West Canarias hopping.. A trip to the famous islands of Spain in the middle of the Atlantic ocean

 

It must have been an epic journey, after a year of waiting, after months of studies and programs: New York, New England and Canada (Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario) and back in the Big Apple! ... Were already booked the flight and hotels along the eight thousand kilometers of the route ... But fate has given us something bigger and better looking: after thirteen years, another child on the way, now unexpected but welcome ... and then the influenza virus to complicate matters and advise, with New York leading full-blown outbreak of pandemic now, to change precaution goal.
Here is a summary of how we got to deal with this unusual three-week trip in the Canary Islands, Spanish archipelago situated in the Atlantic Ocean, off the southern coast of Morocco, consists of seven main islands, which will visit five of the most Western (Tenerife, El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma and Gran Canaria), leaving Lanzarote, already seen a few years ago, and Fuerteventura, material for another, future experience.
However, for the first time in four (or so) Embark on an adventure ... and ultimately to the Canaries from Canada is not much difference, considering the first four letters are the same!
Shortly after 4:00 the alarm goes off and we get up. Settle the final details, we close at 4:57 to pack up and take the road.
Less than a quarter of an hour later we enter the highway A14 heading north in Faenza, so we leave around 5:40 on the right Marconi Airport in Bologna, where yesterday we had to fly to JFK airport in New York , and continue onto the A1.
At 6:30 pause near Parma for a coffee and then off, shipped to Milan, where we arrived without a hitch, plenty before 8:00 am.
Leave your car in Quick Street Parking Corsica, booked through the internet, and we go by bus to the Linate airport from which, it so happens, that we are never left for a trip.
Our flight schedule seems ... Embark luggage, we passed the check-in and we put metal detectors at the door waiting A8.
Being so far away all spun smoothly we wait a bit, 'till about 11:00, when they begin operations that lead us to climb sull'Airbus A319's national airline Alitalia, which in slightly late, at 11:47, the off the runway in Milan, identified as flight AZ48, to Madrid.
We pass over the Alps in their southern part, we fly over a stretch of France and entered the Iberian Peninsula, after just over two hours we landed at the airport Barajas in the Spanish capital, while the 13:34.
Out of the port of landing here in front of us the number 71, with directions to the next flight: the Air Europa to Tenerife departing at 15:40.
There's just time for a snack and then begin the operations of loading ... but it goes on longer than expected and the Airbus A330 (flight UX9120) taxis on the runway at Madrid 16:13.
Head to the southwest, recovering up to an hour of time zone. We pass over the region of the Algarve and we venture into the Atlantic Ocean, we do not notice until the window in the distance, the silhouette of the island of Lanzarote, then begin the descent to land safely at the airport of Los Rodeos Tenerife, with its 2354 km square is the largest island of the archipelago.
We collect all your luggage with satisfaction, then we start looking at the exit of the car rental booked on the web: Orlando Rent a Car. We find it and give ourselves a gray Ford Focus (license plate DSM 4507) with which we should tackle the full tour of the surrounding islands, but we learn with some disappointment that the insurance company is only valid for Tenerife.
With some concern in several parts, then to the south of the island, surrounded by a strange mist in search of the hotel that will host the next five nights.
We arrived around 20:00, near the airport of Tenerife-Sur, in the town of San Miguel de Abona, Gema all'Apartamentos Aguamarina Golf. We bring the luggage room and then we go out for dinner nearby before going to bed because they are indispensable for the well-deserved rest.

It starts up early exploration of the island of Tenerife yesterday, en route from the airport, there has certainly impressed with his deep and vast landscape urbanization.
After breakfast, included in the price of the room, and after spending a providential in the nearby supermarket, we follow the Autopista del Sur to the north-west, so far, beyond the large urban area of Playa del las Americas, this ends up giving way a normal single-track road.
The ribbon of asphalt now follows a considerable distance and height of the coastal profile, with scenarios that do, despite the intense haze today, more and more interesting and wild.
We pass the village of Guia de Isora, and down slightly in altitude, having arrived in the village of Tamaimo, surrounded by high peaks and steep, take the first picture of the day.
The road bends back then to get on to the village of Santiago del Teide, miraculously spared in the past by a volcanic eruption, in which stands the white and the baroque church of San Fernando, built in the mid-sixteenth century and situated at ' end of the main street ... We stopped briefly to observe that its asymmetrical facade, adorned with a wooden balcony, while you are removing some colored streamers of a recent festival, then we resume our journey for a walk around the island.
A little further on, past a crossing point over a thousand feet high, near the town of Ruigomez meet another characteristic white religious building, which stands behind the azure sky ... Then we go down to the coast north of the island, which seems filled with a cloudy low as unusual body, within which there also before arriving in the town of Icod de los Vinos.
Located in the heart of a fertile wine region (as the name suggests), but this place is famous for its Millennium Dragon, which is not to be a terrifying fire-breathing, but the largest specimen of a plant endemic to the Canary Islands ( also called Dracaena), considered over a thousand years old ... although in reality it should have more than five hundred.
Parked so close to the center and on foot we go to the Plaza de la Iglesia, on which perspective the Church of San Marcos and where you can enjoy the best view of the impressive tree, considered a symbol of the entire archipelago.
Even orphans of the sun, passing through huge and green banana plantations, we move later in the sea in the town of Garachico was founded in the sixteenth century by Genoese merchants and a major port of the island until 1706, when an eruption of Volcan Negro destroyed its major facilities ... There remain, however, to testimony of some interesting buildings, which we visit briefly, as the Castillo de San Miguel (1575), protecting the bay, the old church of Santa Ana and the Plaza de la Libertad, with the monasteries of Santo Domingo and San Francisco to characterize.
Shortly after noon we leave behind and also Garachico, proceeding along the coast to the north-western tip of Tenerife, we stop to have lunch with our sandwiches in a picnic area for picnics along the road that leads up area of Los Silos.
In early afternoon we continue to grind kilometers, with the clouds that gradually fade as we get closer to Cape Teno ... The mouth of the scenic road that leads to the lighthouse, however, a series of signs, very clear, urges us from pursuing the case, apparently, dangerous road, threatened by landslides and falling rocks. We are hesitant about it, but other cars coming and going, heedless of warnings, well, a little 'heady, we decide to go.
For a few kilometers, the ribbon of asphalt is truly breathtaking, as is torn with nails to the high cliffs and beaten by a strong wind and eerie, soaring up to Mirador de Don Pompeyo, then enters a long, dark tunnel and all 'output is down to the sea to reach the head, where you can find a parking space (strangely full of them) and the lighthouse, contained in an extraordinary setting of volcanic rocks overlooking the ocean ... undoubtedly the most beautiful picture of the day ... and think that they wanted to prohibit me!
Let's take a walk, finally kissed by the sun, and finally, back into the vehicle, walk backwards the entire stretch of road indicted but beautiful, then, near Buenavista del Norte, turn right, inward, and begin climbing along the Valle de El Palmar.
It winds among the other magnificent views as we arrive in the remote village of Masca, once the haunt of pirates can only be reached by mule, surrounded by towering rock walls, and from there, with another impressive ascent (made almost entirely in first gear!), back in the village of Santiago del Teide, in practice, closing a ring traveling.
At this point we go down to the west coast, to the Port of Los Gigantes is situated practically at the foot of the same name, gigantic cliffs, then, when it is 17:00, we allow ourselves a little 'rest in the nearby, very black Playa de The Arena: pretty, even if surrounded by a myriad of immense palaces ... and make them a bath in the ocean (less cold than I remembered in Lanzarote), and finally back to our hotel.
In the evening we try to go out to eat seafood in San Miguel de Taja, a handful of miles away, in a restaurant where I had excellent references, but we find it closed, then back in our area and concluded without the "icing on the cake" a first day, however, positive in many respects.

