity to take a photo with the sheriff.

And of course, wherever there are cowboys, there must be Indians ... Don't miss the opportunity to look into the Indian reservation!

There are also performances by Mexican acrobats doing tricks with lasso, whips and knives, and much more.

In the saloon you can drink beer and have a snack (do not look for pickles, however: standard fast food), there is also a performance with shooting and a show with dancing and throwing knives at a woman (more precisely, around her)).

For children, in addition to everything already listed, there is a small zoo with cute animals.

Opening hours: 10:00 to 17:00 Tuesday to Saturday, closed on Monday.

On Fridays from 20:00 to midnight, outdoor barbecues and evening shows.

The address: Barranco del Aguila, s/n, 35100, Las Palmas, Spain

Official site(alas, only in Spanish): http://siouxcitypark.es/index.php

CACTUS PARK – “Cactualdea Park”

A large botanical garden, the main "exhibit" of which is, of course, cacti. This park is located near the city of San Nicolas and is considered truly unique. It is famous for its amazing variety of exotic ornamental plants from all over the world. There are more than a thousand species of cacti alone, of various shapes, colors, sizes - it's hard to even imagine! All the islands of the Canary archipelago have such reserves, but the park in Gran Canaria is the largest of them.

The easiest way to get to the cactus park is by car, or by one of the sightseeing buses that run from all major cities and beach resorts - almost all of them stop near the Cactus Park.

In the Cactus Park in Gran Canaria, they breed and grow various types of cacti, so if you like some kind of specimen, you can buy yourself the same one for a small amount right in the park. (Only, the import of plants with soil and roots, for example, to Russia, without special phytosanitary documents is prohibited; so if you want to bring a cactus home as a souvenir, keep in mind that this will almost certainly be smuggling).

In general, if you still think that a cactus is just a thorny plant that has little to do with beauty, you should definitely visit this park to be convinced of the opposite.

In addition to many interesting plants from all over the world, the park has an amphitheater, which regularly hosts spectacular Canary wrestling competitions. And on the territory of the reserve there are several historical expositions, the most impressive of which is a copy of the cave of the Guanches, with rock inscriptions of primitive tribes.

The address: Carretera del Hoyo Tocodoman, 35478 La Aldea de San Nicolas

PALMITOS PARK (Palmitos Park)

Palmitos Park is located in the south of the island, far from the Maspalomas resort area, and is easily accessible from almost anywhere. big city or the resort of the island, both by car and by sightseeing bus. This park is both a nature reserve for many rare species of animals and plants, and an entertainment center for everyone who loves nature and wants to have a good time with family or friends.

One of unique features Palmitos Park is a large number of truly rare birds, most of which do not sit in cages, but move freely within the park and beyond. Sometimes you can watch them literally at arm's length and even feed them with special food, which is sold at the entrance to the park and in small shops inside the park. Birds in Palmitos Park are brought from Africa, South America and other equatorial zones. In addition to birds, you can watch many exotic animals in the park.

Also in the Park Palmitos are adjacent to each other rare plants from all over the world. On the territory of the park there is a clearing full of various orchids, and very close to it are cacti - the pride of the Canary Islands.

In addition to simply observing the flora and fauna of the park, you can visit various exhibitions of animals and insects - the local butterfly house will definitely not leave you indifferent, and you can watch exotic fish - both marine and freshwater - in the local Aquarium.

Especially for children and inquisitive adults, performances are regularly held in the park, in which trained eagles, falcons and parrots play the main roles. Birds perform amazing tricks worthy of the best circuses on the planet - do not miss this sight!

The park is constantly expanding. Not so long ago, a dolphinarium was opened on its territory, where anyone can talk and swim with dolphins for a fee, or just watch exciting shows featuring these smart animals. For monkey lovers, the park has a “primate island” where you will meet many different types of monkeys, from miniature chimpanzees to huge humanoid orangutans.

Palmitos Park in Gran Canaria is full of various places for recreation, cafes and restaurants, souvenir shops. Convenient parking is organized near the park and there is a luxurious hotel with a beautiful view of the island.

Opening hours and show times: http://www.palmitospark.es/timetables/?lang=en

The address: Barranco de Los Palmitos s/n., 35109 Maspalomas (Gran Canaria)

HOLIDAY WORLD to GRAN CANARIA

Holiday World is the largest amusement park in the Canary Islands. Here you can spend time with the whole family and everyone will definitely find something interesting for themselves. Of course, this is not Disneyland, but this park is good as an entertainment for the evening.

Entrance to the amusement park is free. You can walk on it for free. And if you want to ride the rides, you will need to buy a magnetic ticket with the required denomination. Conventional units in amusement park points are an attraction. At the entrance to each attraction there is a sign with the price in points.

There are attractions and other entertainment for visitors of all ages: in addition to the symbol of the park - a Ferris wheel shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow - there are many excellent slides, spinners, carousels, slot machines and much more.

For adults who are not fans of attractions, the park has a 16-lane Punto Zero bowling alley and an Irish pub.

Adults will also definitely enjoy the local wellness center: Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, beauty treatments, outdoor pool with hydromassage and heating. Also on the territory of the park are restaurants, bars, Internet cafes, slot machines and billiards in great abundance.

Works amusement park attractions daily. Working hours in winter and summer are different.

On Fridays and Saturdays, attractions are usually open from 18.00 to 00.00, on other days - until 23.00. And you can play bowling on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 02 a.m., and on the rest of the week - 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Opening hours and prices can be specified before the visit.

The address: Holiday World Maspalomas Avda.

SUBMARINE (Atlantida submarine)

Journey to the bottom of the ocean for everyone

If you are not a fan of diving, but the ocean depths still beckon you, diving on the “Atlantida Submarine” is what you need!

On board this submarine, everyone can contemplate the beauty of the underwater world with their own eyes, plunging to the ocean floor. Atlantida Submarine S.L. guarantees its passengers absolute safety. The submarine makes several 45-minute tourist walks- diving to a depth of 20-25 m.

During the dive, the guide will tell you about each of the inhabitants of the ocean that you will meet on the way of the submarine.

Naturally, the design of the excursion submarine differs significantly from military prototypes. The excursion submarine is much smaller in size and is equipped with huge acrylic windows for observing the ocean, its inhabitants and viewing the wrecks of the sunken ships that you will meet on your way.

The pleasure boat runs on batteries and therefore is limited in cruising range, but still this 45-minute dive will remain in your memory as a very vivid memory. On special monitors, you can clearly see what is happening at the moment above the submarine. Directly from the hotel, a transfer is carried out on a special bus, directly to the submarine pier.

The address: 35138, Mogán, Las Palmas, Spain

KARTING IN GRAN CANARIA (Gran Carting Club)

In Gran Canaria there is an opportunity to drive a kart, having a lot of fun and a powerful adrenaline rush. Gran Karting Club is located in the south of the island, next to Maspalomas. Upon your request, a free shuttle bus will be sent directly to the hotel for you (only for hotels located in the nearby resort areas - San Agustin, Playa del Ingles or Maspalomas).

On the vast territory of this club - the longest race track in all of Spain, 1650 meters long. Anyone can feel like a supercar pilot, from a child (not younger than 5 years old) to an experienced driver. Some kart models are able to accelerate up to 100 km/h.

