Yahoo Finance Which is the best Canary Island to visit?
Palm trees, volcanoes, lakes and beaches; the Canaries' fabulous scenery promises an exciting mix of exploration, adventure and relaxation - but which is the best Canary Island to visit?
The Spanish islands are currently on the UK government's amber list of destinations, meaning that if you live in England and have had two vaccines, you won’t need to quarantine when you come home (but will still need to take tests before and after travelling - get more information here). Of course, there are a few rules for entering the Canaries too - you'll find them all here.
Once you're clued up on getting there and returning safely to the UK, you'll want to think about which one is best for you.
Whether you’re looking to go hiking in volcanic landscapes, cycle the winding mountain roads or kick back in a boutique beachside hotel, there's a perfect Canary Island for you.
Ahead of Good Housekeeping's island-hopping cruise on the gorgeous Belle des Océans, where you will explore the very best of the archipelago, we thought we’d narrow down the highlights of each of these sunny Spanish isles.
And don’t fear, it’s not just package holidays on offer: there are national parks to explore, gourmet restaurants to try, and charming towns and cities where you can soak up the culture.
Gran Canaria - travel to Latin America in four hours
Although the Canary Islands are part of Spain, with Spanish spoken across all of them and tasty tapas on offer in their bars and restaurants, they’re actually nearer to Morocco than the Iberian Peninsula, giving the islands their own unique culture and heritage.
Las Palmas in Gran Canaria is still home to the 15th-century Cathedral of Santa Ana and the house where Christopher Columbus is said to have plotted his voyage to Latin America, so it’s no surprise that the local accent is closer to Latin American Spanish.
Another similarity is the cuisine. One of the tastiest - yet simplest - dishes here is potatoes with mojo sauce (red or green). Potatoes are native to Latin America and were brought over to the Canaries centuries ago. The salted, fluffy jackets served with garlicky, spicy sauce are exquisite and you’ll find them on offer all over the island.
La Gomera - soak up cultural wonders
Food is the star of the show in La Gomera’s capital, San Sebastián, where restaurants serve octopus, papaya, tuna, cuttlefish watercress soup, and golfio con miel (a kind of nougat made with roasted barley and corn, plus sweet honey and figs). Toasted golfio is actually sprinkled into coffee and wine here, too!
There are also plenty of traditional, open-air ceramics workshops on pretty La Gomera, which has a long history of craftsmanship. Look out for the red pots, which take their fiery colour from a natural ochre pigment.
San Sebastián is the place to go for boutiques and markets where you can browse artisanal gifts - like Gomeran castañets called chácaras, wooden cutlery made from Lausilva trees and baskets made from banana stems.
Don’t miss the Feria Insular de Artesanía, also held in the capital, which brings together artisans from all over the island and the rest of the archipelago.
El Hierro - an eco-travel haven
Lesser-known El Hierro is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, suited to those looking for a quieter, sustainable break. Over 50 per cent of this little island is covered in pristine wilderness and progressive regulations preserve its natural beauty.
For example, the island's energy is completely renewable, powered by waterfalls and the wind, and there are restrictions on building anything taller than two stories, to protect the spectacular views.
And it's not just on ground level that you’ll find wonders on El Hierro. The island has a fantastic underwater volcanic landscape, which can be explored by scuba diving. Look out for turtles, tuna, stingrays, dolphins, barracudas... and the occasional (peaceful) whale shark.
You won’t want to leave without exploring the island’s unique natural swimming pools, created when ancient lava flows cooled and walled in the seawater around the coast.
How to get there? Arrive by ferry from Tenerife to Puerto de la Estaca in the north of the island in under three hours.
Tenerife - active holidays in an exotic paradise
Tenerife is the largest Canary Island, and possibly the most popular, thanks to the stunning El Teide, Spain’s highest peak and a breathtaking UNESCO-protected national park that's perfect for hiking.
It’s also well-known for its gorgeous beaches which, as it’s just off the coast of West Africa, are perfect for swimming - even in November and January.
Other highlights of a visit include the annual Carnival de Santa Cruz, a festival with parades, dancing and colourful costumes which marks the start of Lent - and goes on for a fortnight!
