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The landscape from the Degollada de las Yeguas lookout point in south Gran Canaria surprises those that view it for the first time. The panoramic vista of the Fataga valley, a winding, fifteen kilometre canyon with smooth sides and sharp, almost vertical ridges is breathtaking: The wide valley floor and deep sides are all covered with arid, desert-like vegetation and the sea glistens in the background.

The viewpoint at Ortuño is very popular with visitors travelling to or from Teide National Park along Tenerife’s mountainous spine, especially at the end of the day when the viewpoint offers the chance to witness one of the island's spectacular sunsets. The sun sets on the highest mountain in Spain, bathing the steep slopes of the north of the island in shades of red and purple as the sea laps gently at its base. It's a paradise for photography enthusiasts.

How can you enjoy the Canary Islands without damaging the magical essence of the archipelago?

At first glance, the Abrante Viewpoint seems pretty much like any other. However, high up on the ravine in the north of La Gomera where this viewpoint is located, visitors don’t simply overlook the precipice, they “float” over it. A seven-metre overhang with a glass floor lies at the far end of this viewpoint, overlooking a typical rural landscape of the Canary Islands. Seize the courage to walk on it and feel as if you are suspended in mid-air.

It was in the 18th Century that the first petroglyphs (rock engravings) were discovered in the Canaries, in Belmaco in the south-east of La Palma. Since then the place has become a reference point for all those interested in the region’s past. Ten natural caves and an area of rock paintings- with their many different interpretation –make up this archaeological site, which has been declared a Historic Artistic Monument.

Within the Pueblo Canario plaza in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria city, theMuseo Néstor gallery displays a large number of artworks by Néstor Martín-Fernández de la Torre, one of the most famous Canary Islands artists and theirmain modernist painter. The gallery holds many of his most important paintingsand portraits and also his stage and costume design work.

The Salt Museum, in the west of Fuerteventura, lets visitors see how salt was traditionally extracted from sea water before being converted into a common kitchen ingredient. The museum is located next to Caleta de Fuste, where the first salt fields in the island were built several centuries ago. The white walls of the building and the impressive whale skeleton beside it are the tell-tale signs that you have found this fascinating museum.

Almost 700 tombs in large burial mounds built with volcanic stones make Maipés de Agaete a unique open air archaeological park which has lots to tell about the aborigine universe. Located in the northwest of Gran Canaria, just behind Tamadaba pine wood, it rests on a great lava flow, dominated by a strangely beautiful arid landscape; it has tombs dating back over 1,300 years. It is a spectacular place and has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest where the grey of the land and the green vegetation make for an evocative colour composition.

The Guiniguada ravine cuts through an area of Gran Canaria so beautiful that it is remembered by all visitors. The Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo, or Canary Gardens, is the largest in Spain and one of the world’s best. A walk through its 27 hectares of gardens filled with the rich and spectacular plants of the Canary Islands is a tranquil and fascinating experience. Located in Gran Canaria’s capital Las Palmas in the northeast of the island it protects over 500 species of indigenous plants, many in danger of extinction, and plenty of spectacular exotic plants.

In the central-north part of the island of Fuerteventura, close to the town of Tefir, you will come across an odd museum, La Alcogida. What makes it special is the fact that is it a living museum; visitors can observe artisans at work and interact with them. This ecomuseum has seven separate houses, showing seven different architecture styles of the island, from the typical peasant’s home, simple in design, to the mansions with balconies and wooden staircases, two stories high, and with tiled roofs.