Canary Islands: best things to see and do and which island is best to visit

After getting to know the 8 Canary Islands and trying to soak up the culture and beauty of each island, we understood how different they are from each other and that together they form a paradise between forests, beaches, villages and panoramic views that transport us to tropical latitudes (or even to other planets like Mars).

In this guide we try to summarize all the things to see in each of the eight Canary Islands, with practical recommendations for those who are organizing the trip before arriving (which islands is best to visit, what to see in each one, what is the best time to visit, accommodations and even restaurants) and useful tips for those who are already enjoying this paradise.

Basic facts about the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of the Macaronesia (also comprising the Azores, Cabo Verde and Madeira).

Number of islands: 8 islands (there have always been 7 but recently, in 2018, La Graciosa was considered the eighth island): Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Graciosa, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.

How to get there: To get to the Canary Islands, you have direct flights from mainland Spain and from several European airports (compare and check the best prices on Skyscanner and Kiwi.com). You can fly to an island and visit other islands (by boat or plane), if you prefer, jump directly to the section where we tell you how to get around the islands (boats and plane).

Which of the 8 islands is best to visit: Taking into account that to visit all of them moderately well it would take at least one or two months, we give you some tips to help you choose which of the 8 islands is best to visit here and how many days we recommend to visit each one. Enter in our section: Which island to visit and for how many days

Currency: Euro (EUR). There are ATMs on all 8 islands (including also the small island of La Graciosa).

Daily budget: The ideal is to book everything in advance, although depending on the season you can book on the spot: rental car, accommodation and flights-boats between islands. Here we give you all the transport info. The price of the cars rarely goes below 15€/day (we tell you more here). One night accommodation for 2 people is between 40€ – 70€/night for a room with private bathroom (and, in some cases with personal or shared kitchen) or apartment. We recommend accommodations in the section of each island. Lunches/dinners usually cost an average of 20€/person. So the daily budget is between 60€-80€/day per person approximately.

Climate: Fairly mild and stable throughout the year throughout the archipelago although it changes in the north/east of the islands of greater relief as Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Palma (and its summits), where it is cool in winter, unlike the south. In this section we tell you which island is better to go to depending on the month of the year.

Language: Spanish (the Canary Islands are part of Spain).

Population: 2,200,000 (in 2023). The most populated islands are Tenerife (930,000) and Gran Canaria (853,000), and the least populated is La Graciosa (only 650 people).

Time zone: UTC + 1

Best Canary Island: Which of the 8 Canary Islands to visit

To be able to visit the 8 islands and get to know them fairly well, you need at least one or two months, depending on how well you want to get to know the islands, so if your trip is for a few days or weeks, you will have to choose which of the Canary Islands to visit.

As always, this is very subjective and depends greatly on the tastes and ways of traveling of each person, but here are some tips to help you:

• If it is your first time in the archipelago and your trip is 7 days or less, we believe that the 4 largest islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura) are excellent options, with direct flights and well worth those 7 days each to know them well and calmly. Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the most touristic and populated, although they have a lot of things to see and do, between natural areas and villages in the north / interior; Fuerteventura is the island with more and better beaches, and Lanzarote stands out for its volcanic landscapes (all the Timanfaya National Park) and the architecture of César Manrique, among other things.
• Due to geographical proximity and/or ease of connection, it is also common to join the following islands:
  • Lanzarote and Fuerteventura
  • Lanzarote and La Graciosa
  • Tenerife and La Gomera
  • Tenerife and El Hierro
• Each island is unique and different from the others, they all have something that makes them special and worth a visit. Based on your tastes, you may have more interest in one or the other, so to help you we have created this guide with a summary of what type of island each one is and what you could see, in general terms, to help you decide.

Also as a guideline, here is the number of days we consider “ideal” to visit each island, from east to west:

• La Graciosa: 3 days
• Lanzarote: 7 days
• Fuerteventura: 7 days
• Gran Canaria: 7 days
• Tenerife: 7 days
• La Gomera: 5 days
• La Palma: 7 days
• El Hierro: 5 days

When to visit the Canary Islands

The good thing about this archipelago is that it boasts stable and spring-like temperatures almost all year round so any month of the year can be good to visit. Even so, the climate varies from island to island due to altitude and orography. The best common months to visit all the Canary Islands are September and October, when the trade winds decrease their intensity, the weather is normally sunny and the waters are a little warmer to enjoy bathing in beaches and natural swimming pools.

You can see more info in our guides for each island, but we leave you a summary of the best times to visit each island:

• La Graciosa: all year round, avoid cooler months (February and March) for more likely beach time.
• Lanzarote: all year round, if you want to enjoy the beach avoid cooler months (February and March), although Lanzarote has many plans besides the beach so it is a year-round destination.
• Fuerteventura: all year round, avoid cooler months (February and March) for best chance of beach time.
• Gran Canaria: the southern beaches have good weather all year round, the northern beaches are best to visit in the central months (April – October). For the rest, the whole year is good
• Tenerife: southern beaches have good weather all year round, the northern ones are best to visit in central months (April – October). For the rest, the whole year is good, although in winter it snows on the Teide and it is possible that there are blocks in the access roads.
• La Gomera: for hiking, one of the main plans, all year round is good. If you want to take a dip in its beaches or natural pools, better visit during the central months (April to October).
• La Palma: all year round, except for bathing, in which case the central months (April to October) are best.
• El Hierro: to enjoy bathing in its natural pools and beaches it is best in the central months (April to October), for the rest of the plans all year round is good.

In general, in all the islands except perhaps El Hierro, it is advisable to avoid the high tourist seasons (July, August, Easter and Christmas), to avoid tourist overcrowding.

