Which Canary Island should you choose, and which does Milan think is the most beautiful?

Friends going to the Canary Islands for the first time get the same advice from me: Tenerife. To me it’s a very green island, and in a single trip you get mountains, the Teide volcano and the ocean. My favourite island, though, is Fuerteventura. It’s big, wide open and very dry, and it’s where I can switch off completely. Gran Canaria was the one I enjoyed least; it feels far too touristy to me. But if I wanted to party, Maspalomas is exactly where I’d go.

Which Canary Island should you choose, when eight of them are inhabited and each one looks different? I’ve been to the Canary Islands more than ten times. I’ve explored Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and tiny La Graciosa. Only La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro are still missing from my list.

That’s why this article brings all my Canary Islands posts together in one guide. You’ll find out which island is best for beaches, hiking, partying or peace and quiet. I also explain why the islands are so different, even though some of them are only half an hour apart by ferry.

Which Canary Island is best for the holiday you want

If you’re in a hurry, here’s my quick pick. You’ll find the details for each island further down.

The Canary Islands, then, are not one island with one kind of weather and one landscape. That’s also why people love arguing about which is the most beautiful once they’re back home.

Why Tenerife is green and Fuerteventura is dry, though both are Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are volcanic, but they didn’t all appear at once. They rose from the ocean one after another, from east to west. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are the oldest, at around 20 million years. The youngest, El Hierro, is only about 1.1 million years old.

An older island has had more time for wind and rain to wear it down. That’s why Fuerteventura is low, and its highest peak, Pico de la Zarza, is only just over 800 metres. Tenerife, by contrast, is young and high. The Teide volcano rises to 3,715 metres and is the highest peak in the whole of Spain.

Altitude also decides whether an island is green. The trade winds, steady north-easterlies, blow in from the ocean carrying low, moist clouds. In Tenerife and Gran Canaria they hit the northern slopes of the mountains and hang there. Locals call it the mar de nubes, the sea of clouds. So the north tends to be green and damp, while the south stays dry and sunny.

Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are too low for that. The clouds have nothing to catch on, so they simply drift over them. That’s why it hardly ever rains there, and the landscape looks more like Africa, which is only about 100 km from Fuerteventura. Lanzarote also has a young volcanic landscape, because between 1730 and 1736 the volcanoes of what is now Timanfaya buried it in lava. For me, this adds up to one simple rule. If I want guaranteed sunshine in Tenerife or Gran Canaria, I stay in the south. In Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, I worry more about the wind than the clouds.

How to get to the Canary Islands, how many days to spend there and whether to hire a car

Direct flights to the Canary Islands from Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest

A flight to the Canary Islands from Central Europe takes about five hours. The islands are also one hour behind Slovakia and the rest of Central Europe. In winter 2026/2027, Ryanair flies direct from Bratislava to Lanzarote. Vienna and Budapest usually have more direct flights to the Canary Islands, so it pays to compare all three airports.

My most recent flights were cheap. A return ticket from Vienna to Fuerteventura cost me €80, though I only flew with hand luggage. In January 2026 I paid €75 for a return ticket to Lanzarote.

Do you need a hire car in the Canary Islands, or is the bus enough?

It depends on the island. On some I hired a car straight at the airport; on others I managed the whole stay by bus.

• Fuerteventura: My buses were sometimes more than half an hour late, and one full bus simply drove past without stopping. It’s also the second largest of the Canary Islands, so I recommend a car here, even though I don’t need one every day.
• Gran Canaria: As far as I’m concerned, a car is essential here. The roads are narrow and winding, drivers sound their horns before the bends, and all those bends made me carsick. So I go for a smaller car and zero-excess insurance.
• Tenerife: I got around the whole island on my own in a week, on the green TITSA buses. I’d hire a car only for Teide, the Anaga mountains or the mountain village of Masca, where the bus runs just a few times a day.
• Lanzarote: The first time, I got around without a car, by bus and by boat. But no bus goes to Timanfaya or the Papagayo beaches, so on my second visit I hired a car.

In the Canary Islands a Slovak driving licence, like any EU one, is all you need, because the islands belong to Spain and so to the European Union. I explain how to hire a car with no credit card and no deposit in my article on car hire without a deposit.

How many days to spend in the Canary Islands and when the weather is best

A week was enough for me in both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. You can drive across Lanzarote in about an hour, so you’ll see the essentials in less time too. In Tenerife, on the other hand, a week wasn’t enough, and next time I’d allow at least 10 days. I did Gran Canaria in five days, but only because I had a car.

The weather is pleasant all year round, with temperatures of around 20°C in January. The sea is cold in winter, though, at around 18 to 19°C. In Lanzarote in January, I found the water too cold for swimming. The sea is warmest in September and October, at around 23°C. So for hiking and escaping the winter back home, I’d go between November and March. For swimming, I’d go in autumn instead. Summer in Tenerife is far too hot for my taste. You’ll find more ideas for the winter months in my article on where to go on holiday in February.

