An Insider’s Guide to Best of the Canary Islands; Brianna Kovan; Elle
Spain – Teide National Park
Sixty miles off the southwest coast of Morocco, the Canary Islands treat their 15 million annual visitors to freshly caught seafood, black-sand beaches, and, perhaps most importantly, a reliably sunny forecast. “That’s why half of northern Europe is there all winter,” jokes ELLE Spain’s head graphics editor, Reyes González-Río. Colonized by Spain in the fifteenth century, the seven-island volcanic archipelago—the birthplace of shoe designer Manolo Blahnik—draws devoted beachgoers and astronomers alike, the latter of whom study the stars atop a snowcapped mountain in Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the largest island, Tenerife. Here, the must-stop sites on three of the buzziest islands.
Tenerife
In the port city Santa Cruz, stroll alongside colorful storefronts, like The Concept Boutique & Coffee (a café-cum-showroom), and local designers’ shops, like those of jeweler Nerea GMurillo and statement-tee maker Milena Rodher. Or, for a do-not-disturb respite, plant yourself on the southwest coast and its string of luxury hotels, like the Ritz-Carlton, Abama, which boasts enviable Moorish architecture and two on-site Michelin-starred restaurants.
Gran Canaria
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