IslaBuWhich Canary Island should you choose?
The Canaries have eight inhabited islands and each one is different. For beaches and wind, Fuerteventura; for a bit of everything, Tenerife or Gran Canaria; for volcanic landscapes, Lanzarote; for hiking, La Palma and La Gomera; for peace and quiet, El Hierro and La Graciosa.
Tenerife
The largest island, with the widest choice. In the middle stands Teide, at more than 3,700 metres the highest mountain in Spain. The south is dry and sunny with big resorts, the north greener and cloudier. It suits you if you want to combine beaches, trips and mountains.
Gran Canaria
An island of big contrasts in a small area: the dunes at Maspalomas and the sunny south, a mountainous interior, and the large city of Las Palmas with its city beach, Las Canteras, in the north.
Lanzarote
The volcanic landscape of Timanfaya National Park, white villages and the works of César Manrique. A low, dry and often windy island with beaches mainly in the south and east.
Fuerteventura
The longest sandy beaches in the archipelago and plenty of wind – a paradise for windsurfing and kitesurfing, but also for anyone who just wants a long beach and some peace.
La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro
The green western islands, for hiking and nature. La Palma is known for its starry skies and the observatory on Roque de los Muchachos, La Gomera for the laurel forest in Garajonay park, El Hierro for its tranquillity and diving. There are fewer beaches here and they tend to be black sand or pebbles; a lot of swimming is done in natural pools.
La Graciosa
The smallest inhabited island, reached by boat from the north of Lanzarote. Sandy tracks instead of tarmac, a few beaches and silence.
How to decide
With small children, look for sheltered sandy beaches with a lifeguard – most of them are in the south of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. For water sports, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For hiking, the western islands. You will find the current conditions on all eight islands in IslaBu every morning.
Sources: Turismo de Islas Canarias · Gobierno de Canarias · Updated October 4, 2026