How to get between the Canary Islands by ferry or plane

Ferries between the islands are run by Fred. Olsen Express, Naviera Armas, Baleària and, on short routes, Líneas Romero. With the big islands, though, I stick to one per trip. I think each of them deserves at least a week.

Some crossings are short enough to be worth it even as a day trip:

• From Lanzarote to Fuerteventura, the ferry from Playa Blanca to Corralejo takes 25 to 35 minutes.
• The crossing to La Graciosa from Órzola, in the north of Lanzarote, takes about 25 minutes.
• From Tenerife to La Gomera, the ferry from Los Cristianos takes about 50 minutes.
• From Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Agaete in Gran Canaria, the fast ferry takes about an hour and 20 minutes.

You can also fly between the islands. Inter-island flights are run mainly by Binter and the smaller Canaryfly. I’ve done it once myself. I needed to fly home from Lanzarote, but a ticket from Tenerife was cheaper. So I hopped over to Tenerife with Binter. Quite an experience, too: a small plane and lovely views from the window.

• Tip from Milan If a flight home from another island is cheaper, it’s worth adding a local flight to get there. It paid off for me on the way home from Lanzarote via Tenerife.

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Things to do in the Canary Islands: Milan Bez Mapy’s picks

I have a separate article on my blog for each island, with places, prices and tips. Here are the highlights, including the things that didn’t work out for me.

Fuerteventura is the best Canary Island for beaches, dunes and relaxing

Fuerteventura is my favourite Canary Island, and from 2022 to 2025 I came back every year. The reason is simple: I can switch off completely here. In my view there isn’t all that much to see, so I don’t feel I have to spend every day in the car ticking things off. The island is big, wide open and very dry, with hardly any greenery.

The main draw is the beaches. Fuerteventura has more than 150 km of them, mostly with golden sand and low waves. My top two are Sotavento and Cofete. At Sotavento, a shallow lagoon forms at high tide, and the strong wind brings in the kitesurfers. To reach Cofete from Morro Jable, you drive about 20 km on an unpaved road. Some hire companies don’t allow it, or their insurance doesn’t cover it, so it’s worth checking in advance.

My favourite part is the north by the dunes, especially Corralejo. It’s a laid-back surf town, and the desert dunes begin right behind it. A little further on is Popcorn Beach, covered in white ‘popcorn’. In fact these are rhodoliths, calcareous algae washed up by the sea. El Cotillo is quieter, with lagoons for snorkelling. Near the village of Lajares is the Calderón Hondo volcano, with a crater about 70 metres deep. The path up to it is well marked.

Not everything went to plan, though. I climbed Pico de la Zarza on a cloudy day and saw absolutely nothing. I had a ticket for the islet of Lobos, but for personal reasons I never used it.

Fuerteventura suits people who want beaches, wind and rest without a packed schedule. But it’s a long island, and the south is quite a way from Corralejo. So on my first visit I split my stay between the south near Morro Jable and the north by the dunes. You’ll find all my tips in the article 8 places to see in Fuerteventura.

Tenerife is the best Canary Island for a first visit

Before Tenerife, I’d been to Gran Canaria twice and considered it the most beautiful of the Canary Islands. Tenerife proved me wrong. To me it’s very green, and I think it’s ideal for a first visit to the Canary Islands. You get mountains, a volcano, historic towns, and both black and light-coloured beaches.

My favourite place is the mountain village of Masca. I stayed there in an Airbnb with a local host, in a house with no Wi-Fi and a view of the mountains. The nearest cash machine, though, is as far away as Santiago del Teide, and the shops were almost always closed. These days the trail through the gorge below the village is one way only, down to the ocean, and you come back by boat. You have to book it and wear a helmet. I cancelled my booking because of strong wind.

You can take the cable car up Teide, but for the summit itself you need a permit. Since January 2026, non-residents pay €15 for it. The capital, Santa Cruz, was a pleasant surprise: as green as a greenhouse, with García Sanabria Park. In the north I stayed in Puerto de la Cruz, where there are fewer tourists and more locals. From there, historic La Orotava is about 25 minutes by bus.

The south has the resorts of Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. Hotels, bars and clubs: the classic resort holiday, which isn’t what I’m after. Most of the beaches in the west are black and volcanic. I’d already got used to black sand in Hawaii, on the Big Island. It does get seriously hot underfoot, though. I describe my whole week in the article what to see in Tenerife.

Lanzarote is the Canary Island for hotels, swimming and a trip to the volcanoes

These days I see Lanzarote mainly as a resort island. Lots of hotels, beaches, swimming and short distances. In January 2026, a friend and I stayed in Puerto del Carmen, close to the airport. It’s a decent resort and the buses from there run well, although we had a hire car. Just west of the town lies the hidden nudist cove of Barranco del Quiquere.