Truly, any boy's dreams come true here! There is a separate area for children, where all safety rules are observed, and you don’t have to worry about your children. Experienced instructors keep an eye on the young racers and come to their aid in any difficult situation. For children aged 10-15 there is a separate section with a junior track. And on the "adult" track (Senior-class) racers over 16 compete.

For all participants in the races, several important rules are mandatory:

• Each participant must wear a protective helmet before boarding the kart.

• In the event of an emergency, it is forbidden to leave the kart. In this case, you should call the instructor by stretching your hand up.

• If a participant violates the rules, provokes other race participants into collisions, the club administration has the right to disqualify such a racer and not reimburse him for the cost of the race.

• Drivers under the influence of alcohol are not allowed to drive a kart.

The address: Carretera General, 1, 35107 San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Las Palmas, Spain

How to get to Gran Canaria: There are no direct flights to this island from Russia, so the most convenient way is by plane to Tenerife, and then another half an hour by local flight, or longer by ferry to Gran Canaria. There are also flights to Gran Canaria from Madrid, Barcelona, ​​as well as various cities in Europe - London, Frankfurt, etc.

La Gomera

If you are looking for peace and tranquility in the Canaries, this small (a little less than 370 km 2) picturesque island of volcanic origin is for you. (Don't worry, seismic activity in this region has not been observed for a long time). La Gomera is located in the western part of the Canary archipelago and boasts an unusually beautiful, almost pristine nature.

How to choose a resort on the island of La Gomera

Valle Gran Rey (Valle Gran Rey) – home, most popular resort area located in the west of the island. It includes several coastal villages - Vueltas, La Puntilla, La Calera, Playa de la Calera.

The Valle Gran Rey area attracts travelers with its developed tourist infrastructure, excellent sandy and pebble beaches (black in some places, due to volcanic origin) and magnificent landscapes. The island is also popular with surfers due to the ocean waves that almost never stop here all year round. It is in this area that the most beautiful road on the island lies, surrounded by picturesque basalt rocks. And the miniature agricultural fields, located on terraces along the slopes of the valley, are very reminiscent of the rice fields of Bali. The surroundings of Valle Gran Rey are simply ideal for relaxing from the hustle and bustle of civilization, so for several years now the place has been popular among fans of alternative tourism.

Playa de Santiago (playa de Santiago) - the second largest resort center on La Gomera (after Valle Gran Rey). This resort is located in the south of the island and grew up on the site of a former fishing village.

This place has its own microclimate: it is considered the sunniest on the island. And the local pebble beach(1.5 km long) is very convenient for swimming, as it is protected from ocean waves by huge breakwaters.

There are many hotels, restaurants and shops in the area.

San Sebastian de La GomeraSan Sebastian de la gomera) - the capital of the island, this resort can be recommended to those travelers who still want to enjoy the benefits of civilization, including visiting museums, walking around the city, visiting a nightclub. All the sights of this city are somehow connected with the name of the great navigator Christopher Columbus.

AT main church city ​​(Iglesia Matriz de la Asunción) Columbus offered prayers before he continued his long journey. further way. And in the house of Casa de la Aduana, he spent the night during his stay on the island. Now there is an exhibition, the exposition of which is dedicated to the travels of Christopher Columbus to America. In the courtyard of the Casa de la Aduana house, a well has been preserved, from which water was drawn to consecrate the unknown continent.

If you find yourself in San Sebastian de la Gomera, it is also recommended to visit the Count's Tower (Torre del Conde), built in 1447. The tower was built to the west of the central city square, by order of the first Spanish ruler.

The length of the beach in San Sebastian on the island of La Gomera is 600 meters, and the width of the coastline is 55 meters. The beach is well equipped: rental of umbrellas and sun loungers, water activities. Importantly, this beach is reliably protected from the tides and waves by a breakwater.

There are also several nudist beaches on the island - for example, the Playa de Argaga beach, reliably protected by rocks from prying eyes, located near the Vueltas resort.

Attractions of the island of La Gomera

How to get to La Gomera: there are no direct flights to this island from Russia, so the most convenient way is by plane to Tenerife or Gran Canaria, and then another half hour by local flight (the local airport is considered the most modern in the entire Canary archipelago, although it serves only domestic flights), or about 50 minutes - by ferry from Tenerife or Gran Canaria to the island of La Gomera.

El Hierro

The islet of El Hierro is the smallest in the archipelago of the Canary Islands and the most remote island of the archipelago (located 480 km off the northwest coast of Africa and 120 km southwest of Tenerife). Because of this, the western coast of the island was for a long time recognized as the “end of the world”, and cartographers took El Hierro as the zero meridian (which, as you know, was later “moved” to Greenwich.

The area of ​​El Hierro is only 268.71 km². The highest point is 1501 m above sea level. The population is about 11,000 people. The island of El Hierro, like the entire Canary archipelago, is of volcanic origin. Due to the activity of local underwater volcanoes, earthquakes have often occurred on the island since 2011. Underwater volcanoes erupted between October 2011 and March 2012, and for safety reasons, the authorities even evacuated the inhabitants of the village of La Restinha for a short time.

How to choose a resort on the island of El Hierro

Most of the coast of this small mountainous island is almost sheer bizarre rocks. There are no beaches with ordinary light sand or pebbles on El Hierro, there are only a few tiny beaches with black volcanic sand (for example, in La Restinha), as well as natural pools with clear water suitable for swimming.

In addition, the island is very popular among divers - the water off the coast is really - crystal clear.

The capital of El Hierro is the city Valverde where almost half of the island's population lives. Most of the hotels are also located there. In addition to Valverde, you can also stay in towns Frontera (Frontera), La Restinga, in the villages Timihirake, Tamaduste, Sabinosa (Sabinosa) or Isora. It should be remembered that all these resorts are not beach resorts, in the traditional sense, they are rather eco-resorts.

Attractions of the island of El Hierro

The island's most famous historical landmark is the Faro de Orchilla lighthouse, the westernmost lighthouse in Spain, where you can even get a certificate of crossing the prime meridian. Otherwise, the main local attractions are stunning nature, unique landscapes, peace and quiet. Due to the lack of full-fledged good beaches, there are usually few tourists on El Hierro, which, you see, is already an advantage of this place in itself.

El Hierro is a unique place with amazing, truly pristine nature. The island is divided into 5 protected areas under the protection of UNESCO. In fact, the entire island is a biosphere reserve. The relief of El Hierro is very diverse, on it there are several hundred large craters formed as a result of volcanic activity. For the same reason, a large number of caves and natural tunnels appeared on El Hierro. But at the same time, there are enough dense forests and fertile fields where local residents grow vegetables and fruits. Also, a significant part of the island is occupied by vineyards.

The main natural attraction of El Hierro, thanks to which the island has gained worldwide fame, is its juniper forests. To admire the beauty of the protected park with relic plants, it makes sense to head to the top of the island. Along the way, you will have stunning views of picturesque valley El Golfo. At the highest point of the island - the top of La Dehesa (La Dehesa) - the oldest tree on the island grows, a real natural treasure of El Hierro. This is a juniper, the tree got the name: "Sabina de El Hierro". Under the strongest winds, it changed the direction of growth, bent down to the ground and formed an arch with its powerful branches. It is located in the West of the island (along the HI-500 highway), not far from the holy places of Nuestra Señora de los Reyes. A short walk from the car park you will see the sign "Sabina de El Hierro" and the tree itself.

