All the Canary Islands are very different, and on top of that, each island has many unique resorts and holiday destinations, but… after living, travelling and working all over the Canary Islands for the last 20 years, this is my comprehensive, independent and unbiased guide to where to stay in the Canary Islands.
Which Canary Island is best
Tenerife – Best Canary Island for families
With the largest selection of direct flights and short airport transfers to most of the destinations on the island, Tenerife is the most family-friendly Canary Island. Also, the many tourist attractions and parks on the island, like Siam Water Park, Loro Parque, Teide and many others, make sure this island offers something for all ages.
Complete guide to where to stay in Tenerife
La Gomera – Best Canary Island to escape mass tourism
If you want to avoid crowds and mass tourism in the Canary Islands but still want a bit of tourism, then La Gomera is an excellent choice, with only a few hotels. Flights are much less often than to the other more touristy destinations in the Canary Islands, but they are becoming more frequent, and you can also take the ferry from Tenerife to get there.
Gran Canaria – Best Canary Island for couples and singles
Gran Canaria is a trendy destination for couples and singles of all ages. Especially Puerto Rico and Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria have great nightlife and many adults-only hotels. The island is great for adults, with upscale dining in Puerto de Mogan, large shopping centres in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and many spas all over the islands.
Complete guide to where to stay in Gran Canaria
La Palma – Best Canary Island for nature, stars and hiking
La Palma is the best island in the Canary Islands for those who want to connect with nature. The island is lush and green and is one of the best places to view the stars in Europe because there is no light pollution. Therefore the entire island is also part of “Starlight Reserve”. Because of all this beautiful and untouched nature, the island is ideal for hikers and nature lovers. However, since the island is hard to get to compared to the other Canary Islands, very few tourists come here.
Lanzarote – Best Canary Island for all-inclusive holidays
Lanzarote is not a big island and does not have many attractions and parks on the island. However, if you enjoy staying in your hotel most days, this island has many large, new and modern all-inclusive hotels to choose from.
Complete guide to where to stay in Lanzarote
El Hierro – Best Canary Island for diving
El Hierro is the most challenging to get to island in the Canary Islands. There are only a few ferries and flights going here from Tenerife. Also, there are no actual hotels. Most accommodation is private holiday rentals. However, this island is very popular with divers as there are few boats and tourism, making it a remarkable and untouched space to dive.
Fuerteventura – Best Canary Island for beaches
Fuerteventura is the island with the best beaches in the Canary Islands. While the other Canary Islands also have some lovely beaches, most of those are artificial and small in comparison. In Fuerteventura, however, most beaches are natural and vast, making for a great beach holiday without the crowds.
Complete guide to where to stay in Fuerteventura
Where to stay in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have a lot of variety. Even on the islands themselves, the different resorts can be completely different from each other. After working, travelling and living on the Spanish Islands for over 20 years, here is my selection of the best ones for you.
Best place for a family holiday in the Canary Islands
- Costa Adeje in Tenerife is great for families with young children – Iberostar Bouganville Playa
- Playa de las Américas in Tenerife is great for families with teenagers – Spring Hotel Bitacora
- Caleta de Fuste in Fuerteventura is great for families with older children – Barcelo Fuerteventura Royal Level Family Club
- Playa Blanca in Lanzarote is best for an all-inclusive family holiday – Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel
- Costa Teguise in Lanzarote for families who love the beach – H10 Suites Lanzarote Gardens
- Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria for a family holiday on a budget – Riu Papayas
- Taurito in Gran Canaria is a compact little resort with a waterpark in the middle, ideal for families with young children – Hotel LIVVO Taurito & Aquapark
Best budget holiday destinations in the Canary Islands
Budget deals can be found all over the Canary Islands all year round outside the school holidays and winter. If you are looking for a budget-friendly destination where hotels, restaurants and things to do are generally more budget-friendly, these are the best options.
- La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma: These are much cheaper than the other more touristy Canary Islands. However, getting there can be more expensive as fewer flights go there. So this might cancel out the benefit of an otherwise cheaper holiday.
- Santa Cruz and Arrecife: The capitals of Tenerife and Lanzarote are much cheaper than most other holiday destinations on the island. They are offering actual local prices and not touristy prices. These are lovely places to take a holiday with beautiful white sandy beaches.