And if you want to keep the party going, choose an all-inclusive resort. Costa Adeje is famous for its nightlife scene, waterparks and stunning beaches, or for somewhere more relaxed, check out Los Gigantes, with scuba diving and serene mountain views, or the West Coast Playa de la Arena, with its quiet hiking trails and sleepy black-sand beaches.
You can fly to Santa Cruz from most international airports in the UK.
La Palma - for a romantic stargazing break
La Palma is the world’s steepest island, which naturally means that the views are incredible! For example, a short walk down to the unspoilt Playa de Nogales in the west of the island offers dramatic views of its cliffside Atlantic beach.
La Palma’s wild, solitary beaches are the perfect place to throw your worries to the wind and enjoy time with a loved one.
And there’s more to explore by hiking across the island’s trails in search of secret waterfalls and natural craters. Head into Caldera de Taburiente National Park for some of the best trails, like the 13km hike to Los Colores Waterfall. Visit during rainier seasons to catch the falls in their full vibrancy. You’ll hardly believe it’s all natural!
And it’s not just during the day that you’ll be able to treasure the views. As a Starlight Reserve, La Palma is one of the best places in the world to observe the night skies. Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is located 2,400 metres above sea level and offers crystal-clear views of the stars.
Lanzarote - out-of-this-world landscapes
Otherworldly Lanzarote was born out of fiery volcanic eruptions, but now it offers plenty of luxury comforts in its charming whitewashed stone villages.
Thanks to the rocky terrain, delicious wines are produced in the bodegas of Geria, Lanzarote’s warm wine-growing region. We can’t get enough of the elegant blue bottles at Vega de Yuco, where you can taste wines and tour the bodega.
The island is also known for its award-winning cheeses. Goat and sheep’s cheeses are popular, and naturally smoked with paprika and golfio - that toasted corn flavour we mentioned earlier.
EXPERIENCE CHEESE AND WINE TASTING WITH GH
You can’t visit Lanzarote without checking the works of artist César Manrique, a Lanzarote local who magnified the island’s crazy natural wonders with artistic shapes and bold colours. His botanical cactus garden is an absolute delight to visit on a sunny day, and the Cesar Manrique Foundation, set up in a former house of his, shows Manrique’s genius blending of architecture into the volcanic rock, with rooms built into volcanic bubbles and crafty tunnels joining them.
Timanfaya National Park is a wonderland of jagged, ochre landscapes and lava fields that will make you feel you’ve travelled to another planet, despite only being a short flight away from the UK. We love its nickname too: the Fire Mountains.
La Graciosa - get off the beaten track
La Graciosa has been a Canary Island for just three years, but don’t let its small size put you off. It’s a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, made all the more special by the fact that its beaches are secluded, restaurants feel as if you’re the first to discover them and the roads are all unpaved, making sure you really do take the path less travelled.
Some tourists choose to travel the 'Gracious Island' by bike, to explore its most special and hidden corners. There are three bike routes which cross the island north to south, taking you to the main beaches and points of interest. And don’t worry, the island is mostly flat, so you can simply pedal on and enjoy the views.
Here, you can spend time at the secluded beaches, like Playa de las Conchas, with its warm tidal lagoon, and Playa Francesa, with its sand dunes and turquoise waters. Travelling from beach to beach is the best way to explore, looking out for natural arches, wildflowers and restaurants on your way.
And since it’s a protected marine reserve, wildlife flourishes in the tranquillity of La Graciosa, so remember to look out for rare seabirds and the cute monk seal that calls this island home.
The best way to get there is on a ferry from Lanzarote, which takes half an hour.
Explore the Canary Islands with Good Housekeeping
Join Good Housekeeping on a visit to six of the eight isles this November, starting and finishing in Tenerife, where you’ll see out 2021 on a real high at the top of Mount Teide.
You’ll take in Timanfaya National Park, enjoy a wine and cheese tasting at one of the oldest bodegas in the Canaries, experience the lush flora at Garajonay National Park on La Gomera and enjoy ceramics, art, silk, and stargazing on La Palma.
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