Cueva Pintada Museum & Archaeological Park
Gran Canaria
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…
Must-see attractions in Canary Islands
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
This fascinating museum documents Columbus’ voyages and features exhibits on the Canary Islands’ historical role as a staging post for transatlantic…
Tenerife
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…
Lanzarote
Upon returning definitively to Lanzarote, César Manrique built his spectacular house and creative centre, Taro de Tahíche, into the lava fields just…
Lanzarote
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…
Lanzarote
A yawning, kilometre-long chasm, the Cueva de los Verdes is the most spectacular segment of an almost 7km-long lava tube left behind by an eruption 5000…
Lanzarote
When molten lava seethed through this volcanic cavern around 5000 years ago, the ocean leaked in slightly, forming the startling clear azure lake that…
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Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Dating from 1944, this tantalising market is housed in an eye-catching building that combines a Latin American feel with Moorish-style arches and patios…
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Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves
Santa Cruz de la Palma
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…
Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo
Arrecife
Converted into an art gallery in 1976, on César Manrique's wish, the well-preserved 18th-century Castillo de San José houses one of the Canaries' major…
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Catedral de Santa Ana & Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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…
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Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos
La Palma
The huge telescopes on the peak of Roque de los Muchachos belong to the island’s astronomical observatory, one of the world’s best places to study the…
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Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente
La Palma
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…
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Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs. The galleries display…
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Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This brain-bending amalgam of natural science and archaeology is an excellent museum, despite a rather confusing layout. Set inside the former civil…
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Volcán San Antonio Visitor Centre & Volcán San Antonio
La Palma
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…
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Maspalomas
These fabulous dunes cover 400 hectares and were designated a nature reserve in the 1990s, ensuring that the rapidly multiplying hotels would never…
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Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
It's difficult to miss the striking bell tower of the city’s oldest church, which also has traditional Mudéjar (Islamic-style architecture) ceilings. The…
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Lanzarote
Frozen in time, complete with Manrique's clothes in the cupboard and personal art collection adorning the walls, the palm-shaded final home of the island…
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Fuerteventura
This superb museum is one of the island's best, with lots of interactive displays including a sit-down 'virtual goat milking' activity! Kids will enjoy…
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Fuerteventura
This 18th-century building has been beautifully restored, retaining its traditional central patio and wooden galleries, while other buildings on the…
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La Palma
Creatively designed Charco Azul is a blending of moulded concrete with natural volcanic rocks. The effect is stunning, especially when the waves are…
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La Gomera
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…
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El Hierro
Taking a refreshing dip is a dream at La Maceta, arguably top pick among El Hierro's beautiful natural coastal pools and just as popular with herreños as…
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Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
The fine 3km stretch of yellow sand is magnificent, and is considered by many to be one of the world's best city beaches. There’s an attractive seaside…
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Fuerteventura
This lovely church dates from 1620 and has a magnificent stone floor, carved wooden ceiling and an elaborate baroque altar. Don’t miss the sacristy with…
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Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This magnificent, soaring white wave of an auditorium was designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and delivers…
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Mirador Astronómico de Sicasumbre
Fuerteventura
If you want just one place to put the island's primordial, barren geology and Martian features into wide-angle perspective, this mirador has breathtaking…
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Gran Canaria
The extraordinary, neo-Gothic church stands sullen watch over the bright, white houses of Arucas in a striking display of disproportion and contrast. The…
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Parque Municipal de Arucas de las Flores
Gran Canaria
These terraced municipal gardens are laid out in French style with fountains, pavilions, sculptures and tropical trees, including the rare evergreen soap…
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El Hierro
Designed by famous Lanzarote-born artist César Manrique in 1989, the clifftop Mirador de la Peña (just a kilometre west of agricultural hamlet Guarazoca)…
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La Palma
This handsome ochre-red mansion (built in 1911), located down one of the steep streets from the main road, has downstairs exhibits on Corpus Christi – a…
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Puerto de la Cruz
This is not just any old garden: step through the entrance and you'll be met by a sweeping lawn punctuated with tables and chairs, tropical plants (birds…
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Puerto de la Cruz
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…
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Museo de la Historia de Tenerife
La Laguna
The documents, maps, weapons and tools are interesting enough at this museum, but the 16th-century mansion – with its creaking floorboards, old window…
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Basílica Nuestra Señora del Pino
Gran Canaria
Dominating the square is this neoclassical 18th-century church, home to Gran Canaria’s patron saint. According to legend, the Virgin was spied atop a pine…
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Biblioteca Municipal Central de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
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…
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Museum of the Basílica Nuestra Señora del Pino
Gran Canaria
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…
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La Laguna
Of all the convents in La Laguna, this is the most interesting, renowned for its beautiful lattice-work wooden balcony and cloister. The museum covers…
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La Laguna
Work on this magnificent cathedral was completed in 1915. A fine baroque retable in the chapel is dedicated to the Virgen de los Remedios and dates from…
