Canary Islands - Autonomous communities of Spain

The Canary Islands (Spanish: Islas Canarias) are an Atlantic territory of Spain off the coast of Morocco and Western Sahara.

Islands

The Canary archipelago consists of 8 inhabited islands, and a few smaller uninhabited ones.

• Tenerife 📍 – The largest and most populous island with an area of 2,034 km² and also the most popular tourist destination of the archipelago, with about 6 million tourists per year. It has many museums and monuments that serve as portrayals of its rich history, but suffers under low cost mass tourism from the European mainland. Its oldest mountain ranges are young compared to its neighbouring islands, and volcanic activity did not begin to occur here until 8-12 million years ago, while other islands had it well over 20 million years ago. The highest mountain of Spain and 3rd largest volcano in the world (3,715 m), El Teide, dominates the landscape of the island. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is home to the Canary Island Parliament, while San Cristóbal de La Laguna is home to the oldest university on the Canary Islands. The main resorts are Puerto de la Cruz and Playa de las Américas.
• Fuerteventura 📍 – Second largest island, with an area of 1,660 km², but compared to Tenerife relatively thinly populated with only 117,000 (2019) inhabitants. There are fewer attractions, but in turn the island has not yet fallen prey to mass tourism. Its capital, Puerto del Rosario, is fairly laid back and has a few architectural gems to offer. Fuerteventura is a paradise for windsurfing and the only Canary Island with natural golden sandy beaches rather than naturally black volcanic sand. The main resorts of Fuerteventura are Corralejo, Caleta de Fuste and Morro Jable.
• Gran Canaria 📍 – The third largest island and second most popular (after Tenerife) receiving over 4 million tourists every year–green and steep in the north, dry and flat in the south. It has the highest population density of the Canary Islands, with 540 inhabitants per km², and with tourists added to that number it gets a bit crowded at times. The main resorts on the Island are Las Palmas, Maspalomas, Puerto Rico and Playa del Ingles. Its capital city Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has the shared title of capital of the Canaries.
• Lanzarote 📍 – About half the size of Gran Canaria and also of volcanic origin, but low lying and arid, with a spectacular volcanic landscape in the west of the island preserved as Timanfaya National Park. The greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730–1736. The capital is Arrecife and has its own airport, and draws most of the 2.9 million tourists visiting Lanzarote annually. There is a bustling nightlife in four main resorts—Arrecife, Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
• La Palma 📍 – The population is about 83,000 (2019), of which about half live in the capital, Santa Cruz de la Palma and in Los Llanos de Aridane. La Palma's geographic layout is a result of the volcanic formation of the island. The southern part of La Palma is dominated by the Cumbre Vieja, a volcanic ridge formed by numerous volcanic cones built of lava and scoria. The Cumbre Vieja is active but mostly dormant, with the last eruption occurring in 2021.
• La Gomera 📍 – The Magic Isle, with San Sebastián as capital, is a paradise for hikers. It is shaped like an orange that has been cut in half and split into segments. The terrain is rough, which has left deep ravines or barrancos between them. These barrancos, in turn, are covered by the laurisilva (laurel rain forest). The local wine has a distinct taste, and is often accompanied with a tapa (snack) of local cheese, roasted pork or goat meat. Other cultural dishes include almogrote, a cheese spread, and a syrup extracted from palm trees called miel de palma. The local people have a unique way of communicating across deep ravines by using a whistled speech called Silbo Gomero. This whistled language is indigenous to the island, and its existence has been documented since Roman times.
• El Hierro 📍 – "The edge of the world". It is also known as the Meridian Island, and Valverde is its capital.
• Graciosa 📍 – The smallest inhabited island of the Canaries in terms of area and population, being only 29 km² in size and having a population of approx. 735 (2018). Its capital is Caleta de Sebo, and it's a few kilometres to the north of Lanzarote.

All islands use the same time zone: Western European Time (WET). This means the time is the same as Portugal and United Kingdom.

Cities

• Las Palmas 📍 – The largest city, situated on Gran Canaria and one of the capitals of the Canary Islands
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife 📍 – Another capital of the Canary Islands, situated on Tenerife
• San Cristóbal de La Laguna – The third most populous city of the Canary Islands with a well preserved historic centre, a

Understand

Pico del Teide (on Tenerife) at 3,715 metres above sea level is the highest point in both the Canary Islands and Spanish territory.

Demographics

The islands have a population of 2.2 million (2019). Since the Canary Islands are a major European tourist destination, all the major islands have well-developed communication systems, airports, and ports.

Ethnically the population is mostly a mix of Spanish, European (German and British), South American, and especially Cuban and Venezuelan as well as Northern and Sub-Sahara African. There are also historical minorities such as Indians, Koreans and lately Russians.

Each island speaks with a slightly different accent and there is a strong rivalry between the main islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Most of the accents in the Canary Islands are closer to Latin American Spanish than to Castilian Spanish spoken in continental Spain.