Mission Pico del Teide, an active volcano (though its last eruption dates back to 1798) and highest in Spain, with its 3718 meters, featuring the profile of Tenerife, it is visible from every part, but also the its climate, wetter in the north-west of rich vegetation, warmer and drier in the southern arid and rocky, so as to deserve the island the nickname of "miniature continent".
After all the routine morning we take the road and start to climb towards the center of Tenerife. Through the towns of Granadilla de Abona and Villaflor and a curve after another, a hairpin bend after another, we cross the entrance of the Parque Nacional del Teide, established in 1954 and today one of the largest in the country.
A Boca de Tauce we enter the depression of Las Cañadas, sixteen kilometers in diameter, which has been created about three million years ago following the collapse of the old volcanic cone, the center of which stands the present majestic Pico del Teide ... and already, despite the haze, widened his eyes to the wonder of the landscape, characterized by black lava flows and intense color contrasts.
The first real break, however, a few miles ahead to see a fantastic rocky arch that Zapato de la Reina (The Queen's shoe) ... In fact, vaguely resembles a certain angle, an elegant high-heeled shoes, which we try to get closer, but it ends up that we're getting a good scolding from a park guard to be carelessly left the beaten path and we can not even photograph it.
Then return to the road and passing through Los Azulejos, an area of multicolored rocks due to the concentration of various minerals, we arrive in the park area known as Los Roques, where are the most popular and beautiful shapes, originated at the time, with the complicity of erosion by volcanic upheavals and earthquakes.
Park the car immediately in front of our eyes para la Roque Cinchado, the most photographed rocky outcropping of the island, with the unmistakable backdrop of the Teide cone ... but the whole area is worth a visit carefully, through an easy trail offers wonderful views of the underlying Ucanca de Llano, an arid plain which occupies the bottom of the old crater, but also on other bizarre formations, or on rare plant species , among which stands the curious and endemic Red Echoes from now unfortunately long inflorescences withered, having regard to the season.
We spend a good hour to walk nicely for the area of Los Roques, snapping dozens of photographs, and finally, very pleased, we take the road, while the south has long past and does a nice hot, even if we are to over two thousand meters.
We thus arrive at the foot of Pico del Teide, in the place where a part of the cable car to the summit ... There's a big line of people waiting and we, armed with patience, we queued, and snapped our usual sandwiches, very quiet ... In fact, the minute hand has to do more than one full turn before they set foot inside the cabin, then very quickly takes us to 3555 meters of roof terrace at Las Cañadas.
Just arrived we can not help but notice, attached to a wall, the highest pay phone in Spain, then we go outdoors to enjoy the incomparable view ... beautiful, beautiful, despite the eternal, accursed mist.
It pretty cool, but not overly considered the height, just because a shirt with long sleeves to make a pleasant walk through the old lava flows up to several mirador, but not to the mouth of the crater, located less than two hundred feet above, for which you need a special permit.
When we descend from Pico del Teide are already a bit 'past 16:00 and resume immediately to grind kilometers. We stopped at San Jose de Minas, in the place where it has come to a strange "moonscape", made of gravel piled in whitish dunes imaginative ... and then, nearby, at the foot of a hill Dante characterized by a thousand shades of red, finally reached the gate of El Portillo, leave the park and begin to go down through the Valle de La Orotava.
Through an area of dense vegetation, thus gradually reducing the share, we come in a densely populated area where there is the town of La Orotava, where they are now 17:30.
Before the Spanish conquest of the island by the town, located on the northern slope of Mount Teide, Taoro belonged to the richest among the kingdoms of the Guanches, the ancient inhabitants of the Canaries, then settled there a few wealthy families of settlers Andalusian La Orotava and developed rapidly, becoming one of the most beautiful cities of the archipelago.
We park the car near the center and walk it walk the main streets, lined with interesting buildings dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
Let's start with the abbey church of San Agustin, enhanced by a beautiful Renaissance Baroque portal, and then continuing along the Carrera Escultor Estevez arrive in front of the neoclassical Palacio Municipal, which dominates the elegant Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the scene of a major religious holiday during the period of Corpus Christi. But the most representative building of La Orotava and La Casa de los Balcones, a palace built in 1632-70 and featured a lively facade decorated with a heavy carved door, elegant windows and balcony with teak wood. Inside is a lovely patio and overlooked by the balconies, in wood, the first and second floor.
On the way back we can see other buildings with traditional wooden decorations, typical Canarian architecture, in addition to the impressive Baroque facade of the Iglesia de la Concepiton, then regained sight of the Night is the car to return to our hotel.
There is still a long way to go: we go down to the north coast of the island where going to the west, as in the past, bodies pile up low clouds, while to the east, where we're headed, the sun shines. So we walk across the highway that comes to Santa Cruz de Tenerife and then goes down south to San Miguel de Abona and Gema Aguamarina ... and later, in front of a good plate of paella, we conclude what has been, without doubt, an intense but beautiful stage of our Canary Islands itinerary.

After the marathon yesterday, today we plan to spend a day much quieter and consumed in the usual breakfast, we followed the highway north-east. We pass Santa Cruz, and arrived in the vicinity of the airport of Los Rodeos, leave the dual carriageway to visit the nearby town of La Laguna.
His full name is Ciudad de San Cristobal de la Laguna and size is the second largest city of Tenerife. Founded in 1496 by the conquistador Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, was originally the residence of Adelantados, the military governors of the island, and until 1723 was the capital of this rugged land ocean.
La Laguna but also campus, the academic tradition which goes back to the eighteenth century, and has an interesting town center filled with houses with typical wooden balconies, some fine religious buildings and the palace of the town, overlooking the bustling Plaza de adelantado.
There was still much impressed La Laguna, and soon we are on the road to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the current, modern capital, and more specifically its elegant promenade overlooked by the futuristic and impressive auditorium, flanked by the seventeenth-century Castillo de San Juan, once having defensive functions of the port, and shortly afterwards the monumental Plaza de España, the main landmark of the city.
In Santa Cruz we do not stop and continuing along the east coast to arrive first in the town of San Andres, then in view of the Playa de las Teresitas, the most famous beach in Tenerife, all of soft golden sand imported from the Sahara.
The coastal road rises considerably in altitude, so we can have the beach at our feet, that stands, light stands, a bit 'unnatural dark rocks on the surrounding ... just the opposite of the nearby, very black, Playa de las Gaviotas, certainly less inviting. Let's get back on our feet and then go down to Playa de las Teresitas.
Leave the car park behind the immense and we are going to carve out a piece of shade between the exotic palm trees that dot the beach, because it's noon and it does a pretty hot!
The afternoon we spend in total relaxation, with a few bathroom, a sound reading, ice cream and frozen drinks, less so in 'no time lengthens the shadows and also the time comes to return to our apartment, returning from places not exactly exciting, but at least with the nerves more relaxed than usual.

