Set adrift off the coast of North Africa, the Canary Islands are sunbaked and splendidly diverse. ‘Winter sun’ is the phrase most associated with Spain’s octet of volcanic islands, and sun-seeking travellers flock here year-round for sweeping beaches, spellbinding scenery and cuisine that marries Moroccan and Spanish flavours. Some islands are more popular than others, and some have reputations that precede them; look past these dated preconceptions, and you’ll be rewarded with wild nature and favourable weather. So, if you’re wondering which of the Spanish siblings best suits your holiday style, read on for our guide to which Canary Island to visit…
1. Tenerife
2. Fuerteventura
3. Gran Canaria
4. Lanzarote
5. La Palma
6. La Gomera
7. El Hierro
8. La Graciosa
Tenerife
Best for a well-rounded adventure
The largest and most frequented of the archipelago, Tenerife hosts brilliant beaches, sophisticated hotels and its fair share of all-inclusive resorts. Over the last decade or so, it has been slowly shedding its package holiday and party reputation; wander away from the tourist hotspots, and you’ll find hidden treasures like the dinky towns of Garachico and El Palmar in the north. Spain’s tallest peak – the snow-dusted Pico del Teide – dominates the island, and active types will enjoy tackling the trails that trace its terrain. A crammed cultural calendar is another of the island’s accolades. Visit in February for the Carnival of Santa Cruz and the Canary Islands Music Festival, a surefire way to beat the winter blues back home.
Fuerteventura
Best for water babies
Fringed by blonde beaches and a turquoise ocean, Fuerteventura is the second-largest of the islands and boasts some of the dreamiest sands on the archipelago. A designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2009, the island’s natural parks – like Parque Natural de Corralejo in the north and Parque Natural Jandía in the south – are blessed with honey-hued dunes and spectacular sunsets. Lunar-like landscapes blanket the interior, while the shoreline is met with stellar swells beloved by surfers. Beach bums and water babies will feel at home here, with sailing, windsurfing, paddle boarding, diving and kitesurfing on offer.
Gran Canaria
Best for active types
If you’re wondering which Canary Island to visit for active adventures, Gran Canaria delivers with its adrenaline-inducing pursuits and heartrate-raising mountain hikes. The archipelago may be famed for its beaches, but if you’re not the type to lounge on the sand all day, Gran Canaria is the Canaries’ jack-of-all-trades. Its wide-open spaces and dramatic terrain lend themselves to hiking, 4x4 tours, canyoning, climbing and kayaking. The island’s buzzy capital, Las Palmas, is the perfect place to unwind afterwards, with its lively bar scene and stellar seafood restaurants.
Lanzarote
Best for dramatic landscapes
Topographically extreme and culturally distinct, Lanzarote – Gran Canaria’s slightly smaller sibling – has a lot going for it. More than 300 brooding volcanic cones, vast blackened lava fields and black-pebbled beaches characterise the landscape, while the volcanic vineyards of La Geria (near Parque Nacional de Timanfaya) make for otherworldly wine-tasting experiences. Lanzarote’s beaches rank among the archipelago’s best, and the surf-whipped sands of Famara Beach welcome skilled wave riders.
Image by Salva Lopez
La Palma
Best for lush nature
Aptly nicknamed ‘La Isla Bonita’ (the beautiful island), La Palma is a patchwork of rainforest-clad hillsides, enchanting forests and tumbling waterfalls. As the first of the Canaries to be designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1983, it remains one of the best picks for unspoilt nature and is favoured by those looking for low-key luxury. The island is also bookmarked as one of Europe’s prime stargazing spots, thanks to the lack of light pollution, and you can wish upon a star at the world-famous Roque de los Muchachos Observatory.
La Gomera
Best for off-the-beaten-track
Tucked away from mass tourism’s eye-line, La Gomera is a secret we’re more than happy to share with those wondering which Canary Island to visit. The pint-sized isle is often hailed as the most authentic of the group, with its pastel-coloured towns, small-scale eateries and local craft workshops. Measuring a mere 22 miles from east to west, La Gomera packs a punch with over 400 miles of hiking trails, so you’ll want to lace up comfortable shoes for this one.
El Hierro
Best for avid hikers & responsible travellers
Harder-to-reach El Hierro may be the smallest of the Canary Islands, but this is all part of the westernmost isle’s charm. Its far-flung location has kept it out of the pages of old-school tourist guides, and it’s only in recent years that it’s emerged onto the travel map. The hilly terrain is a hiker’s haven, and myriad lesser-trodden trails weave across the untamed wilderness, including the 16-mile-long Camino de la Virgen that crosses El Hierro’s main peaks. Reward leg-wearying rambles with traditional Canarian cuisine and dips in the glassy Atlantic Ocean off its southern coast. What’s more, eco-minded travellers will admire El Hierro’s efforts to become the world’s first self-sufficient renewable energy island.
Image by Malte Jaeger/LAIF REA
La Graciosa
Best for remote beaches
Crowned the eighth official Canary Island in 2018, La Graciosa may have been late to the party, but the rocky outcrop more than makes up for lost time with its secluded beaches and charming guesthouses. Reached by a half-hour ferry from Lanzarote, the lack of paved roads here keeps the crowds at bay, and the best way to hop between sandy stretches is on foot or by bicycle.
Written by Luisa Watts | Header image by ferkelraggae/stock.adobe.com
