Copper-tinted landscapes, mountain villages nuzzled in greenery and rolling sand dunes with an amber glow – theCanary Islands boast a kaleidoscope of colours. Let’s open the paint box...

Gran Canaria

The Maspalomas Dunes sit on Gran Canaria’s south coast, and at these everchanging sandbanks, it’s golden hour all day long. They cover over 1,000 acres, that’s about the size of 625 football pitches. Swing by early in the morning and you’ll catch the sunlight in its prime and the sand a blank canvas, the only pattern you’ll see is ripples etched by Mother Nature. The scenery gets really dramatic when the sun starts to dip, too. The peaks of the dunes cast inky shadows across the sand like brushstrokes across a sketchbook, and that tangerine tint of a Canarian sunset is the final flourish. Be sure to bring your camera, views this good deserve to be framed.

Tenerife

Over in Tenerife, things are greener. The Teno Mountains stand to attention on the western side of the island, and they’re blooming with apple-hued flora. If you’re up for exploring, you can drive along twisty roads into the hills, passing clusters of spiky cacti and valleys filled with laurel forests. You may even stumble upon the tiny village of Masca, where pencil-straight palm trees perch by cobblestone pathways and local cafés serve coffee and cake. Keep your eyes peeled on the menu for barraquitos – these signature Canarian cocktails are layered with condensed milk, coffee liqueur and espresso, and they taste all the better in a leafy mountain setting. If you look carefully, you can see the sea beyond the highlands from here, too.

Lanzarote

Some parts of Lanzarote feel like they could have been lifted from another planet. Mars springs to mind, especially in Timanfaya National Park. This place is made up of crumbly ash fields and hardened lava flows that look like a charcoal drawing, and the colours are exactly what you’d expect of a place famous for volcanic activity – think earthy browns, jet blacks and rusty shades of orange. You’ll feel big Star Wars energy as you wander past rocky peaks and dusty craters, and it’s a real eye-opener if you’re into geology. The Montañas del Fuego – AKA the Fire Mountains – are home to a restaurant where your food’s cooked using the natural geothermal heat from a volcano.

Each of the Canary Islands is a masterpiece in its own right, with different hues and textures that bring the landscape to life. Which island will you choose? Click on the globe icon above and search for your local market under ‘Tour Operators’ to start planning.