Discover Spain's most beautiful islands: A complete guide for travelers

Think about the most beautiful islands in Spain It means moving to the archipelagos of Canary Islands y BalearicsBoth are home to the most famous and also many of the most beautiful beaches in our country.

However, along its coasts, there are other smaller and lesser-known islands that are also worth a visit. Not for nothing, these are ecological reserves of enormous value. For example, the Cíes Islands, which are part of the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia, or that of Tabarca, off the coast of BenidormBut without further ado, let's tell you about the most beautiful islands in Spain.

La Gomera

We begin our tour of the second smallest island in the Canary Islands. Despite its small size, it's one of the most highly rated by travelers for both its nature and its monuments. As for the former, it's all Biosphere Reserve.

This is largely due to the Garajonay National Park, also declared HeritageIt occupies approximately ten percent of the island and stands out for its reserves of native laurel forest, which can be seen, above all, in the Cedar ForestBut other species such as heather and beech are also abundant.

There are many trails that allow you to visit this wonder of nature. In addition, in the municipality of Agulo, you have the interpretation center and, within the park, the recreational area of Laguna GrandeAs an anecdote, we will tell you that the park owes its name to Race y jonay, two native aristocrats who fell in love and, faced with the impossibility of their love, ended up committing suicide.

There are other wonders you can see on the island. For example, the natural monuments of The organs and La FortalezaBut you should also visit its capital, San Sebastian de La Gomera, whose port was the last stop of Christopher Columbus before setting out to discover America.

Precisely, the House of Columbus It is one of the town's attractions. However, the building you can visit today is not the one that housed the admiral, but an 18th-century construction built on the remains of the former. However, it houses a museum with pre-Columbian sculptures. You should also visit the Torre del Conde, dating from the 15th century; church of Our Lady of the Assumption, which combines Gothic, Mudejar, Baroque and colonial styles, or the hermitages of San Sebastián and the Virgin of Guadalupe (patron saint of the island).

Finally, we advise you to discover the Gomero whistle, an ancient form of communication among the island's inhabitants. In 2009, it was included on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

La Palma, precisely called "the Beautiful Island"

We continue our tour of the most beautiful islands in Spain in La Palma, aptly named by popular wisdom. Its nature is on par with that of La Gomera. The ecological value of the island is enormous. Caldera de Taburiente National Park, whose central core is an ancient volcanic cone seven kilometers in diameter.

Also, in its rocky enclosure is the Boys roque, at a height of no less than 2426 meters. But it's not the only elevation on this mountainous island. There are also beautiful hiking trails to the peaks of La Cruz and La Nieve, the Martín and Deseada volcanoes, and Roque Palmero. All of these without forgetting the infamous Old Summit, which erupted just three years ago.

But what characterizes the island of La Palma is the lush green nature of laurel forest Inland. Likewise, in these areas, Canary Island pines and dragon trees abound, combined, however, with reddish soils of volcanic lava and tuff.

On the other hand, the capital of the island is Santa Cruz de La Palma, whose foundation dates back to the end of the 15th century. The nerve center of the town is the Spain Square, where you'll see the main church of El Salvador, the Town Hall, and several stately Renaissance homes. You should also visit other monuments such as the Sotomayor Palace, the San Francisco Castle, and the San Francisco Church. But above all, you should stroll through the Maritime Avenue, with its characteristic wooden balconies.

Lanzarote, unique among the most beautiful islands in Spain

We cannot forget Lanzarote among the most beautiful islands in Spain, although its beauty is different from that of others. Precisely, it is its volcanic landscapes which make it unique among the islands of our country. The most spectacular are found within the Timanfaya National Park. This, in its approximately fifty square kilometers, houses an endless number of scenic wonders: twenty-five volcanoes, lava and slag fields or the set of the Mountains of Fire.

But Lanzarote's natural monuments don't end there. The areas of the La Corona volcano and the JablePrecisely, in the tube of the first of them, you have the spectacular Jameos del Agua , complemented by the artistic work of César Manrique, and the Cueva de los Verdes.

