WHICH CANARY ISLAND should I go to?

Best canary island for couples, for family, for beaches, which canary island should i go to
best canary island for nightlife, for families, in January...
Holidays in the Canary Islands. Choose your ideal island between touristic towns, arid volcanic landscapes, rural hideaways and large beaches... Best canary island for winter sun, for weather in...

CANARY ISLANDS

It is possible stay in Europe and spend a vacation in a warm place in winter. At about 5 hours' flight time from UK, you can take a vacation in the Canary Islands. I have bought an apartment in Gran Canaria: in Puerto Rico... Best canary island for weather in Winter (no windy, close to the best beaches of the island, higher temperature than others villages).

Not all the islands are equal, and for this reason it is better to decide what type of vacation you prefer and choose the destination best suited for you.

Which island should you choose? Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria or Tenerife?
Find out!

Where to go on Lanzarote? Best canary island for wildlife, relaxing.
Where to stay on Fuerteventura? Best canary island for beaches, windsurfing, wildlife, relaxing.
Where to find lodgings on Tenerife? Best canary island for young adults, retirement, Families, nightlife.
Where to go on Gran Canaria? Best canary island for beaches, gay social life, retirement, Families.

BEST CANARY ISLAND: choose your ideal island

Best canary island FOR WILDLIFE: LANZAROTE

Choose Lanzarote if:

. you want to relax,
. if you like small islands,
. you have an explorer spirit or
. you love barren, moon-like landscapes.

Lanzarote is ideal for a brief vacation insofar as being the quickest to reach from Europe and it is sufficiently small: you can see it all in a few days (only 60 km long and 25 km wide).
I strongly recommend exploring the island by car unless you only want to dedicate yourself to tan, choosing to stay close to the more visited beaches.

Where to stay in Lanzarote?

Preference for stays sea, beach life. Sunbathing, shopping, restaurants, pubs.

Playa Blanca and Costa de Papagayo are the preferred destinations for a winter break dedicated to sunbathing.

Puerto del Carmen is a very touristy area with many pubs and shops. The beach is long, wide, very sunny but also windy. If you stretch out in the sun, sheltered from the wind, you burn. I took advantage of the shadow of a palm tree to read a book and I left my beach sandals under the sun... well from the heat, they came apart! Fortunately the seafront is packed full of shops so that my wandering on bare feet, in search of new beach slippers, was brief.

Puerto del Carmen is close to the airport and this makes it one of the preferred destinations for those who don't want to rent a car because it's easily reachable with the bus or with a short ride in a taxi. Furthermore, being a very touristic town, it has different connections to the main tourist destinations of the island. Ideal also as a point of departure for car trips to discover the island.

If you want to stay in the capital of the island "Arrecife", of a more Spanish style, you can relax at the Playa del Reducto and Playa de la Concha. Usually in this area the prices for lodgings are lower.

Recommended hotels in Lanzarote: Recommended accommodation

Lanzarote for young people/nightlife: Puerto del Carmen or Arrecife.
Best area to visit Lanzarote up and down: Puerto del Carmen.
Or Costa Teguise (to visit the norther area) and Playa Blanca (to visit the southern area)

⇨ Best choice to stay in Puerto del Carmen: Apartments facing Playa Grande .
⇨ The best choice to stay in Costa Teguise: Apartments near the beach.

Lanzarote for families with children. Playa Blanca.
Lanzarote for those looking for the sea and the sun. Playa Blanca.

⇨ Best choice for sunbathing and beach life: Apartments in the center of Playa Blanca.

Famara beach Lanzarote

BEST CANARY ISLAND FOR BEACHES: FUERTEVENTURA

Where to stay in Fuerteventura?

Under Lanzarote easily reachable by ferry, there is Fuerteventura: an island for the surfing lovers. This island is the closest to the Moroccan coast and the desert, so the climate is similar enough: greater thermal excursions during the day and night and a truly blazing sun. Fortunately the wind mitigates this heat but, in case you have delicate skin, good protection is suggested in order to avoid burns.

