Volcano hiking before sunset cocktails: discover two sides to a Canary Islands holiday

As far as suntraps go, the Canary Islands must top the list: their year-round weather forecast is so pleasant that the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is often considered to have the best climate in the world.

The reliable conditions make these Atlantic Spanish islands perennially popular – though there's plenty of serenity to be found if you avoid the bright lights of their famous resort towns. Explore the mountainous, volcanic landscape of Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria and you’ll feel worlds away from the beach bars and sun loungers.

With British Airways Holidays, balance all the delightful perks of an all-inclusive holiday – poolside cocktails, abundant buffets, top-class service – with the wonderous, more rugged side of the Canaries. The islands’ unique landscape is all part of the charm, as showcased at these three fantastic resorts…

Imagine gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean from the buoyant comfort of Europe’s largest saltwater hotel infinity pool, with only your dinner booking to interrupt the tranquility. That’s everyday life at Gran Melia Palacio de Isora, a peaceful beachfront hotel on the southwest coast of Tenerife.

Despite its glamorous appearance, this is a relaxing and welcoming place to spend your precious holiday time, with plenty of child-friendly offerings – hello, pirate ship swimming pool!

The resort’s fine-dining restaurant Dos Naifes is a must for food obsessives. Its award-winning menu features carefully sourced seafood and local produce in a celebration of the Atlantic, with stunning sunsets over the ocean itself to accompany your meal.

The adults-only rooftop cocktail bar Entre Cielos is the perfect place to spend golden hour while you make plans for an offsite island adventure. Teide National Park has a towering volcano at its centre (Mount Teide is actually Spain’s highest peak) and its high-altitude lava fields are home to a wealth of wildlife and unusual plants.

A resort that prides itself on providing a relaxing and restorative escape for visitors of any age, Paradisus by Melia Fuerteventura is the hotel that your family will be talking about for years to come.

Children aged five to 12 will feel like VIPs in The Kidsdom, a kids club where activities are centred around creativity, sustainability and the great outdoors. Embracing the island’s slower pace of life, the whole family can also enjoy immersive nature walks and craft workshops.

If the holiday is strictly for grown-ups, unwind by spending your days bobbing around the saltwater lagoon, reading in the serene gardens or sipping cocktails while admiring the stunning volcanic landscape here.

Don’t miss fresh plates of sashimi and ceviche at Lemon Fish, the resort’s Nikkei fusion cuisine-inspired restaurant.

With its untouched beauty and calming energy, Fuerteventura, pictured main image, is known as the Canaries’ quiet island. Embark on a day trip to visit golden beaches, bounce over the mountainous terrain on a jeep tour or hike through a local nature reserve, all before returning to the resort in time for tranquil sundowners.

The natural beauty and rich local culture of the Canaries’ third-biggest island is proudly celebrated at Paradisus by Melia Gran Canaria, with spa treatments, excursions, restaurants and even the aesthetic all influenced by the island’s people and traditions.

From the resort’s magnificent seafront location, just outside the town of San Agustin, you’re only a 10-minute drive from Maspalomas and its mystical sand-dunes – a Gran Canaria must-see.

Onsite, there won’t be a moment you’re not looked after – the 24/7 lobby bar will make sure of that. There are a wide range of restaurants to help you make an occasion out of mealtimes, with local chef Germán Ortega’s restaurant Peseta being a highlight. Settle in for a tantalising tasting menu that showcases traditional Canarian recipes with modern flair.

Wood-fired pizza, rooftop ceviche, poolside juices and towering pancake stacks elsewhere in the resort mean absolutely no guest will go home hungry.

British Airways Holidays packages include ATOL protection, a generous checked baggage allowance and access to its 24-hour holiday helpline for complete peace of mind. Secure your all-inclusive holiday to Gran Melia Palacio de Isora, Paradisus by Melia Fuerteventura or Paradisus by Melia Gran Canaria with a low deposit and flexible payment options*

*Full balance due four weeks before departure for short-haul holiday bookings. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply. Visit ba.com/holidays for more information

**Subject to availability. T&Cs apply