Thursday, May 16, 2013


CANARY ISLANDS: The Happy Islands...

This paradisiac group of islands, which enjoys a wonderful climate with a constant mild temperature through all the year and splendid beaches of fine sand, consists of 7 larger islands (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro) and a few smaller ones (Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Lobos). Surprisingly, the landscape of each of the major islands is radically different from the others.
Already Greeks and Romans reported on this archipelago of volcanic origins, and called it the Happy Islands, Garden of the Hesperides, Atlantida, ... Some historians suppose that the legendary continent Atlantis was located here. The islands' original population, commonly called Guanches, is tall and of white skin.

In 1496 the islands became part of the Spanish kingdom, and the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped here on their travel to discover the New World.