The Canary Islands are a part Spain and are about 100 km off the West African coast Morocco.
Islands
The Canary Islands consist of seven main islands:
- Tenerife - the largest and most touristically developed island.
- Fuerteventura - a mecca for windsurfers.
- Gran Canaria
- Lanzarote - Flat relief and dry climate, spectacular volcanic landscape in the west of the island.
- La Palma
- La Gomera
- El Hierro
and several small rock islands:
- Los Lobos (Island of the monk seals), in the strait La Bocaina, between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
- The Chinijo archipelago is a small archipelago north of Lanzarote, it consists of the uninhabited islands Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste, and the only inhabited island La Graciosa.
Administratively, the Canary Islands form a separate Spanish region, which is divided into two provinces:
- province Santa Cruz de Tenerife, consisting of the islands Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, Capital is Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- province Las Palmas with the capital of the same name, it consists of the islands Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and the smaller, mostly uninhabited islands.
background
Two million people live on the islands. Since the Canaries became an important European tourist destination, all of the larger islands have well-developed communication systems, airports and ports.
Ethnically, the population consists mainly of people of Hispanic origin (Spaniards, Berbers and Portuguese as well as "returnees" from Central and Latin America) and an increasing number of African and Eastern European migrants. Immigrants from Western European countries (especially German and British retirees) also make up a not inconsiderable proportion.
The islands were conquered by the Spanish in the 15th century. The people became the Old Canarian almost completely destroyed. The common name Guanches comes from their language and means Person from Tenerife, but is often used for all old Canarians. The origin of these indigenous people is not completely clear. There is much to suggest that they immigrated from North Africa in several batches. They lived on a Stone Age level and lived mainly by farming on terraced fields and breeding sheep and goats. Some remnants of their culture still exist today. Many place names have their origin in the language of this people. Customs like that too Shepherd's leap, the wrestling match Lucha and the whistle language El Silbo on La Gomera come from the Guanches.
language
The Canary Islands have dogs as their heraldic animalHowever, Pliny had been misinformed. Dogs came to the islands much later with the Spaniards.
The official language in the Canary Islands is Spanish. The Canarian dialect is characterized by Latin American influences (the replacement of the 2nd person plural by the 3rd person plural and the almost complete omission of the letter "s" in the pronunciation) or its own word meanings. Because of the long tradition of tourism on the islands but it is also possible to spend a vacation there without knowing a word of the local language. Both with German and with English you come mainly to the more touristically developed islands Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote mostly without any problems.
getting there
plane
There are commercial airports on the main islands that are regularly served by many European airports. In Tenerife it is Tenerife South Airport (TFS), in Lanzarote it is the airport of Arrecife (ACE), Gran Canaria's airport Las Palmas (LPA), the airport of Fuerteventura Puerto del Rosario (FUE). The air Line Binter canarias connects all Canary Islands. It also connects the Canary Islands with Africa, in particular with Gambia, where delightful day trips are offered.
ship
The islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria each have a large seaport (commercial port). The islands are connected to each other and to the Spanish mainland by numerous ferries. The port of Las Palmas is probably the center of these connections. The connection runs daily from Morro Jable. There is an hourly connection between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Part of the traffic is handled by Fred. Olsen Express offered. But the state line of Arma also operates here. Many new connections are to be established. Various ports are being built in the Canary Islands, and cruise ships are also calling at the ports of the Canary Islands.
mobility
By plane
The islands can be reached by flight connections, some of which depart several times a day. These routes are served by the Canary Islands airline Binter Canarias. These green planes fly to all of the islands' commercial airports.
By boat
The islands can be reached from each other by ferry connections. Often, however, a stopover on one of the larger islands is necessary to get to your destination. The Spanish shipping company Armas and also the Norwegian shipping company Fred. Olsen are the companies that operate the ferry lines. The main port is the port of Las Palmas, where there are many daily connections. But all other islands also have daily connections.
The most important connections in brief: Lanzarote and Fuerteventura is operated by Fred. Olsen connected every hour. The catamaran takes just 12 minutes for the route. But Armas also does business here. Society takes a little longer with the ferry. It goes from Playa Blanca in Lanzarote Corralejo on Fuerteventura. Of Morro Jable and from Puerto del Rosario there is a daily connection to Fuerteventura Las Palmas.
In the street
On the main islands of the Canaries (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote) there is now a well-developed bus system between the important towns. The prices are very cheap and the traffic is now very reliable. Bus connections are easy to find. The buses are of Central European standard, but mostly do not have air conditioning.
The roads of the islands are well developed between the main towns thanks to the support of the EU. Some smaller places can only be reached via gravel roads. Here you should rent an off-road vehicle, which all well-known car rental companies like CarDelMar or CICAR to offer. It is important to have a look at the car before renting it and to report any damage immediately. You should also pay attention to the amount of the deductible with a comprehensive insurance. Big providers like TUI Cars have fully comprehensive coverage including reimbursement of the deductible as standard. On some islands there are roads for which there is no insurance cover or for which an increased premium is due. This must be clarified with the landlord on site.
