Fuerteventura Family Holidays and Castles To Discover

What many tourists on Fuerteventura family holidays don't realise was that until the 15th century, the Canaries were largely unknown. Then the Spanish invaded Tenerife in 1495 and captured it for Spain. Treasure laden ships returning from the New World found the islands made a convenient stopping place and pirate flotillas soon came to here about this. Spain built a series of castles across the Canaries to combat these attacks, except on the island of Fuerteventura which was considered too flat to defend.

This programme of fortification building persisted into the early 19th century, when Spain's American colonies started fighting for their Independence. There were fears that when Spain lost the fight, the New Colonies would band together and sack the Canary Islands so more new defences were built. This wasn't the case. Tourists visiting Tenerife on holiday deals should visit some of the better preserved castles including the Castle of Saint Cristobal, San Miguel Castle at Garachico, San Andres Castle and Santo Cristo de Paso Alta.

The castle of San Cristo de Paso Alto is situated in the Canaries archipelago on the island in Tenerife. Built in the mid-sixteenth century, the guns played a decisive role in 1797 when the British were defeated during their attack on Nelson. The notorious pirate captain, Cabeza de Perro, was incarcerated in the castle until his execution and legend has it that his pirate hoard is still hidden somewhere along the cliffs at Anaga. Grab a spade and see what you can find! Tenerife was protected by San Andres castle which was built in 1706. The majority of the castle is still standing though a torrent of water from a ravine collapsed part of it. All these Canary Island castles are big attractions to those on Tenerife family holidays and make us realise the strategic importance of the archipelago.