La Palma

La Palma is a small beautiful green island (with an area of ​​​​only 728 km 2), which, like the entire archipelago, is of volcanic origin (some volcanoes are still active, however, the last major eruption occurred here in 1971). The coastline of the island of La Palma is mostly rocky, and, just like El Hierro, there are not many comfortable beaches, but it is very beautiful and green (the island is recognized as the greenest of all the islands of the Canary archipelago).

La Palma is an unusually mountainous island. Its highest peak is Roque de los Muchachos peak- reaches a height of 2387 m. The northern part of the island, at an altitude of 500-1500 m above sea level, is covered with laurel-cherry forests. Once such forests covered the entire south of Europe, but now they can only be found here. The forested ravines of Cubo de la Galga and Los Tilos have been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. There are numerous hiking trails in the reserve. (Alas, in August 2016, there was a severe fire here, which arose through the fault of a 27-year-old German tourist, who “for environmental reasons, decided to burn used toilet paper.” The result is sad: about 5 hectares of forest burned out. However, fortunately, the fire succeeded stop, and there are still many untouched corners on the island.)

Attractions of the island of La Palma

Island capital Santa Cruz de La Palma- a nice town with pretty narrow streets and old buildings. In the center of the city is the Plaza de Espana, a miniature Plaza de España with a stone fountain (1776). On the square is built in 1503 the Church of the Savior (Iglesia Matriz de El Salvador) with a high bell tower. The ceiling is made in Mudéjar style from the core of pines. In the sacristy of the church, magnificent Gothic wood carvings are collected.

On the opposite side of the square you will see City Hall(Ayuntamiento), built in 1569, with an arcade in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Also, a fortress rises above the city. Castillo de Santa Catalina, once faithfully serving in the defense of Santa Cruz from pirates.
At the end of Calle Real you will find a life-size model of the famous ship of Christopher Columbus "Santa Maria". Inside is a maritime museum.

To the north of the capital, in the mountains, there is a chapel - the sanctuary of the patroness of the island, Madonna of the Snows ( Nuestra Senora de las Nieves). The altar in the chapel is made of Mexican silver, and it is in it that the terracotta statue of the Madonna is located. Once every 5 years, the Madonna is brought to the capital, Santa Cruz, to participate in the celebration La Bajada de la Virgen(The Appearance of the Madonna) is a purely Spanish "mix" of religious experiences and general fun and entertainment.

Another holiday takes place in the city of Santa Cruz de la Palma on May 3 - on the Day of the Cross, when fun, with dancing and music, a nationwide competition of decorated crucifixes is held.

But La Palma is especially rich in its natural attractions:

Palmitos Park- a huge garden-reserve of butterflies. In addition to butterflies, you can see about 230 species of exotic birds here.

La Caldera de Taburiente National Park (Caldera de Taburiente)

This extraordinary park is, in fact, a giant crater with a diameter of 8-10 km and a depth of up to 2 km. It was formed, naturally, as a result of powerful volcanic eruptions. In 1954, this place was given the status of a National Park. The park has a huge number of hiking trails (climbing some of them require a truly excellent physical shape). In addition to giant volcanic rocks (up to 10 km in diameter), there is also the "Gorge of Fear" (the height of the walls of which reaches 2000 m). The park is easily accessible by bus or car from Santa Cruz (8 km).

Pico de la Cruz is one of the highest peaks in the park. The ascent to it can be done in 4-5 hours. Roque de los Muchachos is a trail along the highest peaks that offers breathtaking views of the crater. At the very top of Mount Muchachos, at an altitude of 2400 m, the highest observation deck on the island has recently opened. This site is part of the popular tourist route Espigon del Roque de los Muchachos. Roque de los Muchachos also houses the International Astrophysical Observatory, opened in 1985, which houses the largest telescope in Europe. And from the bottom of the crater rises an 800-meter stone spire - Idafe Rock. Legend has it that there was a Guanche altar on which sacrifices were made. But not everything is so scary in this park: there are routes that are quite simple and short, for example, the Lomo de las Chosas trail.

Los Tilos (Los Tilos)

It is in this park that you can see what people mainly go to the island of La Palma for: on the rocky walls of the Barranco del Agua gorge, there is the largest place on the island where the ancient laurel forest grows - laurisilva. Los Tilos was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1983.

This small, only 5 km 2 National Park has several hiking trails. One of them leads to the observation deck of Mirador Las Barrandas. A longer (6 km) and difficult route, with steep climbs, leads northwest to Caldera de Marcos y Cordero, where you can enjoy great views to the waterfalls.

La Sarsa (La Sarsa)

In the area of ​​the archaeological excavations of La Sarza, evidence of the existence of the ancient inhabitants of the island, the Benajoares, was found. Evidence of their existence, attracting tourists, are bizarre symbols carved on rocks (petroglyphs) that can be seen in the areas of Roque Faro, Don Pedro and Juan Adalid. These writings consist mainly of spirals, linear figures and circles, and their meaning has not been comprehended to this day. Most often, postcards and other local souvenirs include drawings whose style is strongly reminiscent of the Aztecs - this is an image of a man and an abstract figure of a woman with an insect head.

There is a tourist information center in the excavation area, in the building of which there is a museum. The exposition of the museum is dedicated to the life of the ancient people of Benajoares. From the 20-minute film, you will learn much that archaeologists have been able to discover about the medicine, nutrition and funeral rituals of these people.

For divers on La Palma there is a very exotic attraction: Las Cruces de Malpique (Las Cruces de Malpique)

Not far from the southernmost point of the island of La Palma, at a depth of 25 meters in the Atlantic Ocean, there is a unique underwater cemetery. The story goes that in 1570 a ship carrying 40 Jesuit monks was attacked by pirates. The captain of the ship invited the monks to take up arms and defend themselves, along with the entire crew. But they refused to kill, preferring to humbly pray for salvation and help the wounded.

The ship ended up in the hands of Protestant pirates, who demanded that the brethren renounce the Catholic faith. But the Jesuits preferred death to apostasy. Local residents installed 40 stone crosses at the bottom of the ocean, in the place of the heroic death of the monks, in memory of their feat.

At the end of the 20th century, UNESCO included this memorial complex in the list of natural reserves (ie places that clearly demonstrate the harmonious interaction of man with nature). Every year this mystical place attracts thousands of diving enthusiasts, but only the most fortunate get to see the burial with their own eyes, because diving to 25 meters in this place is possible only in clear and calm weather.

How to get there: Las Cruces de Malpique is located at the very beginning of the Costa el Faro highway, not far from the famous Fuencaliente lighthouse (Salinas de Fuencaliente, or, in English, Lighthouse Fuencaliente), built in the very southern point islands.

Resorts and beaches of La Palma

Despite the fact that the coast of the island of La Palma is rocky, and there are not too many beaches here, you can still find some amazingly beautiful beaches here:

1. Puerto Naos-black sand, abundance of palm trees and developed infrastructure;
2. Tazacorte- black sand, clear water and an abundance of fish restaurants;
3. Charco Verde– a small beach with black volcanic sand, surrounded by picturesque cliffs; ideal for a measured day;
4. Los Cancajos- the best place on the island for lovers of diving and snorkeling. Small secluded bays, a separate “paddling pool” for children and clearest water– the main advantages of this beach;
5. Playa Nueva– there are constantly waves, so the beach is popular with surfers;
6. Las Monjas- the official nudist beach, located 1.5 km from Puerto Naos.

