The Canary Islands: A Cultural History

The seven volcanic Canary Islands that bask in the Atlantic off shore from the north-west African coast have long had legendary connotations. To the Greeks they were the Gardens of the Hesperides, blessed with a perennial spring-like climate, while the Carthaginians christened them the Purple Isles on account of the rich dye material they obtained there. Inhabitants have ranged from the early Berber-descended Guanches, of whom cultural traces still remain, to the rich blend of European and Latin peoples that evolved after the Spanish conquest in the fifteenth-century. Famous visitors have included Columbus, Humboldt and General Franco, who famously flew from Gran Canaria in a (British-piloted) Dragon Rapide in 1936 to launch Spains Civil War. In todays cosmopolitan capitals of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spanish colonial-era buildings merge with modern centers equipped with sophisticated amenities. For vacationers tiny ecologically-oriented havens like Gomera vie with big brash tourist resorts like Playa del Ingls and Playa de las Americas, todays major money-makers after the brief trade boom of yesteryear. Peter Stone explores the fascinating history and culture of this archipelago, where nature and geology provide a spectacular setting for todays tourism industry.