Spain has some of the the most beautiful islands in Europe. The most popular Spanish islands are divided equally between the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. They all have unique characteristics, along with warm clear water and wild and untouched beaches. From the glitz and natural beauty of Ibiza, to the windswept volcanoes of Tenerife, there is something for every traveler in Spain's islands.
Islands of Spain
La Gomera
La Gomera is one of the seven main islands of the Canary Islands. Located in the Atlantic Ocean, in the western part of the archipelago, the island belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and has its capital in San Sebastian de la Gomera, where the Cabildo Insular is located, ie the seat of local government.
La Gomera, like the rest of the Canary Islands, is a volcanic island, about 12 million years old. The highest point of the island is represented by the Garajonay peak, which has an altitude of 1.487 m and belongs to the National Park. More than 100.000 dates grow on the island.
One of the smallest of the Canary Islands, La Gomera was the place where Christopher Columbus began his travels. The island can be reached by ferry from Tenerife and is a good place for holidays. It has an excellent climate and a great variety of unique plants, being a beautiful, forested area, with many unique landscapes offered by the rocks and waterfalls of the island. The island is not developed for tourism, so it is not a crowded area.
Menorca
Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The name Menorca (or "Small Island") comes from its smaller size than the nearby island of Mallorca (meaning "Big Island"). Menorca has a population of almost 100.000 inhabitants. The highest point, called El Toro or Monte Toro ("Taurus" or "Taurus Mountain"), is at an altitude of 358 m above sea level.
Menorca is a less developed island and a good place for a beach holiday away from the crowds. It has more beaches than any other Spanish island, so there is a good chance that visitors will find an isolated one for themselves. Along with the unaltered landscape, there are prehistoric monuments dating from 1300 BC.
Formentera
Formentera it is the smallest island of the Balearic Islands and together with the island of Ibiza, they are part of the Pituitary Islands (Illes Pitiüses). The island is 19 km long, is located in the Mediterranean Sea about 3 km south of Ibiza. The most important towns on the island are Sant Francesc Xavier, Sant Ferran de ses Roques, El Pilar de la Mola and La Savina. Nudism is allowed on most swimming pools on the island.
Formentera is a small island located south of Ibiza and well known for its wild, clean beaches and white sand. It can be reached from Ibiza by boat and there is a regular passenger service from mainland Spain. This is where families and nature lovers go for a relatively secluded beach holiday. However, in the peak season of July-August, the island attracts a large number of tourists. There is a dramatic rock, La Mola, with a lighthouse worth seeing.
Fuerteventura is famous for its strong winds and is a popular place for kite surfing and wind surfing. Parts of the island are well developed for beach holidays, and other places are untouched. It is also famous for its wide sand dunes and over 150 beaches. Corralejo, a town on the northern tip of the island, is considered to have the best beaches.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote is the easternmost island of the Canary Islands Archipelago. It is about 125 km from the coast of Africa and 1.000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. With an area of 845,9 km², Lanzarote is the fourth largest island among the seven Canary Islands, after Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. It is a volcanic island that appeared 20 million years ago.
Currently, tourism is very developed. The largest and most popular tourist center in Lanzarote is Puerto del Carmen, originally an old fishing village. Lanzarote has a strong volcanic landscape on a quarter of the island, after a volcanic eruption in 1730, which is the Timanfaya National Park. The park has a bar and a restaurant where the meat is cooked underground. Other attractions include the Whale and Dolphin Museum and the Mirador del Rio, a vantage point with spectacular views.
La Palma
La Palma, with the full name "San Miguel de la Palma", is the most northwestern island of the large islands of the Canary Islands and is one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain. It is about 42 kilometers long and 28 kilometers wide, being the fifth largest island in the archipelago.
The island belongs to the Spanish province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The capital of the island is the city of Santa Cruz de La Palma, a city located on the east coast of the island. The largest town on the island is located on the west coast of the island and is called Los Llanos de Aridane. Spanish is spoken on the island, with Latin American influences. It has a rich vegetation and many natural beauties, the island being nicknamed "isla bonita" (beautiful island) or "green island" (green island).
La Palma is the closest island to Morocco. It has an international airport and daily ferries to Tenerife. La Palma has spectacular scenery and is also a good place for excursions and hikes. The largest crater in the world is located in the center of the island and guided hikes are available in the area. There are other excursions organized to admire the many amazing volcanic landscapes.