The Canary Islands are very modern, very European, and extremely liberal.

History

Ancient legend claims the Canary Islands are the ‘lost islands’ of Atlantis. They have also been referred to as the lands without sorrow, holding on to the edge of the world. The first settlers were known as Guanches, thought to have arrived in the 10th century BC. The main economic system was built around agriculture and animal farming. During the 14th century, the islands were continuously invaded by different European countries. Sugar cane became the dominant crop, and since the early 20th century, bananas have been widely farmed.

During the Age of Sail, the islands were an important waypoint on the Cape Route.

In contrast to Spanish North Africa and other Spanish overseas territories, the Canary Islands have been an integrated part of Spain for centuries.

Climate

The Canary Islands are known for their mild climate. They feature mild winters, although there is a lot of wind virtually every day, which makes temperatures feel cooler. Summers are dry and temperatures are generally comfortable but can feel chilly with the wind. The average temperature is 13°C in January and 19°C in July. Sunshine is somewhat abundant in summer and relatively scarce in winter.

Get in

Just like mainland Spain, the Canary Islands are part of the European Union and the Schengen area. Arrivals from other Schengen territories usually don't need to clear immigration.

By plane

The Canaries is a popular destination with Europeans, and swarms of charter and discount flights descend on the island year round. The North & South airports on Tenerife and the Gran Canaria Airport are the busiest, but it's also possible to fly to many of the other islands, although it's often more expensive.

• Tenerife–South Airport (IATA: TFS), 28.044444°, -16.5725°.
• Tenerife-North Airport (IATA: TFN), 28.488047°, -16.345914°.
• Gran Canaria Airport (IATA: LPA), 27.931944°, -15.386667°.
• Lanzarote Airport (IATA: ACE), 28.945556°, -13.605278°.
• La Palma Airport (IATA: SPC).

By boat

The Spanish company Naviera Armas has weekly connections between Huelva and Cadiz in Spain and Arrecife (Lanzarote), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Tenerife. Fred Olsen also has weekly connections from Huelva to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. A detailed map of these three routes can be found on Ferrygogo.

Portuguese ferry company Empresa de Navegação Madeirense used to operate a service between Madeira and the Canary Islands, connecting the two archipelagos with the Algarve in Portugal. There also used to be a return service from Funchal to Gran Canaria. However this service is not active anymore.

Get around

By public transport

Public transport is available on most islands, varying widely in price and efficiency though—see the specific islands for more information.

Do not expect bus drivers to know more than a couple of sentences in English or German, though they will try to be helpful.

By rental car

Renting a car is often the best option for discovering the remote and wildness regions—Tenerife might be an exception with its very efficient bus system. There are several well-established local rental companies that are well worth considering, already starting at about €100/week. On smaller island like La Palma, the variety of companies is reduced though.

Local rental companies (always compare!):

• AutoReisen – Cheap, reliable and no deposit—from €9/day. Though, apparently not very well known nor listed on the common price comparison websites. Pickup and drop-off is only possible at airports. Ask around and you will see that people are very happy with them.
• PlusCar Rent a Car – Conditions are similar to AutoReisen—sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive. Likewise no deposit.
• CICAR a.k.a. Cabrera Medina – Many rental branches all over the islands, though not all are always open. Reliable and well-known.
• PaylessCar – Affordable and good.
• TopCar – From €12/day, but many people complain about consecutively being charged for fuel or cleaning. Deposit: €500.
• Goldcar, Dollar, Interrent – Not worth the stress—they are well known for ripping off their customers. If you still decide to use them, make sure you understand their terms & conditions, since there may be hidden fees or other tricks.
• Avis, Europcar, Thrifty, Hertz, Enterprice – Probably not worth the extra money, unless you have a membership thing or get a good discount.

As roads can often be narrow and unpaved, there is a risk of damaging cars by ricocheting stones and pebbles. Inspect your rental car carefully before signing the contract, and consider adding insurance to the contract conditions for a surcharge, or just go with one of the local companies, as they all include full insurance by default. When your rental car is fully insured, returning the vehicle is as simple as dropping off the key.

Choose a car that is just large enough to fit all passengers and luggage, but try to keep it as small as possible. A small car is much easier to find a parking spot for in the historic centres of towns and cities, and passing another vehicle coming from the opposite direction becomes less of an adventure on narrow mountain roads.

As a general rule, the driver must be at least 21 years old. In addition to regular cars, it is also possible to hire jeeps, which make it easier to drive the unpaved roads, or camper vans. Check Google for available options. However, they are quite expensive compared to regular car rental. Nevertheless, in off-season there exist special offers for several days. ve plans for a train linking Santa Cruz and Los Cristianos.

By taxi

Taxis can be expensive, and inside a city they are not worth the money unless you are in a real hurry or cannot balance yourself after a shopping day.

By boat

If you want to travel between the islands, a good option might be to take a ferry. Most ferries are modern, but they are pricey unless you have a residency status.

