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Buenos Dias
History
The Guanches, who lived in caves and practiced mummification, were the original inhabitants of the islands. They were friendly toward the Spaniards who witnessed the eruption of Teide at the end of the 14th century. The European conquest of the Canaries began in 1402. The Normans came first. Then the Portuguese.
But the Treaty of Algacovas in 1480 restored the islands to Spain. La Palma held out until 1493 and Tenerife until 1495.
Horatio Nelson attacked in 1797 but was defeated. In 1814 Ferdinand VII of Spain declared the islands a free port.
In 1927, the Canaries were made into two provinces. In 1936 a meeting of a group of officers (who were against the Panish Republic) met in Tenerife with Francisco Franco-- a meeting which was the inception of the Spanish Civil War.
In the middle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the main port,in the middle of the Plaza de Espana, stands a tower in the shape of a cross that is a memorial to the Civil War dead.
Tenerife's National Park is Las Canadas, the ancient crater around the dormant (since 1798) volcano, Teide, which is the highest point in the whole of Spain.
Some Holiday Celebrations of Interest to Tourists
May 3- Celebration of the founding of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
May 20- A festive religious excursion or romer&iacure;a in honor of San Isidro Labrador in Los Realejos, Tenerife.
First Sunday in July- Celebration in honor of San Benito Abad in La Laguna, Tenerfie.
August 16- Day of the tradition and romería on honor of San Roque in Garachico, Tenerife.
August 25- Day of San Ginés in Arrecife, Lanzarote.
August 28- Romería in honor of San Augustín in Arafo, Tenerife.
September 6-8- Celebration in honor of La Virgen del Pino in Teror, Gran Canaria.
December 13- Day of Santa Lucia in Gran Canaria.
Miscellaneous Information
The Canary Islands are located 1,150 km off the coast of Africa. They consist of seven islands divided into two areas. The province of Las Palmas consists of the islands Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife includes Tenerife and its satellite islands, La Gomera, La Palma, and Hierro.
The climate is "eternal spring." The so-called Canary current contributes to the mild climate. The less agreeable days with a southern African winds account for only 7% of the days in a year. The spring has a mean temperature of 18 degrees C and summer has a mean temperature of 22 degrees C.
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