Region

Canary Islands

Pick one island for 5–7 nights; island-hopping costs a ferry or flight each time and eats a day.

Open Spain Plan a trip

More: share, save offline, report a correction

Key facts · Spain

Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Language: Spanish (castellano)
Plugs: C · F · 230 V
Time zone: CET (UTC+1, summer UTC+2)

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

The Canaries are eight islands, not one destination. Flights and ferries between them are priced for tourists, so two islands in a week means two travel days. Choose by what you want: Tenerife for Teide and variety, Gran Canaria for beaches plus mountains, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura for dry desert coasts, La Palma and La Gomera for walking and quiet. They sit one hour behind mainland Spain and stay warm all year.

Where to sleep

7 places in this region

Sleep base

TenerifeRegion
Two airports; Teide, laurisilva cloud forest, busy south-coast resorts.
Open Tenerife →
Gran CanariaRegion
Dunes and resorts in the south, green mountains inland.
Open Gran Canaria →
LanzaroteRegion
Volcanic, dry, low-rise; ferry link to Fuerteventura.
Open Lanzarote →
FuerteventuraRegion
Long beaches, wind, desert interior.
Open Fuerteventura →
La PalmaCity guide
Green, steep, hiking; fewer rental cars.
Best Oct–May
JFMAMJJASOND
Open La Palma →

Day trip

La GomeraRegion
Ferry from Tenerife; small, walkable, quiet.
Open La Gomera →
La GraciosaCity guide
No airport; short ferry from Lanzarote.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open La Graciosa →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

5 nights: One island, one base; rent a car for 3 days
7 nights: Tenerife 4 + La Gomera 2, or Lanzarote 4 + Fuerteventura 3 by ferry
10 nights: Two islands maximum, with the transfer day counted

Calima: Saharan dust roughly once a month, mostly in winter, lasting under a week — it cuts visibility, coats everything and raises temperatures.
Inter-island ferries and flights are expensive for non-residents; a same-week hop can cost more than a mainland flight.
Rental cars: check the conditions. Reputable local firms usually include unlimited mileage, a second driver and full insurance; some cheap offers add it back at the desk.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
La Gomera	Tenerife	90 min	check	Ferry from Los Cristianos; check the last sailing before booking a same-day return.
La Graciosa	Lanzarote	45 min	check	Passenger ferry from Órzola; no airport on the island.
Isla de Lobos	Fuerteventura	30 min	check	Daily boat trips; landing numbers are limited, so book ahead.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding between islands; take bags on the ferry or flight or leave them at your base.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
La Palma	go	go	go	go	go	×	×	×	×	go	go	go
La Graciosa	×	×	go	go	go	ok	×	×	go	go	go	×
Spain (country-wide)	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	go	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Gran Canaria (coast)south coast resorts	ok	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	best	ok
Tenerifesouth dry and sunny, north wetter	ok	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	best	ok
Lanzarote / Fuerteventuraeastern islands	ok	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	best	ok

best: dry, mildok: workablehot: short walking windows

Gran Canaria (coast): Averages about 21 °C (70 °F) in January and 27 °C (81 °F) in August; wind makes it feel cooler. Rain is scarce — most falls Nov–Feb.Averages about 70 °F (21 °C) in January and 81 °F (27 °C) in August; wind makes it feel cooler. Rain is scarce — most falls Nov–Feb.
Tenerife: Trade winds build cloud on the northern slopes; the south stays clear. Teide summit is far colder than the coast — take layers.
Lanzarote / Fuerteventura: Desert-dry and windy year-round; the wind is the main reason it never feels too hot.

