The Canary Islands form an archipelago located 1120 km south of Spain and just 112 km west of Morocco and with the Azores, Cape Verde and Madeira they form what is known as Macronesia. The Canary Islands comprise seven islands spanning over 400 km from La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera (the smallest of the group) in the east to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote in the west. Along with six islets the Canaries covers a total area of 7,447 sq. metres. From the long sandy beaches of Fuerteventura and dunes of Gran Canaria to the majestic Atlantic cliffs of Tenerife and misty forests of La Gomera, the islands contain just about every kind of landscape imaginable. The highest mountain in all of Spain is the Teide peak, which dominates the landscape of Tenerife.

Formed by huge volcanic forces an estimated 30 million years ago, the Canary Islands' history is shrouded in mystery. Even the origin of their collective name is still in debate: some say they are named after the Latin canere - to sing, in reference to canaries, (native to the islands), others claim the root is canus - dog, (the islands used to be home to large dogs apparently), or perhaps the Canarii tribe of Morocco gave the islands their name. Who knows? It is a debate which will surely continue. However, one element which remains constant throughout all history and legends, is that the islands were thought to be a Garden of Eden or Elysium. This idea has remained and today the Islands continue to attract visitors from all over the world.

With a booming tourist trade, the Canaries have become popular with foreign property buyers. Only a short flight from Northern Europe, the tax-free status of the islands combined with the climate and infrastructure make them ideal for residential tourism as well as making for a sound investment. Interealty, dedicated to bringing you the best the islands has to offer, has its Canary Islands Head Office in southern Tenerife with imminent plans for offices in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Introductions to the largest of the islands will give you an insight into the unique beauty of each, thus enabling you to make an informed choice when deciding on the location of your island getaway or new home in the sun.