Pick this island if:
- the constant wind doesn't bother you too much,
- you want to relax,
- you like immaculate landscapes and
- love staying in contact with nature (ample space, enormous beaches...)

For whoever loves nightlife or large tourist centers there isn't much choice. If you really DO NOT want to be that isolated you can opt for Corralejo that is the most lively island where you will find many restaurants, pubs, shops... the nearby Las Dunas beach is white sand, wide but windy and you have to walk a bit to cross the dunes and reach the sea.

The most beautiful beaches of Fuerteventura are in the South and many of them are the favorites of surfers. To the south, to make "sealife", you can stay in the peninsula of Jandia, you can vacation in Morro Jable from which you can also take the ferry to Gran Canaria.
Also in this area, if you love nude sunbathing you can go on the beach near the lighthouse as it is popular with nudists.

NOTE: If you think the wind may annoy you, know that many resorts, to please their customers, put anti-wind barriers on the beach so you can sunbathe without the sand flying everywhere.

This photo of Fuerteventura is taken by TripAdvisor: Sotavento beach.

Caleta de Fuste is an ideal small centre for those who want to relax. It is near to the capital Puerto del Rosario and to the airport. Usually here it is easier to find cheaper accommodation.
This small village, being positioned in the centre of the island, is the ideal choice for those who want to go up and down visiting Fuerteventura. To drive from the North to the southern point of the island takes about 2 hours by car.

WHERE TO SLEEP IN FUERTEVENTURA?

Fuerteventura: where is it better to go if you are ...

looking for some locals and fun? Apartments Corralejo
looking for a central area to visit the island, near airport: Apartments in Caleta de Fuste .
sea life: Apartments Morro Jable: ideal for those looking for relaxation. Close to the sea, in the center of the village with restaurants and shops.

BEST CANARY ISLAND FOR WINTER SUN: TENERIFE

Where to stay in TENERIFE

Among the 4 listed, Tenerife is the farther island from Europe. It has two airports, but the most popular is in the south of the island, very close to the main and more famous tourist resort like Playa de las Americas.

Choose Tenerife if:
. You are looking for a holiday beach year round,
. you like the nightlife,
. stroll among the many shops,
. you do not want to rent a car.

I would be very selective about where to stay in Tenerife. As first choice advising Los Cristianos. The place with the best climate of the island, very chic, close to shops and restaurants but not as "loud" as the nearby Las Americas where it is easier to find tourists a bit 'more annoying (heavy drinkers) because of the many pubs and clubs open until dawn.

If you are unable to find accommodation in Los Cristianos, I advise you to choose Costa Adeje, an area a few kilometers away, very quiet, here are several luxury resorts.
The buses (called Guaguas) are numerous and connect the various areas of this coast.

NOTE: The buses are very comfortable to take, the stops are well indicated and you can buy the tickets on board asking directly to the driver. It is often sufficient to say only the name of the hotel because the biggest resorts have the bus stop just in front of their entrances.

⇨ 1. Spacious family apartments with heated pool in Los Cristianos just a few minutes walk from the beach and the city center, quiet but close to everything. Maximum 6 beds. Ideal for large families or groups of friends. Yes: big family, groups.

⇨ 2. Residence Apartments with Pool in Los Cristianos with Parking and Wifi included. Quiet location but close to downtown and the beach. Ideal for those who do not want to rent a car during the holiday. For those who want to live by sea and look for a sheltered and warm area even in winter. Yes: beach-life, holiday in winter.

HERE ARE THE TOPS OF TENERIFE FOR NIGHTLIFE AND BEACH

⇨ 5. Cheap apartments in the center near the beach (Playa la Troya). Ideal for young people looking for nightlife.

⇨ 6. Hotel 300 meters from the beach (playa las Vistas) with parking and wifi included. Choice of options with breakfast, half or full board. Rooms / facilities also equipped for disabled guests.

BEST CANARY ISLANDS for WINTER SUN: GRAN CANARIA

Where to stay in GRAN CANARIA

Gran Canaria is the island that I chose to buy my Spanish holiday home after having wandered among other islands in search of my paradise corner.
I chose an apartment in the south-west of Gran Canaria: the warmest zone and protected from the wind close to the most beautiful beaches of the island.