Peak season is winter sun (Dec–Mar) and school holidays; book beds and cars early for those weeks.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Mainland Spain (Madrid, Barcelona)	Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma	Direct flight	2 h 30–3 h 30	Regular year-round flights; the islands are one hour behind the mainland.
UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands	Resort airports	Direct charter and scheduled flights	4–4 h 30 from the UK	Tenerife South (TFS) and Gran Canaria (LPA) take the most routes; La Gomera and El Hierro are reached by inter-island flight.
Huelva or Cádiz	Arrecife, Las Palmas, Tenerife	Ferry (Naviera Armas, Fred Olsen)	about 1.5–2 days	Weekly sailings; a crossing, not a transfer. Cruise ships also call here on Atlantic routes.
Another island	Any island	Binter or Canaryfly flight, or ferry	25–60 min by air	La Graciosa has no airport — ferry from Lanzarote only.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Rental car

buy

The practical way to see any island beyond the resort strip; small cars from about €70 a week in low season (2026 estimate).

Local rental firms (Cicar, AutoReisen, PlusCar)

check

Often cheaper and better insured than the big international brands; read the fuel and deposit rules before booking.

Island bus networks

check

Cheap and usable on Tenerife and Gran Canaria; thin on the smaller islands. Drivers may speak little English.

Inter-island ferry

check

Modern and fast but priced for visitors; locals pay subsidised fares. Compare against a flight before committing.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Papas arrugadas with mojo	Everywhere	Salt-boiled wrinkled potatoes with red or green mojo; usually a tapa.
Goat	Rural restaurants on all islands	The local meat; often stewed or grilled.
Conejo en salmorejo	Tenerife, Gran Canaria	Rabbit marinated then cooked in the marinade.
Fresh fish, caldereta, sancocho	Coastal restaurants	Pick your fish from the counter; caldereta is a tomato-and-fish stew, sancocho uses salted white fish in mojo.
Morcilla dulce canaria	Markets and tapas bars	Sweet blood sausage, closer to a pudding.
Almogrote	La Gomera	Cheese-and-tomato spread for bread.
Gofio and mousse de gofio	All islands	Toasted grain flour at breakfast or in stews; the dessert adds palm honey and banana.
Barraquito	Tenerife, La Palma	Layered coffee with condensed milk, cinnamon and a little liquor.
Ron miel and island wine	Gran Canaria distilleries; La Geria, north Tenerife, La Palma	Honey rum is the local sweet drink; island wines are worth ordering.

Show all 9 rowsShow fewer

Go next

Spain travel guide

Flight back to the mainland, 2 h 30–3 h 30

Remember the one-hour time change.

Tenerife travel guide

planned

Direct flights to TFS or TFN

The biggest island and the usual first pick.

explore Gran Canaria

planned

Direct flights to LPA

Beaches in the south, mountains inland.

visit Lanzarote

planned

Direct flights to ACE

Volcanic landscapes and low-rise resorts.

Fuerteventura travel guide

planned

Direct flights to FUE, or ferry from Lanzarote

Long beaches and wind.

things to do in La Palma

planned

Direct flights to SPC

Green, steep and quiet; fewer rental cars.

visit La Gomera

planned

Ferry from Tenerife, about 1 h

Small and walkable; works as a day trip or two nights.

Graciosa, Canary Islands travel guide

planned

Passenger ferry from Órzola, Lanzarote

No airport; day-trip sized.

best time to visit spain

planned

—

The islands run on a different calendar from the mainland.

spain itinerary

planned

—

Where the islands fit in a longer Spain trip.

Green Spain travel guide

planned

—

The mainland's cool, wet north.

visit Andalusia

planned

—

The nearest mainland region to the islands.

explore Balearic Islands

planned

—

Spain's Mediterranean island group.

Eastern Spain region guide

planned

—

Valencia and the Costa Blanca.

Madrid and Central Spain

—

Mainland hub with the most island flights.

Madrid

—

Common connecting point.

Valencia

—

Ferry and flight options south along the coast.

Show all 17 placesShow fewer

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 5 bases
Day trips: 3, 30 min to 1 h 30
Nights suggested: 5–10 nights
Ways in: 4 listed
Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open Spain Up to Spain

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialGovernment of the Canary Islands
officialCanary Islands tourism board
officialNaviera Armas — Canary Islands ferries
officialFred Olsen Express
officialBinter Canarias
officialCanaryfly
officialAEMET — Spanish state weather agency
secondaryWikivoyage: Canary Islands, revision 5203272 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Canary Islands

Loading…

Was this useful?