The Definitive Guide to Visiting the Canary Islands
Whether by water, sky, land, gastronomy or fiestas, visiting the Canary Islands can be an incredible experience for every taste and for every type of holiday. Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa all have something interesting and beautiful to offer that will make you create memories to last a lifetime!
Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. These 8 islands form the incredible group you know as the Canary Islands. Located approximately 100km from Morocco and Western Sahara, these Spanish islands are currently one of the most desirable seaside resorts for Europeans, due to their wonderful tropical climate and natural beauty.
The Canary Islands have a long and interesting history, from their mythological reputation for well-being in certain stories of Classical Antiquity, their first known record in 570 BC, their inevitable passage through the clutches of the Roman Empire, their virtual disappearance for 1000 years (from the 4th to the 14th century), the passage of Arabs, Majorcans, Portuguese and Genoese, to their conquest by the Spanish Crown and, consequently, attacks by pirates. More recently, this grouping of islands was crucial to certain milestones of the Second World War and the dictatorship of Francisco Franco; and in the 1970s, it began to be transformed by the boom in tourism.
Now, the Canary Islands offer a great attraction for those who wish to spend their time with adventure activities, enjoy a beach oasis, and get to know a new culture that, formed through all these international movements and influences during its long history, is extremely interesting. Here we tell you about some of the wonderful activities you can find when you decide to visit the Canary Islands.
White sandy beaches and turquoise waters
Clearly, one of the biggest attractions of the Canary Islands is its beaches. There you can spend a day relaxing, sunbathing and with the beautiful sea just a few metres away, waiting to cool you off. However, if you want a trip with a little more movement, these same Canary Islands beaches can be turned into great water activity parks.
Surf
Surfing is one of the most common activities in the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura all have good waves to surf.
In the south of Gran Canaria, in a place called Maspalomas, you can find this 4-hour surf lesson in Playa del Inglés. There, you can learn the basics of surfing, or if you already know the sport, learn additional techniques and practice them in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean surrounding Maspalomas.
And surfing lessons like these can be found in many places in the Canary Islands, such as Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, where long beaches and good weather are conducive to learning this challenging but rewarding sport.
Also, if you're in Fuerteaventura, you can book an introductory surfing course, where you'll have a theory lesson about the sport before you go and get on your first board. Or in Lanzarote, whereyou can learn and practice surfing on a black (or golden) sand beach.
Now, if you want to try a less challenging sport, but one that will get you out in the beautiful waves around the Canary Islands, you can try bodyboarding! On this three hour bodyboarding course over Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife, you will learn tricks in the air and in the barrel, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the ocean, the tide, its currents and waves.
If you like surfing and want to practice it, or it's something you've always wanted to learn, then the Canary Islands are the ideal place for you!
Diving and Snorkelling
As interesting as the surface of the water can be, so are its depths. The biodiversity and the incredible marine world that you can find in the different marine activities of the Canary Islands is unparalleled!
Diving
Can you imagine a museum that you can only access with an oxygen tank on your back? Well, this is a reality when you dive the Museo Atlántico in the Marina Rubicón in Playa Blanca. This underwater marvel was created by underwater sculptor, environmentalist and photographer Jason deCaires Taylor, who conceived this type of gallery to unify art with nature. Even if you've never tried scuba diving before, you'll be able to take this unusual 40-minute tour, an experience like no other!
But if you're interested in more traditional Canary Island diving, you can try this boat dive in Tenerife, where you'll see sea turtles and manta rays, as well as different types of fish in the sea around Los Abrigos . Or this 3-hour dive from Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria, where you can explore the volcanic formations underwater, as well as marine creatures such as lobsters, dolphins, octopus, angular sharks, butterfly rays, among many others!
Snorkel
One of the most interesting snorkelling tours in the Canary Islands is the excursion to the underwater lava tongues of Las Galletas. The lava tongues are rock formations created through lava underwater, with interesting shapes. In the fishing harbour of Las Galletas, you will board a boat that will take you on your wonderful snorkelling expedition to this mystical place.
But snorkelling activities in the Canary Islands abound, and you can encounter turquoise waters, rock formations, reefs, underwater caves as well as fish, angelfish, octopus, stingrays, moray eels and more by taking a boat snorkelling expedition from Gran Canaria's Puerto Rico, or a mini-cruise and snorkel at the mysterious Isla de Lobos in Fuerteventura, one of the sites where the Romans settled in the area. And even a guided snorkelling expedition around Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote, where you'll learn about the families of common fish that inhabit this Atlantic Ocean coastline, from wrasse to barracuda and angel sharks!
Dive into the sea of the Canary Islands for an incredible experience of sun, water and sea breeze.
