The Canary Islands luxury upgrade

Now home to high-end hotels, fine dining options and bespoke activities, the Canaries have reinvented themselves

- MATTHEW HIRTES

The Canaries are a popular holiday destination for tourists seeking the year-round sun. Closer to the African mainland than the Iberian peninsula, northern Europeans head to this Spanish island group to escape the bleak midwinter.

The islands could market themselves as Macaronesia. After all, they belong to it, along with the Azores, Cape Verde, and Madeira archipelagos. Instead, the Canary Islands have reinvented themselves and are now home to high-end hotels, fine dining options, and boutique activities. Move over, Basque Country. Watch your back, Catalonia. The Canary Islands have a new emerging culinary reputation and are garnering some serious interest from Michelin restaurant inspectors. That's in addition to the idyllic white sand beaches, banana plantations, and quaint towns with cobbled streets.

The four most popular isles are Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Tenerife. While they once targeted the bucket and spade brigade, now the Canaries focus on quality over quantity, and you will find some of the best Spanish luxury experiences here.

Fancy Fuerteventura