On the island of La Palma there are excellent opportunities for practicing all water sports, as well as hiking. In the capital of the island, the city Santa Cruz de La Palma, there is a yacht club, as well as a well-known sport fishing club - La Gaviota.

Puerto de Naos- the largest and popular resort islands with stunning black sand beaches. Nearby is the village of San Nicolas, buried in 1949 as a result of the eruption of the Nambroque volcano. Now, among the frozen lava fields, only a lonely church rises here.

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is the second largest island of the Canary archipelago (after Tenerife). Its maximum length is 100 km, width - 25 km, area - 1660 km2. It is called the island of sun and tranquility, although Fuerteventura owes its name to the wind that almost never dies down here (in Spanish “fuerte” - strong, “el vento” - wind). It is generally accepted that this island is the oldest of all in the Canary archipelago, formed, like its neighbors, as a result of volcanic eruptions, many millennia ago.

Initially, Fuerteventura was covered with dense forests, like neighboring islands, but these forests fell victim to the turbulent naval past of the archipelago - in other words, they went to build ships. Now the landscape of the island is rather deserted. But, unlike Lanzarote and Tenerife, in Fuerteventura, part of the beaches are covered not with black volcanic, but with golden sand.

There are no noisy nightclubs and discos in Fuerteventura, rest here is quiet and secluded, family; the island is also loved as a holiday destination for surfers from all over the world.

Attractions of the island of Fuerteventura

Of course, there are not so many historical sights and amusement parks in Fuerteventura as, for example, in neighboring Tenerife and Gran Canaria - local attractions are mostly natural. However, you will not be bored on your vacation in Fuerteventura.

Oasis Park (Oasis Park

- the largest amusement park on the island (about 800,000 m2). In fact, this is a huge zoo, which has a dolphinarium, and a lot of other entertainment for tourists, such as camel safari in the park, etc.

Walking along the shady alleys and various recreation areas of this park, you will meet on your way more than 6,800 species of plants and animals brought from all over the world.

Rare birds (living not in cages, but almost in their natural environment), giant reptiles, monkeys and lemurs, kangaroos, hippos, giraffes, cheetahs, ... - in such an environment, complete immersion in the atmosphere of the real African savannah is guaranteed! Special areas of the park - a camel farm, an antelope valley, an elephant trail, a dolphinarium with a daily show of sea lions - will not leave anyone indifferent. The park also has a good selection of restaurants and cafes, so you can easily spend a whole day there.

Prices and opening hours of the Oasis Park - at official website

Aqua water Park

Water park in the Corralejo area with a lot of water activities for children and adults. A pleasant place with free parking, free sunbeds and opportunities for both active recreation (slides and other attractions) and not so much (“lazy river”, jacuzzi zone, relax zone, zone for the smallest visitors, etc.)

Check the opening hours and the cost of entrance tickets on the official website.

Village of Betancuria

The most beautiful village on the island of Fuerteventura, with a rich historical past, the village of Betancuria was founded in 1404 and got its name in honor of the conqueror of the island, Jean de Betancourt.

Betancuria was perfectly protected from pirate raids, but in 1593 a Berber robber named Haban de Arraez nevertheless reached this city and destroyed all the buildings of Betancuria, including the church of Santa Maria. The church was rebuilt in 1620, and Betancuria continued to bear the status of the capital of the island, until 1834.

Today, in the village of Betancuria, you can admire the picturesque ruins of an ancient monastery and the "devil's hollow" (Pozo del Diablo) located next to them. According to legend, local heroes managed to chain the Devil to a rock and force him to break out and drag stones to build monastery walls.

Exposition of the city Archaeological Museum dedicated to the life and rituals of machos - this is the local, Fuerteventura, name of the Guanches.

"American Star"

Launched in 1940, the luxury cruise ship was converted for the needs of the US Navy during the Second World War and took an active part in sea convoys.

Since 1946, "American Star" again began to perform transatlantic flights as a passenger ship. In December 1993, the ship was decommissioned and planned to be used in Thailand as a floating hotel. However, unable to withstand the storms, the "American Star" was thrown aground off the western coast of the island of Fuerteventura and broke into two parts.

Today, tourists specially come to the coast near the Playa de Garcey beach (otherwise unremarkable) to take pictures against the backdrop of the bow of the liner, or rather, its skeleton.

Yes, sights are not what most tourists come to Fuerteventura for, however, there are plenty of opportunities for entertainment and eventful recreation, for example:

• deep sea fishing(fishing boats depart from the ports of Corralejo and Morro Jable).
• Sea trips(from Corralejo - on the Celia Cruz and Blue Delfin glass-bottomed catamarans or the Catlanza sailing catamaran, the captain of which, on the way to Lanzarote, will kindly allow you to “steer; or on a yacht chartered only for your trip).

Pleasure boats also leave from the port of Morro Jable on the Jandia peninsula, but the choice of boats and route options is much smaller here.

Detailed information on the sites:

• Diving

Because of the cold currents, there are no coral reefs off the coast of the Canary Islands, and the fauna of the Atlantic Ocean is not as diverse as in warm tropical seas. However, diving enthusiasts here will still be able to get a lot of impressions from observing underwater caves, volcanic landscapes and the unique spirit of the ocean.

Diving is indeed very popular in Fuerteventura, and you can find a diving center in almost any popular tourist area on the island.

Detailed information on the websites of diving centers:

• Windsurfing and kitesurfing in Fuerteventura

Due to the rather strong wind that never stops here, surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing are the most common sports in Fuerteventura. Add to this the year-round beach season - as a result, Fuerteventura today is the most popular place in Europe for practicing this sport. Every year, tens of thousands of professionals and amateurs of different types of surfing flock here to hone their skills, and in the summer even the world championship is held here.

The largest windsurfing center not only on the island, but throughout the world is called "Pro Center Rene Egli" and is located on the Sotavento beach, next to the Sol Gorriones hotel. At the disposal of visitors to this center are about 450 boards and 1000 sails.

And there are several more windsurfing centers in different parts of the island of Fuerteventura.

Detailed information on the websites:

Mysterious House of Winter

During the Second World War, in which, as you know, Spain formally maintained neutrality, the Jandia peninsula was a closed area, where, according to conjectures and assumptions, a top-secret base of German submarines was located.

Guesses began to appear not without grounds: in 1939, all local residents were evicted from the peninsula, and on April 28, 1941, a notary in Madrid registered a contract for the sale of the Jandia peninsula to the company Dehesa de Jandia S.A. under the control of the German engineer and industrialist Gustav Winter.

On Cofete beach, in the most secluded place of the peninsula, Winter built a villa in which he lived with his family until old age. Legends and speculation hover over this villa to this day. Historians say that in the caves among the rocks, which could only be reached from under the water, German submarines "sat out" between campaigns, and Winter's house is just a "surface", a very small part of the iceberg. It is known for certain that there were underground passages under Winter's villa, the entrances to which were walled up during the reconstruction of the villa in 1985. One of these tunnels, according to the son of Gustav Winter, connected Cofete beach with the village of Morro Jable. Today, rumors about Nazi treasures hidden here “until better times” haunt many treasure hunters.

