Which Canary Island Is Best? A Guide to All Seven Islands

Thanks to their subtropical climate, the Canary Islands offer sunshine all year – which makes them Europe's favourite winter-sun destination. But the seven main islands are very different: volcanic moonscapes, endless sand dunes, laurel forests and lively resorts. Here's how to choose.

1. Tenerife – best all-rounder

The largest island has it all: lively resorts in the south (Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje), Spain's highest mountain, Mount Teide, theme parks, and greener, more traditional towns in the north such as Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava.

Best for: families, first-timers, hikers, winter sun.

2. Gran Canaria – a continent in miniature

Gran Canaria combines the giant sand dunes of Maspalomas, busy resorts in the south, a cosmopolitan capital, Las Palmas, with the city beach of Las Canteras, and a mountainous interior of pine forests and villages.

Best for: variety, city and beach, year-round sun.

3. Lanzarote – volcanoes and design

Lava fields, black-sand beaches and whitewashed villages shaped by the artist César Manrique. Visit Timanfaya National Park, the Jameos del Agua caves and the vineyards of La Geria, grown in volcanic ash.

Best for: couples, culture, unusual landscapes.

4. Fuerteventura – beaches and wind

Long white beaches, turquoise lagoons and steady winds make Fuerteventura a paradise for beach lovers, windsurfers and kitesurfers. Corralejo's dunes in the north and the beaches of Jandía in the south are highlights.

Best for: beaches, water sports, relaxing.

5. La Palma – the green island

Steep, lush and dramatic, La Palma is a UNESCO biosphere reserve with world-class stargazing and superb hiking around the Caldera de Taburiente.

Best for: hikers, nature lovers, stargazers.

6. La Gomera – quiet and traditional

A short ferry ride from Tenerife, La Gomera has deep ravines, terraced valleys and the ancient laurel forest of Garajonay National Park. It's peaceful and traditional.

Best for: walking, slow travel, day trips from Tenerife.

7. El Hierro – the remote one

The smallest and least visited island is known for its sustainable energy, dramatic cliffs and some of the best diving in Spain in the marine reserve of La Restinga.

Best for: divers, getting away from it all.

Tips

• Winter sun: the south coasts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are the most reliably sunny.
• Island-hopping: ferries and short inter-island flights connect all the islands.
• The sea is cooler than you might expect: around 19–20°C in winter and up to about 23°C in late summer.

Looking for more sun? See our Algarve bucket list or the best beaches in Majorca.