And 'the last full day we spend on the island of Tenerife and the sky is quite cloudy. But this morning we get up with a splinter in mind: to change the rental car and get one that gives us some guarantee for the next two weeks (they were two days, but two weeks!).
We walk across the highway along the east coast and go Los Rodeos airport, where all the desks of car rental companies. We ask the Avis, but there are some problems and most have very high prices. Hertz to ask, but do not have space available. Finally, we Europecar the bench and give us a car at a price acceptable, with insurance and assistance in all the islands ... just what we needed!
We deliver the old car, with which we have traveled 730 kilometers, the Orlando Rent a Car, very honestly we will refund the unused portion of the day, and we will take a brand new Seat Leon Gray (GGB 6141 license plate), on board which, almost lunch, we resume the road to complete the last stage on the island of Tenerife.
In the meantime, he returned to shine the sun, but now the mist breaks all records ... We go up anyway to the Teide along the Carretera Dorsal, which runs through a beautiful wooded area and offers several vantage points ... surrounding the dense fog!
The landscape changes then look and rugged volcanic scenery takes over more than two thousand meters of altitude, when we pass Izaña Astrophysical Observatory, then we go for a short distance within the boundaries of national park and arrived at El Portillo, as two days ago, we begin to go down through the Valle de La Orotava.
We stopped to observe the curious phenomenon that caused the eruptive Rosa (or Margarita) de Piedra and along the road to the north coast of the island we stop for lunch, then we go again from La Orotava and early afternoon we arrive at sea in the resort of Puerto de la Cruz.
The town, once a fishing village and small traders, became the main port of the island after the destruction of one of Garachico and the late nineteenth century became a very popular tourist destination among the English wealthy ... Puerto de la Cruz is still one of the main resorts of Tenerife.
We skip the famous Loro Parque deliberately, a little 'because we love the zoo in principle, a little' because it is very similar to American Sea World, saw a few years ago, and we are at the heart of Puerto de la Cruz.
We leave the car in an underground car park and walking along the lively waterfront, on which stands the white and feature Ermita San Telmo, with a view to reach the famous Lake Martiánez.
On the rocky promontory north of the town, in 1969, the famous Canarian artist Cesar Manrique built, surrounded by a lush tropical garden, this whimsical artificial lagoon, made of water games, harmonious color contrasts and bizarre space has always been used as one of the original pool that you know ... For just 3.50 euros per head so we can make a bathroom into a work of art and spend all afternoon, relaxing in a unique place.
Lake Martiánez shortly after 18:00 but closed its doors and we're leaving, satisfied, to our hotel, believed to have concluded the best way the first visit of this Canary Island.

Day focuses on the transfer from Tenerife to El Hierro ... We got up from bed slowly, eat our last breakfast at the Aguamarina Gema, put the luggage, we do a little 'stocks for breakfast (not included in the next hotel) and a little after 11:30 we leave San Miguel de Abona onto the 'Highway to the south.
After a few kilometers we exit following signs for Los Cristianos, and more specifically for its harbor, while on the right, in the distance, the tower blocks parade of Playa de las Americas, super-tourist resort, at the mercy of the concrete, that we have carefully avoided, then we put ourselves in a line on the dock to board the ferry company Fred Olsen, booked via the Internet, starting at 12:00 o'clock.
Benchijigua The Express-art fast ferry sets sail with a few minutes late and soon we leave behind, in a confused haze almost unbelievable, the island of Tenerife.
After about an hour by boat berthed in San Sebastian de La Gomera, an island that we visit in a few days, and once broken down, after another hour and a half, we arrive in Puerto de la Estaca on the island of El Hierro .
The westernmost stretch of land in the archipelago is also the smallest so as to be called "la isla chiquita" (small island), because it covers only 278 square kilometers, but is also the least populous, with its slightly more that six thousand inhabitants, the less touristy and more integral in terms of nature, as to be declared on 22 January 2000, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Blowing hot, clear of Saharan origin, when we go down to the ferry and begin to follow the coastal road south road at some point wedged into a narrow one-way tunnel, regulated by what is probably the only traffic island to emerge in the spectacular bay of Las Playas, dominated by towering rock walls.
Just at the point where the tunnel ends is the scenic Roque de la Bonanza, a basaltic rock pierced by the waves that rise vertically a few meters from the coast, then later meet certain fire houses, where the ends ribbon of asphalt, our exclusive and prestigious hotel ... Yes, because we wanted to El Hierro just be nice and we chose the most beautiful hotel on the island (also indicated on road maps): the Parador del Hierro, built in 1973 in Castilian style, where we will stay for four nights.
The hotel is directly facing the ocean and our room (the 402) has a wonderful view! Settle all our stuff and run to spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool, cheered only by the magnificent landscape and the lapping of the sea.
In the evening we learn with pleasure that the hotel facilities also includes lunch but not dinner, of course, for which we go out looking for a restaurant, we do not find in the immediate vicinity. So we end up in Valverde's quiet capital in almost two thousand feet high, in a small restaurant where we eat very well, and in the dark now complete and we return to the Parador, commenting that the climate between us and the pace of life in El Hierro seem much more positive than the frenzy of over-travel Tenerife.