No less spectacular are the Janubio salt flats y the River viewpointThe first ones are the largest in the Canary Islands, while the second one, perched on the Famara cliff and designed by Manrique himself, offers spectacular views of La Graciosa and the rest of the Chinijo archipelago.

On the other hand, in Arrecife, the capital of the island, you have to visit the Castles of San Gabriel, which houses the Natural History Museum, and from San JoséYou should also approach the Mother Church of San Ginés Obispo, a beautiful temple built in the 17th century that houses several Baroque carvings and a beautiful Mudejar coffered ceiling.

We also recommend that you visit the beautiful and historic town of Lanzarote San BartolomeIn it you have to see constructions like the Town Hall and Major Guerra's palace house, declared a Historic Artistic Monument. But you should also look at the St. Bartholomew's Church, built at the end of the 18th century and in other stately homes, some from this same period. For example, the house of Don José Ferrer, which houses the Tanit Ethnographic Museum, the Ajei, a display of folk architecture, or the house of Don Frasco.

Menorca

Although less popular than Mallorca and Ibiza, it should also be included among Spain's most beautiful islands. As in the previous cases, it offers a magnificent combination of natural wonders and monuments. Not surprisingly, it is also Biosphere Reserve Since 1993, a large part of this protected area lies beneath the Mediterranean waters. Therefore, if you enjoy scuba diving, the Balearic island is the perfect place to do so.

As for nature, you can see pine and holm oak forests on the island, but also olive groves and typical Mediterranean vegetation combined with beautiful beaches. It also has privileged locations such as the Albufera des Grau Natural ParkThis is an area of ​​more than five thousand hectares in the northeast of the island that is home to numerous animal and plant species. It even has a large lagoon.

Regarding the monuments of Menorca, you have to visit the archaeological sites of the Talayotic culture, which developed in the Balearic Islands during the Bronze and Iron Ages. For example, the ancient settlements of Torretrencada y Torralba den Salord.

You should also know Mahon, with its beautiful port and stately homes on Isabel II Street. But above all, take a look at churches like those of Santa Maria and San Francisco, both from the 18th century; the Town Hall, with its unique clock, or the Saint Roc Bridge, a vestige of the ancient city walls.

However, the great monuments of Menorca are located in Citadel, the historic capital of the island. On the road that connects it to Mahón you have, precisely, the Naveta des Tudons, a Talayotic vestige. And, once in the town, you have to stroll through its narrow streets and squares. But, above all, you must know its Cathedral of Santa María, built between the 13th and 14th centuries; Town Hall, built on an old fortress; Torresaura Palace or Born Theatre.

Formentera

We conclude our tour of Spain's most beautiful islands by visiting another of the Balearic Islands. Formentera It is one of the least visited by tourists, although also one of the most beautiful and welcoming. Like the previous ones, it offers wonderful beaches such as those of Cala Saona, Ses Illetes or Espalmador. However, perhaps the most curious is that of It's Trucadors, which is located on an isthmus.

Furthermore, the latter is integrated into the impressive Natural Park of the Salinas. It is an area of ​​almost three thousand hectares that includes the salt flats of Formentera and Ibiza, connected by the Strait of Los Freus. Due to its wealth of ecosystems, it is Heritage.

Finally, you have to visit population centers in Menorca such as San Fernando de las Rocas, with its beautiful church, and Pilar de la Mola, with its old mill and its imposing 19th-century lighthouse. But above all, you should visit Saint francis javier, which is the capital. Here you have monuments such as the parish church, a fortress type; the Chapel of Sa Tanca Vella, Romanesque from the 14th century, and the Sa Miranda mills.

In conclusion, we have shown you some of the most beautiful islands in SpainWe have tried to leave aside the most well-known ones, such as, for example, Gran Canaria, Tenerife o Mallorca To focus on those less crowded, but equally wonderful, islands. Come discover our islands.