How to get to the Canary Islands

From mainland Spain there are plenty of direct flights to the Canary Islands, except to El Hierro, La Gomera and La Graciosa, which hardly have direct flights (or boat connections) from other Canary Islands. Ideally, you should be flexible with dates and use price comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi.com. Once in the archipelago you can fly with Binter or Canary Fly to any Canary Island.

There is also the possibility of arriving by boat from Huelva to the two main islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria), being able to bring your own vehicle and/or pet. Here you can see more info

Things to see and do in each of the Canary Islands

Below we detail the main places to visit on each of the Canary Islands to help you in your decision, also linking to the complete guide of each island:

Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands, the one with the largest number of inhabitants and also the one that boasts the highest point of Spain: the Teide. The whole center of the island of Tenerife is a National Park with incredible landscapes, the north is full of charming villages and history and a little piece of green Laurisilva, Anaga, while the south has the best climate, beaches and also more tourist overcrowding. Take a look at our complete guide to Tenerife to organize your trip, and below is a summary of the most popular spots on the island.

Tenerife (Canary Islands): things to do [with map]

Things to see and do in Tenerife

Here are the main places to visit in Tenerife, you can get much more information in our guide to Tenerife. We have divided them into center, North and South:

• Center of Tenerife (Teide National Park)
  • Climbing Teide
  • Stop at one of the many viewpoints, like Chipeque or Mirador de la Ruleta
  • Learn about astronomy at the Teide Observatory
• North of Tenerife
  • Anaga Rural Park (hiking, Taganana, Benijo Beach, Punta del Hidalgo…)
  • San Cristóbal de La Laguna
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • Las Teresitas beach and viewpoint
  • Puerto de la Cruz
  • El Bollullo Beach
  • Rambla de Castro
  • La Orotava
  • Candelaria
  • Pirámides de Güimar
  • Pool of La Laja
  • Icod de los Vinos and the millenary Drago tree
  • Garachico and its old town
  • Buenavista
  • Punta de Teno
  • Masca and the Masca Valley
  • Santiago del Teide
• South Tenerife:
  • Los Gigantes
  • La Caleta
  • Playa Diego Hernández
  • Costa Adeje
  • Las Américas: beach and nightlife
  • Los Cristianos
  • Arona
  • Vilaflor de Chasna
  • Montaña Amarilla
  • El Medano
  • Arco del Tajao
  • Punta de Abona: beaches, a lighthouse and an abandoned leper colony
  • Granadilla de Abona and the first high mountain observatory in the World

Where to eat in Tenerife

Here are some suggestions of restaurants in Tenerife, you can see more in our complete guide about the island:

• La Masía del Mar (La Caleta, Costa Adeje)
• Mirlo (La Caleta de Costa Adeje)
• Pistacho Coffee Brunch (Los Cristianos)
• Restaurant El Chamo (La Escalona, near Arona)
• La Huerta de Ana y Eva
• El Calderito de La Abuela (Santa Ursula)
• Bodegas Monje
• Punto Criollo Arepera (La Laguna)
• Tasca El Olivo (Puerto de la Cruz)
• Cofradía de Pescadores (Puerto de la Cruz)
• Guachinche Bibi y Mana (Taganana, Anaga)

Where to stay in Tenerife

Being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain, you can imagine the wide range of accommodations that the island has, there are for all tastes and budgets. If on your trip you want to escape the cold and enjoy the beach, in the south you will find good weather and sun practically all year round. In the north it is not the same because there you will find winter weather in those months of the year (especially in areas with higher altitudes) but, on the other hand, you will be closer to several of the points of interest on the island.

Here are some suggestions of the best areas to stay, you can see more accommodation recommendations in our complete guide to Tenerife:

• Where to stay in the south of Tenerife:
  • Los Gigantes
  • Adeje Coast
  • La Caleta
  • Playa de Las Americas
  • Los Cristianos
• Where to stay in the north of Tenerife:
  • La Laguna
  • Puerto de la Cruz
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is the third largest island (the second is Fuerteventura) although the second in population, and is known locally as “a miniature continent”, due to the heterogeneity of places and landscapes. Like Tenerife, it is a very touristic island, something that is especially noticeable in the south, where there are many beaches and the famous Maspalomas Dunes, and where the weather is good all year round. We recommend you take a look at our complete guide to Gran Canaria, which will help you organize your trip, and here is a summary of the most popular places on the island.

Things to do in Gran Canaria: complete travel guide with the best things to see and do in this Canary Island

Things to see and do in Gran Canaria

Here are the most popular places to visit in Gran Canaria, you can read much more information about them in our Gran Canaria guide. The places are divided into south, inland, west and north of the island:

• South of Gran Canaria
  • Dunes of Maspalomas
  • More touristic beaches in the south of Gran Canaria (Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, Amadores…)
  • Less touristic beaches in the south of Gran Canaria (Tiritaña, Montaña de Arena…)
  • Barranco y presa de Ayagaures
  • Arco del Coronadero and Barranco Hondo
  • Salinas del Matorral and Castillo del Romeral
• Interior of Gran Canaria
  • Fataga, Arteara and the viewpoint of Degollada de la Yegua
  • Tunte (San Bartolomé de Tirajana)
  • Agüimes, synonym of beauty in pastel colors
  • Artenara, cave-houses and impressive viewpoints.
  • Tejeda, the Cruz de Tejeda and the Roque Bentayga
  • Roque Nublo: hiking, viewpoints and sunset at Ventana del Nublo
  • Astronomical Observatory of Temisas
  • Barranco de las Vacas (the “mini Antelope Canyon”)
  • Barranco de Guayadeque
  • La Sorrueda and La Fortaleza de Ansite
• West of Gran Canaria
  • Gáldar, its beaches and the Cueva Pintada (Painted Cave)
  • Route GC-200 from Agaete to La Aldea de San Nicolás
  • Playa de Güigüi
  • Playa de Tasarte
• North of Gran Canaria
  • Las Palmas: Vegueta, Triana, Las Canteras and El Confital
  • Santa Brígida, Atalaya and the Caldera de Bandama
  • Moya and Los Tilos
  • Arucas, the church and rum
  • Firgas, the fountain and its canary walks
  • Teror, the Virgen del Pino and the sweet black pudding
  • Salinas del Bufadero, a dip in history
  • Telde, the Bufadero de La Garita and the beach of Tufia