Experience all that the ocean has to offer
As a destination in the middle of the ocean, the Canary Islands have many activities to do in and on the water:
Sea kayaking
First of all, you can explore the beautiful waters and beautiful corners of the Canary Islands with kayaks and expert guides who will take you to the places of interest. Try this kayak tour from La Palma to Cueva Bonita. You'll start your journey from a magical fishing village located inside a 50-metre high cave, Porís de Candelaria. Afterwards, you'll paddle for almost 1 kilometre in your kayak, taking in the incredible views of the west coast of La Palma.
And if you are in Lanzarote, don't hesitate to try this kayaking and snorkelling excursion in Playa Blanca, during which you will get to know the cliffs and the beautiful crystal clear waters around this beautiful beach.
Now, if you're in Gran Canaria, you can enjoy the volcanic rock formations, incredible marine life, and beautiful hidden beaches of the island on this family kayaking experience from Arguineguin.
Finally, if you've always wanted to swim with dolphins and sea turtles, as well as explore sea caves, in Tenerife you'll have your chance with this kayaking and snorkelling activity with turtles and dolphins from Los Cristianos Beach.
Grab your paddle, get in your kayak, and explore the ocean of the Canary Islands with these diverse activities!
Parasailing
Parasailing in the Canary Islands, which you can do alone or with one or two of your loved ones, consists of getting into a speedboat and, with a parachute, a harness and ropes attached to the boat, you will rise between 50 and 100 metres into the air.
Try, for example, this incredible 100-metre parasailing flight in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote. Or if you visit Gran Canaria, you can observe the beautiful landscapes of Mogán beach from above with this parasailing experience.
And even in Tenerife you can get a different perspective of the famous coastline with its mountains, cityscape and the beautiful turquoise sea from the air with this Parasailing experience from the Costa Adeje.
Jet Skis
If you are in the mood for a fast speed and fun experience on the ocean, you can decide to rent or take a jet ski tour in the Canary Islands!
On this guided jet ski tour of San Miguel de Abona in Tenerife, for example, you will see places such as the Yellow Mountain, the Red Mountain, the Punta Rasca Lighthouse, the Palm Mar Cave and the Piscifactoría.
Kite and Windsurfing
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will be able to practice kitesurfing on the coasts of the Canary Islands. Using the sea winds, you will ride the waves and even fly through the air with this wonderful activity. In this kitesurfing experience in Fuerteaventura, you will be able to try this incredible sport, full of adrenaline and fun!
And in the area around Playa de las Cucharas, Lanzarote, you can try windsurfing! Strapped to a board and a wing, you'll learn to ride the waves on your own while an instructor watches over you and teaches you techniques on land and offshore.
Now, if you want to try an unusual activity, but one that will get you out on the sea and work on your balance, try flyboarding on the beaches of the Canary Islands! Here you'll be strapped into snowboard-like bindings while a pilot propels you into the air with jets of water underneath. On the beach of Mogán, Gran Canaria, your flyboarding experience will be safe, full of adrenaline and sea water.
Coasteering
This amazing activity is also available in Gran Canaria. Coasteering on Mogán beach is a close relative of canyoning, which is practised on beach cliffs instead of river canyons. During the coasteering experience in Gran Canaria, you will climb the cliffs, take a zip line and jump from different heights into the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Relax by the coast
You don't need to be adventurous to explore the beautiful island landscapes and the ocean that surrounds them, that's what boat trips in the Canary Islands are for! You'll have different options departing from each island, but if you want an unforgettable experience, we recommend a pirate boat ride from Morro del Jable in Fuerteventura. It's sure to be an incredible tour where you'll feel like a real pirate as you cruise around Fuerteventura's paradisiacal beaches, and even spot the local marine life such as turtles, dolphins and whales in the Jandia Natural Park.
And if marine biodiversity is what interests you in the Canary Islands, don't hesitate to book a whale watching boat trip! This is, for example, one of the few activities you can do from the island of El Hierro. During this whale watching excursion on a sailing boat from El Hierro, you can learn how to sail, snorkel and spot everything from cetaceans to dolphins and sea turtles. Relax and enjoy the amazing coastline and ocean around the Canary Islands, you won't regret it!
Enjoy on dry land
As islands, the Canaries rightly have a reputation for beach, breeze and sea activities. However, their natural mountainous, rocky and wild landscapes also offer great scenery for sporting activities.
Quad biking and buggy tours
In Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura you can sign up for this incredible adrenaline experience, where you will drive an open vehicle through the unpaved roads of the Canary Islands and visit different natural wonders.
In a buggy you can visit Costa Calma, where you will pass by an amazing black sand beach, Playa de Ugan, and get to know the beautiful south coast of Fuerteventura.
