The island of El Hierro is once again capturing international attention as a unique destination within the Canary Islands archipelago. The prestigious travel section of CNN has published an extensive report dedicated to the island, authored by journalist Gordon Cole-Schmidt, under the evocative title: "No tourist resorts or direct flights: this Spanish island could be one of Europe's best-kept secrets".
This piece represents a significant international promotion for El Hierro, particularly relevant at a time when destinations away from mass tourism are gaining traction among travelers seeking nature, authenticity, and less crowded experiences. The journalist's trip was funded by the Cabildo of El Hierro, which also organized a specific itinerary to showcase the island's main natural, cultural, and scenic attractions.
The CNN report contrasts the tourist reality of El Hierro with that of other more well-known Canary Islands, such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, or Lanzarote. While these islands receive millions of visitors annually, the publication emphasizes how El Hierro remains outside the major international tourist flows, offering a different experience.
The narrative begins by describing the image of the ferry that departs daily from southern Tenerife to the westernmost island of the archipelago, on a journey of about two and a half hours across the Atlantic. From there, CNN constructs a story focused on the isolation, volcanic landscape, and sense of discovery that El Hierro offers. The US network also recalls the island's historical significance, considered for centuries the westernmost edge of the known world and symbolically linked to Christopher Columbus's voyage to America in 1492.
One of the most highlighted aspects of the report is the remarkable scenic diversity of El Hierro. Despite its small size, the island boasts a surprising variety of microclimates and natural settings. CNN describes cloud-shrouded forests, pine groves, vineyards, volcanic plains, dark cliffs, and turquoise natural pools. Enclaves such as El Pinar, the Valle de El Golfo, and Charco Azul are mentioned, the latter presented as a spectacular example of the interaction between the volcanic landscape and the sea. The publication also focuses on local agriculture, with crops like bananas, pineapples, coffee, cocoa, or pitahaya, as well as permaculture initiatives.
The article emphasizes that, despite its size, the island features hundreds of volcanic craters and a territory shaped by successive lava flows, creating a landscape described as "dramatic and wild." The appearance of El Hierro on CNN Travel serves as a top-tier showcase in the international market, reinforcing a tourist image based on nature, low visitor density, tranquility, and the absence of large resort complexes.
This report arrives at a crucial time when the Canary Islands are debating their tourism model and the impact of over-tourism. In this context, El Hierro is presented as a smaller-scale alternative, focused on sustainability, landscape, and the preservation of its identity. The piece holds significant promotional value, positioning the island as a destination yet to be discovered for readers worldwide.
