The islands are estimated to be 30 million years old, which is relatively young by geological standards. Their existence was known, or at least postulated, in ancient times.

Carbon dating has placed the earliest settlement at around 200 BC, although earlier settlement is possible. It was long suggested that Cro-Magnon, the Paleolithic predecessor to Homo sapiens, first inhabited the Canaries, although that is not now generally thought to be the case. One clue, apart from the ancient skulls of the original inhabitants, is the conquering Europeans' 15th-century descriptions of locals. Mainly on Tenerife, they found tall and powerfully built people with blue eyes and long fair hair. These people called themselves Guanches, from guan, 'man', and che or achinch meaning 'white mountain', in reference to the snow-capped Teide volcano. Suggestions for the origins of the Guanches have ranged from Celtic immigrants from mainland Spain or Portugal, to Norse invaders, supplying a possible explanation for the blonde hair and blue eyes. Berber immigrants from nearby Saharan Africa almost certainly inhabited some of the eastern islands, and place names bear a striking resemblance to Berber tribal languages. Occasionally blue eyes and fair hair crop up among the Berbers as well, so the Guanches' origin is still open to question.

By the time the Europeans began looking around the islands in the Middle Ages, they were inhabited by a variety of tribes often hostile to one another. Tenerife alone was divided into no fewer than nine tiny fiefdoms. The Guanches relied on limited farming, herding, hunting and gathering, and the majority of them lived in caves. The first vaguely reliable account of a landing by Europeans comes in the late 13th or early 14th century, when the Genoese captain Lanzarotto Malocello came across the island that would later bear a version of his name: Lanzarote. A host of dreamers looking for the legendary Río de Oro (River of Gold) that many thought flowed into the Atlantic at about the same latitude as the Canaries, missionaries bent on rescuing souls, and slavers looking to fill their holds passed by or came to stay, but it took a Portuguese-Italian mission of 1341 to finally put the Canaries on the map.

The first Europeans to attempt to conquer the Guanches were Normans from France in 1402, and the final campaigns more or less ended in 1495 under a Galician soldier of fortune. The century saw massacres, warfare and Guanches sold off wholesale into slavery, and within another century their language had all but disappeared, and the survivors had intermarried with the invaders, converted to Christianity and taken Spanish names.

Spain's control of the islands did not go unchallenged. First Moroccan troops occupied Lanzarote in 1569 and 1586, then Sir Francis Drake tried a little gunboat diplomacy off Las Palmas in 1595. A Dutch fleet reduced Las Palmas to rubble in 1599, then in 1657 the Brits under Admiral Robert Blake defeated the Spanish at Tenerife. The score: Spanish treasure fleet annihilated, British lose one ship.

Spain managed to hang on though, and the Canaries were declared a province of Spain in 1821. Santa Cruz de Tenerife was declared the official capital, adding fuel to the already low-level bickering between Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The inhabitants of Gran Canaria demanded that the province be split into two, which it was for a short and unsuccessful period in the 1840s. Several agricultural commodities followed boom-bust cycles on the islands: sugar cane, wine and then cochineal for making dyes all had their day, followed by bananas and to a lesser extent tomatoes and potatoes.

Climate

It seems to be perpetually spring in the Canaries. The gap between highs and lows thins out during the year as average temperatures go from 14-21°C (58-70°F) in January to 21-26°C (70-79°F) in July when sea-faring Saharan winds start to settle. May to August are the driest months although the rest are not particularly wet. Higher altitudes mean colder temperatures so rug up if you go in search of good views.

Gran Canaria

The largest town in the Canaries, Las Palmas has an unmistakably big-city feel. It sits on the northeastern tip of Gran Canaria and has begun swallowing up the small island of La Isleta. The city hugs the coast up a series of long boulevards to the bustling Santa Catalina and Puerto de la Luz.

The Catedral de Santa Ana is the city's main place of worship and took 350 years to complete. Nearby, the Museo Diocesano, set on two levels around the Patio de los Naranjos, contains the standard collection of religious art and memorabilia, including old manuscripts and wooden sculptures.

Playa del Inglés & Maspalomas

This is the party part of the Canaries, sun-starved snowbirds fly south for year-round sun, swimming, sex and such. From lager louts to Swedish sun-worshippers, they're all here within a couple of kilometres of suntan oil-soaked sand and tour operator-infested city blocks.

When you tire of the beach scene, try a theme parks or three: Palmitos Park, a subtropical oasis crammed with exotic flora and 1500 species of birds; Mundo Aborigen, with about 100 model Guanches posed to look how the real thing used to; or Sioux City, with good and bad guys shootin' each other up.

Parque Nacional de Garajonay national park Tel: 922 800993 (info)

La Gomera's outstanding natural attraction is the ancient laurisilva (laurel forest) at the heart of the national park. As many as 400 species of flora flourish in this Unesco World-Heritage-listed place. There are hiking trails throughout the park, mostly north-south, and its possible to hike from coast to coast in a day.

Pico del Teide

In the north of Tenerife's national park rises the great cone that forms the Pico del Teide, the highest mountain in Spain. To the south are the cañadas, a series of plains stretching away inside the old crater from the foot of Teide. It's possible to climb the mountain, but it's challenging and can get mighty cold in winter, and relentlessly hot in summer. There are also guided walks run by park staff. Otherwise there's the Teleférico, which will get you to the top in about eight minutes.

All the islands have airports. Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote accept the bulk of the international flights and those from mainland Spain. You can fly to the Canaries from most European cities, with or without stopovers in Spain. If you are flying from North America, flights usually go to Madrid, where you pick up a connecting flight. Your best bet may be to fly to London, or even Munich, and pick up a cheap flight from a discount travel agent there.

Binter is the local airline and although flying is not cheap, it is infinitely faster than the alternatives of bus and ferry. The islands are connected by roll-on roll-off ferries, hydrofoils and jetfoils. Buses are known as guaguas, which will bring a smile of recognition to anyone who has travelled in Latin America. Each island has its own service, which will get you to most of the main destinations, but the number of runs is disappointing, especially on the smaller, less populated islands where most people have their own wheels. All the big rental companies are represented in the Canaries, and there are also local operators. It may be worth booking a car in advance if you intend to stay for a reasonable length of time; if you decide to rent a car after you arrive, shop around to avoid the sharks. You can also take taxis wherever you go, but that is definitely the pricier alternative.

There is a weekly ferry from the southern Spanish port of Cádiz. Departure tax is factored into the cost of your ticket so you won't have to worry about last-minute cash searches as you prepare to fly home.