Where to eat in Gran Canaria

Here you can see some recommendations of restaurants in Gran Canaria, you can see more in our complete guide about the island:

• Te lo Dije Pérez (Vegueta, Las Palmas)
• Triciclo (Vegueta, Las Palmas)
• Mercado del Puerto (Las Canteras, Las Palmas, Las Palmas)
• Valentina (Las Canteras, Las Palmas, Las Palmas)
• Restaurant La Marinera (Las Canteras, Las Palmas, Las Palmas)
• Los Geranios (Santa Brígida)
• Bochinche Bar Juansito (Atalaya)
• Bar La Fuente (Firgas)
• Asadero Las Brasas – Los Pollitos (Firgas)
• Restaurant La Cilla (Artenara)
• Restaurant El Centro (Barranco de Guayadeque)
• Restaurant Vega (Barranco de Guayadeque)
• Restaurante Oliva (Tasarte)
• Bar Playa El Boya (Arguineguín)
• Addio Mare (Maspalomas and San Agustín)
• Bar La Cuevita (Ayagaures)

Where to stay in Gran Canaria

In general we recommend two options for choosing a base to stay in Gran Canaria:

• Based on the places and number of days you have, choose an area and stay there every night, for example in the capital Las Palmas (north) or in Maspalomas (south) where it never gets cold.
• If you are visiting Gran Canaria for more than 4-5 days, it may be a good idea to split your stay between south (e.g. Maspalomas) and north-interior (e.g. Las Palmas), to save kilometers and hours in the car.

We don’t recommend you to choose the West as a base, as you will be generally further away from everything: the main road of Gran Canaria makes a semi-circle connecting from Gáldar to Puerto de Mogán (passing through Las Palmas, Telde, the airport, Maspalomas…), while the West area (between Galdar and Puerto de Mogán) is connected by the GC-200 road, beautiful but full of curves and slow, which makes going down from north to south through this area take quite a long time. But we do recommend, if you can, that you spend at least one night in the west when you do the GC-200 route (we recommend places here), so you can do it in 2 sections and with more calm.

If you divide your stay into north and south, you can:

• Spend the first nights in the north, for example in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria(Las Canteras or the district of La Vegueta are our favorite areas).
• Drive down the GC-200 and spend a night in La Aldea de San Nicolás (find accommodations for a special night in La Aldea here).
• Spend the rest of the nights in the south (in Maspalomas or Ayagaures).

How many days in the north and how many in the south? That depends on your itinerary and your preferences within the trip. If you want good weather and beach, you will find it in the south all year round.

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is known for being the Canary Island with the best beaches, and is the second largest island of the archipelago, although very sparsely populated. In addition to beaches, you will find villages full of history, windmills in the wind between arid winding roads, miles of dunes and a finger-licking gastronomy. We recommend you read our complete guide to Fuerteventura to organize your trip to the island majorera, and then we leave you a summary of the main places to visit on the island.

Things to do in Fuerteventura: best beaches, towns and secret places

Things to see and do in Fuerteventura

Here are the most popular places to visit in Fuerteventura, divided into three zones (north, center and south). For more information we recommend you to read our Fuerteventura guide.

• North of Fuerteventura
  • Parque Natural de Corralejo: Dunas de Corralejo
  • Corralejo and Grandes playas de Corralejo
  • Lobos Island
  • El Cotillo and its beaches
    • Beaches north of Cotillo: La concha and the the natural pools
    • Beaches south of Cotillo: Castillo, Aljibe, Águila (or Escalera) and Esquinzo
    • Lajares
    • Lighthouse of El Tostón
    • Popcorn beach (Playa de las Palomitas)
    • La Oliva and the windmills of Villaverde
    • Volcanoes: Montaña de Tindaya and Calderón Hondo
    • Barranco de los Enamorados (or Barranco de los Encantados)
    • More wild beaches in the north of Fuerteventura: Tebeto, Playa de la Mujer and Jarugo
    • Jablito Beach
    • Puerto del Rosario
    • MuanaMboka: an experience for the five senses
• Center of Fuerteventura
  • Ajuy and Ajuy Caves
  • Betancuria and Archaeological Museum of Fuerteventura
  • Arco de Las Peñitas and Las Peñitas viewpoint
  • Puertito de los Molinos
  • Playa del Valle and natural swimming pools “Aguas Verdes”.
  • Caleta de Fuste and its natural pool
  • Las Salinas
  • The beautiful and wild beaches of the center of the island
• South Fuerteventura
  • Cofete beach
    • Villa Winter: the Nazi conspiracy legend
    • Roque del Moro and its natural pools
  • Costa Calma
  • Sotavento Beach
  • Beaches of Jandia as Esmeralda or Mal Nombre
  • Playa de La Pared and sunset
  • Gran Tarajal
  • Las Playitas
  • Lighthouse of La Entallada
  • The village of Giniginámar
  • Morro Jable and its huge beach
  • Wild beaches and lighthouses in the south of the Jandía peninsula

Where to eat in Fuerteventura

Here you can see some recommendations of restaurants in Fuerteventura, you can see more in our complete guide of the island:

• Baobab (Corralejo)
• El Rincón Restobar Argentino (Corralejo)
• Tapas Oscar (Corralejo)
• La Marisma (El Cotillo)
• La Vaca Azul (El Cotillo)
• Olivo Corso (El Cotillo)
• La Paneteca (Lajares)
• Los Pinchitos (Lajares)
• La Jaira de Demian (Puerto del Rosario)
• Arepas Llaneras Venezolanas (Puerto del Rosario)
• Los Paragüitas (Puerto del Rosario)
• Ciao Mare (Puerto del Rosario)
• La Frasquita (Caleta de Fuste)
• Los Caracolitos (Las Salinas)
• Casa de Santa María (Betancuria)
• Bar El Artesano (Antigua)
• Cofradía de Pescadores de Gran Tarajal (Gran Tarajal)
• Caretta Beach La Pared (La Pared)
• Mis Abuelos (Morro Jable)
• El Caletón (El Puertito, Punta Jandía)

Where to stay in Fuerteventura

If you are going to the island for more than a long weekend and you have several days we would recommend you to divide your stay between the north and the south to avoid doing too many kms in the car. For example, between Corralejo and Cofete there are 140 km, more than 2 hours and a half by car due to the unpaved road (and another 2 hours and a half to return).

Another option if you prefer to stay in one place, is to choose something in the center of the island, to be at a reasonable distance from both the north and the south, in which case we recommend you to stay in Caleta de Fuste, where there are many amazing apartments. From Caleta de Fuste you will be about 40 minutes from Corralejo/Cotillo, and 1 hour from Morro Jable.

We leave you some suggestions of areas in which to look for accommodation, you can see specific options in our complete guide to Fuerteventura:

• Where to stay in the north of Fuerteventura:
  • Corralejo
  • El Cotillo
  • Lajares
• Where to stay in the center of Fuerteventura:
  • Caleta de Fuste
  • Ajuy
• Where to stay in the south of Fuerteventura:
  • Gran Tarajal
  • Costa Calma
  • Morro Jable

Lanzarote

Lanzarote stands out for its lunar landscape dotted with the architecture of César Manrique, fine sandy beaches between palm trees and volcanic cones, trails between craters and cactus and, of course, a delicious volcanic malvasia wine at sunset. If you are organizing your trip to the island of Lanzarote, we recommend you to read our complete guide to Lanzarote. Here is a summary of the most popular places on the island.

Things to do in Lanzarote: complete travel guide with what to do in Lanzarote (attractions and activities)

Things do see and do in Lanzarote

Here is a summary list of the main places to visit in Lanzarote. For much more detailed information, take a look at our guide to Lanzarote. We have divided the places in 3 zones (north, center and south):

• North of Lanzarote
  • Cueva de Los Verdes
  • Jameos del Agua
  • Arrieta
  • Punta Mujeres
  • Caleta del Mojón Blanco (or Caleta del Mero)
  • Playa Caletón Blanco
  • Órzola
  • Mirador del Río
  • Mirador de Nahum
  • La Corona Volcano (La Corona Natural Monument)
  • Playa del Risco and Camino de las Gracioseras (Risco Beach and Gracioseras Trail)
  • Mirador de Guinate
  • Haría and the Casa-Museo César Manrique
  • Viewpoint of El Risco de Famara – Parque El Bosquecillo
  • Cueva de las Cabras (or Cueva de los Suecos)
  • Viewpoint Ermita de las Nieves
  • Famara, La Caleta and San Juan beach
  • Cactus Garden
  • Charco del Palo (nudist village)
  • Cueva del Agua Natural Swimming Pool (or La Olla)
  • Guatiza Salt Flats (Los Cocoteros)
  • Antigua Rofera
• Lanzarote Center
  • Timanfaya National Park
  • Caldera Blanca
  • Mancha Blanca, the miracle and the Hermitage of Los Dolores
  • La Geria: Wine, Vineyards and Wineries
    • La Geria Winery
    • El Grifo Winery
  • Teguise
  • Castle of Santa Barbara (Museum of Piracy)
  • Costa Teguise, Las cucharas and Jablillo beaches
  • Nazaret: LagOmar Museum
  • César Manrique Foundation
  • Arrecife
  • Casa Museo del Campesino
  • San Bartolomé and Playa Honda
  • Las Grietas
  • El Cuervo Volcano (Caldera de los Cuervos)
  • Montaña Colorada (Caldera Colorada)
  • Cueva de Las Palomas
  • Tinajo, the mill of Tiagua and the Costa de la Santa
  • Tenesar
  • Yaiza
  • Uga and its smoked salmon
  • José Saramago House Museum in Tías
• South Lanzarote
  • Playa Papagayo and other beaches of the Ajaches Natural Monument
  • Playa Blanca
  • Los Charcones
  • Salinas del Janubio and Janubio beach
  • Los Hervideros
  • Montaña Bermeja Beach
  • Village of El Golfo
  • Charco Verde (Charco de los clicos)
  • Playa Quemada, Cala Quemada and Playa de Arena
  • Puerto del Carmen

Where to eat in Lanzarote

Here you can see a selection of restaurants that we recommend in Lanzarote. You can see and in much more detail in our island guide.

• El Chiringuito (Arrieta)
• La Piscina Bar – El Pichón (Punta Mujeres)
• Teleclub de Yé (Yé)
• El Rincón de la Abuela (Famara)
• La Bohemia (Costa Teguise)
• Teleclub Nazaré (Nazaré)
• Pintxos Shop (Teguise)
• Esquina Teguise (Teguise)
• Teleclub de Tao (Tao)
• Majo Picón (Tinajo)
• Casa Morelino (Tiagua)
• La Bodega de Santiago (Yaiza)
• Bar Stop (Yaiza)
• Restaurante Costa Azul (El Golfo)
• Kamezí Deli & Bistró (Playa Blanca)

Where to stay in Lanzarote

Our area of choice is the north of the island and we always try to stay in Punta Mujeres or Arrieta (and if it is in a little house in front of the sea, even better). However, there is more accommodation available in the southern resorts such as Playa Blanca or Puerto del Carmen. The last time we visited the island we stayed in an apartment in Costa Teguise and we loved it (plus the host, Laura, gave us a lot of recommendations of places to visit and restaurants all over the island).

