Which Canary Island is right for you?

Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes

There are few destinations that tick every box for holidaymakers all year round like the Canary Islands*. While many people who have experienced life in this Atlantic archipelago, if you're yet to visit, do you know where to start?

We've asked our resident Canarian expert, Matthew Hirtes, to share his tips on each of the popular and lesser-known islands to help you decide which one is right for you.

Which Canary Island?

There are seven main Canary Islands, each offering something different. So which one suits your holiday needs? Let's find out, island by island, in descending size order:

There are eight Canary islands to choose from
There are eight Canary islands to choose from © Peter Hermes Furian - Fotolia.com

Tenerife

  • Main attractions: Siam Park, Mount Teide
  • Who goes: 18 to 30s, families, mountain climbers
  • Best for: clubbing, eating out, trekking

Mispronounced by tourists ever since establishing itself as a holiday hotspot in the 1960s, Tenerife* is the largest of the Canary Islands (it's really 'Tenner-re-fey' rather than 'Tenner-reef').

Tenerife may be the most populated island in Macaronesia but its capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife feels distinctly provincial, yet it towers over the rest of Spain with its 3,178 m-high Mount Teide, the country's tallest peak.

Cathedral in La Laguna, Tenerife
Cathedral in La Laguna, Tenerife © Miguel Ángel García - Flickr CC BY 2.0

For a breath of fresh air from the purpose-built southern resorts of Las Americas and Los Cristianos, hit the north of the island. In particular, the beautifully preserved university town and UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Cristobal de La Laguna.

Also, look out for guachinches in Tenerife's north. These are temporary restaurants that specialise in traditional Canarian cuisine and they only receive a licence if they also produce their own wine.

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Fuerteventura

  • Main attractions: Oasis Park Fuerteventura, Acua Waterpark Corralejo
  • Who goes: couples, families, surfers
  • Best for: beaches, water sports, winter sun

Whenever there's a top 10 beaches article published, chances are Fuerteventura's playas will feature. Particularly the 11 km long stretch of shoreline belonging to Corralejo in the north of the island. These are just some of the 150 plus beaches on Fuerteventura*.

Cofete Beach, Fuerteventura
Cofete Beach, Fuerteventura © pkazmierczak - Fotolia.com

Another interesting stat for you: there are more goats on the island than people. The capital Puerto del Rosario was even known as Puerto de Cabras (Port of Goats) up until 1956. As well as breeding goats for their meat, locals produce the prizewinning majorero cheese from their milk.

In contrast to the totally tropical beaches and goat-grazing interior, head to the wild west and Cofete. Here, you can visit the mysterious Villa Winter. This fine looking estate house was built on land granted to Adolph Hitler and its German owner, the engineer Gustav Winter, by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco in 1939, and still holds many secrets.

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Gran Canaria

  • Main attractions: Aqualand Maspalomas, Palmitos Park
  • Who goes: 18 to 30s, cyclists, families
  • Best for: clubbing, diving, golf

Welcome to a continent in miniature, where lush banana plantations of the north give way to the Sahara-like dunes of Maspalomas in the south.

Gran Canaria* boasts an average annual temperature of 22°C, with the thermometer not dipping much below 20°C, even at night, which has spawned another nickname: that of the Island of Eternal Spring.

Hiking the Camino de Santiago
Hiking the Camino de Santiago © Christine McIntosh - Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has a laid back Latin feel; not for nothing is it known as Little Havana. While the 1970s-style development gave the likes of Playa del Inglés a bad name, there has been some recent gentrification, which makes it much easier on the eye.

To discover a world away from the resorts, try out the island's very own Camino de Santiago, which stretches 75 km from Maspalomas to Gáldar in the northwest.

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Lanzarote

  • Main attractions: Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park, Aquapark Costa Teguise
  • Who goes: couples, cyclists, families
  • Best for: beaches, mountain-biking, wine

When you see Lanzarote*'s volcanic landscape (a restaurant in the lunar-looking Timanfaya National Park uses the heat to grill meat) for the first time, you'll be amazed the locals thought of planting vines.

But there's a wine region, La Geria which, along with Tenerife, produces the most highly-regarded Canarian vintages. Not that it's all dry and dusty with verdant Haría in the north of the island home to the Valley of a Thousand Palms.

Valley of a Thousand Palms, Lanzarote
Valley of a Thousand Palms, Lanzarote © palestrina55 - Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

One of the most unspoilt of the islands popular with tourists, Lanzarote wouldn't be what it is without the enduring influence of César Manrique (1919-1992).

The artist-cum-architect wanted to preserve the traditions of his home island, so he persuaded the authorities to restrict new construction to low-level developments, ensuring traditional buildings were whitewashed and draped with bougainvillea. Don't miss his creations at the César Manrique House Museum or the Jardín de Cactus (Cactus Garden).

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La Palma

  • Main attractions: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente, Roque de los Muchachos
  • Who goes: astronomers, hikers, solo travellers
  • Best for: diving, potholing, whale watching

You'd struggle to find a clearer sky in the whole of Europe than in La Palma*, which explains why it's a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the destination of choice for stargazers. Low levels of air pollution have resulted in the creation of astronomical observatories.

The rim of the Caldera Taburiente, La Palma
The rim of the Caldera Taburiente, La Palma © Nulinukas - Dreamstime.com

Meanwhile, Caldera de Taburiente National Park at the heart of the island is home to a magnificent crater, 8 km in diameter, and the mountain of Roque de los Muchachos at 2,423 m. La Isla Bonita is very much an island to visit if you want to get away from it all.

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La Gomera

  • Main attractions: Casa de Colón, Valle Gran Rey
  • Who goes: daytrippers, hikers, naturists
  • Best for: botany, trekking, whale-watching

Geographically African, politically Spanish, La Gomera* actually feels more South American. Especially as the Parque Nacional de Garajonay resembles the Amazonian rainforest, particularly in the mistier months.

Laurel forest, La Gomera
Laurel forest, La Gomera © Jörg Bergmann - Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Head upcountry to the likes of Chipude to hear the whistling language El Silbo, buy traditional pottery and sample the legendary almogrote (a spicy cheese paste) at Bar Sonia.

If you don't want to spend all your holiday on La Gomera, there's a regular ferry service that connects the island to neighbouring Tenerife.

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El Hierro

  • Main attractions: Ecomuseo de Guinea y Lagartario, Mirador de Bascos
  • Who goes: divers, hikers, solo travellers
  • Best for: hiking, bird watching, ecotourism, natural swimming pools

The most westerly of the Canary Islands, El Hierro is the antithesis of the most easterly, Fuerteventura. The latter, because of its closer proximity to Africa features golden beaches topped up with sand blown over from the Sahara.

Rugged coastline, El Hierro
Rugged coastline, El Hierro © Karol Kozlowski - Fotolia.com

In contrast, El Hierro, which is not noted for its playas, is where you'll find beaches that are made up of dark sand and even stone. Exposed to the ocean's elements and with a mountainous core (courtesy of Pico de Malpaso at 1,501 m), the island can get a bit wet and wild on occasion.

However, there is still ample sunshine for making the most of the quiet hiking and mountain biking routes. The capital Valverde is more village than city with a population of just over 5,000.

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Found the ideal Canary Island for you? The next step is to find the perfect holiday. TUI offers breaks from airports across the UK to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Palma and La Gomera.

Check out the latest offers on resort breaks for all the family and book your holiday to the Canary Islands with TUI today.

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Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes

Article updated on Monday 29th November 2021 in: Compare Europe Family Romantic Travel tips TUI

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