How to choose a resort on the island of Fuerteventura

The main resorts of the island of Fuerteventura are Costa Calma, Morro del Jable and Playa Matorral, located on the Jandia Peninsula (in the south of the island), as well as Corralejo (or Playa de Corralejo) and Caleta del Fuste. Each of the resorts has its own characteristics.

Peninsula Jandia famous for its stunning white sandy beaches. Also, it is here that the highest point of the island of Fuerteventura is located - the 807-meter Pico de Sarza, a peak from which stunning views of the island open up. Tourists come to Jandia for a calm and relaxing holiday in nature, without noise and fuss. Jandia and the towns located on this peninsula are the most popular tourist destinations on the island of Fuerteventura.

Costa Calma (Costa Calma) - a resort popular with windsurfers, who are especially numerous here from March to October. This is the greenest resort on the island, with truly lush vegetation. Thickets of palms and other plants in Costa Calma are especially striking in contrast to the desert landscapes of other resorts in Jandia. From the town of Costa Calma begins the many kilometers and almost deserted coast of Sotavento, the longest beach line throughout Fuerteventura. This resort is especially popular with German tourists.

Morro del Jable (Morro del Jable) - at this town, the many kilometers of Sotavento beach coast ends, and at the western borders of the resort the coast is already rocky. In Morro del Jable, the historical center of the resort has been perfectly preserved with charming houses and a picturesque port. On the waterfront, in countless restaurants, you can try a variety of dishes from freshly caught fish.

Playa del Mattoral (playa del Mattoral) - here you will find an amazing, wide and clean white beach, stretching for 12 km. This beach has been awarded the Blue Flag year after year. The Playa del Mattornal resort itself is much larger in size than the neighboring Costa Calma: there are more entertainment, hotels, restaurants and cafes.

Corralejo, or Playa de Corralejo- one of largest resorts islands of Fuerteventura, however, this does not prevent the inhabitants of the town from leading a calm, measured lifestyle and preserving the lifestyle and atmosphere of a tiny provincial town. At the same time, Corralejo is considered a more modern and party resort than Jandia. A large number of people always rest on the coast of the city (mostly British, in contrast to the resorts of Jandia, completely “occupied” by German tourists). The most attractive for tourists is the southern part of Corralejo, where a stunning 10-kilometer beach is located. The distance from Corralejo to Fuerteventura airport is 70 km.

Castillo Caleta de Fuste, often referred to simply as El Castillo, is only 9 km from the island's only airport. It is this convenient location, in the first place, that determines the popularity of the resort among tourists. The beaches of Caleta de Fuste are mostly rocky. But within the boundaries of the resort town itself, an artificial sand beach, perfectly protected from the waves by the shores of the bay.

Diving clubs with diving schools and windsurfing schools are organized in all resort towns and villages of the island of Fuerteventura: this place is literally created for practicing these sports. Also in Fuerteventura, you can practice golf in plenty on fields specially equipped for this game. In addition, an underwater photo and video competition is organized on the island every year.

How to get to Fuerteventura

You can get to Fuerteventura by plane from Barcelona, ​​Madrid, or from the island of Tenerife, which has air links with Russia. There are ferry and air links between Fuerteventura and other Canary Islands. It is convenient to travel around the island by bus, taxi or rent a car.

Lanzarote

Lanzarote- the fourth largest island of the archipelago. Lanzarote is the most unusual of all the islands of the Canary archipelago: it is an island-reserve of volcanoes. About 300 volcanoes are located on its territory, for which the island received the name "island of fire-breathing mountains." In 1730, almost simultaneous eruption of 30 volcanoes began here. It lasted 6 years. Since then, approximately 30% of the island's surface has been covered with volcanic ash and hardened lava. Because of this, it seems that the plants grow directly from the dry earth. The landscapes here are rather Martian than typically island: bright colors of the earth (or rather, lava) and absolutely no signs of life.

Entertainment and attractions of Lanzarote

In the western part of the island of Lanzarote is located Timanfaya National Park- it is here that volcanoes are located, which once so dramatically and forever changed the appearance of this island. The famous field of frozen lava "Fire Mountains" tourists go around by bus. Even so, you can easily feel the warmth emanating from the bowels of the earth, because already a few centimeters from the surface the temperature reaches +350°C.

The territory of the Timanfaya reserve is specially protected, so walking on the frozen lava is not allowed here.

In the northeast of the island are an array La Corona, where, under the vast lava fields of the Corona volcano, there are unique volcanic pipes Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes volcanic cave. Cueva de los Verdes is the largest cave of volcanic origin in the world, 6 km deep. Some of its halls reach 15 meters in height and 24 meters in width, and thanks to the excellent natural acoustics, they were able to equip a unique concert hall inside. To attend a concert in this cave is almost a must for any self-respecting traveler who has reached Lanzarote!

In the coastal zone of Los Ervideros, where the lava bizarrely merges with the sea, there is an amazing green crater El Golfo.

Connoisseurs of ancient architecture will love the fortress Castillo de San Jose- impressive fortification, erected in 1779 on a high basalt ledge to protect the entrance to the port of Lanzarote. Inside the fortress is the Museum of Modern Art (MIAC), which contains a rich collection of paintings and sculptures of the 50-70s of the twentieth century, in the style of abstract art, as well as works by the great founder of the museum, Cesar Manrique, who was friends with Picasso and Miro.

In the north of the island there is a beautiful Valley of a Thousand Palms”, after visiting which you will get an idea of ​​what the landscape of the island was like before the volcanic eruptions. The northern part of Lanzarote is separated by a narrow, 1.5-kilometer strait from the tiny island of Graciosa (La Graciosa), where, according to legend, the pirates hid their stolen treasures.

Once in Lanzarote, it is also worth visiting:

• Rocks of Famara. In the northwestern part of the island, a beach of golden sand stretches for 5 kilometers - Playa de Famara. The beach is located on natural park Chinijo archipelago, between the seaside settlement of La Caleta de Famara and the base of the impressive Famara rock. It is especially beautiful here at low tide: in the water, covering the wide one with a thin layer, like in a mirror, the sky and the rock are reflected. If you are lucky enough to watch the tide go down here, you will be able to enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Canary archipelago, with the island of Graciosa visible on the horizon.
• cactus garden(the creation of landscape architecture by the same Cesar Manrique);
• Viewpoint Mirador del Rio, which offers stunning views of the neighboring Chiniho archipelago.
• Complex of volcanic caves Jameos del Agua- like the Mirador del Rio observation deck, it was created by the most famous resident of Lanzarote, the restless Cesar Manrique. This unique complex includes, for example, a small bar overlooking the lake, a water grotto with a lake (which serves as a haven for small blind albino crabs), a huge cave with tropical plants and a swimming pool (it is strictly forbidden to swim in this pool, but they say the king of Spain once did it) and a cave-concert hall for 600 people. Jameos del Agua, like the Cueva de los Verdes cave, is part of a 6-kilometer lava tube formed during the eruption of the Montaña La Corona volcano about 4,000 years ago. César Manrique sought to combine art and nature in his native Lanzarote and create unique attractions, contrasting them with popular water parks, amusement parks and standard, tourist-trampled resorts. And, to be honest, he did it well.
• In the town Salinas de Janubio, in the southwest of Lanzarote, there are salt marshes - a habitat for small shrimps. Numerous flocks flock here to feast on seafood pink flamingos, - an amazing sight, just a fantastic landscape!

