The Canary Islands in winter: which island, and why

Winter in the Canaries is the sensible choice for UK travellers who've clocked that Mediterranean destinations are freezing, overpriced, and heaving with grey-faced crowds come December. The islands sit off the coast of Morocco, so they're genuinely warm when the rest of Europe is miserable. I've spent three winters picking through them, and each island offers something different depending on what you're actually after.

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The core facts first

The Canaries run November through March at their best. You're looking at 18-22°C days, 14-16°C nights, and actual sunshine. That's not sunbathing weather, but it beats 4°C drizzle in the UK. Flights from London airports typically run £60-120 return if you book 6-8 weeks ahead with airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, or Iberia. Search flights on our site to catch decent prices. You'll need a GHIC (the replacement for EHIC) for healthcare, though it's worth getting SafetyWing travel insurance anyway—around £45-70 for two weeks—because weather cancellations happen and it covers activity injuries.

The Canaries aren't particularly cheap once you're there. Expect £12-18 for a decent restaurant meal, £40-60 per night for acceptable mid-range accommodation. It's not Iceland prices, but it's not the bargain it was five years ago. Compare hotels on our site to see your options before booking.

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Tenerife: the option I usually skip

Tenerife is the largest island and the one most tour operators shove you towards. It's got beaches, resorts, and Mount Teide if you fancy a day trip up a volcano. The problem is it's also got Puerto de la Cruz and Playa de las Américas—genuinely dreadful resort towns engineered for package tourists. The food is overpriced, the beaches are rammed even in winter, and you'll spend half your time dodging stag parties.

That said, if you want guaranteed warm weather and don't mind crowds, the south coast (Tenerife South airport) works fine as a base for a week. Skip the resorts entirely and stay in neighbourhoods like La Laguna up north, which has actual character and decent tapas bars on Calle Obispo Rey Heredia. It's grimmer weather-wise (cloudier), but substantially less touristy.

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Gran Canaria: reliable but overrated

Gran Canaria markets itself as a "continent in miniature"—which is corporate speak for "there's a mountain and a beach." The island is fine. Maspalomas has endless golden sand that photographs well. Las Palmas, the capital, is a proper working city with decent museums and actual Spanish people living actual lives, which I always prefer to resort towns.

But here's the honest truth: Gran Canaria is increasingly rammed in winter, and prices have crept up accordingly. Airbnb apartments in the centre start at £45 per night, tourist restaurants on the seafront are charging £16 for mediocre paella. If you go, base yourself in Las Palmas rather than the south, and treat Maspalomas as a day trip rather than where you sleep.

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Lanzarote: the one I actually recommend

Lanzarote is the island I keep returning to, and it's not because it's undiscovered—plenty of people know about it—but because it offers better value and genuinely interesting landscapes than the bigger islands.

The island is essentially volcanic moonscape: black lava fields, no trees, strange austere beauty that sounds awful but actually works. Winter temperatures are identical to the other islands, but Lanzarote rarely gets the same cloud cover that plagues Tenerife's north coast.

Arrecife, the main town, is unpretentious and properly functional rather than purpose-built for tourism. You'll eat well here for reasonable money—I found excellent fresh fish for £9-12 in restaurants on the harbour that locals actually visited. Accommodation is cheaper than Gran Canaria; expect £35-50 per night for a decent one-bedroom Airbnb in the centre.

The beaches are excellent. Famara, on the north coast, is a proper beach town with surfing potential and decent bars. Playa Blanca, down south, is more touristy but still manageable. You can drive between them in 45 minutes.

The island's main draw is Timanfaya National Park—a vast area of lava fields where you drive through actual volcanic terrain. It costs £9 to enter, and you can either take a coach tour (included in the entry fee, genuinely good value) or drive yourself. Take the self-drive option and actually explore instead of sitting on a tour bus.

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Fuerteventura: skip unless you're a windsurfer

Fuerteventura is flat, windy, and excellent for kitesurfing. If you're not kitesurfing, it's genuinely boring. I spent three days here and wished I'd gone to Lanzarote. The beaches are nice but empty because there's nothing to do except lie on them. The food scene is minimal. Unless you're chasing wind conditions, give it a miss.

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La Palma or La Gomera: only if you want proper hiking

These are tiny, forested, volcanic islands—nothing like the popular image of the Canaries. They're genuinely beautiful if you're into serious walking: proper mountain trails, laurel forests, dramatic ravines. Winter is actually excellent for hiking because you avoid the summer heat.

Accommodation is limited and cheaper (£25-40 per night), but tourist infrastructure is minimal. You'll need a car and decent navigation skills. These islands are for people who actively want to escape the package tourism circuit, not people looking for "something different" but still wanting restaurants on tap.

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The practical verdict

Book Lanzarote for reliable weather, decent value, and enough to actually do. Go to Gran Canaria if flights are significantly cheaper (they often are). Skip Tenerife unless price forces you there. Consider La Palma only if hiking is genuinely your thing.

Fly from Gatwick, Stansted, or Luton—Liverpool sometimes has decent deals too. Book 6-8 weeks ahead, use our comparison tools, and check flight cancellation terms before committing. Winter Canary breaks shouldn't cost more than £400-500 per person for flights and two weeks of mid-range accommodation.

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