- Less well-known locations: Golf del Sur and Playa Paraiso in Tenerife. Arguineguin and Playa del Cura in Gran Canaria. Puerto Calero in Lanzarote. El Cotillo and Tarajalejo in Fuerteventura. These are also excellent destinations but much less touristy and not well known. For this reason, you can also find some budget deals here.
Best couples and adults-only holidays in the Canary Islands
- Playa de las Americas in Tenerife has lots of clubs, upscale shopping centres and restaurants and is great for younger couples – Tigotan Lovers & Friends
- Puerto de Mogan in Gran Canaria is great for a couples holiday with a picturesque and romantic setting – Hotel LIVVO Puerto de Mogan
- Corralejo in Fuerteventura has many small adults-only boutique hotels in the harbour area with upscale dining – H10 Ocean Dreams
- Puerto De la Cruz in Tenerife is deal for older couples who like to relax – Hotel Atlantic Mirage Suites & Spa
- Las Palmas in Gran Canaria is a great couples destination with a beautiful beach and lively city atmosphere – Cristina by Tigotan Las Palmas
- Meloneras in Gran Canaria for an upscale and classy couples holiday – The Hotel Faro
- Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote for couples who like lots of nightlife but don’t need a big clubbing scene – Lani’s Suites de Luxe
Best luxury holidays in the Canary Islands
- The newer areas near Costa Adeje in Tenerife (near Playa del Duque and Playa el Beril beach) have most of the modern and luxurious hotels in Tenerife – Vincci Seleccion La Plantacion del Sur
- Meloneras in Gran Canaria is the place to be in Gran Canaria for new, modern and luxurious hotels. There is even a 5+ star hotel here, one of the few in Spain – Lopesan Villa del Conde
- Playa Blanca in Lanzarote is the newest and most luxurious holiday destination in Lanzarote – Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel
- Esquinzo & Jandia in Fuerteventura, both have fantastic, large, luxurious hotels right next to the beach – Iberostar Selection Fuerteventura Palace
Best beach holidays in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have many unique, beautiful and picturesque beaches. However, near most of the best ones, there is no accommodation nearby. So if you are looking for the best beaches with hotels and accommodations next to them, then these are the best ones:
- Playa del Duque (Costa Adeje) in Tenerife for a luxurious beach holiday – Iberostar Grand El Mirador
- Esquinzo & Jandia in Fuerteventura has vast natural white sandy beaches with plenty of space for everyone – Iberostar Playa Gaviotas All Inclusive
- Playa de Amadores in Gran Canaria for a very touristic and developed beach with lots of restaurants and things to do next to it – Holiday Club Playa Amadores
- Las Palmas in Gran Canaria is the best beach on the island and is hidden in the capital, away from most of the tourists – Bull Reina Isabel & Spa
- Corralejo in Fuerteventura has a variety of different sandy beaches spread out over the entire coastline – Secrets Bahia Real Resort & Spa Adults Only
- Playa Paraiso in Tenerife has many tiny secluded beaches and a beach club from the Hard Rock Tenerife hotel – Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife
- Puerto De la Cruz in Tenerife for an authentic black beach sand experience – Hotel Landmar Playa la Arena
Best place for hiking holidays in the Canary Islands
If you primarily want to go hiking during your holiday, there are many great spots in the Canary Islands. The mountains of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are ideal for this, with many hiking tracks. You will find many holiday lettings and hostels next to these trails. Also, the islands of La Gomera and La Palma are beautiful and lush for hiking.
If you like to do a bit of hiking during your holiday but also want other experiences, then Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife is the best resort for you. Many local companies organise guided hiking trips to Teide, Anaga and many other beautiful locations on the island from here.
Best nightlife in the Canary Islands
- Playa de las Americas in Tenerife for late night clubbing.
- Playa del Ingles and Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria, the nightlife here is excellent but changes a lot from month to month. Many young people come here during university and school holidays, but outside of these times, it is more aimed at an older generation.
- Corralejo in Fuerteventura has the best late-night clubs on the island.
- Costa Adeje in Tenerife for the best family-friendly nightlife in Tenerife.
- Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote has the best nightlife on the island with lots of live performances.
- Puerto De la Cruz in Tenerife has the best nightlife for an older generation.
- Caleta de Fuste in Fuerteventura for family-friendly nightlife in Fuerteventura with many pubs, quizzes and live performances.
Best hotels for or near nightlife in the Canary Islands
Hard Rock Tenerife in Playa Paraiso
H10 Las Palmeras in Playa de las Americas
Riu Papayas in Playa del Ingles
Best place for relaxation in the Canary Islands
The best islands for a relaxing holiday are La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. These have little traffic, untouched beaches, not a lot of tourism and pretty much no loud nightlife. However, they have a problem; they are not easy or relaxing to visit. La Gomera is still ok as it is close to Tenerife, and there are quite a few flights and ferries to choose from. El Hierro and La Palma have much fewer connections and no direct flights.
If you want a relaxing destination that is easier to reach, then it is best to visit one of the bigger islands, where there are also many small and relaxed towns with fewer tourists.
- Tenerife: El Medano and Callao Salvaje
- Gran Canaria: Bahia Feliz, Arguineguin, Playa del Cura and Puerto de las Nieves
- Lanzarote: Puerto Calero
- Fuerteventura: Tarajalejo, La Lajita and La Pared
Best hotels for relaxation in the Canary Islands
Gloria Palace Amadores in Playa de Amadores
R2 Romantic Fantasia Suites in Tarajalejo
Best place for an authentic Spanish holiday in the Canary Islands
If you do not want too much tourism and are more interested in local Spanish people and culture, then these are some great places to stay.
- Puerto De la Cruz in Tenerife offers a great mix of Spanish authenticity mixed with tourism.
- Corralejo in Fuerteventura has a good mix of hotels and tourism with the local Spanish harbour and fishing culture.
- Las Palmas is the capital of Gran Canaria and has a fantastic beach, some nightlife and many authentic tapas restaurants.
- Arrecife in Lanzarote is the capital of Lanzarote but is not very big, with lots of Spanish restaurants and a great beach.
- Puerto de las Nieves in Gran Canaria is a small fishing village with great seafood restaurants.
Best authentic Spanish holiday hotels in the Canary Islands
Puerto Azul in Puerto De la Cruz
Hotel Cristina by Tigotan in Las Palmas
H10 Ocean Dunas Adults-only in Corralejo
Where NOT to stay in the Canary Islands
While all destinations in the Canary Islands have pros and cons, some are, for most people, not a good destination to take a holiday. These are the least interesting destinations on the islands.
- Costa del Silencio in Tenerife: This area had its best times quite a few years ago. Many shops are abandoned, there is no natural beach, and the streets are in poor condition.
- Puerto de las Nieves in Gran Canaria: While I love this area, it is not suitable for most. Located entirely on the other side of the island in the North, unlike most tourism destinations in the South, it is far from all the things to see and do on the island.
- Puerto Calero in Lanzarote: A small resort with not much of anything.
- Costa del Antigua in Fuerteventura: This used to be a big project that was supposed to be the new luxury destination in Fuerteventura. Now that project has been abandoned, it has become one of the lowest-income areas in the Canary Islands. Many buildings stand empty, and most of the area is poorly maintained.
- La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma: While these islands are stunning and make a great holiday destination for some, they are (much) harder and often more expensive to get to than the bigger islands. These islands are not advisable if you want an easy, no-fuss holiday.
When to visit which Canary Island
The Canary Islands have warm and mostly sunny weather all year round and therefore can be visited all year for a great holiday. Here are some guidelines and tips to make sure you pick the right island, depending on the month you are going.
- From February to May and September to November, Tenerife and Gran Canaria are, for most people, the best Canary Islands to visit. The other months are generally more expensive and all the beaches and attractions can get very crowded.
- All months of the year, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura make excellent holiday destinations. However, do know that there are fewer direct flights in March, April, May, October and November and some attractions, restaurants and bars might be closed.
- All months of the year La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma make for a great holiday destination for those who are looking for a non-traditional holiday. Since most people come here to be active, you might want to avoid the hottest months of July, August and September.
