In total Spain has 164 islands but the 2 biggest groups of islands are the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. But which islands are the best to visit?
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, east of the Spanish mainland.They are one of the seventeen autonomous regions of Spain and are also a province. The capital is Palma.
The biggest Island of Spain is Mallorca. The surface is 3640 km² and it has 858.000 residents. There are a lot of fun things to do when you visit there. For example, rent a boat and go around the island, visit the old town, see the beautiful Gothic cathedral in Palma de Mallorca *that took over 400 years to finish*, take a walk in the beautiful gardens and more!
Menorca is the second largest island, translated from latin the name means “smaller island” because it is next to Mallorca. In Menorca you can climb the Monte Torro, go “beach hopping” to visit all the beautiful beaches or go to the most important cities of Menorca; Ciutadella and Mahón.
Ibiza is a very popular holiday destination, known for its nightlife that evolved from the hippie culture. What’s fun to know is that the Catalan name is Eivissa; Ibiza is the Castilian name. There are a lot of flamingos in Ibiza, you can spot them at the experimental beach. You can also go with the boat to Formentera (one of Spain’s smaller islands), when you want to see more of the island, you can rent a jeep to go on a safari. You will go into the untouched nature, breathtaking views and unpaved roads. You might not know ‘Ibiza’s Atlantis’. It is a hard-to-reach rocky beach where it looks like part of an ancient city rises out of the sea.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco and Western Sahara. The seven large and six smaller islands together form one of the seventeen autonomous regions of Spain
Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands. With over 900,000 people, it is the island with the most inhabitants in Spain. Because all the Canary Islands are volcanic islands it is not a surprise that the most important sight is the volcano El Teide located in the National Park Teide. With a height of 3.55 meters you can see it all over the island but it is way more fun to see it up close.The dragon tree (Dragio de Milenario) is located in the north, in the city of Icod de los Vinos. You will see a lot of historical buildings like the San Marcos church. The tree gets its name from the red juice that comes out of the tree.
If you are looking for an active sun vacation, Fuerteventura is the place to go! It is the perfect spot for surfers and the weather is generally very good. Fuerteventura has the most wind and is the oldest island of the Canary Islands. After Tenerife, it is the biggest island and you can explore the island the best when you rent a car so you can find all the hidden gems. When you’re there you should also visit the capitol; Corralejo. You can sit in the old town with the cozy bars, restaurants and cafes. You can also see the beautiful Los Lobos, a smaller island and at 11 kilometers distance you can also see the volcanoes of Lanzarote.
The capital of Gran Canaria is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the most populous city in the Canary Islands and one of the ten largest cities in Spain. The Dunas de Maspalomas are called the highlight under the sights of Gran Canaria. It may remind you of a desert, especially if you’ve never been in one. The Roque Nublo is a sight you should definitely visit when you’re a nature lover. The ‘rock’ is 80 meters high, 1.813 meters above sea level and is the second highest height on Gran Canaria. Museo y Parque Arqueológico Cueva Pintada is a cave that was discovered by coincidence in 1873. Because there were some wall paintings found, was the cave called ‘Cueva Pintada’ – ‘painted cave’. If you want to experience the original life of Gran Canaria, you have to visit Teror. You can find a lot of historical houses with the typical Canarian balconies.
