CANARY ISLANDS

The Canary Islands are an archipelago consisting of seven islands of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean, they are located off the north-western coast of Africa. They belong to Spain and form one of its seventeen autonomous communities.

The territory covers 7,447 square km., corresponding to 1.5% of the whole Spain territory.

About two million people live on the Canary Islands, which corresponds to 4.5% of the whole Spanish population.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The islands anre their capitals are: Tenerife (capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Fuerteventura (Puerto del Rosario), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ), Lanzarote (Arrecife), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma), La Gomera (San Sebastian de La Gomera), El Hierro (Valverde).

International Airport Fuerte Ventura - Fuerte Ventura; International Airport "Reina Sofia" - Tenerife

The name Canary has no clear origins. It might derive from the Latin term canis, dog, referring to the dense population of dogs wandering on the islands described for the first time by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder. The island origins date back to 30 million years, while the first settlements trace back to 200 BC. In the ancient times the existence of these populations was will known: Plato in its dialogues Timaeus and Critias describes Atlantis, a continent sunk into the abyss of the Ocean because of a strong earthquake which left outside the sea surface only the peaks of the highest mountains: the Canaries. We do not know if the dialogues of Plato were just an allegory but the islands were then attributed an almost mythical reputation which was handed down from a classical writer to the other. The first Europeans who tried to conquer these lands in 1402 were the Normans, followed by the Portuguese. The islands were inhabited by the "Guanches", a toll, robust, blue-eyed and light-haired population whose origins are still unclear. The Canary Islands were then conquered by the Castile towards the end of the fifteenth century and the number of the local population decreased drastically. The Guanches were sold into slavery, their language disappeared and the survivors married the invaders, converted to Christianity and took Spanish names. After several attempts by other invaders to conquer these lands, Spain was able to keep the area under its control and the Canary Islands were declared Spanish province in 1821. In March 1936 the Spanish Republic transferred General Franco to the Canaries under the suspicion that he was involved in a plot to overthrow the government. After taking control of the islands in June, Franco chose its headquarter in Morocco to continue its battle. After the Second World War the Canary Islands were in bad economic conditions and many people became clandestine emigrants to Venezuela. In 1960s Franco decided to open the country to tourists and for the islands this was the biggest boom which made the economy change miraculously. The Canary Islands became a 'comunidad autónoma' (autonomous region) in 1982. In the last years the government has diversified its product structure developing the sectors of telecommunication, biomedicine, renewable energies, optics, jewellery and fashion. Tourism is anyway the first economic source. Twelve million tourists arrive every year on the islands.

The 12th of October, National Holiday of Spain.

The islands belong to Spain with is a parliamentary monarchy. As for administration the Canaries consist of two provinces: Las Palmas, ruling Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura; Santa Cruz de Tenerife ruling Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. They have a double capital divided between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Each of the seven major islands is ruled by an island council named cabildo insular.

The official language is the Castilian Spanish.

The most professed religion is Catholicism.

One hour behind Italy (even when in Italy the Daylight Saving Time is in use).

Spain, like Italy, is one of the 15 countries which joined the Schengen Treaty for the free movement of persons.
The citizens of the countries which joined the Treaty have no restrictions and may move freely inside these territories without needing a passport or visa.

The country's monetary unit is the Euro.

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The main international credit cards are accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants.

No vaccination is required to visit Spain and the Canary Islands. To all citizens of the European Union temporary visiting another Member Country, the European Health Insurance Card grants the right to a free public health assistance (this Health Card replaces the old forms E110/111/119/128). It is nevertheless advisable not to drink water directly from the tap.

Its temperate climate makes the islands accessible throughout the whole year. There are no seasons featured by intense cold or oppressing heat. The average temperatures range from 18°C to 20°C in winter up to 26-27°C in summer. The best seasons are therefore spring and summer. In this period it is possible to appreciate the island nature at best.

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The voltage is 220v.

Calling Italy from Spain is rather simple: dial 0039, then the Italian area code - including zero for fixed net numbers - and the number you wish to call (for example: to call a fixed net telephone number in Rome just dial 0039 06 85 .... ; to call a mobile phone number just dial 0039 323 51...). To call Spain from Italy, dial the country code for Spain 0034, followed by the area code without 0 and then the number you wish to call. The GSM network perfectly works in the whole country, therefore also our mobile phones. Since rates vary according to the operator, it is advisable to get informed about costs before departure to avoid having a bad surprise as soon as you come back to Italy.
Internet is widely used in cities and tourist places.

