The top 7 of the Spanish islands

Of the islands, Spain counts dozens, spread along its Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Most of the time they are uninhabited islets. But this country has two extraordinary archipelagos: the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, which it is possible to discover over road trips in a rental car.

Of course, these islands are the subject of many clichés, and after all it is quite normal: these were the first to open to large-scale tourism, from the years 1960. You will see that things have changed well, largely because of the desire of local authorities to build more on quality. Behind the beaches – where it is so nice to bathe – now exist extraordinary and authentic terroirs to discover.

Here is the opportunity to scrape the varnish a little dated which covered the 10 most beautiful islands of Spain, and to (re) discover these destinations close, radically houseboats and passable in all seasons

Fuerteventura/Canary Islands

The Spanish island closest to the African continent (the Moroccan coasts are less than 100 kilometers) is probably also the hottest in the country. Its white sand beaches and dune landscapes exposed to the winds of the Sahara make Fuerteventura a paradise for idleness and water sports

 

Ibiza/Balearic Islands

Yes, the island of Ibiza is a high place of the feast, we will not teach you anything. But outside Ibiza-City and Sant Antoni de Portmany, which magnetize the jet set and fans of electro, there is a real life on the island, as well as nice sights to visit by car rental. We are thinking in particular of the rock of Es Vedra or the coves of the north coast

 

Lanzarote / Canaries

Certainly there is seaside tourism in Lanzarote, but there are also and above all extraordinary landscapes that we do not find anywhere else. The volcanic island has in fact astonishing lunar reliefs, and a land with bright colors pulling from black to deep red. Little more: We produce wine

 

El Hierro/Canaries

It is the wildest and most secluded of the Canary Islands. Here, no mass tourism but landscapes completely preserved. Peculiarity of El Hierro: its inhabitants took advantage of its marginality to make it a laboratory of sustainable development. Since 2014, the island has ensured its energy independence

 

La Gomera/Canary Islands

No seaside tourism here either for this Canary Island but a must for nature and hiking enthusiasts. This round island of about 30 kilometers in diameter indeed is furrowed by... 650 kilometers of marked trails. Unmissable: The amazing Laurel forests, warm and humid, intact for millennia

 

Menorca/Balearic Islands

It is the most secret of the Balearic Islands, the most authentic as well. More mineral than its sisters of Mallorca and Ibiza, open to the winds, Menorca presents nearly 200 kilometers of unurbanized coastline. Its coves and fine sandy beaches, which are generally isolated, are the delight of tourists who opt for this destination off the beaten path

 

Gran Canaria / Canaries

With its round shape, it is the heart of the Canary Islands. Part of the island has devolved body and soul to tourism, especially to the south around the famous beach of the English, but Gran Canaria (or Grande Canaria) offers infinitely more: The dunes of Maspalomas, the bubbling Life of Las Palmas, the mountains around Cruz de Tejeda. A "continent in miniature"? Yes!

 

Majorca/Balearic Islands

After suffering the pangs of mass tourism, Mallorca begins to resurrect. Or rather, to reveal and to value, at last, the treasures that slept behind its beaches (magnificent!). To convince yourself and taste the island's secular sweetness, you just have to walk its north coast on a beautiful road trip. Also make a stopover in Palma de Mallorca, the pretty capital of the Balearic Islands!