The first time, in 2022, I explored the island in a completely different way. A week on my own, without a car, by bus and by boat. I slept in a wooden caravan in the desert near the village of Mala, two nights on a boat in the harbour at Puerto Calero and two nights on La Graciosa. On the boat, though, I slept badly because of the rocking.

Lanzarote also looks different thanks to the artist César Manrique. He championed low white houses, which is why you’ll find hardly any high-rise buildings here. In the north of the island are his works Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes and the Jardín de Cactus, a cactus garden in a former quarry.

Timanfaya National Park didn’t win me over, even though other people rave about it. Admission is €30 including the bus tour of the park, and you can’t explore it in your own car or on foot. I enjoyed the La Geria vineyards more: the vines there grow in pits in the volcanic gravel. I also stopped at Famara, the surf beach, and ate at Grill La Posada. The Papagayo beaches are pretty, but in January they were crowded and the water was icy. You’ll find more in the article what to see in Lanzarote.

Gran Canaria is the Canary Island for partying and Pride in Maspalomas

Of the four big islands, Gran Canaria is the one I enjoyed least. It feels far too touristy to me, and the capital, Las Palmas, honestly bored me. In the south, I’m put off by the mass development, which looks straight out of the 1980s and feels dated today. But if I wanted to party, this is exactly where I’d go: Maspalomas.

The heart of the nightlife is Yumbo Centrum, an open-air shopping centre on several levels. By day it looks unremarkable, but in the evening it turns into the hub of the gay and LGBTQ+ party scene, with dozens of bars and clubs. It’s liveliest during the two Prides, Maspalomas Pride in May and Winter Pride in November. For a drink before going out, I recommend the rooftop Atelier Cocktail Bar.

Right next to the bars are the Maspalomas dunes. Many people believe the sand was blown here from the Sahara. In fact it comes mainly from the sea, from crushed shells, corals and algae that the waves washed ashore and the wind keeps pushing inland. Since 2020 you’ve only been allowed to walk on the dunes along the marked paths, and breaking the rule can cost you a fine of €150 or more.

My best experience in Gran Canaria, though, wasn’t at the dunes but in the wild west of the island. I walked to Güigüí beach from the village of Tasartico. It took about two and a half hours, with no signal and steep climbs and descents. The beach was almost empty, but a wave from the rising tide killed my phone. The next day I ached all over, even though I go to the gym four times a week.

Driving here is hard work, and the north tends to be cloudy. So I’d stay in the south again, as I did that time near Mogán. The green countryside around the town of Ingenio, in the east of the island, reminded me of Colombia. I had the best tapas of my life at La Gañanía restaurant. You’ll find my five-day itinerary in the article what to see in Gran Canaria.

La Graciosa is the smallest inhabited Canary Island, with no tarmac roads

La Graciosa lies off the northern tip of Lanzarote, and since 2018 it has officially been the eighth inhabited Canary Island. About 700 people live here, and you won’t find a single tarmac road. The boat from Órzola takes 25 minutes.

I spent two nights here. I wanted to explore the island by bike, but the wind was so strong that I walked to the hamlet of Pedro Barba instead. At times La Graciosa felt like a ghost town to me, and I left with mixed feelings. Its atmosphere reminded me of Holbox in Mexico, which also has very few cars. If it weren’t for the wind, I’d happily come back.

La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro: the lesser-known, wilder Canary Islands

I haven’t been to the three westernmost islands yet, so I’ll describe them only briefly and without tips of my own. I plan to combine them in one trip; I just don’t know when yet. What they have in common is fewer tourists and wilder landscapes.

• La Gomera: The closest to Tenerife; the ferry from Los Cristianos gets you there in about 50 minutes. People come mainly for hiking and for the laurel forest in Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• La Palma: A steep, green island where a volcano erupted on the Cumbre Vieja ridge in 2021. Large astronomical telescopes stand on the summit of Roque de los Muchachos, because the sky above the island is exceptionally clear.
• El Hierro: The smallest and youngest of the seven main islands. In 2011 an underwater volcano erupted here, just a few kilometres off the south coast.

Binter flies to all three islands too, so you can combine them without long ferry journeys.

Which Canary Island is best, and where should you go first?

If I could fly to only one, I’d choose Fuerteventura. For the beaches, the dunes and the peace that lets me switch off completely. But if you’re going to the Canary Islands for the first time, Tenerife is the hardest one to get wrong.

The whole decision comes down to two questions. Do you want green mountains or beaches? And do you want to drive or not? Green mountains without a car mean Tenerife. Beaches with a car mean Fuerteventura. Hotels and comfort point to Lanzarote, and nightlife to Maspalomas in Gran Canaria.

Madeira and the Azores: more Atlantic islands with mild winters

If other Atlantic islands with mild winters tempt you too, have a look at the Portuguese archipelagos. On the blog you’ll find my article on what to see in Madeira and tips on what to see on São Miguel in the Azores. All my articles about Spain and the Canary Islands are collected on the page Spain and the Canary Islands.

Happy travels!