How to choose a resort on Lanzarote

The best beaches of the island, with the purest water and white sand, stretch along the southern coast of Lanzarote, in the bay Papagayo (Playa de Papagayo). But getting to this bay is quite difficult, perhaps that is why the beaches have not lost their original beauty.

In the southeastern part of Lanzarote are located the oldest resorts islands: Puerto del Carmen (Puerto del carmen) and Costa Teguise (Costa Teguise) . The constant winds blowing here have made them a favorite resort for windsurfers. But just relaxing on the beach here is unlikely to be comfortable (due to the same rather strong winds). Costa Teguise is located just 15 minutes from the airport.

Playa Blanca Resort(playaBlanca) - relatively young, but even now it boasts excellent service, as well as very beautiful, and at the same time easily accessible for tourists, beaches. This resort is great for families with children. Off the coast in Playa Blanca, at a depth of 12 meters, is the first underwater museum in Europe. About 300 human-sized sculptures are available for viewing here, standing on the seabed. The author of all these creations is the British sculptor Jason Taylor. The exposition is available for viewing by divers and free divers, and the rest of the curious can look at the sculptural exposition from a special vessel with a glass bottom.

Restaurants with cuisine from different nations and regions of the world in Lanzarote are in abundance: Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Caribbean, Mexican, Indian, etc. As a result, even real gourmets will be able to find here for themselves a lot of noteworthy places.

(mainland)

Excursions from the Costa Brava

Monastery of Montserrat

Girona

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Weather in the Canary Islands

Due to the prevailing winds (trade winds) and warm sea currents, the climate is very mild. It should be remembered, however, that the air temperature can drop significantly in just 10 minutes.

about. Tenerife

+24 in July, +25 in August, +25 in September, +24 in October, +22 in November, +19 in December

The average air temperature for about. Gran Canaria

+23 in July, +24 in August, +24 in September, +25 in October, +25 in November, +19 in December

Canary Islands hotels 1 - 5 stars

The Canary Islands (Islas Canarias in Spanish) are washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Together with the islands of Madeira and Azores to the north and the Cape Verde Islands to the south, they form what is commonly referred to as "Macronesia".

The archipelago consists of seven large inhabited islands and several small ones. In the center is the largest island - Tenerife. To the west are Gomera, Hierro and Palma. Gran Canaria is located to the east of Tenerife. It is the third largest island in the archipelago. Further east are Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

Canary Islands of volcanic origin.

Gran Canaria (island)

Gran Canaria is the third largest island after Tenerife and Fuerteventura with an area of ​​1532 km2. The combination of a rounded shape and the location of the highest peak of Pico de las Nieves (Pico de Las Nieves) with a height of 2000m in its geographical center, give the island the outline of a huge mountain, resembling a cone in shape with many extinct craters and deep ravines descending from the top to the ocean. Central mountain range, passing from the northwest to the southeast, divides the island into a dry and sunny south and a humid north. In one day you can go from the hot desert coast to the temperate valleys in the center of the island, cross the subtropical forests and conquer the peaks, which sometimes snow. A huge number of plants imported from Europe, Africa and America grow on the island: pine forests in Tamadaba and lime groves of Los Tilos, El Monte vineyards and coffee plantations in Agaete, palm trees and almonds grow here, there are plantations of bananas, tomatoes and sugar cane. The countless variety of landscapes and microclimates, thanks to which Gran Canaria has earned the name "continent in miniature", are among the main attractions of the island.

Most of the beaches are concentrated in the southern part of the island, where the climate is more sunny and dry. The largest dune beach Maspalomas (Maspalomas) stretches for 6 km and covers an area of ​​400 hectares. It is a national park and therefore car traffic is prohibited there: you can travel on it on foot or on camels.

On the northeastern tip of the island is its capital, Las Palmas. Every four years, it also becomes the capital of all the Canary Islands - the provincial government alternately sits either in it or in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the island of Tenerife. On the east coast between Las Palmas and the beaches of Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas, 25 km from the capital is the international airport of Gando.

Lanzarote (island)

Lanzarote is called the island of fire-breathing mountains - on a small island about sixty kilometers long and fifteen kilometers wide, there are about three hundred volcanoes! In the autumn of 1730, lava and red-hot ash began to erupt simultaneously from thirty craters. The eruption lasted six years and as a result, a third of the island became covered with lifeless basalt and ash. The next eruption took place in the 19th century. A ridge of volcanic cones has grown in the center of the island, resembling lunar mountains. Lava comes very close to the surface and at a depth of several meters the temperature reaches several hundred degrees.

The main attraction of Lanzarote is the Cueva de los Verdes cave. It is located in the north of the island under the lava fields of the Korona volcano. This is the largest lava cave in the world - it stretches for 6 kilometers, some of its halls reach 24 meters in width and 15 meters in height. The cave was formed when a river of molten basalt from the side crater of Corona continued to flow under a cooled and hardened layer of lava down into the sea. So it turned out a natural tunnel with bizarre shapes of walls and vaults. A concert hall has been created in one of the halls of the cave.

The largest tourist center of Lanzarote is the town of Puerto del Carmen. It has many hotels, restaurants, nightclubs. Next to it, in the village of Costa Teguise, there are more luxurious hotels and entertainment centers.

In other parts of the island there are also places worth visiting: the beaches of Papagayo (Papagayo) in the south, the cliffs and beach of Famara (Famara) in the west, the Cactus Garden, the massif of La Corona with the mysterious volcanic pipes of Jameos del Agua (Los Jameos del Agua ) and Cueva de los Verdes. From the magnificent viewpoint of Del Rio in the north of the island, you can observe the neighboring Chinijo archipelago (Chinijo), consisting of the deserted islets of La Graciosa, Montaña Clara and Alegranza; the first of them can be reached by sea from Lanzarote.

On the south coast Papagayo Bay has some of the island's finest white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Due to their inaccessibility, these beaches have retained their original beauty to this day. Of the interesting places on the island, it is also necessary to note the coastal zone of Los Hervideros, where lava fancifully merges with the sea; and the stunning green crater of El Golfo.

Tenerife (island)

Tenerife is the largest, most famous and most visible island of the Canary archipelago. It is the top of the Teide volcano located on it that is seen from ships approaching the Canary Islands. The highest point of Mount El Pico del Teide is located at an altitude of 3718 meters above sea level and is the highest point not only in the Canaries, but throughout Spain. The island of Tenerife is actually a huge mountain rising from the sea and the top of which is the Teide cone.

The first eruption of Mount Teide known to Europeans occurred in 1492, the year Columbus visited the Canary Islands. Then there were eruptions in 1706 and 1909. Sometime after an explosion of enormous force, a crater with a diameter of about 29 km was formed. From the crack from which the magma came out, three new volcanoes formed. Now Teide is a huge volcanic cone in the center of a huge basin. The entire territory of the crater is a national park, the most visited in Spain.

Mountain ranges descending from the crater to the sea cut Tenerife into amazing valleys. Among them, La Oratava is especially noted, before the beauty of which, according to legend, the German naturalist Humboldt and Gumar knelt. The coast of the island is steep in places, with cliffs and rocks - for example, the cliffs of Los Gigantes break into the sea from a height of 600 m. The rest of the coast is covered with wonderful beaches with soft and clean sand. On some beaches the sand is golden, on others it is volcanic black.

