Located around 300 kilometers west of the southern tip of Morocco, the Canaries is formed by six islands, with Grand Canaria, Tenerife, and Las Palma drawing sun-starved Brits and Germans.

El Teide volcano separates Tenerife into two areas of different climates. The North, wet and cloudy, hosts traditional towns of charming architecture like La Orotava and Garichico. The village of Masca, literally hanging from the slopes of the mountains, makes another must-see spot if you are adventurous enough to drive the narrow roads. The South is dry and has the beach resorts of Los Christianos and Playa de las Americas.

La Gomera is another volcanic island with tall peaks peppered with palm trees and cacti. The locals preserve the tradition of whistling, a better way of communicating to faraway mountains. In the middle of the island lies a national park whose prehistoric-looking forest, called Luarisilva by locals, has trees covered by moss and vegetation so dense that it would make a fantastic ghost show of shapes by night.