Canary Islands

Overview

The Canary Islands sit in the Atlantic off the northwest coast of Africa, a Spanish archipelago whose volcanic landscapes range from black sand beaches to pine forests and high-altitude desert. Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the largest and most visited of the seven main islands, but Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro each have distinct character, from lunar lava fields to laurel forest ravines. The islands were shaped by volcanic activity that continues today, most visibly around Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak.

What draws people here is the climate: warm enough at sea level to be considered subtropical year-round, tempered by Atlantic trade winds, which makes the islands a fixture for winter sun as much as summer holidays. Beyond the beach resorts, there's serious hiking, some of the clearest night skies in Europe for stargazing, and a food culture built around wrinkled potatoes, mojo sauces, local cheeses and wine grown in volcanic soil. The islands also carry traces of the indigenous Guanche people, who lived here long before Spanish colonisation.

Each island has its own pace and identity, so the experience varies enormously depending on where you land. Gran Canaria and Tenerife offer the widest range of towns, landscapes and nightlife, while Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are quieter and more given over to wind, surf and stark scenery. La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro are the least developed, appealing to walkers and those wanting a slower trip away from package tourism.

Key facts

Overview and character

The Canaries function as a bridge between Europe, Africa and the Americas, a role that shaped their history as a stopover for galleons catching trade winds during the age of Spanish colonisation. That in-between quality persists in the culture, a blend of mainland Spanish tradition, Latin American influence brought back by returning emigrants, and a distinct island identity shaped by isolation and volcanic geography. Life on the islands moves at a different rhythm from the Spanish mainland, with later meal times softened slightly and a stronger emphasis on outdoor living given the climate. Each island guards a strong sense of independence from the others, and rivalry between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the joint capitals, is genuine and long-standing.

Things to do

Mount Teide, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Tenerife, dominates any list of things to do, with a cable car climbing close to the summit and a lunar landscape of lava fields surrounding it. Gran Canaria's Maspalomas dunes offer a very different kind of scenery, a stretch of shifting sand backed by resort development and a long beach promenade. Hiking is a major draw across the archipelago, particularly in La Gomera's laurel forests, La Palma's volcanic trails, and the ravines and pine woods of Tenerife's Anaga peninsula. For something less physical, the islands' clear, dark skies have made stargazing a serious pursuit, with public observatories on Tenerife and La Palma sitting above the cloud layer that blankets the lower slopes.

Experiences you can book in Canary Islands

• Tour to Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes and viewpoint from the cliff

  from £78.39Book on Viator →
• Leaders in Eco Respectful No chase whale and dolphin encounters

  from £21.77Book on Viator →
• Sea Trek Underwater Walk in Tenerife – No Swimming Required

  from £74.03Book on Viator →
• Timanfaya Park & Camel Ride (extra cost) - Short South Tour

  from £51.39Book on Viator →
• Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet

  from £54.87Book on Viator →
• Gran Canaria Virgin Beaches Boat Tour with Food

  from £68.81Book on Viator →

Experiences are sold and operated by Viator and its local suppliers. Head Your Way is an affiliate: we may earn a commission, but your booking, payment, cancellations, refunds and any insurance are handled entirely by Viator under their terms. Head Your Way is not the seller and is not a party to your booking. Prices and availability shown are from Viator and can change — confirm full details on Viator before booking.

Areas to explore

Tenerife divides neatly between the busier, sunnier south, with resort towns built around package tourism, and the greener, wetter north, where the old capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the university town of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, another World Heritage Site, retain colonial-era architecture and a slower pace. Gran Canaria similarly splits between the southern beach resorts around Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés and the capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the north, a working port city with a long urban beach and a genuinely local feel. Lanzarote's landscape was reshaped by eruptions and is largely the vision of the artist César Manrique, whose influence shows in whitewashed villages, cave-based attractions and a ban on high-rise building. Fuerteventura is flatter and drier still, known chiefly for its beaches and strong, reliable winds that make it a base for surfing and kitesurfing, while La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro remain the quietest options, better suited to walkers and those avoiding crowds.

