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The largest volcanic tube in the European Union can be found right here in Tenerife. It’s the ‘Cueva del Viento’ or Wind Cave, and you can visit it! Walking towards the centre of the earth as if you were reliving a Jules Verne novel is a completely unique experience. The cave is formed by a labyrinth of underground passages on three levels, where visitors can admire the geomorphic beauty. The 18 kilometre-long tunnel make this one of the longest tubes in the world according to speleologists.

What to buy and where to buy it in the Canary Islands

The House of Wine and Honey (Casa del Vino y la Miel) is located in a typical old Canarian farmhouse, over 300 years old, in El Sauzal, north Tenerife. It is an obligatory stop for any tourist interested in gastronomy, as not only can you discover the local wine and honey making processes in Tenerife, you also have the chance to sample different local dishes and typical products of the island all in one place. The smallest guests can enjoy themselves in a specially designed children’s area.

Sloping landscapes with easy inclines, among waterfalls, lakes and rocks, surrounded by viewpoints which look out on to the sea, populate an artificial mound with natural greenery. This is the Palmetum, an elegant jungle with exquisite areas, which is the biggest green area in Santa Cruz de Tenerife as well as being home to the best collection of palm trees in Europe. Situated in the extreme east of the island, and a 20 minute walk to the capital, a stroll though its 12 hectares is like immersing oneself in an enormous secret garden, completely oblivious to the hectic city.

Las Salinas de Agaete are like a medieval fortress, albeit full of lovely seawater. Located in north west Gran Canaria these three natural swimming pools sheltered from the open ocean resemble a castle thanks to their battlement-like protective columns. The pools are linked by volcanic tubes and with a stunning view of the island’s rugged northwest coast, are perfect for swimming.

Los Tilos Forest is an explosion of biodiversity and greenness that you will fall in love with on your first visit. A passive, peaceful jungle where mosses, silence and the smell of leaves abound. Los Tilos (or Los Tiles, its official name) is one of the few strongholds left in the world when it comes to laurisilva; a dense, verdant, primitive forest full of broad-leaved trees that dominated the planet millions of years ago. This is the reason why Los Tilos was declared a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco in 2002; a protection which nowadays encompasses the entire island of La Palma.

The Mancáfete Integral Nature Reserve is in the west of the island of El Hierro, inside Frontera Rural Park and close to Sabinosa. The secrets and treasures hidden here make it a special place for nature lovers: from species in danger of extinction such as the local 'cabezón herreño' (a striking purple plant) to the damp juniper and Monteverde forests. The caves hidden among the laurel trees are home to bats and wild cats.

Valle Gran Rey Rural Park, with its deep ravines dotted with palm trees, is located in the south-west of La Gomera, in the borough that shares its name. Its springs, steep cliffs and small hamlets are just some of the secrets hidden in this protected natural space. The hamlets are located on the ravine slopes of Valle Gran Rey and Argaga, where you’ll discover a curious man-made landscape, the stepped farming terraces which contrast quite dramatically with the natural wilderness that surrounds them.

Guayadeque is a haven for nature and traditional life in Gran Canaria. This fifteen kilometre valley in southeast Gran Canaria astounds visitors thanks to its wild landscapes, steeps slopes, winding path and shroud of unique plants. The sensation of being in a dreamland is reinforced by the valley’s famous cave homes, made from natural caverns in the lava rock. Many are now available as rural accommodation or home to restaurants.

In 1971 the Teneguía volcano appeared on the front pages of newspapers all around the world when it opened up and spewed out thousands of cubic metres of glowing magma. The most recent land-based volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands covered a large part of the south of La Palma with lava and volcanic ash, and created a new tourist attraction. To preserve the unspoilt lava flows of the Teneguía volcano and also those of the eruption of the San Antonio volcano back in the 18th Century, they were declared a National Monument.