Start today ... the exploration of El Hierro and if a good day starts in the morning will be very positive exploration! In fact, when, shortly after 7:30, I open the window of our room, the sun is rising from the sea, in the middle of the Gulf of Las Playas, right before our eyes, giving us an unforgettable show!
After breakfast (a breakfast that should not even be included) we depart by car along the coast. We stopped again to see the Roque de la Bonanza, but is still in the shadow of high cliffs behind. Then we go up to Valverde, characterized by a small town main street and a nice place on this street are the city hall and the church of Santa Maria de la Conception. Here we take a small fee and then continue along the road that climbs toward the center of the island.
Once in the village of San Andrés, now over a thousand meters of altitude, we begin to follow the signs to the Garo ... So we walk the narrow streets and a stretch of dirt road, but eventually we find this strange place, a sacred time for bimbaches, the ancient inhabitants of the island.
Long ago, in a split of the mountain was a huge lime tree (the Árbol Santo), on whose branches condensed water from the low clouds often present (the so-called horizontal rain), then collect some surrounding wells .. . a valuable source since there are no springs on the island. The tree was felled by a heavy storm in early 1600, but remained to witness the pools and the mythical Árbol was in the last century, replaced by a bay tree ... nothing extraordinary, for heaven's sake, but enough to make the visit, after all, interesting.
Back on the main road we come near, even at the Mirador de Jinama, vast panoramic view over the entire northern coast of the island, called El Golfo ... About fifty thousand years ago in El Hierro occurred one of the most violent and devastating natural phenomena of which we have never heard about, which radically changed the physiognomy of the island. A landslide of gigantic proportions that in a few seconds, probably due to an earthquake, precipitated more than three hundred cubic kilometers of material into the sea giving rise to the great amphitheater of El Golfo, the same amphitheater from the Mirador de Jinama unfolds majestically to our feet, though the usual bloody mist diminishes a bit 'the show.
As in recent days, even now the heat is no joke and high temperatures combined with strong winds prompted local authorities to close the road through the island's highest point, so that we see ourselves forced to change the route expected. We go down well in the direction of the town of Guarazoca and get there before we stop at Mirador de la Peña, perhaps the most famous vantage point of El Hierro.
This site also offers spectacular views over the bay of El Golfo, but with the same visibility problems mentioned above. In 1988, however, was placed on a design by Cesar Manrique, the artist of Lake Martiánez of Puerto de la Cruz, and the architecture makes up a bit 'to the mournful mist around it.
At this point of the day we complete the descent and conquer the coast of El Golfo in the village of Las Puntas, where in attractive position on a rocky outcrop to the sea the hotel is located Puntagrande cited in the Guinness Book of Records as the ' smallest hotel in the world. Built in 1884, before being converted into a hotel was a port building and now has four rooms, a bar and a restaurant.
Mezzogiorno has long past and a shadow in which we eat our traditional lunch of sandwiches ... difficult undertaking! We stop near Los Llanillos and facing a long staircase down to the sea to the so-called Charco Azul: a table where there are lean, a little 'shadow due to the high cliffs and also an interesting stretch of coast to photograph, characterized by pools, caves and a strange shape of prismatic basalt columns ... as well as many lizards.
On the restart, after the uphill trek to reach the car, we stopped and then the Ecomuseum Lagartario of Guinea, a complex of restored ancient shepherds' huts, and breeding of rare species of lizard, also more than a meter long, According to Salmor, which is found only in El Hierro ... but the visit is just the next tour and will be among more than two hours, so we decide to fly.
So we go in the northern part of the island and admired the beautiful, white church Mocanal will dock from the picturesque bay of Pozo de las Calcolsas to enjoy the view and to observe, in the immediate vicinity, and feature a tiny chapel, expression the character of this island, made up of many small but extraordinary detail.
Still an incredible series of curves and here we are in Charco Manso, a place in the twilight zone, lost one-hit rock hit by the strength of the ocean, where there is a magnificent natural arch of rock formed by the incessant waves .. . It would probably worth stopping for a long time to meditate in front of the roaring of the sea, but we want to end this beautiful day with a quiet swim in the pool and with a little 'healthy relaxation, then do not waste any more time and we return to the Parador, so we feel once again the undisputed masters of the incredible Bay of Las Playas, until darkness falls and night begins to turn over.

We start to explore the extreme west of El Hierro: the wildest and least accessible.
We climb over the ridge of the island and along the entire bay of El Golfo to reach the remote village of Sabina, attractively located halfway up and at the foot of towering cliffs. From there, the road winding down to the sea in the region to venture further west, but are barred, because the wind and heat that make high risk of fire, like, huge, broke out yesterday in La Palma, on the island which will land in four days.
With some expletive head back and change programs, hoping to gain access to the area tomorrow.
Our new goal is now the southernmost tip of the island, an arid area is completely devoid of vegetation and therefore, we think, not a fire risk ... Roads closed due to wounds, but we have the "world tour" to get there and along the way we take advantage to seek guidance to some firefighters, who tell us that most probably will be so tomorrow.
Now in late morning through the volcanic area of Los Lajiales, which is a vast lava field solidificatosi, thanks to special conditions, extravagant and fanciful shapes that create scenarios almost unreal, made up of intricate clusters of "strings" petrified rivulets of magma apparently fluid state, which instead are solid for thousands of years, and the interior life that emerges timidly in the form of pioneer plant species ... an amazing phenomenon when observed in the smallest details!
The ribbon of asphalt ends nell'insignificante Restiga The town, consisting mostly of anonymous apartment blocks ... Going back a bit 'on our steps, a few kilometers, but we take the cart road that leads to Cala de Tacorón in volcanic coast of Mar de las Calmas, and there are a sort of recreational area where you can dine, but also a nice stretch of sea, albeit rocky, which take a refreshing bath.
On the restart, in the early afternoon, we return to the highest part of the island and we would stop the so-called Mirador de las Playas, but that it was shut! ... Come on then in the small village of Isora and near, we can reach the same name mirador, terrace overlooking the coast below, which clearly identify the shape of the Parador.
The view of the magnificent bay and the swimming pool by the sea are irresistible, so we return to our hotel where we spend a few hours usually cheered by the wonderful panorama.
The best part of this Sunday canaria but is yet to arrive, in fact we are the exclusive restaurant for dinner the Mirador de la Peña, just in time to occupy one of two tables in the front row (where he also sat King Juan Carlos!) And enjoying what surely will be one of the best experiences of this trip: an amazing view of El Golfo dressed up with an unforgettable sunset! ... For the record it is also eaten well and spent little, considering the extraordinary performance (less than thirty euros per person) ... Of course this little island, unknown to the classic tourist routes, continues to amaze us every day!

The weather this morning appear to have changed: it changed the direction of the wind, the air is crisp, is therefore less hot and the sky is clear ... Let us try this way to visit the extreme western tip of the island.
We climb to Valverde and then go to the Mirador de la Peña to take a picture with much less haze, although much of the landscape is still in the shadows, either to the mountains, either by the presence of some cloud too.
We cover the whole northern coast and reached the block where yesterday there was ... today is no more! ... Thankfully, so we can complete our program of exploration!
The landscape is now much harsher and much ... volcanic. Let's see Verodal de la Playa, located at the foot of a cliff and characterized by an unusual rust-colored sand, then begin to rise among beautiful views, by the strong color contrasts between the warm tones of the land and the deep blue today's sky, towards the region of Sabina, where the famous junipers should be white, bent by the wind in the most convoluted forms, considered the symbol of El Hierro.
We meet some fine specimen along the way, but not yet the most famous, then we face the dusty dirt road that leads from primordial landscapes, at the Faro de Orchilla that you see on the horizon flanked by an old volcanic cone.
In 150 A. D. the greek geographer Ptolemy showed the western end of El Hierro as the boundary of the known world and from there was passed the meridian in 1634, until, in 1883, it was moved permanently to Geenwich ... That is the point of Cabo Barbudo we see in the distance, with his memorial, but it is accessible only on foot and there seems to be the case.
Once at the base of the lighthouse took some pictures and then back along the dirt road to the ribbon of asphalt, and ERM de Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, the pilgrimage shrine dedicated to the Holy Mother of Kings (Magi), patroness of El Hierro, a church and some buildings, all completely white, enclosed within a circle of walls, but they are closed today ... Inside the houses the statue of the Virgin that every four years, during a solemn procession Bajada said, is brought up to Valverde (the last time it happened no more than two months ago.)
From a narrow road leading to the shrine Mirador de Bascos ... we try to follow it and at some point a detour on the left indicates "El Sabina ... we trust the sign and we are dealing with a dusty track, among cows grazing in the meadow that is home to the island's most famous tree.
Collapsing on itself, this juniper white, is a veritable natural sculpture, dramatic and portentous, for the boldness with which he has been able to deal with the wind ... and next to "Her Majesty" there are other, perhaps less impressive, but still worthy "courtiers", given their form as imaginatively twisted.
Took a small photo shoot back into the vehicle and went to lunch at the Mirador de Bascos, which have since several dense clouds, so that it can not offer much in terms of landscape ... in fact, is also quite cold and we remain longer than necessary.
In the afternoon the bodies cloudy invaded this part of the island completely, and falls even a few drops of rain, but it is a very local phenomenon, in fact we find the sun and walk the steep road that follows from the severe south-west coast El Hierro, El Julan said.
We cross a beautiful pine forest and then let you come out on the road that goes to the Restiga near El Pinar. We take the opportunity so to go and see the nearby Mirador de Las Playas, closed yesterday ... and observe, in this way, from another angle, the large bay in which you will find our wonderful hotel.
To close the circle passing through the village of San Andres, in one of the island's highest points, and again in the clouds, the thermometer marked only 18 degrees ... Descending to the coast to be 27 degrees but, unlike the other day, blowing pretty cool and now the swimming pool of the Parador not inviting us to a cooling bath. However, spend several hours in the sea, crowning a beautiful day, dedicated to the wildest part of El Hierro, and perhaps of all the Canary Islands.