More information about where to sleep and recommendations of specific accommodations in our complete guide to Lanzarote.

La Graciosa

The eighth Canary Island (barely recognized as such in 2018) despite being the smallest hides, in its 29 km2, some of the most beautiful beaches of the archipelago. Disembarking in Graciosa is entering island mode where the days can be lived barefoot (its sandy roads, unpaved, and the absence of cars invite to such) and, above all, without haste, with the swimsuit always on and the bike ready to pedal. Of course, if you want to experience it this way, try to avoid the peak of summer because its popularity has made it saturated with visitors those months (and in the other months of the year its climate is as or more appealing).

If you want to visit this wonderful island, we recommend that you review our complete guide to La Graciosa, and if possible, spend at least one night there (many people only visit for a few hours on a round trip on the same day from Lanzarote). Here is a summary of the main places to visit.

La Graciosa (Canary Islands) travel guide: Best things to see and do [with map]

Things to see and do in La Graciosa

Here are the most popular places to visit in La Graciosa. For much more detailed information, take a look at our guide. The places are divided into the 3 most common routes to visit La Graciosa:

• South route
  • Playa el Salado
  • Playa La Francesa
  • Playa de La Cocina (Montaña Amarilla)
  • Climbing Montaña Amarilla
• North route
  • Playa Baja del Ganado
  • Playa de Las Conchas
  • Arco de los Caletones
  • Playa Lambra and Playa Ámbar
  • Pedro Barba
• Center Route
  • Caleta de Sebo
  • Barranco de Los Conejos

Where to eat in La Graciosa

Here are some of the restaurants we recommend in La Graciosa, all of them in Caleta de Sebo. You can see more in our complete guide of the island.

• Girasol Casa Margucha
• Enriqueta
• El Veril

Where to stay in La Graciosa

Practically all the lodging options are concentrated in Caleta de Sebo, the island’s town, except for one or another in Pedro Barba that we recommend only in case you stay several days relaxing on the island (not in case you stay one or two nights) as they are accommodations that usually have a minimum stay of 5 nights. Due to the popularization of the island, it is almost essential to book in advance and keep in mind that, even in Caleta de Sebo, many accommodations require a minimum of 2 nights.

For more information on where to stay and specific accommodation recommendations, check out our guide to La Graciosa.

La Gomera

Despite being one of the smallest islands, La Gomera was one of the most surprising discoveries of our travels in the Canary Islands. Beyond its treasure, the impressive Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest and best preserved laurel forest in the entire Canary archipelago, the island hides more surprises. Its beaches of limpid waters, its palm trees forming panoramic views that seem to be from other latitudes, sunsets to the rhythm of drums, words in the form of whistles (the silbo gomero is unique in the world), a finger-licking almogrote and images with the magnetic Teide as a backdrop make the days on the island unforgettable.

If you are organizing your trip, we recommend you to read our complete guide to La Gomera. Below is a summary of the most popular places to visit on the island.

La Gomera (Canary Islands): best things to do [with map]

Things to see and do in La Gomera

Here are the most popular places to visit in La Gomera. You can see much more detailed information in our complete guide to La Gomera. The places are divided into 3 zones (center, north and south):

• Center of La Gomera
  • The Great Circular Route 18: the longest and most complete way to visit the Garajonay National Park
    • Shorter recommended routes to get to know the Garajonay National Park
  • Alto de Garajonay (and the legend of Gara and Jonay)
  • El Cedro
    • Hermitage of Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Viewpoint of La Carbonera
  • El Rejo Viewpoint
  • El Bailadero Viewpoint
  • Reventón Oscuro
  • El Morro de Agando Viewpoint
  • Tajaqué Viewpoint
  • Los Roques Viewpoint
  • Presa de Meriga
  • Zona Recreativa de Laguna Grande
  • Cabezo del Mocanillo Viewpoint
  • Risquillos de Corgo Viewpoint
  • Barranco de Arure
• North of La Gomera
  • Alojera
  • Chorros de Epina
  • Vallehermoso
  • Vallehermoso Beach
  • El Cepo Mountain or the Red Mountain of La Gomera
  • Centro de Visitantes Juego de Bolas y la Casa de la Memoria
  • Abrante Viewpoint
  • Agulo
  • Hermigua
• South of La Gomera
  • San Sebastian de La Gomera
  • Viewpoint of Manaderos
  • Lomada del Camello Viewpoint
  • Mirador del Sombrero
  • Degollada de Peraza Viewpoint
  • Viewpoint of La Laja
  • Santiago de La Gomera and southeastern beaches
  • Imada and Alajeró: the Drago, Tagaragunche and ancestral times
  • The Silbo Gomero, its monument and the viewpoint of Igualero
  • Fortaleza de Chipude
  • The Gomeran pottery and the Las Loceras Interpretation Center: a women’s work.
  • Punta del Belete Viewpoint
  • Mirador del Santo, Taguluche and its springs
  • El Palmarejo viewpoint, work of Cesar Manrique
  • Mirador de la Curva del Queso and the Rebelión de Los Gomeros
  • Valle Gran Rey

Where to eat in La Gomera

Here is a list of restaurants that we recommend on the island, you can see more and with more detailed information in our guide to La Gomera.

• Colorado (Valle Gran Rey)
• Prisma (Alojera)
• Caprichos de La Gomera (San Sebastián de La Gomera)
• El Faro (Hermigua)
• El Carraca (Vallehermoso)

Where to stay in La Gomera

Due to the “orange squeezer” orography of the island, distances can be long, so we would recommend you to cover the island by “segments” to save time, seeing parts of the center and the ravines near the center of the island. So we would recommend you to divide your stay between the north and the south of the island if you go to La Gomera for more than 4 days being that some nights you would stay in Hermigua, Agulo or Alojera (north of the island) and other nights in Valle Gran Rey or San Sebastián de la Gomera (south of the island). If you go to La Gomera for less time (like a weekend) or you prefer to stay always in the same accommodation, we recommend you to stay in Hermigua, Agulo or Alojera.

