Category Archives: Europe

A volcanic eruption 4.5 million years ago created one of the biggest crags in the world, a sacred place of ancient worship. The Rock in the Clouds stands 220 feet tall, a monolith atop a plateau surrounded by staggering beauty. … Continue reading →

At the center of Tejeda volcanic caldera a standalone pinnacle jutting 4,639 feet high, a guardian over the Big Ravine. Roque Bentayga is the third tallest point in Gran Canaria located within a biosphere that covers 46% of the island. … Continue reading →

In 1478 the Spanish began their conquest of Gran Canaria under Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. One of the first developments on the archipelago was Plaza Santa Ana and inside the square the first church of the Canary Islands was … Continue reading →

Perhaps the best island in the Canary archipelago to play archeologist, Gran Canaria boasts some incredibly preserved aboriginal sites. Cuatro Puertas, or Four Doors, is a complex of caves dug into the old volcanic cone Mount Bermeja by hand five … Continue reading →

A massive underground explosion only 2,000 years ago produced a maar in Gran Canaria, the magnificent volcanic crater Monumento Natural de Bandama reaching 700 feet deep and spanning 3,300 feet wide was born. The name of the caldera stems from … Continue reading →

Spain’s largest botanical garden resides on the island of Gran Canaria within in the lush Guiniguada Ravine. El Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo, simply known as the Canary Gardens, was established in 1952 and spans 67 acres. The garden is … Continue reading →

You would think that Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands were named for the infamous yellow Tweety birds which dwell there, but in reality canaria is derived from the Latin word for dog. When the first Europeans arrived on this … Continue reading →