Today we leave for another Canary Island El Hierro La Gomera, but only in the afternoon, so there's no hurry.
After breakfast, while Sabrina Federico and they go by the pool, I climb in the car to do some shopping for Valverde and the return I stop to photograph the Roque de la Bonanza with the right light, even if a parade of clouds spiteful I am losing a lot of time ... Those same clouds that then we will disturb the last hours of stay at the Parador.
13:30 to salute our very special sea view ... handed over the keys to the reception and loaded all the luggage, leaving a bit of heart in the Gulf of Las Playas, and we reach Puerto de la Estaca where we put ourselves in anticipation of the Fred Olsen ferry.
The Benchijigua Express arrives on time and with the sails to La Gomera, El Hierro after the smallest of the Canary Islands, with its 378 square miles in extent. Also called "la isla redonda (Round Island) to almost perfect shape of its outline, La Gomera is also highly uneven, with deep valleys arranged in a radial pattern, which makes it virtually impossible to build a coastal road along the perimeter .
El Hierro requires little more than an hour of browsing, in fact, around 17:00 we land in the capital of La Gomera San Sebastian, now that we stop to visit.
First of all, we see that the Torre del Conde, surrounded by a small and well-tended garden, is all that remains of the city's ancient fortifications, built in Gothic style in 1447 by the first Spanish governor of the island, Hernán Peraza the elder.
In Calle Real, the main street of the old town, stands the characteristic facade dell'Iglesia de la Virgen de la Asunción, dating from the mid-fifteenth century, where it says it is in prayer even before Christopher Columbus to discover the Americas . La Gomera is no coincidence that, in addition to "la isla redonda", is also called "la isla dove," because of its link with the great navigator, who had to stop three times (1492, 1493 and 1498) before cope with its exploration overseas, where resided at number 53 Calle Real, in what is now called, of course, Casa de Colon ... But we can not see the Pozo de Colon, located in the courtyard of the old customs, which closed its doors about an hour ago, on which the inscription: "With this water was called America."
Dedicated to all the time to leave for the Sen Sebastian Playa de Santiago, where we booked our next accommodation.
We climb towards the center of the island between severe scenarios of deep gorges and magnificent views of the ocean in the background, then go down to Playa de Santiago, where we find, in a narrow dead end street, the Apartamentos Bellavista, we will host for the next two nights.
Our room, top floor of a renovated building, offers us another beautiful sea view sull'antistante bay ... could not get any better than that!
For dinner we go to the nearby marina where there are some places that do for us, then come home, so as to better prepare the exploration of La Gomera, which will start tomorrow morning.

An unexpected phone call from work does not open the day in the best possible way, but it shines a bright sun and leave confident Playa de Santiago to the north-west and the high altitudes of the central part of the island.
Near centennial Alajero try a dragon, but a sign indicates it along a path which no end in sight and we fly over.
We continue to grind away in kilometers and meters in height, but in an arid landscape full of palm trees, seemingly spontaneous, as ever we happened to see the archipelago so far ... We thus come within the boundaries of the Parque National de Garajonay and the environment in a few turns completely changes its appearance.
Relatively young, since established in 1981, and with a limited extension of only 40 square kilometers, however, this national park can boast of being declared the first and last case of its kind in Spain, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, as unique ecosystem.
The peculiarity of the so-called Laurisilva Garajonay is a sub-tropical moist forest which is the ultimate integration of relic forests millions of years ago, during the Tertiary, covered the North Africa and southern Europe ... and if this living fossil still exists today is due to the geographical location of La Gomera. In fact, the Laurisilva is perennially fresh and soaked through to the trade winds that loads of moisture, blowing almost all year round from the north. Arriving on the island these moist air masses are pushed towards the mountains, where it condenses forming perennial drizzle (the "horizontal rain"), retained by mosses and lichens, which act as huge natural sponge.
As soon as the path we are facing on the other side of the island is below us a vast sea of clouds ... The effect is nothing short of amazing, almost magical, as it is immersed in a hushed silence ... and in the distance above the soft blanket, strange but true, stands imperious, almost eerie, the unmistakable silhouette of Mount Teide.
Another few miles and arrive at Laguna Grande, a bit 'the heart of the park, where the visitor center, where we take a short trek that makes us, in an exhaustive manner, the idea of the primeval forest of Laurisilva, a landscape, it seems very similar to what Europe had millions of years ago, when man did not exist.
After this beautiful experience we take the road and begin to descend in altitude, but in doing so we enter the clouds, from which views are not that attractive, and reach the north coast resort of Agulo, accompanied by some so-haul of sunlight and a good view of the town against the backdrop of a high cliff ... The bodies then resume cloud over when we go up the charming Valle de Hermigua who will prepare tomorrow, hopefully with better weather luck.
E 'past noon and we go in the direction of San Sebastian where, thanks to the incredible climate variability of these islands, the sun almost always shines, and there we start looking for a beach.
I had some good indication of the Playa de Avala, north of the city, but once achieved, we realize that aside from some nice palm tree behind him is all in the dark pebbles large and rather dirty, and certainly not inviting. Let us return then to San Sebastian and we stop in the black beach of the city, which is not the best, but we must be satisfied.
Lunch is a bit 'disagiatamente between the hot and some sudden gusts of wind, so in the early afternoon we decided to remove the noise and go and spend the rest of the day, relax on the terrace overlooking the sea from our apartment, accompanied by ice cream potato chips and ice cold beer ... The culinary pleasure continues in the evening with a seductive dinner of fish on the seafront of Playa de Santiago, cheered by the reflection of the silvery full moon on the bay front.