You can find more information about where to sleep and specific accommodations in our guide to La Gomera.

La Palma

La Palma stands out for its diversity (a multitude of microclimates and contrasting landscapes), its friendliness (the people we come across were charming), its stellar pride (one of the best skies in the world for astronomical observation) and its resilience, demonstrated in the recent volcanic eruption that generated the most recent piece earth in Europe.

Last September 2021, a new volcano erupted on La Palma and brought the island to the attention of the media around the world, and the name “La Palma” became known for its 85-day impact and the images of the lava that swept away entire villages on its way to the sea. The area affected by the newly named Tajogaite volcano can be visited, with empathy and respect.

If you are organizing your trip to the beautiful island, we recommend you to read our complete guide to La Palma carefully, and here are the main places to visit.

La Palma (Canary Islands): things to do [with map] in the island affected by the 2021 volcano eruption

Things to see and do in La Palma

Here are the most popular places to visit in La Palma, and remember that you have more info and much more detailed in our guide of the island. The places are divided by zones (area affected by the new volcano, north and south).

• Area affected by the Tajogaite eruption
• North of La Palma
  • Roque de Los Muchachos and surroundings
  • Eufrosina Pérez Rodríguez Winery (El Níspero Winery)
  • The Gofio Museum, Molino de las Tricias and Buracas
  • Matos viewpoint
  • Viewpoint of Los Dragos
  • Viewpoint Barranco de Garome
  • Puerto de Puntagorda
  • La Veta Beach
  • Tijarafe, El Diablo and the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
  • Porís de la Candelaria
  • Cueva Bonita
  • Las Cabezadas Viewpoint
  • Mirador del Time
  • Viewpoint of Las Angustias
  • Viewpoint of La Cancelita
  • Tazacorte: Beach and Port of Tazcorte
  • Los Llanos de Aridane
  • Caldera del Taburiente National Park: a must-do hike
  • La Cumbrecita viewpoint
  • Viewpoint of Tajuya
  • Hermitage of La Virgen de Pino
  • Barranco de los Gomeros and San Juanito Viewpoints
  • Puntallana and its flea market
  • Nogales Beach
  • Los Tilos Forest
    • El Cubo de Galga
    • Nacientes Marcos y Cordero
  • El Tendal Archaeological Park: a trip to the past
  • San Andrés y Sauces
  • Charco Azul
  • La Aldea Rum Factory and Centro de Interpretación de la Caña del Azúcar y el Ron
  • Puerto Espindola Beach
  • La Fajana and its natural pools
  • El Tablado
  • La Zarza Cultural Park
  • Petroglyphs of Santo Domingo: archaeological site
  • Viewpoint of Santo Domingo de Garafía and Roque de Santo Domingo
• South of La Palma
  • Santa Cruz de la Palma
  • Los Cancajos
  • Museo del Puro Palmero and Puros Artesanos Julio
  • Archaeological Park of Belmaco
  • Fuencaliente, Volcán de San Antonio and Volcán de Teneguía: a trip to the future
  • Route of the Volcanoes
  • Fuencaliente Salt Flats and Fuencaliente Lighthouse
  • Beach of Echentive, Galería Fuente Santa and El Aljibe
  • Las Calderetitas Viewpoint and Las Indias Viewpoint
  • El Charco Viewpoint
  • Las Manchas
  • Caños de Fuego Interpretation Center and Cueva de las Palomas
  • Llano del Jable Astronomical Viewpoint

Where to eat in La Palma

Here is a selection of restaurants we recommend on the island, you can see more in our complete guide to La Palma.

• Restaurante Enriclai (Santa Cruz)
• Restaurante Casa Osmunda (outskirts of Santa Cruz)
• Restaurante Chipi-Chipi (outskirts of Santa Cruz)
• La Cantina del Geco (El Paso)
• Restaurante Franchipani (between El Paso and Los Llanos)
• Bar Dos Pinos (between El Paso and Los Llanos)
• Restaurante Temático El Jardín de la Sal (Salinas de Fuencaliente)
• Restaurante La Gaviota (La Fajana)
• Eufrosina Pérez Rodríguez Winery
• Cervecería Isla Verde (Tijarafe)

Where to stay in La Palma

Taking into account the orography of the island and the distances, the ideal is to base in the central area of the island, either in the east of the island, in Santa Cruz or Los Cancajos, or in the west of the island, in Tazacorte or Los Llanos de Aridane. In our case, to try to help the people affected by the eruption, we chose to stay in the south, in Fuencaliente, which due to the cut of the west road, was receiving considerably less tourism, and it was an excellent decision.

You can find more information about where to stay and specific lodging recommendations in our complete guide to La Palma.

El Hierro

El Hierro hides science fiction scenarios between volcanic roads, trees that live on their knees, viewpoints with breathtaking panoramic views and turquoise blue natural pools that ask you to cross them swimming. And yet, the best of the island of El Hierro can not be transmitted in a guide: the hours are lived in slow motion, the houses are open to everyone, you are not asked what you do but who you are and what time you go to the sea tomorrow. You breathe the sea, you dive in its depths and end the day with a cold beer and some papas con mojo at sunset. Be careful, life in El Hierro is fascinating and despite being the smallest island of the Canary Islands (after La Graciosa), a week is not enough to know it thoroughly, especially if you are going to dive and enjoy the incredible seabed, considered one of the best in Europe for diving.

If you are thinking of visiting the island, do not miss our complete guide to El Hierro, and below you can see a summary of the main places to visit in El Hierro.