For those who like videos and pictures Spain is a real paradise: feasts and fieras, wonderful beaches, natural parks. There are no restrictions to take pictures or make amateur videos for private use. As in any other country, it is advisable to politely ask local people for their permission before taking pictures of them.

The prices of some products are much cheaper on the islands than on the continent due to the special tax conditions and the membership of the islands to the Economic European Community. In the bazaars people sell cameras, hi-fi devices, televisions, watches, videogames, jewels, optical instruments and several souvenirs. In Fuerteventura it is possible to find nice ceramic potteries. On this island the best places to go shopping are the area of Calete de Fuste and the wonderful Avenida Palmeras di Jandìa. In Las Palmas di Gran Canaria there are four big shopping malls: Las Arenas, la Ballena, 7 Palmas and El Muelle, and there are also the areas of Triana, Mesa and López where the shops to visit are many. For those who prefer handicrafts street markets, the Sunday market of Vegeta is worth to be seen.

There are several different places where to eat on the Canaries: Meson, Restaurante, Tasca, Bodegon, Taberna, Comedor, Casa de Comidas, Bar de Tapas etc... They all serve very good dishes, and differ one from the other above all in the menu and in the way of serving. In some places you can eat by candlelight while in some others you are served 'tortillas' de 'papas' and 'jamon serrano' on an old counter. The Canarian cuisine is simple, mainly with fish, and tastes spicy. Being closed to the African continent and to the Iberian peninsula the islands created a gastronomy which is an original mixture of these two cooking styles. Together with the delicious 'tapas', appetizers of any kind, there are two typical dishes: the 'sancocho', a sort of sauce with meat, potatoes and vegetables, and the fried rabbit marinated with vinegar and plenty of spices. Furteventura is the island of limpets, mussels, meat and goat cheese. The most traditional dishes are the millet or potato soup and the famous wrinkled potatoes (arrugadas) with millet. The 'sancocho' in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is cooked with a fish called 'cherne'. Another typical dish is the famous 'ropa vieja' with chickpeas and meat. Also the pastries cooked in the hinterland areas are very good: the 'suspiros' of 'Moya', the 'bienmesabe of Tejada' and the delicious cakes made by the Benedictine nuns of Teror. Do not miss the 'taperio' in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the typical aperitif in the cafés of the city. The areas of Vegueta, of the Port or of Tafira are ideal for a snack in the open air.

The cheerful and folk music is always present in any important occasion of the islands. The Canary Islands have a wide range of cultural and musical activities. They are performed in the open air or in the modern infrastructures such the Auditorium of Tenerife. As for music, the "zarzuela", opera and light opera season takes place every year together with a music event of big fame: the Canarian Music Festival which lasts several months and takes on the island music groups and soloists known all over the world, such as Placido Domingo or Alfred Kraus. The symbol of the music heritage of the Canary Islands is the timple, an instrument which was probably introduced on the islands by the Berber slaves, deported by the Norman invaders to work in the fields at the beginning of the XV century. The use of the 'timple' is widespread now and the instrument has been introduced in the musical repertory of Cuba and of the other countries in Latin America. During the traditional fiestas this instrument accompanies dances such as the isa, the folia and the tajaraste, the only dance handed down from the 'guanches'.

On the Canary Islands having fun is always possible but when the night comes it becomes inevitable. Disco bars, discos and clubs of any kind gather thousand of people every night. It is possible to dance flamenco, salsa, merengue or even the music of Laura Pausini. For those who want to try their luck there are two casinos, in Playa de Las Ameridas and in Taoro. Under a clear and star-lit sky the night is lively with people wandering from one place to the other, making new friends, laughing and joking. The feast atmosphere never ends. The most interesting moment is anyway the carnival of Santa Cruz between February and March. A triumph of joy, creativity, involving rhythms and sensuality which create an incomparable atmosphere.

Many of the popular feasts celebrated on the islands during the whole year and above all in the summer period are religious feasts, even though many of them have lost their devotion spirit. These typical feasts gather thousands of people who often wear traditional dresses. Sometimes there are oxen pulling carts with local products, included rum and wine. The young and old people forming the procession take flowers and fruits as offers to the Saint; music groups accompany the parade. The most popular musics are: sorondongos, folías, malagueñas, isas and seguidillas. One of the most felt religious feast is that of the Virgin of Candelaria, the Patron Saint of the Canaries, held in Tenerife. Many pilgrims arrive on foot from the villages to the town hall of Candelaria turning the Villa into a pilgrim centre. The Virgin of the Pine is the most important romeria and typical feast of Gran Canaria, held on the 8th of September in Teror. The romerias of San Marcos, in Tegueste, or of Santiago, in Gáldar show the love towards the values of the earth. Also the romeria of the Virgin de la Peña, in Fuerteventura, of the Virgin de los Dolores, in Lanzarote, of the Virgin de Guadalupe, a La Gomera, and the romeria of San Benito Abad, in La Laguna (Tenerife) and of San Isidro Labrador, in Gran Canaria are very popular. What is the "romeria"? Tradition, religion, dances, traditional dresses, happiness... even though in Spanish "romeria" literally means pilgrimage, a spiritual journey full of joy and passion.