At mid-morning we leave the Apartamentos Bellavista with all luggage and starts to climb toward the center of the island, although, unfortunately, today the sky is no longer clear in recent days.
Alajero through the village and just before the entrance to the Park Garajonay turn left and follow the signs to Chipude.
Surrounded by rugged mountains, including La Fortaleza, a large basalt rock dall'estradosso completely flat, we arrive precisely at Chipude, which is located over a thousand meters above sea level is the highest village of La Gomera and there, at an old wash house result, we see some ladies doing the laundry ... a scene of another era that is consumed before our eyes ... In the nearby village of El Cercado then we stopped to buy a black pottery, typical of the area, before starting to descend towards the west coast.
Along the way you just have to stop at the Mirador del Santo, just outside the village of Arure, where a sort of natural balcony embraces a beautiful stretch of coast, with views extending out to the islands of El Hierro and La Palma, whose highest peaks stand out above the clouds on the horizon.
Having taken the ribbon of asphalt that goes to Valle Gran Rey, the most famous ravine on the island, we stopped at the Mirador del Palmarejo also built by César Manrique, but they are largely closed, probably for restoration. This does not prevent us to enjoy the view on the many terraces typical of the place, but we expected more green and lush, so that their proximity to the rice fields of Bali, sometimes praised, it seems too risky.
Arrived at the sea in what is the most developed tourist resort of La Gomera lunch, the view now, at a restaurant overlooking the ocean in the early afternoon and retrace our steps to the upper areas of the island.
We pass the village of Vallehermoso, in a deep and beautiful valley, but we can not enjoy the landscape quality as the area is beset by low cloud bodies that now we understand it, are used to invade the northern part of the island .. . In fact, even in Playa de Vallehermoso the gray reigns absolute and the boat service that we hoped to find for the nearby cliffs of Los Organos, one of the most amazing natural phenomena of La Gomera, just does not exist and we must start to see much more from a distance ( from Valle Gran Rey or San Sebastian), with a large amount of time that we simply can not afford.
The weather almost autumnal us along the north coast and in the Valle de Hermigua (like yesterday), then continue to raise the quota to the center of the island, along a path around curves, and enter the National Park Garajonay to find, reached the top, a beautiful sun.
We are now in the area of Los Roques, characterized by steep volcanic formations, among which stands the imposing Roque de Agando, with a sea of clouds to lick and create cascades of fantastic water vapor ... one of the most beautiful landscape of La Gomera, which certainly will remain imprinted in our memory.
A hairpin bend after another go down again towards the coast, to reach a view of the colorful arena of houses on the promenade of San Sebastian and spend the last hours of the capital island, biting our sandwiches for dinner, waiting for the ferry Fred Olsen.
At 20:30 on Benchijigua Express usually breaks away from the quay at the port of La Gomera with destination island of La Palma, the fifth extension of the archipelago, with its 706 km square, but the highest mountain in the world and in relation to its extension ... Also of volcanic origin was in 1971, the spectacular scenery of the last eruption in the Canary Islands.
When leaving the sun sets behind La Gomera and is pitch dark when we land at 22:30 in Santa Cruz de La Palma, the capital of the fourth island of our itinerary ... and a handful of minutes later we all'Apartahotel El Galeon, we will host for the next two nights.
We make a nice refreshing shower and then immediately go to bed, because tomorrow is waiting for us, perhaps, the most difficult stage of the whole trip.

A day to visit the island of La Palma, we have only one full day, dictated by the ferry schedules, and we must let us do!
There is some cloud in the sky when we leave too Aparthotel El Galeon and we stop along the Avenida Maritima Santa Cruz for taking photographs of typical houses of Los Balcones, a complex of picturesque old houses, perfectly restored, brightly colored and the typical wooden balconies.
Instead, there is some pale sunbeam when, a little later, we see the exact copy of the caravel Santa Maria, called El Barco de la Virgen, moored ... in Plaza de la Alameda and host a small museum of the navy, who deliberately overlook, before facing a short walk in the surrounding streets.
Check the sun and then finally we come out of Santa Cruz and start rising, rising, rising, rising ... toward the center of the island: 36 km of tough ascent up to 2426 meters at Roque de los Muchachos!
All the highest part of La Palma is built around the Caldera Taburiente immense, enormous crater no longer active, about ten kilometers in diameter, had been created over millions of years earlier because of intense volcanic activity and then due to erosion. Since 1954, the area is designated a national park, and with good reason given the beautiful landscapes that characterize it.
The Roque de los Muchachos is the highest peak in the park and throughout the island and from there the view is breathtaking, with views ranging from rock faces on one side of the caldera and the immensity of the other ' ocean. In addition to enhancing the views there are the domes, scattered here and there, the powerful telescope of the Astrophysical Observatory International, opened in 1985 in the presence of King Juan Carlos and many European heads of state, the most important of its kind ' Northern Hemisphere, yes, because thanks to the clarity of the sky, the Canary Islands are considered one of the best places in the world to conduct astronomical observations.
After a nice walk along the short hiking trail of Roque de los Muchachos begin the descent towards the west coast ... a long way down, but not to the sea, because the coastal road (if it can be defined) runs a lot away from the coast.
We turn at this point the bow toward the south and, after lunch, the rising mist does not allow us to enjoy the best view from Mirador del Time on the plain below Tazacorte, fully carpeted with banana plantations.
The view is also limited by the mist of Mirador de la Cumbrecita, balcony south of the Caldera Taburiente, then we start with our Seat Leon, to the far south of La Palma.
We stop in the home of Las Manchas to see the original Plaza La Glorieta, kaleidoscopic work of Luis Morera, a disciple of local artist Cesar Manrique, and then arrive in the area Fuencaliente, where only a few days ago while we were in El Hierro was a huge fire broke out ... really big!
E 'impressive cross miles of charred forest where you can still feel the acrid smell of smoke, but not enough, in fact along the road there are houses burned and blackened carcasses of cars ... a real massacre! ... The tragedy has been averted but for the country for a breath of Fuencaliente, literally surrounded by the flames, it was almost saved.
From the center of the town, still dazed by the facts, we descend towards the coast. We cross vast banana plantations and arrive at the southernmost tip of La Palma, in a purely volcanic landscape (here occurred almost forty years ago the last eruption), to the lighthouse Fuencaliente, giving views over the islands off the coast of El Hierro and La Gomera.
Next to the lighthouse, set between the black rocks battered by the waves, there are some scenic salt marshes, which are still active, with the frames and the masses of salt ponds from the typical reddish reflections to create paintings with amazing color contrasts ... After Roque de los Muchachos of the tip Fuencaliente was definitely the best experience of La Palma, an island montuosissima but in some ways a bit 'disappointing.
Recovered along the east coast closing the circle and arrive in Santa Cruz in time for a walk in Calle O'Daly, the main artery is completely pedestrian, the capital, flanked on both sides by houses and stately homes to witness the prestige formerly enjoyed by the city. In this way we arrive in Plaza de España, which raises the Renaissance facade of the Iglesia de El Salvador, the main religious building of the center.
After an intense day, you can say that accomplished the mission to visit the main attractions of La Palma and a little 'we return Stanchini all'Apartahotel El Galeon, to freshen up before dinner with a good plate of paella in a restaurant on the seafront in Santa Cruz.

Today is the day of transfer to excellence ... and starts very early. The alarm clock is at 4:30, just in time for half an hour later at the port of Santa Cruz de La Palma, where at 6:00 o'clock, in the dark yet complete, the faithful Benchijigua Express sets sail to bring us back on the island of Tenerife.
We stop in La Gomera, as the sun peeps over to the east by the black silhouette of Mount Teide and less than an hour later, at 8:30, landed at Los Cristianos.
Going all the Autopista del Sur and joints in the northern part of the island we decided to give up the visit of the heights of Las Mercedes (the only area still unknown to us), because the peaks are completely enveloped by the clouds (a constant, it seems, in this time of year).
Then continue to Puerto de la Cruz, with the intention of going to spend some time in Lake Martiánez ... but on the north side of the island the temperature drops suddenly, almost ten degrees (to face the microclimate!), but it seems you should be accumulating too many clouds along the coast. We can only do so turnabout for Santa Cruz and his Playa de las Teresitas, where it says the sun almost always shines.
In fact, Las Teresitas it is fine and will spend the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon, waiting for the next ferry Fred Olsen, who will lead us to Gran Canaria.
A few minutes after 18:00 on Bencomo Express sets sail from the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife the third largest island in the Canaries, with its 1533 km square, but the second as the population and the main antagonist of Tenerife, since like the latter, capital of one of only two provinces of the archipelago. In addition, Gran Canaria, shares with his older sister the nickname of "miniature continent" for its division into distinct climatic zones, as well as the main destination for mass tourism, that we, to say the Indeed, we do not like particularly.
After about an hour of surfing the waves of the ocean Agaete disembarked in a pleasant small town north-west coast, and from there we travel in a clockwise direction along a smooth highway, more than half of the circumnavigation of the island Hyper-up agglomeration of Playa del Ingles, which now does not make us a better impression of how chaotic and exuberant young northern Europeans not quite lucid, at least in appearance, and where is the lodge where Aparthotel Green Field for the next five nights.
We deliver the keys to our room and, after a dinner nearby after an endless day, come to rest at last ... with the hope that tomorrow really is another day.