Mount Teide does not allow cool winds carrying clouds to the southern half of the island. Therefore, the climate of the southern part of the island is drier and hotter, while in the northern part it is milder and cooler. But anywhere on the island, it is magnificent and allows you to enjoy both relaxing on the beaches and nature excursions.

Thanks to the amazing climate on the island of Tenerife, there is a familiar habitat for so many plants. In addition, since the Canary Islands were a transit point on trade routes to America and Africa, many plants from these parts of the world were brought to the island. On the island there are cacti, eucalyptus trees, and many different ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees.

The island has preserved the legendary dragon tree and Canarian laurel, which have become extinct in other areas of the Mediterranean. The dragon tree is the symbol of the archipelago. Although it grows very slowly, it reaches a height of 20 m. Even the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands, the Guanches, were aware of the healing properties of the resin of this tree, which is called "dragon's blood", because. in the air it becomes bright red.

Another amazing tree grows in the mountains - the Canarian pine. It is capable of fixing its roots even on bare volcanic rock and is easily restored after fires. The wood of the Canarian pine is very durable and fireproof, so it is a valuable building and ornamental material. Carved souvenirs from Canarian pine are sold in many tourist centers.

The capital of the island is the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Every four years it also becomes the capital of all the Canary Islands - the provincial government alternately sits either in it or in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. About 220 thousand inhabitants live in the city.

There are 2 airports on the island - Tenerife Norte Airport, 9 km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Reina Sofia International Airport in the south, 60 km from the capital of the island.

Fuerteventura (island)

Fuerteventura has the longest and best beaches in the Canary Islands. Most of its coastline (340 km) is formed by beaches from white sand sometimes more than 1 km wide.

In Fuerteventura, the mountains are not high and they cannot hold ocean clouds, as happens on other islands of the Canary archipelago. Therefore, the climate of the island is dry, and the landscape is desert, reminiscent of Africa. Due to the lack of water, agriculture practically did not develop on the island, and even now the population density in Fuerteventura is the lowest among the islands of the archipelago.

The best beaches of the island - Jandia (Jandia) in the south and Corralejo (Corralejo) in the north - can be recognized as one of the best in the world. Some beaches are still deserted and practically untouched by civilization. The sea near the island is also special, shallow due to the peculiarity of the shelf, with the purest turquoise water. A very rich and diverse underwater world attracts lovers of diving and spearfishing. But the most main view sport in Fuerteventura is windsurfing. Jandia Beach has hosted the World Championships several times. In the strait that separates the Canary Islands from Africa, you can catch sardines, tuna, and swordfish, which attracts many fishing enthusiasts here.

The capital of the island is the city of Puerto del Rosario, located in the central part of the island. From the small village of Morro Jable on south coast you can go by boat to the island of Gran Canaria. From the north coast, you can make an excursion to the uninhabited volcanic island of Lobos or Lanzarote.

Which country does the Canary Islands belong to? In ancient times, the archipelago was inhabited by the Guanches, who, before the arrival of Europeans, cultivated the land and were engaged in cattle breeding. In 1334, French sailors visited the islands, and the natives had to make room. According to the laws of that time, all newly discovered lands fell under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Vatican, represented by Pope Clement VI, presented the Canary Islands to Count Alfonso XI, the ruler of Castile, the largest province in the world. For a while, it became clear who the Canary Islands belonged to. However, Alfonso XI did not know what to do with such a gift. The natives did not bring any economic benefit, and on the contrary, the ruler was obliged from now on to improve life on the islands. The Count did not directly dare to give up the archipelago, but he tried through complex negotiations to transfer his ownership to other hands. The question of who owns the Canary Islands literally hung in the air.

Who is the owner anyway?

It would seem that the answer to the question of which country the Canary Islands belong to lies on the surface. The owner is Spain, but everything was not so simple.

Half a century later, the French decided to capture the islands. Military vessels proceeded along the West African coast, which then approached two islands in the center of the archipelago - Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The local population languidly resisted the annexation.

In Gran Canaria, the French troops celebrated their victory a few days later, and in Tenerife it happened a little later. This was followed by periodic landings on the Canary Islands by conquerors of all stripes, from Moroccan soldiers to the English admiral Robert Blake, who spent a brilliant near the island of Tenerife in 1657, engaging in battle with the Spanish armada. He emerged victorious from this confrontation, but the islands, nevertheless, went to Spain.

After 140 years, the famous Admiral Nelson tried to capture Tenerife, but the capital of the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz, stood in his way, and he was defeated. Eventually the British abandoned their imperial ambitions.

The question of which country the Canary Islands belong to remained unanswered for a long time, until in 1821 the archipelago was finally ceded to Spain. In 1982 the Canary Islands were proclaimed autonomous region Spanish state, and in 1986 the province of Canaries joined the European Union. Thus, the answer to the question of which country the Canary Islands belong to is now unambiguous. As a result of numerous renaming and status changes, the right decision was made. Today the Canary Islands belong to Spain.

Archipelago today

What is the Canary Islands - a country, a province or some special structure? Geographical position The archipelago speaks of its conditional belonging to mainland Spain, but the islands have full and unconditional autonomy.

The Canary Islands is a country in terms of social arrangement and the availability of services necessary to comply with law and order. These are the police, courts and legal institutions. Although, on the other hand, all of the above services are practically inactive, since the Canaries are a supertourism zone, millions of travelers come to the blessed land to relax, have fun and forget about the hardships of civilization for a while. No one is breaking the law.

Geography

The Canary Islands are only a hundred kilometers from the African continent and seven hundred from the coast of Spain. The archipelago adjoins Africa from the northwest (at the junction of Western Sahara and Morocco).

There are only seven large Canary Islands. The closest island to the African coast is Lanzarote, the next island is Fuerteventura, then Gran Canaria, followed by Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma and Hierro. These are the largest volcanic formations, but there are many more minor ones.

A list that includes the most popular Canary Islands, a map of their location, directions, and more - all this information can be obtained from the tourist offices of Spain or upon arrival at about. Tenerife.

The islands are not alike, each of them is attractive in its own way. For example, Lanzarote is ideal for lovers of a quiet measured holiday, and Gran Canaria is a paradise for surfers and divers. For tourists arriving in the Canary Islands, a map and guides will help you make the right choice best place recreation. There are also hotels for every taste - more expensive, more comfortable, economy class hotels with reasonable prices.

It is difficult to say how many Canary Islands are in the archipelago, an exact calculation has not been carried out. However, it is known that not all of them are inhabited. At one time, the municipal authorities even opened the sale of small islands. Those who wished could purchase at a reasonable price a small piece of land in the ocean. Trade was brisk until the Spanish authorities on the mainland intervened. The capital of the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, was then forced to give part of its powers to the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Most popular places

The best island of the Canary Islands, according to most tourists, is Tenerife. In second place in popularity - Gran Canaria. These islands are notable for their developed infrastructure, high-class hotels, excellent entertainment complexes for both adults and children.

The Canary Islands, photos of which are presented in the article, have long become one of the best places for outdoor activities. Tourists are attracted by the choice and impeccable service.