It is said that the Canary Islands gave birth to the Greek myth of the Garden of Esperidi. Because of their geographical/geological position, some people think that the Canaries are what is left of the mythical Atlantis.
The canary was in the past so much widespread in the areas that it was named after these islands.

1) The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
2) The beach Playa de las Canteras in Las Palmas
3) The parrot park and the hawk jungle in Tenerife
4) Playa del Inglés and the dunes of Maspalomas in Gran Canaria
5) The Palmitos Park, a sub-tropical oasis in Gran Canaria
6) The Parque Nacional de Garajonay on the island of La Gomera
7) Isla de Lanzarote, the island where it never rains
8) The Parque Nacional de Timanfaya in Lanzarote which in 1730 experienced one of the stongest vulcanic eruptions in the world; the eruption lasted for six years and blew into the air thousands of tonnes of melted rocks.
9) The Isla de El Hierro, out of the reach of groups of tourists, bars and international restaurants. It holds a rural charm.
10) Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente

1) Mountain Bike in the parks
2) Windsurf in the Bahía de Pozo Izquierdo in Gran Canaria, which is the most windy of all islands.
3) Snorkelling or diving in the channel between Tenerife and the Gomera. While diving it is possible to see rays, groupers, barracudas, turtles, tropical fishes, whales and dolphins.
4) Canary Wrestling in Tenerife; it is a local sport where two competitors try to unbalance each other with spectacular movements. Only feet can touch the ground and you are therefore eliminated if any other part of your body touches the sand.
5) Moufflon hunting in the area of Las Cañadas del Teide from the first Sunday of August to the second Sunday of December. This kind of hunting requires the authorization both for the group and for the day, the hunting licence with a specific tax to be paid for big game hunting and the valid compulsory insurance for the hunter.

- Tips: Tips are not compulsory but beyond being highly appreciated, tipping the waiter is quite a common habit.

- Safety: The situation is not particularly risky. The whole archipelago is safe.
An Italian diplomatic mission is present on Gran Canaria in Las Palmas. Be careful while bathing and diving: do not forget that you are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!

- Taxi: Taxi is available 24 hours a day but in the big cities public means of transport work perfectly even in the night.

Via Broletto, 30 - MILANO
Telefono: 0039 02 7200 4617/7200 4625
Fax: 0039 02 7200 4318
E-mail: milan@tourspain.es
www.turismospagnolo.it - www.spain.info

Piazza di Spagna, 55 - ROMA
Telefono: 0039 06 6783 106
Fax: 0039 06 6992 2147
E-mail: roma@tourspain.es
www.turismospagnolo.it - www.spain.info

Via Del Mortaro, 19 - ROMA
Telefono: 0039 06 6782 850
Fax: 0039 06 6798 272
E-mail: roma@tourspain.es
www.turismospagnolo.it - www.spain.info

Palazzo Borghese - Largo Fontanella Borghese, 19 - Rome (Italy)
Phone: 0039 06 6832 168/6878 264/6878 172
Fax: 0039 06 6872 256
www.amba-spagna.com

Calle Lagasca, 98; 28006, Madrid - Spain
Phone: 0034 1 5599 750
Fax: 0034 1 5598 885
E-mail: italiaturismo@retemail.es

CONSULATE OF LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA
Calle León y Castillo, 281 - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Spain
Phone: 0034 9 2824 1911
Fax: 0034 9 2824 4786
e-mail: italiacanarias@msn.com

CONSULATE SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
District: Tenerife, Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma
Calle Cruz Verde, 10 2ºA - Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Spain
Phone: 0034 9 2229 9768
Fax: 0034 9 2224 1040
E-mail: consolatoitaliatenerife@wanadoo.es

BOARD FOR ITALIANS ABROAD
by the Italian Consulate - AvenidaProfesor Peraza de Ayala, 11 Edif. Las Cumbres, portal A, 6º planta,puerta 3 -Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Spain
Phone: 0034 9 2274 1697