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is an island that is part of the Canary Islands archipelago, with an area of 1.560,1 km², being the third largest island in the archipelago, after Tenerife and Fuerteventura. The island has an almost circular shape with a diameter of about 50 kilometers, and the total length of the beaches reaches up to 136 kilometers.
The island's capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
The capital of the island is the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which is also the center of tourism, a cosmopolitan city and one of the largest ports in Spain. The city was founded in 1478 by Juan Rejon. The former seat of the island's government, Casa de Colon, is in Vegueta, the oldest neighborhood in Las Palmas. The architectural style of the city delights the eyes of visitors. Numerous banana plantations on the island can be seen from the volcanic cone Montana de Aruca.
Gran Canaria has one of the largest cities in Spain. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is located on the northeast coast of the island and is a well-developed beach holiday destination. The island has many different types of landscapes, including majestic sand dunes, mountains with cycling trails, beaches and a densely populated underwater world. There are excellent places for diving, golf, surf schools and hiking to the remarkable cave villages in the center of the island.
Majorca
Mallorca is the largest Spanish island, being located in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea, 170 kilometers from the coast where Barcelona is located and is part of the Balearic Islands archipelago. The name derives from the Latin "Isula Maior", which translates to the big island, compared to the island of Menorca, which is the small island. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. The official languages are Catalan and Spanish.
Mallorca is the largest of the Spanish islands, being well developed for beach tourism on the southern shores, but it also has some magnificent landscapes in the northern part of the island. The Alcudia area also has beach resorts, especially for families, and beautiful cycling trails along the cliffs and mountain paths. There is an annual jazz festival on the east coast, as well as smaller beaches and golf courses. The small mountain towns and hidden monasteries in the north of the Tramuntana Mountains are charming and surrounded by spectacular landscapes and views of the island of Mallorca.
Tenerife
Tenerife it is the largest of the Canary Islands and the most populous in the archipelago and Spain. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital and seat of the island's government. Tenerife Island is served by 2 airports, Tenerife North Airport and Tenerife South Airport, is the tourist and economic center of the archipelago.
The second largest city in terms of population is San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the only city in the Canary Islands that has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The island has another objective listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Teide National Park (since 2007 it is the second park in the world in terms of number of visitors), is located on the volcano Teide, at an altitude of 3.718 m and is the highest mountain in Spain.
The island is also known internationally for the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The island is also known internationally for the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife considered the second largest in the world and declared a party of international tourist interest. The island also has a varied architecture, from colonial to true monuments of contemporary architecture, such as the Auditorium of Tenerife.
Tenerife is well developed for tourism and a very popular beach holiday destination. It is famous for its interesting nightlife and excellent diving sites. There are also many water sports available, including surfing, windsurfing, parascending and jet skiing. For those who love the mountains, there are picturesque hikes along the rocky mountains and a cable car to the highest peak in Spain. Hikers can also climb the mountain, but it is a real challenge.
Ibiza
Ibiza is an island in the archipelago of the Balearic Islands, being the third largest island, and together with the island of Formentera forms the group of Pitiuse Islands or "Pine Islands". It is also called the "White Island" for its architecture, being located in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea.
The capital of the island is the city of Ibiza. In Catalan, which is also the local language, along with Spanish, the island and its capital are called Eivissa. The island is part of the UNESCO heritage, being noted for biodiversity and culture.
Ibiza is famous for its nightclubs, parties and beaches. Ibiza Town and San Antonio are the most popular places for nightlife. They only start after 19:00 and remain open until early in the morning. During the day, there is a carnival-style market, where you can buy fresh food and handicrafts, but where you can also admire beautiful natural landscapes. Cova de Can Marca is a huge natural cave worth seeing, and visitors can take a boat to the nearby island of Formentera.
In addition to the beauty, culture and history of mainland Spain, its many islands offer a different holiday experience. Full of its own attractions and unique attractions, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and those in the Atlantic Ocean in Spain are wonderful destinations.
The most beautiful islands in Spain
The islands of Spain are located mainly in two areas: the Balearic Islands are located in the Mediterranean Sea, and the main islands include the well-known Ibiza and Mallorca, as well as Menorca and Formentera. The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, closest to the African coast of Morocco. The main Canary Islands are Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. When visiting any of the Spanish islands, be sure to venture to the beaches, out of the resort areas and into the true local culture and natural beauty of the island.
There are definitely other unique beautiful places in the islands of Spain. If you have discovered such a wonderful place and you think it is worth mentioning in this article, we are waiting for your pictures on our Instagram or Facebook or you can mention us in your posts.
That being said, we wish you a summer full of travel, fun, and many relaxing days :)!