Landscape

The Canary Islands, the photos of which are amazing, are volcanic formations that appeared above the water millions of years ago. Until now, on the surface you can observe bizarre landscapes with frozen lava, which are adjacent to long sand dunes, reminiscent of Luxurious beaches washed by ocean waves, and hotel complexes with palm alleys begin right behind them. A warm breeze from the sea stirs the green branches of trees, vacationers feel unity with nature, and this happens throughout the day. When the term of parting with the Canaries approaches, no one wants to leave. the charm paradise remains in the memory for a long time, until the next visit.

Climate

The climate in the Canary Islands is temperate tropical, dry and hot, but not sultry. The temperature range is determined by the proximity of the African coast. Hot trade winds mix with oceanic air masses. It turns out a kind of airy cocktail, cool and comfortable, which spreads throughout the Canary Islands. Air masses are constantly updated. The climate is also softened by a permanent anticyclone over the Azores, located northwest of the archipelago.

The temperature in the Canary Islands is kept at a stable level all year round. It is 20-30 degrees Celsius in summer and 16-25 degrees Celsius in winter. During the year, there is a relative influence of mountains and hills on climatic conditions, however, temperature drops are insignificant, they do not exceed 2-3 degrees. Temperature changes occur mainly in the highest Canary Islands - Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma. The climate in the rest of the archipelago remains virtually unchanged.

The water temperature in the zone of the considered islands is about 20 degrees Celsius. Equilibrium is achieved due to the Canary current - quite cold, but slow. In general, the temperature regime on the islands is very comfortable and stable. In a nutshell, the climate in the Canary Islands can be described as follows: warm and sunny.

For tourists who flew to the Canary Islands in winter, the weather in December is not much different from spring - just as warm. Of course, a sharp change in climatic conditions within one day is impressive.

The Canary Islands (the weather in December is warmer than in summer in Moscow) continue to amaze visitors. The popularity of a world-class resort knows no bounds for a long time, millions of tourists from all over the world arrive at Reina Sophia International Airport and choose an island where they will spend unforgettable days.

Canary Islands. Attractions, beaches

The natural attraction of the islands in question is the beaches, superbly equipped, covered with golden sand or black basalt pebbles. Showers are placed around the perimeter, sun loungers are located in even rows everywhere, and wide umbrellas from the sun are right there. In special kiosks you can buy diving accessories, fins, masks and other attributes for scuba diving.

City of Los Vinos

This is the oldest settlement on the island of Tenerife. The main city attraction is the thousand-year-old Dragon Tree. Visitors to the ancient convent of San Augustina will walk through the monastic cells, get acquainted with the life of novices, and talk with the abbess. Then you can visit the church of San Marcos and a garden with colonies of tropical butterflies of fabulous beauty.

Park "Loro"

Initially, these were aviaries with parrots. Nowadays this place is even more amazing. Now the park has collected the rarest breeds of tropical parrots, which are adjacent to orchids blooming all year round, planted throughout the territory (the most beautiful specimens can be admired in the Orchid House). Also in the park "Loro" is a huge aquarium with a whale shark, dolphins, sea lions and other inhabitants of the ocean. A special place is occupied by a penguinarium with an artificial arctic climate.

Teide Park

This is a high-altitude entertainment complex deployed at an altitude of two thousand meters. The temperature there is kept at the level of forty degrees Celsius. In the center of the park is the crater of an extinct volcano, the diameter of which is 48 kilometers. You can get to its top by lift (mountain climbers climb on foot).

Gorge of Hell

In the southern part of the island of Tenerife is the only natural waterfall in the Canary archipelago, an oasis in the middle of a dry and barren plain. This cascade of silvery jets is called the Gorge of Hell. Tourists can experience the full power of the unbridled elements by going under the rock from which the waterfall falls.

Guimar pyramids

These are religious buildings, repeating man-made elevations in Peru, Mexico and ancient Mesopotamia. Initially, the pyramids in Guimard were mistaken for piles of stones piled up by Spanish settlers when clearing the land for plowing. However, later a group of researchers, among whom was a famous traveler, came to the conclusion that six heaps of stones are nothing but pyramids.

In addition, in the Guimard Park there is a museum of ethnography "House of Chakone", which exhibits a life-size architectural model of the palace of King Ra II.

Cliffs of the Giants

Huge sections of the coast of the island of Tenerife are occupied by grandiose rocks, standing close to the water itself, and in some places - by ledges descending into the ocean. Rocks are considered sacred, their constant desire to plunge into the abyss is similar to a divine ritual.

You can get to the enchanted cliffs only from the sea by boat or motor boats.

Anaga Mountains

The magnificent hills on the island of Tenerife represent a boundless botanical world. Mountain plateaus called Anaga are an example of ecological cleanliness. There you can meet local residents living in caves.

The Canary Islands, whose sights are on a par with world masterpieces of nature and ethnography, attract millions of tourists. Airlines operate at full capacity, planes land and take off every minute.

Seven islands as seven wonders of the world

Remarkable and unique archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and its pearl - the island of Tenerife. Spain, Canary Islands - the best holiday destination in the whole world.

Lanzarote is an island of dormant volcanoes. Entire fields of solidified lava, unusual landscapes on the plains and mountain slopes, multi-colored petrified streams recreate picturesque panels of extraordinary beauty. The Timanfaya National Park of Lanzarote can be seen as a permanent display of natural art. And the hotel infrastructure organically merges with natural scenery. Lanzarote is a biosphere reserve, surrounded by virgin nature, against the backdrop of a volcanic landscape.

Fuerteventura is an island of endless suite of magnificent virgin beaches, completely empty, allowing you to enjoy the ocean landscapes in complete solitude. Nowhere in the world is there such freedom as on the beaches of Fuerteventura. Sea water is amazingly clean and warm, it glows with turquoise. The island is ideal for those who prefer a romantic pastime, a vacation away from the hustle and bustle of civilization. During the whole day you can feel like a Robinson in silence and complete solitude, and in the evening you can return to a comfortable hotel for dinner.

It is famous not only for its magnificent golden beaches, but also for the widest infrastructure. As an addition to the overall picture of prosperity - the nature of the island, striking in its diversity. Deep forested ravines alternate with verdant peaks, all joined together in a grandiose panorama. The central part of the island of Gran Canaria is covered with a luxurious floral carpet, in the south there are gently sloping shores with beaches, and in the north, rocks rise into the sky, bordering small coves with azure water. Any kind of sport is held in high esteem on the island - horseback riding, golf and tennis, fishing and spearfishing.

Tenerife

The largest and most comfortable island. Its nature is unique, the diversity of relief is amazing. In the center is the Teide snow cap, in the north are green massifs, the southern part is all in golden sand, the beaches lined up in a neat row. The island of Tenerife has a unique tourist infrastructure, there are restaurants with national cuisines from almost all countries of the world, health centers, sports and gyms, all kinds of excursions on land and by sea are organized. All this makes your stay in Tenerife unforgettable.

Homer

An island famous for its relict vegetation. The natural exoticism of Homer is available to tourists coming from the island of Tenerife by ferry.

La Palma

The most blooming and green of all the islands of the Canary archipelago. The infrastructure is poorly developed, but La Palma has ample opportunities for rural tourism. Lovers of rural scenery and serene relaxation should visit this island.

Hierro

The smallest of the islands of the Canary archipelago. For centuries, it was perceived as the most mysterious place on the planet. The end of the world - this is how Hierro is characterized. Those wishing to be far from civilization can not find a better place.