Filming locations in Canary Islands

Off the coast of Africa, the Canary Islands trade in volcanic strangeness, and that is exactly what drew The Witcher. On Gran Canaria, the basalt monolith of Roque Nublo and the pine-clad highlands around it form the otherworldly badlands the characters cross, a landscape that needs no embellishing to read as a fantasy wild.

Roque Nublo is the spot to walk to. A well-marked trail climbs to the base of the great rock from a roadside car park in the island's interior, an hour or so each way, so bring water and let the volcanic scenery unfold as you go. The rock itself stands like a finger of stone against the sky, instantly recognisable from the screen.

The reward at the top is a view that earns the climb: at sunset, a sea of clouds often pools in the valleys below, with the peak of Mount Teide floating on the horizon over on neighbouring Tenerife. It is the kind of vista that explains why a fantasy production came all this way for its wilderness.

The mountain roads up from the coast are winding and slow, so plan a full day rather than a quick dash. The white town of Tejeda, tucked in the highlands below the rock, makes a scenic lunch stop and a reminder that this lunar interior sits surprisingly close to the island's familiar beach resorts.

That contrast is the practical heart of a Canaries set-jetting trip. Base yourself at the coast for the warmth and the sea, then drive up into the cool, pine-scented interior for the Roque Nublo hike on a clear day. Aim to be at the rock for late afternoon, both for the softer light and for that sea of clouds.