When to visit

The Canaries are marketed as a year-round destination and the claim largely holds, since winters stay mild enough at sea level to draw visitors escaping colder climates in northern Europe. Midwinter remains the peak season for exactly this reason, with prices and crowds rising accordingly, particularly around the turn of the year. Summer brings the hottest weather and busiest beaches, especially when Spanish and other European families travel during school holidays, though the islands rarely reach the extremes seen on the mainland. Spring and autumn offer a reasonable compromise, with quieter resorts, decent hiking conditions in the hills, and generally lower accommodation costs.

Getting there

Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the busiest airports, each served by direct flights from cities across the UK, mainland Spain and much of Europe, with journey times of several hours depending on origin. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura also have significant direct air links, largely because of demand from the surf and beach holiday market. Smaller islands such as La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro have their own airports but usually rely on connecting flights via Tenerife, or ferries from the larger islands. Ferries link most of the islands to each other and to the Spanish mainland, though the sea crossing from mainland Spain takes considerably longer than flying and is used mainly for those bringing vehicles.

Getting around

Inter-island travel is dominated by short flights and ferries, both of which run frequently between the main islands and are generally efficient, though it's worth booking ahead in peak season. Within each island, car hire is the most practical option for reaching hiking trailheads, smaller villages and viewpoints away from the resort areas, and roads are generally well maintained even in mountainous terrain. Public bus networks exist on all the main islands and are reasonably reliable for travelling between towns and resorts, though services thin out considerably in rural areas and on the smaller islands. Taxis are widely available in resort zones and towns, and are a straightforward option for shorter journeys or late-night travel.

Day trips

From Tenerife, a day trip to La Gomera is straightforward by ferry from Los Cristianos, offering a contrast of laurel forest, deep ravines and a slower pace within a few hours. From Lanzarote, the tiny island of La Graciosa is reachable by short boat crossing and makes for an easy half-day or full-day escape with sandy tracks rather than paved roads. Gran Canaria's interior, including the mountain village of Tejeda and the rock formation of Roque Nublo, makes a rewarding day out from either Las Palmas or the southern resorts. Fuerteventura's northern beaches and the offshore islet of Isla de Lobos are popular day trips for those based further south on the island, combining swimming with a look at largely undeveloped coastline.

Where to stay

The southern resort areas of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, such as Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, offer the greatest concentration of hotels, self-catering apartments and family-oriented resorts, generally close to beaches and nightlife. For a more local, less touristic base, the capitals Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria offer city hotels, better connections to public transport, and a stronger sense of everyday island life. Lanzarote's Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise cover similar resort ground on a smaller scale, while quieter islands like La Palma and La Gomera favour rural guesthouses and small hotels over large-scale resorts. Booking ahead is advisable for winter travel, when demand from long-stay visitors escaping colder climates can fill popular areas well in advance.

Good to know

The Canary Islands operate on a special tax regime distinct from mainland Spain, which generally makes shopping, particularly electronics and alcohol, cheaper than elsewhere in the country. Sun protection is worth taking seriously even in cooler months, since the combination of altitude, clear skies and reflected light from volcanic rock or sand can catch visitors out. Water can be scarce on the drier islands like Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and desalination plants supply much of it, so it's sensible not to assume unlimited availability in rural accommodation. Spanish is the main language throughout, though English is widely spoken in resort areas, and the islands keep the same time zone as the UK rather than mainland Spain's.

Journeys through here

Getting around Canary Islands

Common questions

Which Canary Island should I choose for a first visit?

Tenerife or Gran Canaria are the best starting points, since both combine reliable flight connections, a wide range of accommodation, and enough variety in landscape and towns to get a proper sense of what the islands offer, from beach resorts to mountain scenery and historic capitals.

Do I need a passport to visit the Canary Islands from the UK?

Yes, a passport is required since the islands are part of Spain, though they sit outside the EU customs and VAT area, which is why duty-free shopping is more generous there than on the Spanish mainland.

Is it easy to visit more than one island on the same trip?

It's straightforward, since frequent inter-island flights and ferries connect the main islands, making it realistic to base yourself on one island and take day trips or short stays on neighbouring ones, particularly between Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma.

Is Mount Teide worth visiting outside summer?

Yes, and arguably better, since the cable car and summit paths can be crowded in peak summer months, while spring and autumn bring clearer air and cooler conditions for the climb, though snow can close the higher paths in winter.

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Sources & method

• Wikipedia (synthesis) — prose

See our methodology for how Head Your Way sources and reviews travel data.