El Hierro (Canary Islands): best things to do [with map]

Things to see and do in El Hierro

Here you can see the main places to visit in El Hierro (remember that you can see more information and much more detailed in our guide to El Hierro). They are classified by type

• Natural pools: the pearls of El Hierro
  • Charco Azul
  • Los Sargos
  • La Maceta
  • Pozo de Las Calcosas
  • Charco Manso
  • Natural pools of Tacorón
  • Natural pools of La Laja
  • La Caleta
  • Tamaduste Natural Pool
  • El Río
• Viewpoints
  • Las Playas Viewpoint
  • Isora Viewpoint
  • Jinama Viewpoint
  • Pico de Malpaso Viewpoint
  • La Peña Viewpoint
  • La Llanía Viewpoint
  • El Julan Viewpoint
  • Tanajara Viewpoint
  • Viewpoint of Bascos
  • Viewpoint of Parque Eólico
  • Lomo Negro Viewpoint
• Orchilla Lighthouse
• El Sabinar and the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Reyes
• La Llanía: the millenary Laurisilva forest
• El Julan
• Beaches
  • Las Playas, the Parador, Timijiraque and Roque de la Bonanza
  • Beach of Arenas Blancas
  • Beach of Tacorón
  • Beach of Verodal
  • La Restinga Beach
• Sacred Tree of Garoé
• Charming villages
  • La Restinga
  • Las Puntas and its guinness record hotel
  • Valverde
  • El Pinar
  • La Frontera
  • Tamaduste
• Volcanological Interpretation Center
• Paragliding in El Hierro

Where to eat in El Hierro

Here is a selection of restaurants that we recommend in El Hierro. You can see more in our guide of the island.

• Bar Mar de las Calmas (La Restinga)
• El Rincón (La Restinga)
• Restaurante La Sabina (Taibique)
• Restaurante Il Pomodoro (Frontera)
• Restaurant La Bodeguita de Fa` (Frontera)
• Restaurante Lays (Frontera)
• Mirador de La Peña
• Restaurante La Mirada Profunda (Valverde)
• 8Aborigen (Valverde)

Where to stay in El Hierro

Depending on the amount of days you are going to be on the island and your plans/interests, there are different options to stay. The best and most strategic if you want to go all over the island is Frontera but if you want to go diving, you will have to stay in La Restinga or, as a very “high” option, in El Pinar if you are looking for a less urban and more rural option.

You can see more information about where to stay and specific accommodations in our guide to El Hierro.

Canary Islands Itineraries

In our complete guide to each island you will find suggested itineraries for each of the Canary Islands, lasting several days.

Here are some itinerary ideas for 7 days (one week), 15 days (two weeks) and 30 days (one month).

7-day (one week) Canary Islands itinerary

If you have a week available, we recommend:

• Dedicate the 7 days to one island (this would be our favorite option): Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Fuerteventura, or Lanzarote (you could include La Graciosa).
• Combine at most two islands (or 3 in the case of La Graciosa), taking into account that you will not have time to visit each island completely. Examples:
  • Lanzarote 3 days, Graciosa 1 day, Fuerteventura 3 days
  • Tenerife 4 days, La Gomera 3 days
  • Gran Canaria 3 days, Tenerife 4 days
  • Tenerife 4 days, La Palma 3 days
  • Tenerife 4 days, El Hierro 3 days

14 days (two weeks) Canary Islands Itinerary

If you have two weeks available to visit the Canary Islands, you can visit between 2 and 5 islands, depending on how well you want to get to know each one. Some sample itineraries:

• Tenerife 7 days, Gran Canaria 7 days
• Lanzarote 6 days, La Graciosa 1 day, Fuerteventura 7 days
• Tenerife 7 days, La Gomera 4 days, El Hierro 3 days
• La Palma 7 days, La Gomera 4 days, El Hierro 3 days,
• Tenerife 5 days, La Gomera 3 days, El Hierro 2 days, La Palma 4 days

30 days (one month) Canary Islands Itinerary

With one month in the Canary Islands you can already put together an itinerary to get to know them all, although not all of them in depth (for that you need, in our opinion, a month and a half).

Here are 3 proposals for a one-month itinerary in the Canary Islands:

• Visit all the Canary Islands in one month (you can vary the number of days in each island based on your tastes and preferences):
  • Lanzarote 5 days
  • La Graciosa 1 day
  • Fuerteventura 5 days
  • Gran Canaria 5 days
  • Tenerife 5 days
  • La Gomera 2 days
  • La Palma 5 days
  • El Hierro 2 days
• Know less islands but know them well:
  • Option 1:
    • Lanzarote 7 days
    • La Graciosa 3 days
    • Fuerteventura 7 days
    • Gran Canaria 7 days
    • Tenerife 7 days
  • Option 2:
    • Tenerife 7 days
    • La Gomera 5 days
    • La Palma 7 days
    • El Hierro 5 days
    • Gran Canaria 7 days

These are just examples, we recommend that you read this guide as well as the guides for each island to understand which ones appeal to you the most and create your own personalized itinerary based on your tastes.

How to travel between the Canary Islands

To move between islands, there are two options: boat and plane, although not all islands are directly connected to each other and you may have to make a stopover.

Inter-island flights

All the islands of the Canary archipelago have an airport except La Graciosa, ensuring the air connection between them. For some islands (for example between Fuerteventura or Lanzarote and El Hierro, La Graciosa and La Gomera) you may have to make a stopover (usually in Tenerife or Gran Canaria).

The airlines that make these inter-island connections are Binter and CanaryFly, the latter being usually cheaper, although ideally you should compare and buy your flights in advance to get the best prices (compare and check the best prices on Skyscanner and Kiwi.com).