After a hellish night in the heat of our new room, equipped with air conditioning yes but only in the living and not working too well, let's start with the intention of going to visit Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital, founded by Spanish conquistadors June 24, 1478, but also the largest city in the archipelago of the Canaries.
A beautiful sun is shining, but as we move towards our goal shipped large gray clouds on the horizon appear, that no wonder, because this season is almost a constant in the north of the island ... The sky gets darker and darker and down but also a few drops of rain, so that once you are on the promenade of Las Palmas like being in a late autumn day, more when we are in the presence of the sixteenth century Castillo de la Luz , erected to protect the ancient port, we can not photograph it because it is completely fenced for work ... we just can not find the right feeling with this island!
We take the road to visit the vegetation, the city's historic district, but it started to rain persistently ... No way! Would be crazy to spend a whole day in this manner, especially when there is an alternative! ... Then we turned the bow toward the south and completely change the program.
Already in the middle of the island back to the sun to shine and overcome the super-tourist resort of Maspalomas the clouds are not seen even in the distance ... It seems another world!
So we arrive where the motorway ends, and then a little further along the coast, the village of Puerto de Mogan, located at the mouth of a wide valley (Valle de Mogan). Here, you have to give way, the whole village was built around the marina with great architectural respect, in harmony with the surrounding environment, giving rise to an entire neighborhood of charming, colorful buildings, balconies overflowing with flowers, style Mediterranean, organized along a grid of narrow pedestrian streets, where for a while 'time we lose deliberately.
Later, with the sun at its zenith now, let's go to the nearby Playa de los Amadores, a broad crescent of white sand, not canaria, overflowing with people. There we stop and we can also take the opportunity to provide an umbrella, which seems to be free because no one bothers to collect money, nor are there signs on. Then we run into the water, thanks to the light background turns out to be too tempting, and consume a long relaxing bath ...
Of course, Playa de los Amadores is not the ultimate tropical dream, but despite the parade of hideous tower blocks behind you is fine and will remain for the entire afternoon, during which, in the company of Frederick, I go back a little 'baby, diving and balance games in a fun water-park located a few tens of meters from the shore.
We leave Playa de los Amadores with the long shadows of the evening, and now also in line with Gran Canaria, we return to Playa del Ingles, where you can find for dinner, a nice restaurant (the Bacani), on the edge of a swimming pool, which offers delicious menu of grilled meats at a very affordable cost ... a place where certainly we will come back before the end of the journey.

Also this morning, the sky is clear and we start with the intention to resume the program of visits interrupted yesterday ... Logically, however, came in sight of Las Palmas, there are the usual clouds lurking (it seems impossible to avoid at this time), but at least it does not rain.
We stop directly to the district of La Vegueta parked the car and go to his discovery. In short we are well in front of the Casa de Colon, a stately, beautiful wooden balconies, home of the first governors of the island, where according to tradition, even Christopher Columbus stayed in 1492, had to stop waiting for one of his ships were repaired, hence the name, Casa de Colon, or Columbus House. Inside is a small but interesting museum, to which we devote a bit 'of time, preserving reconstructions and memorabilia relating to the famous navigator and his voyages of discovery of the West Indies, but also testimonies about the progress of cartography and the role Canary Islands as a crucial point on the route to the New World.
Back outdoor walk a bit 'in the streets of the neighborhood where we look, while leaving some timid ray of sun, as well as some historic buildings, the large Catedral de Santa Ana, which started in 1497, which features a neoclassical facade and monumental quiet Plaza de Santo Domingo.
Back on the car we drive to visit the whole region north of Gran Canaria, it seems, is completely under a thick blanket of clouds ... Going inland we pass it, on the foothills, the town of Alta Tafira, dotted with villas from the colonial character and, nearby, go up to the Pico de Bandama, a dormant volcano that has a caldera of about one kilometer in diameter, from whose top you can enjoy ... or rather, you should enjoy a nice view of Las Palmas, because the dullness reigns absolute and is not quite the day.
Back on the main route we pass the villages of San Mateo and Santa Brigida going high ... with the temperature drops below twenty degrees but when, shortly after, we stop for lunch along the road.
On the restart we arrive in the village of Teror, the religious capital of the island when, in 1914, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the patron saint Nuestra Señora del Pino of Gran Canaria and its primary place of pilgrimage basilica ... The largest religious building promises on the square, from which comes also the most important thoroughfare of the town, lined with interesting historic buildings dating from the XVI century, with wooden balconies and stone very distinctive.
After a brief tour of the interior and also the patron saint of the treasure back to the grind and get kilometers towards the north coast, arriving in the village of Firgas, known more for its Paseo de Gran Canaria: a straight pedestrian alley decorated on both sides with benches and covered with ceramic tiles depicting landscapes and historical landmarks of the island, while the center and a small waterfall flows above large ceramic tiles are maps and views of other islands ... an unusual lesson in geography of the Canary Islands created imaginatively, in 1995.
A few kilometers from Firgas we stop also in the area of Arucas where, among other buildings typically Canarian, stands the enormous amount of neo-Gothic parish church of San Juan ... but are inexplicably closed.
Completed the tour of the north, mostly of a historical-cultural, but not overly exciting, we aim to find the south and, of course, the sun, accompanied by a beautiful blue sky, so we decide to end the day in the pool of Green Field ... a couple of hours of well deserved rest, ending to satisfy even Frederick.

After the long scarrozzata yesterday, dressed, to tell the truth, little satisfaction today decided to take a day, more than anything else, of healthy relaxation.
Leaving the hotel we cover the short distance that separates us from the famous dunes of Maspalomas and we parked the car to discover them ... It 's a small park, a handful of square miles of the Sahara desert somehow finished in the south of Gran Canaria. It 's a magnificent landscape of soft, golden sand on the shores of the ocean, where we venture to discover the more traditional views made of molded ridges by the wind ... There are only camels, which we knew to be there and on the back which you could also take a trip, but not seen even in the distance so that there is a suspicion there are more, even though they were not fundamental. What is certain is that this strip of land, with its large ups and downs, though shamefully besieged by concrete, far more beautiful is what has been able to offer this large island formed by the most unbridled tourism.
After Maspalomas back into the vehicle along the coast and travel the few miles that separate us from Playa de Varga, better known as Anfi Sea, a huge resort whose beach is, however, accessible to all, including us.
The beach, which is clearly artificial, it is all white sand (imported, it seems, nothing less than the Bahamas), however you certainly can not define a paradise, crowded and narrow in the grip of the most reckless urbanization, but there seems to be better in the neighborhood and we are satisfied, then spend half a day at the beach all in all nice.

