Which Canary Island to Visit ▷ All 7 Islands Compared

In a nutshell

There are seven Canary Islands, all completely different from one another — this guide helps you pick the right one for your trip.
For hiking: El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera are mountainous, genuinely green, and wonderfully peaceful.
For a family vacation: Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the best infrastructure and the widest range of activities for kids.
For a beach vacation: Really any of the islands works — but Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have a particularly large number of sandy beaches.
For surfing: Our top pick is Fuerteventura. But you can also catch great waves on Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, or Tenerife.
For nightlife: The south of Tenerife and the south of Gran Canaria offer real party strips packed with bars and clubs.

Where are the Canary Islands, exactly?

The Canary Islands are a group of seven islands that are geographically located off the west coast of Africa, yet politically belong to Spain.

There are two capital cities for two provinces: Santa Cruz de Tenerife for Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. Las Palmas is larger, though, and serves as the unofficial capital of all the islands.

While all the islands are volcanic in origin, they couldn’t be more different when it comes to landscape, vegetation, and tourism.

To help you picture it better, we’ve put together a map showing all seven Canary Islands.

Overview of the Canary Islands

Which Canary Island is the best?

Each island has its own character, its own level of tourism, and its own distinct personality.

If you don’t feel like reading through the details of every single island, here’s a quick rundown of which Canary Island best suits your travel style.

Warmest option: Fuerteventura and Lanzarote

All the Canary Islands enjoy a pleasantly mild climate. The warmest are typically Lanzarote and Fuerteventura — though the wind can get a bit brisk here in winter too.

Even in the months from November through January, you can expect temperatures around 68–73°F (20–23°C).

Greenest option: La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro

As a general rule of thumb: the farther west, the greener. La Palma is known as the greenest of the Canary Islands, but La Gomera and El Hierro have plenty to offer in that department too.

If lush forests are your thing, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are definitely not the right choice. But we can promise you that the desert landscape there has its very own special charm!

Best for nightlife: Gran Canaria and Tenerife

Party lovers should head to Gran Canaria or Tenerife. These are among the largest Canary Islands, and especially in the two capitals of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz, you’ll find plenty of clubs and bars for a great night out.

Best Canary Island for surfing: Fuerteventura

If surfing is your main goal, Fuerteventura is your island. The seabed drops off steeply just offshore, which creates ideal wave conditions.

And surfing isn’t the only water sport on offer: kitesurfing, windsurfing, jet skiing, diving, and SUP are all hugely popular on Fuerte.

Best Canary Island for hiking: Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest and most varied island in the Canaries, which makes it especially appealing for hikers.

Here you can hike the Teide volcano at elevations of up to 12,100 feet (3,700 meters), explore the lush forests of the Anaga Mountains, or reach secluded swimming coves along the coast.

Which Canary Island is the most affordable?

Honestly, that’s not an easy question to answer — the answer depends on factors like the season, among other things.

Flights are generally cheapest to the larger islands like Gran Canaria or Tenerife, while on the smaller islands like El Hierro, La Gomera, or La Palma, you can find great accommodation for less money.

Gran Canaria: The all-rounder for the undecided

Maspalomas Dunes Gran Canaria — The sweeping dunes of Maspalomas on the island of Gran Canaria

Roque Nublo on Gran Canaria — Roque Nublo — the iconic landmark of Gran Canaria

When most people think of Gran Canaria, they picture the capital Las Palmas with its nearly 400,000 residents and swarms of tourists. That’s fair — but it’s only part of the story.

Right off the bat: if you’re after exciting nightlife, a lively urban atmosphere, and cultural activities on your vacation, Gran Canaria delivers. But the island has so much more to offer than city life and parties.

In the south, you’ll find the enormous dune landscape of Maspalomas, and all across the island there are beaches of every kind — from black sand beaches between mountains to long turquoise and golden lagoons.

Head inland, and you’ll discover a black volcanic landscape with deep green valleys and plenty of hiking opportunities. Tucked among all that greenery are also small, authentic villages with charming houses and churches.

Book a panoramic day tour of Gran Canaria

The well-developed tourist infrastructure, calm swimming beaches, and wide range of leisure activities also make Gran Canaria a fantastic destination for families with kids.

Our hotel recommendations for Gran Canaria

The range of hotels on Gran Canaria is seriously impressive. Here are our favorites for every budget.

Good and affordable

Better

Luxurious

Our top 5 sights on Gran Canaria

From hiking and beach days to city tours, there’s pretty much everything to do on Gran Canaria. Here are our top five must-sees.

Las Palmas: The island’s capital, packed with shops, restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife. Culture lovers will find plenty here too.
Maspalomas Dunes: A vast dune landscape fronting crystal-clear water. There are few better places for stargazing.
Caldera de Bandama: A volcanic crater rising 547 meters (1,795 feet). Great for hiking or simply taking in the panoramic views over Gran Canaria.
Cuevas Bermejas: A village of cave dwellings, some of which are still inhabited by locals today.
Roque Nublo: A gigantic rock that juts up into the sky in solitary splendor. The iconic symbol of Gran Canaria.

Fuerteventura: The best Canary Island for water sports lovers

Los Lobos Fuerteventura — Postcard-perfect: sandy beach, turquoise-blue sea, and the little island of Los Lobos in the background

Playa de Cofete is a remote, long sandy beach on Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is an island that most people come to love only on second glance. At first sight, the landscape looks as barren as Mars.

But once you let it in, the volcanoes, the fine sandy beaches fronting turquoise water, and the sleepy surf towns grow on you — and the starkness fades into the background.

Speaking of surf towns: Fuerteventura is the ultimate island for water sports — surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, SUP, diving, and much more. There are good waves and solid wind here practically year-round.

But you don’t have to be a surfer to enjoy Fuerteventura. The island is also perfect for a classic beach vacation. There are plenty of peaceful beaches with nothing in common with the overcrowded sunbathing strips you find elsewhere in Europe. The shallow water in the lagoons is also ideal for families.

Our hotel recommendations for Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura has fantastic places to stay: from large luxury resorts to small vacation houses. We especially recommend a beautiful hotel right on the beach in Fuerteventura.

Want to know exactly where to stay on Fuerteventura? This way.

Fuerteventura hotel tips: where to stay?

Otherwise, here are our quick hotel picks for Fuerteventura.