The most important companies are:

• Fred Olsen
• Lineas Romero
• Transmediterránea
• Armas

By plane

If you are afraid of the sea, or get sick just by staring at a ferry, then a plane is what you need to travel between the islands. That usually means a turboprop ATR-72 or ATR-42 by one of the airlines like:

• Binter
• Canaryfly

They are perfectly safe and adequately fast as you are likely to spend more time at the airport than in the plane. Though, not every island has an airport.

See and do

The Canary Islands are home to 4 s: - Teide National Park on Tenerife, with at its centre Mount Teide, the tallest mountain of Spain and one of the world's tallest volcanoes. - The historic centre of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on Tenerife, dotted with colonial architectural gems. - The subtropical rainforest of La Garajonay National Park on La Gomera. - The archaeological site of Risco Caído on Gran Canaria.

Otherwise the islands impress with:

• Numerous beaches
• Volcanoes and volcanic landscapes great for hiking
• Historical architecture in the old town of Las Palmas

Buy

Money

The euro (€) is the currency of the Canaries. The islands are outside the EU VAT area and have a separate sales tax from the VAT levied in mainland Spain.

Withdrawing money from Spanish __ATM__s will often result in an extra charge by the machine of €1–8. Cash can therefore be an alternative, but bears certain risks. However, since COVID credit cards are widely accepted as payment option, even for the tiniest amounts—cash-only is likely a source of tax evasion concerns. So, you are probably best off to bring a few €50–100 in cash and pay the rest with credit card, in case you want to avoid ATM fees.

Bizum is very popular with locals, and even some bars and restaurants—as an alternative to PayPal or Venmo. However, you need a Spanish bank account to use it.

Eat

Canarian cuisine is a mix between Spanish, Latin and African cultures. Most of Canarian cuisine is a variety of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish, generally light meals, more easy to digest in a warm climate. Meat is usually consumed as a part of stews or as steaks.

• Papas Arrugadas or papa sancochada – Black potatoes boiled in very salty water until they are "wrinkly", hence the name, and served unpeeled with mojo picón, a spicy cold red sauce made with chili and garlic. These are often served as a tapa.
• Mojo verde and mojo rojo – A sauce that is always served with the papas arrugadas, but usually also with fish and such.
• Goat – If any kind of meat is popular in the Canary Islands, it's goat. Locals and tourists equally will rave about good places they had goat in. If meat is your thing, you should definitely find such a place.
• Fish – You will find a wide variety of fish and seafood with restaurants that allow you to choose a fish from their selection (often hand caught), which they will cook for you. Two popular fish dishes from Tenerife are Caldereta, a meal with tomatoes, goat meat and potatoes and the Sancocho Canario, a salted fish, usually white, in a “mojo” sauce.
• Tapas – One of the most delicious Spanish contributions to international gastronomy, tapas are eaten a lot with local specialties including garlic sauces, fried beans and squid. A tapa is a light and small piece of food that Spaniards have either before lunch or dinner, usually with a glass of wine or beer. The tapa can be presented in several ways: as a pincho (with a stick), as a mini-dish of a traditional recipe, as a canapé, etc.
• Arepas – Tortas made from fine corn flour filled with minced meat, cheese, or sweet mango; sometimes fried.
• Almogrote – A spread made of cheese and tomato paste, popular in La Gomera and put liberally onto bread.
• Plantain bananas – The Canary Islands are Europe's only exporter of these famously delicious, and usually fried bananas.
• Gofio – Grain flour used especially at breakfast or to accompany potaje, a local stew.
• Mousse de gofio or gofío amasado – A dessert made from gofio, miel de palma, and plantains.
• Tortilla (potato omelette) and paella (rice dishes) are also common.
• Miel de Palma – Palm honey
• Conejo en salmorejo

Drink

• Barraquito – Also called barraco, is a coffee speciality from the Canary Islands and particularly popular on Tenerife but also on La Palma.
• Beer – There are three local breweries (Dorada, Tropical and Reina).
• Coffee – Cafe solo (espresso) and Cortado (espresso with milk) are the most ordered coffee variations on the islands.
• Rum – There are also well known rum distilleries, especially in Gran Canaria (Artemi and Arehucas). The ron miel is a sweet liquor made from rum and honey.
• Wines – There are several brands of wines in the islands. North of Tenerife, La Geria in Lanzarote or La Palma have excellent vineyards.

Stay safe

112 is the common emergency number.

Pickpocketing

While being a safe place, beware of pickpockets in major touristic and resort areas. Do not take electrical devices, credit cards or large amounts of cash to the beach, if you plan to leave your goods unattended while swimming, or when going out for clubbing. Already many mobile phones have been snatched around the islands from drunken lads, especially at night.

Go next

• Spain – Regular ferry connections exist between the Canary Islands and mainland Spain.
• Morocco – There used to exist a ferry connection, but nowadays using the plane is the only option.
• Madeira and Azores – Regular flights are available.

Related: Spain