The holidays turn hopelessly at the end and this will be the last full day in Gran Canaria ... Then tomorrow we return to Tenerife.
Today we start with the intention of visiting the central part of the island, the most rugged and wild ...
Just out from Playa del Ingles start to climb towards the interior along the spectacular Barranco de Fataga, a narrow, arid valley, dotted with cacti and rare palm trees at the foot of towering cliffs, a harsh landscape and strong colors, reminiscent vaguely the American West.
The road passes through the village of Fataga, then more on to the tiny village of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and a curve after another, past the tiny cluster of Ayache intriguing Roque Nublo comes into view, a symbol of Gran Canaria more genuine, that nature is still untouched.
Let's take a quick walk to get some striking image of the monolith of basalt hundred feet high, considered a sacred site by the Guanches, the ancient inhabitants of this land, and then continue to rise, up to 1949 meters of the Pico de las Nieves, the highest point top of the island ... The view from up there, thanks to the wonderful day, it's really great, with the view that goes on all the rocky peaks of Gran Canaria, its immense wooded valleys and on the horizon in the distance up to the unmistakable silhouette of Mount Teide that in Tenerife!
We descend from Pico de las Nieves and in turn counter-clockwise circulation around the Roque Nublo, we see also from the viewpoint of Decollada de Becerra, paired with the Bentayga Roque, the other rocky symbol of Gran Canaria.
Continuing our tour of the highest peaks of the island he came to the place where there is the so-called Cruz de Tejeda: a cross carved in stone, according to tradition, would mark the exact center of Gran Canaria ... Is it true? ... We take it for good and go down in proportion to the country of Tejeda, so lost in the mountains that one wonders how any human being who was not a hermit, he has been based on one day in this very uncomfortable, even If a panoramic position.
Let us return then to climb to reach the foot of the Roque Bentayga, spectacular basalt rock, which reaches 1412 meters above sea level and, like Roque Nublo, a place sacred to the cheek ... Then we face the long descent towards the coast, along a narrow road winding across which flows into the Barranco de Mogan and, via the eponymous town, get to Puerto de Mogan.
Curves become drunk and hungry at this late hour, let's hit safely in nearby Playa de los Amadores to spend a quiet afternoon by the sea and settle Frederick, who in this way can once again enjoy its water-park.
Then you also irrevocably and evening, while an umbrella to a close around us, the curtain drops in practice even on the fifth and last island of our itinerary.

Start today, in practice, the return trip to Italy ... but we will not be home until tomorrow evening.
We got up slowly, partly because the sky is quite cloudy this morning, then around 11:00 we leave the Aparthotel Green Field to the west, so as to cross the road bordeggiante the only side of the island that we are still missing.
In Puerto de Mogan the sun comes out, as we move towards the inside because the lack of a path in the far west coast of Gran Canaria, and just before the town of Mogan we stop to photograph a perfectly restored old windmill .
The road salt GC200 time share and ventures between the rugged mountains where there is also the conformation of volcanic Los Azulejos, a rock wall with incredible shades of color from red to blue-green, then, after a step down towards the ' broad valley dotted with banana trees that is home to the small group of San Nicolás, in order to arrive after dark view of the ocean near the Playa de Aldea.
From there, we face the most spectacular stretch of the GC200: from Punta de Aldea to Agaete along the vertiginous accidentatissima and north-west coast, starting from the impressive Mirador de los Balcones, on the edge of a steep cliff to five hundred meters above sea level sea, unfortunately not supported by the sun, which is once again disappeared beneath the clouds, typical of this area.
After several hundreds of curves and we get to Agaete wondrous landscapes, where we embarked in the afternoon, but is not yet time to leave Gran Canaria, so we continue and we arrived in the town of Galdar nearby, to visit the de Cenobio Valeron.
One of the few archaeological sites in the Canary Islands is a group of about three hundred caves, declared of Cultural Interest, once used by the Guanches as storehouses for grain, but also, apparently, for the celebration of religious rites, a tangle of ravines man who can give the impression of a troglodyte settlement ... altogether intriguing.
Now in the early afternoon we go to lunch by the sea in the village of Sardina and without wasting any more time to leave again soon after not be late for boarding.
Far memory of Gran Canaria are the colorful fishing boats and fishing nets Agaete then, at 16:00 o'clock, we detach from the quay, past the rock that the anonymous until November 2005 was the so-called Dedo de Dios ( Finger of God), a thin rocky pinnacle down, unfortunately, from the tropical storm Delta and its winds to 250 mph, and Bencomo Express, the last of our six ferries of this journey takes us back in about a ' Now, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
After landing, never satisfied, we're going to spend a couple of hours on the beach in Las Teresitas, which shines a bright sun, then there is also our last hotel in the series, the hotel Pelinor, we can walk, because it located in downtown Santa Cruz in the pedestrian area.
At the end of the day so we have dinner at the Plaza de la Candelaria, with beautiful views of the Plaza de España, and then go fix your bags for departure tomorrow morning.

The alarm rings at 4:30. We close all bags and sneaking Pelinor leave the hotel, so with our faithful Seat Leon reach the airport of Los Rodeos Tenerife North.
We leave the car in the parking lot of Europecar: we walked with her, walking for five Canary Islands, 2340 km, which added to the Focus 730, in the early days, are 3070 km! ... A nice ride, with thousands and thousands of (beautiful) curves!
We have to wait a few minutes because the airport opens at 6:00, once they have entered over the keys to the car rental company, we check in and we put ourselves while waiting for the Air Europa UX9045 port number 11.
The Spanish airline's Boeing 737 lifts off a bit 'late, missing the usual four, at 7:54 and goes on to a thick blanket of clouds from which, while it is still dawning, rises the unmistakable Pico del Teide and more beside his observatory ... this is the last image of the Canary Islands before starting to follow the route towards the north-east, leads us in the direction of continental Europe.
We fix the clock bringing forward by one hour and down to the Madrid airport, where we land at 11:07 ... We therefore expect a long wait of over three hours, after which we climb sull'Airbus Alitalia A319 that takes off at 14:49 as flight to Italy AZ49.
Besides the window the sky is blue and below us run away to Spain first and then France, then catch sight of the white peaks of the Alps and soon begin to go down to Milan Linate airport to land at 16:29.
We collect all your luggage, go out from arrivals and with the help of the bus and also find the Quick Parking our car.
At 17:45 we start off from Corsica and a quarter of an hour later we leave behind the barrier to the south of Milan on the A1 ... So where are we at 19:00 in half an hour later in Reggio Emilia and Bologna.
The goal we see the few minutes before 20:00, when we exit the highway at Faenza, and then happily cut at 20:08 at the gate of the house ... It 'been a strange trip indeed, an unusual "Island Hopping" between the western Canary Islands, a vacation "On the road" where this kind of vacation is usually not done, so the discovery of lands lapped by the ocean but shaped by fire , which can give its best between rugged cliffs and severe mountain landscapes ... trouble just go to the beaches and clear blue sea, you will be disappointed ... We knew and we came back with many fond memories.