Canary Islands Holidays

Tenerife’s Anaga Rural Park is crossed by trails winding through ancient laurel forest, deep ravines and steep mountain scenery. Visitors can follow routes between small settlements and viewpoints while experiencing a greener, wilder side of Tenerife far removed from its southern resorts.

La Palma’s Caldera de Taburiente National Park surrounds a vast mountain basin carved by erosion, with pine forest, streams and steep rocky walls. Visitors can follow marked trails through the park while experiencing some of the island’s most impressive volcanic and mountain scenery.

Fuerteventura’s exposed Atlantic coastline has made the island one of the archipelago’s best-known surfing destinations. Visitors can find breaks around areas such as Corralejo and the north coast, with conditions attracting everyone from beginners taking lessons to experienced surfers seeking stronger waves.

Lanzarote’s relatively dry climate and network of roads make cycling a popular way to experience the island. Riders can pass lava fields, volcanic slopes, whitewashed villages and open countryside, with the stark landscape creating routes that feel completely different from mainland European cycling.

El Hierro is particularly well known for diving, with clear Atlantic water and volcanic seabeds creating a distinctive underwater landscape. Visitors can explore reefs, rock formations and marine habitats around the island, particularly near La Restinga and the Mar de las Calmas.

La Palma’s Ruta de los Volcanes crosses high volcanic terrain between El Pilar and the south of the island. Walkers pass craters, lava landscapes and pine forest while following one of the archipelago’s most distinctive long-distance mountain routes.

La Laguna is one of Tenerife’s most atmospheric historic centres, with colourful façades, convents, churches and elegant old houses lining its pedestrian streets. Visitors can wander through a city whose original street plan later influenced colonial towns built across the Americas.

Cueva Pintada in Gáldar offers one of the clearest glimpses into Gran Canaria’s pre-Hispanic past. Visitors can see geometric cave paintings, excavated homes and everyday objects that help bring the island’s indigenous communities to life in a way few archaeological sites can.

Betancuria sits quietly among Fuerteventura’s hills, with whitewashed buildings, churches and old stone streets recalling its time as the island’s former capital. Visitors can explore a compact historic centre that feels far removed from the beach resorts on the coast.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is filled with cobbled streets, wooden balconies and colourful houses that reflect centuries of Atlantic trade. Visitors can walk through the old centre, stop at historic churches and see how the town’s links with Europe and the Americas shaped its character.

Torre del Conde stands in the heart of San Sebastián de La Gomera as a striking reminder of the island’s early colonial period. Visitors can see the simple stone tower up close while exploring the historic centre around it, where several stories of La Gomera’s past come together.

Castillo de San Gabriel sits just off Arrecife’s waterfront, linked to the town by the old Puente de las Bolas. Visitors can cross the stone bridge, explore the compact fortress and get a sense of how Lanzarote once defended itself from attacks arriving by sea.

Silbo Gomero is La Gomera’s remarkable whistled language, developed to communicate across deep ravines and long distances. It remains a living part of island culture and is taught in schools, preserving one of the Canary Islands’ most distinctive traditions.

Traditional Canarian music brings together string instruments, percussion and songs shaped by Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American influences. Visitors can hear styles such as isas, folías and malagueñas at festivals, cultural events and local performances across the archipelago.

Canarian traditional clothing varies from island to island, with distinctive skirts, waistcoats, hats and embroidered details reflecting local history and craftsmanship. These outfits are still worn during folk celebrations, processions and cultural festivals throughout the islands

Lucha Canaria is a traditional form of wrestling in which competitors try to bring an opponent to the ground using controlled techniques and balance. The sport remains an important part of Canarian identity and is still practised across several islands.

Traditional Canarian crafts include hand-built pottery, basketry, embroidery and woodwork, often using techniques passed through generations. Visitors can see these skills in artisan workshops, local markets and cultural centres, where handmade objects still reflect each island’s distinct traditions.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts one of the Canary Islands’ biggest annual celebrations, with parades, elaborate costumes, music, dancing and competitions filling the city during carnival season. Visitors can experience everything from large street parties to colourful processions and traditional carnival characters.

Gran Canaria’s capital stages its own major carnival each year, combining costume galas, live music, parades and large outdoor celebrations. The programme usually unfolds over several weeks, making it one of the island’s most important recurring cultural events.

Los Realejos in Tenerife celebrates San Isidro Labrador with one of the islands’ best-known traditional pilgrimages. Locals wear Canarian dress, decorated carts join the procession and folk groups perform along the route, creating a celebration strongly rooted in rural traditions.

Every 4 August, Agaete on Gran Canaria fills with music and dancing for Fiesta de La Rama. Participants carry branches through the town in a lively procession towards the coast, creating one of the island’s most distinctive annual celebrations.

Held annually in Santa María de Guía on Gran Canaria, this traditional September celebration includes processions, drums, conch shells and the symbolic carrying of branches from the highlands. It remains one of the island’s most distinctive recurring pilgrimages.

Playa de las Américas is one of Tenerife’s busiest nightlife areas, with bars, clubs and late-night venues concentrated close to the resort centre. Visitors can move easily between relaxed drinks, live entertainment and busier dance venues, with plenty of options concentrated within the resort.

Southern Gran Canaria offers one of the archipelago’s most varied evening scenes. Visitors can find bars, clubs, terrace venues and LGBTQ nightlife around Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, with the Yumbo area forming a particularly well-known hub for shows and late-night entertainment.

Puerto del Carmen is one of Lanzarote’s main nightlife centres, with bars, restaurants and clubs spread through the resort. Visitors can start with drinks overlooking the coast before moving on to livelier venues later in the evening.

Corralejo combines a relaxed coastal atmosphere with one of Fuerteventura’s better-known nightlife scenes. Visitors can find bars, music venues and late-night spots around the centre, making it a good option for evenings that feel lively without losing the town’s beachside character.

The Canary Islands are internationally recognised for excellent stargazing, with particularly strong conditions on La Palma, Tenerife and Fuerteventura. Visitors can join guided night-time sessions or use dedicated viewpoints to see constellations, planets and the Milky Way away from major light pollution.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria offers a more urban alternative to resort nightlife, with restaurants, theatres, cinemas, bars and live entertainment spread across the capital. Visitors can combine an evening meal with cultural venues or drinks in areas that remain lively well beyond the main beach resorts.