Must-see attractions in Canary Islands

Discovered by a local farmer in the late 19th century, this is one of Gran Canaria's most important pre-Hispanic archaeological sites: a cave adorned with…

This fascinating museum documents Columbus’ voyages and features exhibits on the Canary Islands’ historical role as a staging post for transatlantic…

The cable car provides the easiest way to get up to the peak of El Teide. The views are great – unless a big cloud is covering the peak, in which case you…

Upon returning definitively to Lanzarote, César Manrique built his spectacular house and creative centre, Taro de Tahíche, into the lava fields just…

Lanzarote's most spectacular sight, the eerie 51-sq-km Parque Nacional de Timanfaya sprawls around the Montañas del Fuego (Mountains of Fire) formed by…

For splendid views down the valley to Santa Cruz, put aside time to tackle the 4km uphill hike north of town to La Palma’s main object of pilgrimage, the…

This is the main beach in far-flung Cofete, near the southern tip of the island and the main draw on the island for many. It's huge, quite beautiful and…

This impressive structure, with its castle-like turret, was built by German engineer Gustav Winter in the 1930s. Rumours linking Winter to the Nazi party…

The spiritual heart of the city, this brooding, grey cathedral was begun in the early 15th century, soon after the Spanish conquest, but took 350 years to…

Declared a national park in 1954, this beautiful park is at the heart of La Palma, both geographically and symbolically. Extending across 46.9 sq km, the…

The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs. The galleries display…

The visitor centre is your first stop if you want to explore the volcanoes. Displays are well-captioned and informative, but the layout is not very…

These fabulous dunes cover 400 hectares and were designated a nature reserve in the 1990s, ensuring that the rapidly multiplying hotels would never…

This 18th-century building has been beautifully restored, retaining its traditional central patio and wooden galleries, while other buildings on the…

La Gomera's prime attraction, the magical, often-misty Parque Nacional de Garajonay extends across 40 sq km of dense, primeval laurisilva forest at the…

This magnificent, soaring white wave of an auditorium was designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and delivers…

Established in 1788, this magnificent botanical garden has thousands of plant varieties from all over the world and is a delightful place to while away an…

This library downstairs at TEA is a design classic, a vast open-plan room with overhanging globular lights, copious natural light, angular lines and a…

Don't miss this museum (also called the 'treasure house'), accessed upstairs from the rear of the basilica, where you can get a real close-up view of the…

These astonishing, dark rock cliffs soar sublimely 600m from the ocean, forging a magnificent natural geological spectacle right on the edge of Los…