Boats between islands

The other option for inter-island travel is by boat. The two main companies that operate most of the routes are Fred. Olsen and Naviera Armas, although on some routes there are Líneas Romero (between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote and between Lanzarote and La Graciosa) and Biosfera Express (only between Lanzarote and La Graciosa).

You can buy tickets in advance online at their respective websites or in some cases at Civitatis.

Transportation: rent a car in the Canary Islands

The best option to explore any of the islands (except La Graciosa) is to rent a car, and it is best to do it with one of the local companies, which usually have better prices and better conditions. At Randomtrip we already tried all the local companies and always with a positive experience: cars in good condition, the best insurance policy we found in the islands, no small print to stick to and everything great throughout the several months we traveled around the 8 islands. You can find the car at the best price for your trip here.

Car rental prices in the Canary Islands are usually cheaper than in the rest of Spain, although since the pandemic they rarely go below 15€ per day, depending on the model, dates, number of days and how far in advance you book.

You can check and compare companies with availability for your dates in comparators such as DiscoverCars. Remember to check the rental conditions of each company (excess, insurance coverage, fuel policy, reviews…) and not only the price.

Find the car for your dates at the best price in this link

FAQs Canary Islands: Frequently asked questions about the Canary Islands

How many Canary islands are there?

The archipelago of the Canary Islands consists of 8 islands, although it also includes smaller islands and islets. Historically there were 7 islands, but in 2018 the island of La Graciosa was considered the eighth Canary Island.

What are the 8 Canary Islands?

The 8 Canary Islands are:

• Lanzarote
• La Graciosa
• Fuerteventura
• Gran Canaria
• Tenerife
• La Gomera
• La Palma
• El Hierro

Which is the most beautiful island in the Canary Islands?

This is completely subjective, as it depends on the tastes of each person. Each island has its own charm, so we recommend you to read this guide to see what each island has to offer and get an idea of which Canary Island is the most beautiful for you.

At Randomtrip we have a top 3. Our favorite islands of the Canary Islands are:

• El Hierro for the incredible natural pools, the panoramic views, the scuba diving
• La Palma for its impressive nature, such as the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano
• Fuerteventura for the beaches and relaxed pace. It is an island that tastes like summer all year round.

Where are the Canary Islands?

The archipelago of the Canary Islands is located in the Atlantic Ocean, and although they belong to Spain, they are closer to the African continent, to the west of Morocco and Western Sahara, being Fuerteventura the closest island to Africa, about 100 km away.

Which is the largest Canary Island?

The largest Canary Island by size is Tenerife. Here you can see the ranking of the 8 Canary Islands by size:

1. Tenerife: 2,034 km².
2. Fuerteventura: 1,659 km².
3. Gran Canaria: 1,560 km².
4. Lanzarote: 845 km².
5. La Palma: 708 km².
6. La Gomera: 369 km².
7. El Hierro: 268 km².
8. La Graciosa: 29 km².

Which is the most inhabited Canary Island?

The Canary Island with the most inhabitants is Tenerife, with almost 1,000,000 inhabitants. Here you can see the ranking of the 8 islands by number of inhabitants (2021 data from INE):

1. Tenerife: 927,993 inhabitants
2. Gran Canaria: 852,688 inhabitants
3. Lanzarote: 156,189 inhabitants
4. Fuerteventura: 119,662 inhabitants
5. La Palma: 83,380 inhabitants
6. La Gomera: 21,734 inhabitants
7. El Hierro: 11,298 inhabitants
8. La Graciosa: 731 inhabitants

Which is the oldest island in the Canary Islands?

From a geological point of view, the oldest island of the Canary Islands is Fuerteventura, formed about 23 million years ago. Here you can see the classification of the 8 islands with their years of “life”, from oldest to youngest:

1. Fuerteventura: 23 million years ago
2. Lanzarote: 15 million years ago
3. Gran Canaria: 14 million years ago
4. Tenerife: 12 million years ago
5. La Gomera: 11 million years ago
6. La Palma: 2 million years ago
7. El Hierro: 1 million years ago

For La Graciosa we have not found the data, although we imagine that it will have a similar age to Lanzarote.

Useful Apps for traveling to the Canary Islands

We recommend some applications that will be useful for your trip to the Canary Islands:

• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save / classify all the places we want to go / have gone and as GPS in rental cars. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, phone number of the places to contact them, etc.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have, especially trails.
• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable. It also shows the available webcams

Tips for traveling to Canary Islands as a responsible tourist

• Don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse! Do not contribute to any activity and to any center that keeps animals in captivity and with forced activities, for pure human entertainment.
• Respect the fauna and flora. If you see a terrestrial or marine animal , do not touch it, do not harm it, do not scare it, and do not feed it. Do not interfere in their natural processes contributing to the alteration of their behavior.
• In the whale watching activities, respect the behavior indicated by the center and be suspicious if it does not involve measures such as: prohibition of swimming with dolphins; reduced and constant speed of the boat and a minimum distance of 50 meters from the animal; avoid the presence of several boats within a radius of 150 meters around the group of cetaceans and do not stay more than 10 minutes with the same animal.
• Respect other people and the island: don’t play your music loudly on the beach (if you want to listen to music, wear headphones), don’t leave trash, don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the beach better than you found it (if you find plastic, pick it up).
• Respect the rules of the Natural Park or Nature Reserve you visit. Remember that it is not allowed to camp, make fires, make noise, touch or feed wildlife, pull up plants or picnic outside recreational areas. Leave the environment better than you found it: if you see any garbage, pick it up.
• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the volcanic formation/tree/monument you are visiting, do not paint on its walls, avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Consume Local: if you consume local products you will be helping not only the island’s economy but also its sustainability and safer landscapes.
• Do not risk yourself: in some beaches or natural pools/pools bathing is dangerous due to strong currents.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing to do is to take out travel insurance. We always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

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Aren’t you looking forward to seeing them all? Bon Voyage, Randomtripper!