Poised on the edge of the tropics west of Morocco, the Canaries enjoy a generous supply of sunshine.  Their scenery ranges from lava deserts to primeval forest and from sand dunes to volcanic peaks.  The old towns on the main islands have colonial centres, full of character. Seven islands make up the Canary archipelago, Tenerife [with the widest range of holiday attractions], La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro [3 tiny islands which are scarcely developed for tourism and have no large resorts], Gran Canaria [with the resorts of Maspalomas/Playa del Inglés being one of the biggest in Spain], Fuerteventura [with its white sandy beaches], and Lanzarote [sometimes considered to be the most attractive of the islands].