Fast Facts

Just seventy miles from the Moroccan coast and almost a thousand miles from mainland Spain, the exotic Canaries form an archipelago of seven volcanic islands. Searching for an Atlantic base after their discovery of America, Spaniards conquered the Canaries in the fifteenth century, subjugating the indigenous population, the Guanches (a mysterious people whose origins still puzzle scholars). Called the “Fortunate Islands” by the ancient Greeks, today the Canaries derive most of their income from tourists who flock here for the perpetual sunshine, beaches, and stunning volcanic landscapes.