Camping in the Canary Islands: volcanoes, beaches and eternal spring
The Canary Islands form an archipelago of volcanic origin in the Atlantic, off the north-west coast of Africa, with a geographical and climatic personality completely different from mainland Spain. Eight main islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa) bring together in a small space a variety of landscapes that is hard to find anywhere else in Europe: volcanic peaks of more than three thousand metres, primeval laurel forests, white sand dunes, solidified lava flows, deep ravines and coasts carved by the ocean.
The Canarian climate deserves a mention of its own. The influence of the trade winds and the cold Canary Current moderate temperatures throughout the year, with winters that rarely drop below 15-16 degrees on the coast and summers without the stifling heat of the Mediterranean. This eternal spring makes the archipelago a valid destination in any month of the calendar, and allows you to plan a getaway with a tent, caravan or motorhome even in January or February, when much of Europe is in the cold.
The choice of regulated campsites in the Canary Islands is significantly smaller than on the Peninsula. Regional legislation and the protection of natural areas (four national parks: Teide in Tenerife, Timanfaya in Lanzarote, Garajonay in La Gomera and Caldera de Taburiente in La Palma) mean that wild camping is prohibited in most of the territory and that designated areas require authorisation or advance booking. However, there are campsites in forest and recreational settings, especially in the highlands of Gran Canaria and in the Tenerife woodlands, where Canary pines filter the light and the silence is broken only by birdsong.
The diversity of each island justifies the trip on its own. Lanzarote preserves a landscape of seas of lava and black volcanoes in Timanfaya National Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve, with a white vernacular architecture that contrasts with the blackness of the basalt. Fuerteventura has the best sandy beaches in the archipelago, with extensive dunes at Corralejo and exceptional conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. La Gomera holds in Garajonay one of the best-preserved laurel forests on the planet, with persistent mists that nourish vegetation from another age. La Palma, known as the beautiful island, combines the imposing Caldera de Taburiente with extraordinarily clear skies that have made it a leading destination for astronomy; the Roque de los Muchachos is home to some of the best telescopes in the world. El Hierro, the westernmost and least touristy, has been declared a World Biosphere Reserve and is committed to sustainability through renewable energy.
Anyone planning to tour the Canary Islands by caravan or motorhome should bear in mind that connections between islands are by ferry or plane, which shapes the itinerary and means the trip has to be organised in advance. Within each island, the roads are generally good, although some access routes to mountain areas have narrow stretches with tight bends. The activities are as varied as the landscapes: hiking in the ravines and national parks, snorkelling and diving over volcanic seabeds, whale and dolphin watching, surfing and water sports, cycle touring, visits to wineries and local markets, and a Canarian cuisine of great character, with papas arrugadas, mojos, gofio and fresh Atlantic fish. The Canary Islands are not the easiest camping destination to organise in Spain, but those who take the trouble to plan carefully discover one of the most distinctive natural environments on the planet.