Snowbirds Head To Volcanoes

Some places have almost perfect weather, rarely too hot or too cold. The Canary Islands, also known as "Islands of Eternal Spring", are one of them: located 62 miles (100 km) off the coast of southern Morocco, their temperatures average 76°F (24°C) in summer and 64°F (18°C) in winter. The islands also receive over 3,000 hours of sunlight annually, making it the sunniest part of Europe. The warm and sunny weather as well as miles and miles of beaches draw over 12 million visitors every year, most of them European snowbirds fleeing the cold, harsh winters.

Contrary to what many may think, the Canary Islands were not named after the bird...it was the other way round. There isn't consensus about the origin of the name, with some saying that it comes from the Latin Canariae Insulae, or "Islands of the Dogs", so named in Roman times due to the "vast multitudes of dogs of very large size". An alternate theory claims that the "dogs" were actually seals (canis marinus) while others speculate that the original inhabitants of the islands treated dogs as holy animals, worshipping and mummifying them. Yet another hypothesis holds that the people of Canaria were actually Berbers of the Canarii tribe from Morocco. From all this, we can conclude that no one knows for sure, and that the islands went to the dogs one way or another, so much so that their coat of arms features two dogs.

There is more consensus regarding the origin of the islands: while a few say that they are part of the lost continent of Atlantis (!), everyone else agrees that they were formed by volcanoes. And nowhere else in the archipelago is the volcanic origin more evident than in Lanzarote, sometimes called the "Hawaii of Europe". The last major eruptions on the island took place in the 1730s and lasted 6 years, with mostly a'a lava (to find out how the lava got this name, just walk barefoot on it) flowing over an area of 77 sq. miles (200 km²), creating hundreds of volcanic cones and an out of this world landscape. These volcanic features can be seen at the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya where, unfortunately, you cannot wander at will; you must take a designated bus and cannot get off until the ride is over. Sit on the right side of the bus for the best views. Though the volcano is now considered dormant, its power can still be felt: there is a magma chamber just 2.5 miles (4 km) below the surface, bringing temperatures to over 200°F (100°C) just a few inches underground. So much heat is good for the park's restaurant...all meats are barbecued using the volcano heat.

The most famous volcano in the whole archipelago sits in Tenerife, though - El Teide. It dominates the island and, at 12,198 feet (3,718 meters), is the highest mountain in Spain and the third tallest volcano in the world. It is possible to climb to the top, a 5 to 6 hour trek starting at roughly 7,200 feet (2,200 m). If you are really adventurous, you can try the Ultra Tenerife Bluetrail, a 60-mile (97 km) race that starts at sea level in the south of the island, climbs El Teide up to 11,670 feet (3,555 m), and ends back at sea level in the north. If you complete the Ultra, you not only prove that you are in extraordinary shape but also that you are a certified masochist. But if bursting your heart and lungs at high altitudes is not your thing, fret not...there is an alternative: take the cable car that whisks you to the top in less than 10 minutes! Guess which one I chose.