On another buggy tour , you will get to know the Pilancones Natural Park in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. You will visit the Ayaguares viewpoint, which will give you an incredible view of the whole island, as well as beautiful fields adorned with bamboo and palm trees.
And on a quad bike, you can tour the Teide National Park, home to Spain's highest mountain at 3,760 metres. From Playa Las Américas, you'll drive this unusual vehicle to Las Cañadas del Teide, known as the heart of the National Park. It's an incredible experience, where you'll see everything from beach scenery to forests and volcanic lunar landscapes - you won't regret it!
Jeep
If you're interested in riding in an all-terrain vehicle, but not necessarily driving it, you can book a 4x4 tour in the Canary Islands. On this jeep tour through the Teide National Park in Tenerife, you will spend 5 hours driving through beautiful landscapes, villages such as Granadilla de Abona, Arico or Vilaflor, some forests, among other incredible places. It is a relaxing tour, open to all people and you will create memories to last a lifetime.
Canyoning
Canyoning in the Canary Islands consists of hiking, rock climbing, rappelling, sliding down naturally created slides and jumping from higher and higher cliffs into the waters of rivers or small lakes. It's a sporting activity that will challenge you, but will also show you landscapes to discover and natural sights that you won't forget.
This activity is normally done in river canyons, and in Gran Canaria, you can go canyoning in the Barranco de los Cernícalos canyon. Here, expert instructors will guide you through a series of obstacles as you descend the canyon and help you overcome them in the best way possible.
But in Tenerife, you can try an unusual version of this activity, with dry canyoning in the Los Arcos de Chimoche canyon. Here, you'll walk through this incredible canyon with orange and green tones, created by natural erosion and the accumulation of volcanic ash, with a 45-minute hike, and 8 abseils!
Via Ferrata
The via ferrata in the Canary Islands consists of hiking to certain points and climbing rock walls on steps installed to help you along the route. In Primera Luna, in the south of Gran Canaria, you can do a via ferrata of 2.6 kilometres and a gradient of 143 metres. On your via ferrata route, you'll be treated to wonderful views and test your physical prowess as you pass certain obstacles until you "conquer the mountain". It's an experience you won't regret.
Climbing
Now, if you prefer a more traditional activity, climbing is a possibility in the Canary Islands. In La Sorrueda, near Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, you can take an initiation to climbing on the cliffs there. You will climb at different levels and will be accompanied by expert guides who will show you how and where to do the activity properly.
Hiking
Rainforests, natural parks, volcanic craters, canyons and much more is what you can see if you decide to put on your trainers and put one foot in front of the other while hiking the Canary Islands.
However, if you like to discover places with experts who will explain facts about the area and guide you on a safe and beautiful route, you can book a hiking tour in different areas of the Canary Islands.
For example, on La Palma, you can book a guided hiking expedition to the island's New Volcano (2021). In September 2021 La Palma saw the birth of a new volcano, which erupted for 85 days and went dormant again. It was a bittersweet moment, which left the inhabited area of the region destroyed, but created, literally from the ashes, an incredible landscape, which is now an attraction for visitors. You will start your hike at the Tacande volcano, and walk approximately 5 kilometres to the top of the Tajogaite volcano, the new volcano, enjoying the fauna, flora and landscapes of the island from the top.
In Lanzarote you can also enjoy the volcanic landscape, as well as the views from an impressive cliff on this hiking experience to the Corona Volcano and the Risco de Famara. There you'll see beautiful vineyards, impressive lava flows known as "malpais", the crater of La Corona Volcano and a mind-blowing lava tunnel, before reaching the Famara Cliffs, a huge rock face over 500 metres high and 22 kilometres long on the northwest coast of Lanzarote.
You can also visit the Red Canyon in Gran Canaria, the summit of the volcano of Montaña Escanfraga in Fuerteventura, or the subtropical forest of the Zarza Cultural Park in La Palma. The options are varied and it all depends on what each person wants to see and visit when hiking in the Canaries.
Mountain Bike/ MTB
In case you want to tour the islands faster and over longer distances, bike tours in the Canaries are an excellent idea.
First of all, you can book excursions on electric bicycles (E-bikes), which will give you an advantage in terms of the difficulty of the trails. For example, in Lanzarote, you can book a guided E-bike tour through the Parque Natural de los Volcanes. You'll ride through the interior of a crater, through seas of lava and to the top of a volcano, which will give you incredible views of the island.
Alternatively, you can book mountain bike tours, a slightly more complicated but rewarding challenge, such as this mountain bike descent from Teide to the sea at Los Cristianos in Tenerife. For 2,200 metres, you'll ride through forests, over rolling hills, along back roads and have the chance to see incredible views of Tenerife.