Choose this island if:

You want to have a relaxing stay,
sprawled out in the sun and bathing in the ocean,
alternating with days when you can wander about carelessly among the numerous beauties of the island.
You like both the sea and renting a car to go discovering the hidden towns among the mountains.
You adore local street markets, walking on the dunes or aquatic sports.

Grand Canary is an island with a round shape easily navigable from North to South by transit on the GC1 freeway of the island. It's a small continent in miniature.
In the capital, Las Palmas, you can visit the Christopher Columbus house: the lodging in which he stayed before leaving to discover the Americas.

If you want to rent my self-catering apartment in Puerto Rico in winter you should book in advance because it is very requested. If you come in spring-summer you have more of a chance. I wait for you. ^_^

The better areas to take a seaside vacation in winter are:

Puerto Rico/Amadores: hilly area recommended only for those who don't have problems with walking. Ideal beach for sea lovers and families with children. Ample free parking in the area.
Taurito: Small village ideal for family vacations. In the downtown there is a water park with sea water (Parco Lago Taurito.)
Anfi del Mar/Arguineguin: one of the more expensive areas of the island. Very exclusive. Beautiful beach but little space for parking.
Puerto de Mogan: pretty town situated in the deep south of the island made up for small white houses. On the side of the port you will find a staircase to climb up to Mirador to see the beautiful view of the town and the ocean. Small beach. On Friday it's literally assaulted by hordes of tourists because of its famous street market.

⇨ HOTEL PLAYA DEL INGLES (BEVERLY PARK). Excellent value for money. Possibility of half board or all inclusive. One of the most booked hotel in Playa del Ingles. Very close to the equipped beach.

⇨ APARTHOTEL PLAYA DEL INGLES (VERIL PLAYA). Choose this location if you want to stay close to the Dune and the wide beach. If you are looking for a tourist place with some centers dedicated to nightlife.

⇨ PLAYA INGLES ECONOMIC APARTMENTS : Apartamentos Amazonas. For those seeking an independent and economical solution near the beach.

⇨ APARTHOTEL IN PUERTO RICO : Rio Piedras. Good value for money. Ideal for winter stays, for family with children, for sea life in every season of the year.

⇨ AMADORES HOLIDAYS : spectacular views of the ocean and Tenerife. Close to the famous beach Amadores, great for autumn-winter stays. Ideal for couples. Various facilities: sauna, gym...

⇨ ADULTS ONLY APARTMENTS : Only for adults guests (no children) in Puerto Rico. another area designated for classic sea life. Between Amadores and Anfi mar.

⇨ HOLIDAY VILLAGE At Mogán Playa - Beautiful resort located in the hottest and no windy part of the island: Puerto de Mogan. Small but pretty beach surrounded by shops. A village made up of white houses with colorful flowers on the balconies. Intimate, full of restaurants, ideal for couples or for families with children.

Puerto Rico / view Amadores, recommended area in the winter.

Meloneras, Maspalomas, and Playa del Ingles are more windy areas, especially in winter but if you stay in some resorts with SPA, heated pools...you will not suffer for the lack of swimming in the ocean.

Meloneras is a very exclusive area: luxury restaurants, brand name stores...the beach is practically nonexistent and it is necessary go in the nearby Maspalomas (at about 800 meters). In this area there are more luxury resorts of the island that have heated internal and external pools, some with seawater for which the problem of bathing is resolved.

Playa del Ingles is the most popular and lively area, full of restaurants and budget bars. Excluding some well kept resorts, usually, the tourist complexes are rather "old" in the sense that the moment for a good refurbishing has arrived.

Maspalomas is connected to Ingles, one merges with the other in a series of more or less large tourist complexes. If you like to walk to reach the beach, this area is for you as, before arriving at the sea you have to surpass all the dunes.

Related article: "Grand Canary BEST ACCOMMODATIONS for every need".

I hope the information will be helpful to organize a wonderful holiday. If you like, share the article or maps clicking one of the "social buttons " below. Thanks ^ _ ^

Moira R.J.