CANARY ISLANDS

Canary Islands in winter

The Canary Islands has a population of 1.84m people, and the weather is generally warm and sunny all year round. If you hate winter, this is the best place to be a lazy beach bum, and have nice and friendly people around you. Most international flights and those from mainland Spain go to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote. You can also fly to the Canaries from most European cities. If you are flying from North America, flights usually go to Madrid, where you can get a connecting flight.

The Bahia de Pozo Izquierdo is the best beach on Gran Canaria. It is great for windsurfing, deep sea fishing and sailing. When you snorkel or scuba dive, you will probably see grouper, barracuda, turtles, rays, tropical fishes and the occasional shark. Don’t miss Teide National Park, a marvel of nature with its stunning volcanic landscape and home to Spain’s highest mountain, the dormant volcano Teide. There are numerous walking trails and a cable car to the top of the volcano.