Also in Tenerife, you will have the opportunity to rent an electric bike to ride along the Costa Adeje. You can explore the island's cityscapes and natural landscapes at your own pace, and you'll even have a home delivery service, meaning that the bike will be delivered to where you are and picked up there as well.
If you like cycling, the Canary Islands have a lot to offer!
Fly over the Canaries
With so many mountains, cliffs, and generally beautiful sights to see, flying over the Canary Islands is a great way to get to know them in depth. Here's how you can do it.
Paragliding
Paragliding is one of the most popular activities in Spain, as it is open to all kinds of people and lets you fly through the air in complete safety, feeling the sea breeze on your face, and without having to get into a plane.
In Lanzarote, you can paraglide over volcanoes, green fields and even over the ocean. Each experience is different, as, depending on the weather conditions - especially the wind - the starting point can change from day to day, so the route can change as well.
Now, in the south of Tenerife, from Taucho and over the Costa Adeje, you can enjoy a paragliding flight of up to 25 minutes. With volcanic, city and oceanic landscapes, this is an opportunity not to be missed.
And in Gran Canaria, depending on the weather, you can enjoy a paragliding flight at sunset over Los Giles. Imagine flying through the air and watching the colours of the sky change while an expert pilot takes care of everything you need to relax, a paragliding flight over the Canary Islands is possible!
Paramotor
This is a wheeled and powered version of the paraglider. The motor and wheels propel you into the air, while you sit back and enjoy the freedom to observe the beautiful views of the Canary Islands.
Try paramotoring in Tenerife, on its Costa Adeje, where you will observe the beautiful views of the ocean and the mountains, while flying the aircraft (with an expert pilot who will help you with everything you need).
Parachutes
This extreme sport is not very common in the Canary Islands, however, if what you want is the sensation of freefall, a panoramic flight and a calm landing, this tandem parachute jump over the dunes of Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is for you.
Multiadventure
One last chance to "fly" over the Canary Islands is the fun zip line park in Las Lagunetas, Tenerife. With 8 different zip lines, as well as 90 high games among the trees at Forestal Park Tenerife you can have fun with the whole family doing the routes that the park has created for you.
Food, music and happiness
But the Canary Islands are not only centres of outdoor activities, they also have cultural and gastronomic elements that are worth getting to know.
Food
Every place on earth has its own gastronomic richness, and that of the Canary Islands is one to be discovered.
Starting with a starter: potatoes with mojo picón. These are small potatoes (called papas arrugas), accompanied by the famous mojo picón sauce, a mixture of paprika, garlic, cumin, oil and vinegar. They are also served with mojo verde, a spicy sauce consisting of coriander, garlic and cumin.
Now, a winter tala dish worth trying is the "Rancho Canario". This is a very complete dish, consisting of noodles, chickpeas, pork ribs, bacon and chorizo, seasoned with saffron, cumin and paprika. And from there you can make "Ropa Vieja Canaria", a dish that aims to prevent waste and uses the remains of the Canarian rancho shredded to make a delicious mixture of all its ingredients to eat seasoned with paprika, parsley, oil and spices.
From Fuerteventura, comes a very old and delicious tasting dessert: frangollo. Made from goat's milk, sugar, sultanas, egg yolk and lemon zest, this is a dish that isn't served every day, so it's important to enjoy it when you find it.
But these are just some of the dishes to try, as each island has its own culinary traditions and you can try the "Potaje de Berros" from La Gomera, or the different dishes with Canarian cheese such as the Caldo de Queso from El Hierro. There are also different varieties of wine to try, such as the Tea wood wine from La Palma.
In fact, the diversity of food in the Canaries is almost as great as the variety of outdoor activities in the region, so it's worth tasting with an open mind - maybe you'll find your next favourite food in the delicious preparations of these islands!
Celebrating in the Canaries
The carnival of the Canary Islands is considered one of the best in the world. Each island prepares and creates an incredible spectacle with music, floats and parades that grow in height, complexity and beauty every year. With galas, talcum powder showers, regattas and young people covered in sheepskins, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro come together to celebrate their history, heritage and some new traditions - such as the Drag Queen Gala in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Among them, and with the visitors who decide to join them on these special dates, the atmosphere is filled with celebration, happiness and tradition.
If you visit the Canary Islands between January and March, keep your eyes peeled for these popular and fun festivals on each of the islands.
Among others...
As you have seen throughout this article, the possibilities in the Canary Islands are varied. When it comes to outdoor activities, there is an option for everyone, as well as relaxing plans, beaches, excellent food, festivities, and much more!
If you would like to find out more about the activities available on each particular island, we recommend you read the articles we have on Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura.
Explore these islands at your own pace and discover one of the best Spanish destinations to spend any time of the year.