Trip to the Canary Islands

The Canaries are a hundred kilometers from the northwest coast of Africa. The mild climate and picturesque landscapes have long attracted travelers to these islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Homer called them Elysium - the place where sinless souls of worthy dwelled. Now the archipelago is considered one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain and is divided into two provinces - the western, uniting the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, and the eastern with the islands of Tenerife, Homer, Ierra and Palma.
The continent in miniature
This is the name of the central and largest island of the Gran Canaria archipelago - Tenerife. It's all about the amazing diversity of the landscape, flora and fauna. In Tenerife is the highest peak in Spain - the extinct volcano Teide (3718 m). Frozen lava flows form "lunar" landscapes, pine forests cover the slopes, the waves with a noise break against the rocks.
At the foot of the volcano is the Orotava Valley. This is the most fertile part of the island. It is said that the German naturalist Alexander Humboldt was so impressed by the beauty of these places that he fell to his knees in ecstasy before the greatness of nature.

Is the sand black or gold?
Once upon a time there was a wild coast, and now, wherever you look, there are beaches and hotels for every taste. Since the coastal strip belongs to the municipality, you can sunbathe and swim in any vending place. You will be surprised by the unusual color of sand. It is black because it has a volcanic origin. To create the famous golden beaches, sand was specially imported from the Sahara desert. Trade routes to Africa and America have always traveled through the Canary Islands, so plants from all over the world were brought here. In Tenerife, cacti neighbors with eucalyptus and relict Cyprian pine.

Dragon's blood
But the most legendary tree is the dragon tree, long extinct in other parts of the Mediterranean. The dragon tree, or dracaena, is considered a symbol of the archipelago. It grows very slowly, but on the island you can see trees up to 20 meters high. The ancient people of the Canary Islands, the Guanches, knew the medicinal properties of the dracaena. Its resin is called "the dragon's blood", because in the air it becomes bright red when it dries out.

The "unstable" island
From Tenerife, ferry crossings to other islands of the archipelago are laid. If you can, try to visit the island of Palma, because he can disappear at any moment from the map of the Atlantic. Mount Los Muchachos rises above sea level at 2426 m. This huge cliff in the middle of the Atlantic has a very small base and is in a state of unstable equilibrium. Scientists of a number of countries have created a computer model of the island-cliff and have established that in the case of an eruption in deep caves under the island, an explosion may occur from the overheating of ocean water that has come into contact with lava. The island of Palma can split and disappear in the abyss.

Feel the spirit of Spain
But until this happens, we will try to experience all the pleasures that the tourists of Tenerife offer.
The spirit of Spain is hovering over the Canaries, it is easy to feel it, going to any restaurant and spending the evening with a click of castanets, rapping of heels, in the rhythm of temperamental flamenco. Order a specialty - stewed rabbit with sauce salmorejo. And to remember the trip, take a bottle of the famous local malvasia wine, about which the poets of antiquity composed enthusiastic poems.
Canary Islands are very famous not only for their magnificent nature, but also for memorable places. Therefore, we advise you to visit the Canary Islands, which will not leave you indifferent.