Cautious people already book their rental car in Germany. Then German law applies in the event of legal problems. However, it is much cheaper to rent a car in the Canary Islands. Especially in the off-season, the local providers often grant short-term price reductions that may not be known when booking in Germany.
activities
Many travel companies offer guided tours of the islands. You will be brought across one of the islands by bus or minibus. If you choose to travel by minibus, you can also get to places on the islands that are otherwise difficult to reach. The guides are well informed and knowledgeable, but whether you like that is up to you. In any case, you can safely get across the respective island and see many different sights. But the tours by bus are also highly recommended. Usually tours are offered that also include lunch. This food is usually very simple, but also very Spanish. Something different than the hotel kitchen.
kitchen
The cuisine on the islands is always maritime too. Here you can look forward to all kinds of fish and seafood. But you don't miss out on the meat dishes either. Roast pork and beef are available, whether fried whole or briefly. Garlic plays an important role, but so do many other fresh vegetables. There are also potatoes. In the Canary Islands, they are not peeled or peeled, but cooked with the shell and then served with the shell. Then there is aioli. The two sauces are very well known Mojo Rojo (red mojo, also called mojo picon, so spicy mojo) and Mojo Verde (the not spicy green mojo). Mojar means something like "get wet".
Other Canarian specialties are:
* Baifito en adobo (Roast kid): For this dish, the meat of a kid is marinated in white wine, garlic, parsley, thyme, paprika, bay leaves and salt. Then the kid is fried in a saucepan and finally slowly cooked.
* Conejo en salmorejo (Marinated rabbit): Similar to the kid, the rabbit is also marinated in a marinade. This consists of wine, bay leaves, caraway seeds, oregano and thyme.
* Typical stews and soups: These include the cress stew (Potaje de berros), as well as the Ropa vieja (Stew made from chickpeas, meat, vegetables and potatoes).
* Platé: Platé is the Canarian banana wine. There are numerous banana plantations on the islands. The relatively small Canarian bananas (Plátano de Canarias) are mostly exported, but some remain on the island and are processed into wine, among other things. The wine is described as fruity and tangy and has an alcohol content of 12 percent.
* Barraquito Coffee specialty, consisting of espresso, milk (condensed milk), liqueur 43 (Spanish specialty), seasoned with cinnamon.
nightlife
The nightlife in the Canary Islands is very different. On Gran Canaria in the tourist centers Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés you can find a bar or disco that is open around the clock. But it's not nearly as hectic as on Ibiza or even on Mallorca. Lots of gay couples meet on Maspalomas Beach. Many bars are therefore designed for this.
Most of the towns in the Canary Islands are designed for family vacations. Something is going on until midnight, but then it gets quieter very quickly. There are one or the other discotheque in the villages that is open until morning. But it's rather relaxed.
security
The islands are generally considered to be very safe. However, you should be wary of pickpockets, carnation women, games of chance on the beach promenade and various other shrewd "business ideas". The general emergency number is 112.
shop
In the Canary Islands, some goods are much cheaper than in mainland Spain, as there are no Spanish sales taxes on these islands. These products include, for example, gasoline (1l for € 1.08, Nov 2012), but also perfumes, cigarettes and some other popular souvenirs. It is rarely worthwhile to buy these goods in duty-free shops. The prices are quite comparable in most of the shops on the islands.
However, the special status of the islands should be noted: they belong to the European Union. In accordance with the Schengen Agreement, the identity checks have been dropped, but they still apply Not to the sales tax law community area and are thus Third country territory equated. That means: Bringing cigarettes up to 200 per person, 1 liter of spirits (over 22%) and goods worth € 430 is duty-free. Any additional goods must be declared to customs.
climate
The climate is nice and warm all year round, but seldom really hot due to the strong maritime influence, and is sometimes referred to as "eternal spring". In addition, it is very healthy, especially beneficial for those suffering from breasts and nerves. Sea breezes cool the heat, and snow and ice are unknown in the inhabited valleys as the thermometer does not drop below 15-18 ° C.
From November to March there is light rain; in March the most glorious spring is in full bloom; in April the grain is harvested in the coastal areas. Summer and autumn are characterized by a great drought and an unchanging serenity of the sky. September and October are the hottest months when the thermometer reaches 26-31 ° C. Before the winter rains begin under the influence of the north winds, the landscape offers a sad detail: everything earth gray, pale and dusty where there is no artificial irrigation. Then, blowing from the desert, the oppressive, humid and thick fog-bringing Levant or southeast winds appear, in the wake of which grasshoppers often appear. The drought usually ends in early November.
There are often strong local differences between the northern and southern parts of the islands.
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average air temperature in ° C | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 24 | O | 24.2 |
| Average water temperature in ° C | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | O | 20.2 |
| Rainy days in the month | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | Σ | 38 |
Web links
- German weekly newspaper of the Canary Islands
- Some typical recipes can be found here on the Koch-Wiki
- https://www.diving-canary-islands.com/ - Information about diving in the Canary Islands
