The short answer: with children and for a first visit, Tenerife; for beaches and nothing else, Fuerteventura; for getting around without a car or for nightlife, Gran Canaria; for volcanoes, art and cycling, Lanzarote; for walking and stargazing, La Palma; for forest and peace, La Gomera; for diving and truly switching off, El Hierro. Get it right first time, because 93% of visitors spend their whole holiday on a single island.
Several interests at once? Tick them and the tool ranks all seven islands.
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| Beaches | With kids | Hiking | Volcanoes | Stargazing | Surf and wind | Diving | Nightlife | Peace and quiet | No car | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TenerifeMount Teide, year-round whales and the big theme parks | ||||||||||
| Gran CanariaMaspalomas dunes, high peaks and a capital with a beach | ||||||||||
| LanzaroteTimanfaya's volcanoes and the work of César Manrique | ||||||||||
| FuerteventuraThe best beaches, wind and surf | ||||||||||
| La PalmaHiking trails, a recent volcano and the clearest skies | ||||||||||
| La GomeraGarajonay's laurel forest, 50 minutes from Tenerife | ||||||||||
| El HierroThe smallest and quietest; diving at La Restinga |
Editorial score from 0 to 3, based on the official Canary Islands tourism survey, Blue Flag beaches and what each island actually offers. Not an official ranking.
The Canary Islands compared, with official data
The figures come from the latest official Canary Islands tourist spending survey and from arrivals data for the last full year. The survey only breaks out five islands: for La Gomera and El Hierro we give what is actually measured.
What people do on each island (percentage of visitors who do each activity):
| Island | Tourists a year | Beach | Hiking | Theme parks | Nightlife | Boat trips or whales | Stargazing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | 7.4 million | 64% | 22% | 23% | 16.5% | 16% | 5.5% |
| Gran Canaria | 4.7 million | 70% | 19% | 9% | 18.5% | 10% | 3.3% |
| Lanzarote | 3.3 million | 65% | 17% | 7% | 12% | 7% | 2% |
| Fuerteventura | 2.7 million | 80% | 16% | 7% | 10% | 10% | 4.2% |
| La Palma | 0.2 million | 59% | 58% | 2% | 3.5% | 12% | 17% |
| La Gomera | no separate data | black sand | Garajonay | — | — | Valle Gran Rey | — |
| El Hierro | no separate data | natural rock pools | Camino de Jinama | — | — | 2 boats | La Frontera, Starlight destination |
How visitors get around and what they spend:
| Island | Travelling with children | Hire car | Public transport | All-inclusive | Spend per person per day | Average hotel price in December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | 17.6% | 47% | 26% | 22% | €182 | €159 |
| Gran Canaria | 13.8% | 36% | 41% | 28% | €175 | €155 |
| Lanzarote | 18.6% | 40% | 24% | 30% | €184 | €138 |
| Fuerteventura | 16.8% | 47% | 20% | 50% | €167 | €124 |
| La Palma | 9.8% | 83% | 28% | 19% | €159 | €87 |
| La Gomera | — | — | — | — | — | €101 |
| El Hierro | — | — | — | — | — | €83 |
In plain terms: beach lovers sort themselves out (beaches weighed heavily in the choice for 55% of Fuerteventura's visitors and for only 15% of La Palma's), Lanzarote has the most loyal fans (78% are repeat visitors), and in La Palma almost half say the trip beat their expectations.
Each island: who it suits and when to rule it out
Tenerife
Best for: families, first-timers, whales and Mount Teide; it has Siam Park, Loro Parque and 113 of the 184 licensed whale-watching boats. Rule it out if you want empty roads or a small island: it receives 40% of the Canaries' tourists. Guide: Tenerife.
Gran Canaria
Best for: getting around by bus, mixing beach and city, and going out at night; it has 15 Blue Flag beaches and the highest share of solo travellers (14.9%). Rule it out if you want a quiet island without a big city. Guide: Gran Canaria.
Lanzarote
Best for: volcanic landscapes, the work of César Manrique, cycling and the wineries of La Geria. Rule it out if you want forests or mountains: its highest point is around 670 m. Guide: Lanzarote.
Fuerteventura
Best for: beach weeks, surf and wind, and tight budgets on all-inclusive. Rule it out if you want a variety of sights, nightlife or to get around without a car: only 20% use public transport. Guide: Fuerteventura.
La Palma
Best for: hiking, stargazing and the lava flow from the 2021 volcano. Rule it out if you're after a beach-and-pool resort: the beaches are small and black, and almost everyone hires a car.
La Gomera
Best for: the laurel forest of Garajonay, walking and a slow pace, 50 minutes by ferry from Tenerife. Rule it out if you need pale-sand beaches or a direct flight from home.
El Hierro
Best for: diving at La Restinga and switching off; hotel occupancy hovers around 41% even in December. Rule it out if you want a different organised excursion every day.
Best Canary Island for families, couples, hiking and more
| If you're travelling… | Choose | Why | Plan B |
|---|---|---|---|
| With children | Tenerife | Theme parks (23% visit them) and whale-watching boats | Gran Canaria (Aqualand and Palmitos Park, open daily) |
| As a couple | Lanzarote | Manrique's centres, wineries and the highest-rated island | La Gomera, for something quieter |
| For hiking | La Palma | 58% of its visitors go walking | La Gomera or Tenerife |
| For the beach | Fuerteventura | 80% go to the beach; Corralejo, Jandía and Cofete | Gran Canaria (more Blue Flags) |
| Without a car | Gran Canaria | 41% of its tourists use the bus | Tenerife |
| To party | Gran Canaria | Nightlife counts for more than on any other island | Tenerife |
| To switch off | El Hierro | The least visited island | La Gomera |
| To dive | El Hierro | Marine reserve and visibility of up to 50 m | Lanzarote |
| To surf | Fuerteventura | Three times as many surfers as the average | Lanzarote (Famara) |
One nuance with children: the highest share of families is on Lanzarote (18.6%), but Tenerife has far more parks and boats to fill a week. In Fuerteventura, watch the calendar: its water park closes from November to late March. Activities island by island in activities by type.
Best Canary Island to visit by month
The south of the high islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) is warmer and sunnier than the north, and Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are the driest. The figures, month by month, are in Canary Islands weather.
| Season | Best bet | Why |
|---|---|---|
| September and October | Any island for swimming | The sea is at its warmest, 23–24 °C; October opens the high season |
| November to February | South of Tenerife or Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura | Tenerife South reaches highs of around 21.7 °C in January; in December, the wettest month, Fuerteventura gets 26 mm and La Palma 80 mm |
| March | Any island, if you book early | It's the month with the most arrivals of the year |
| May and June | La Gomera, Tenerife | The quietest months; flowers in Garajonay and more whale and dolphin species off Tenerife |
| July and August | Fuerteventura and Lanzarote for wind; El Hierro and La Palma to escape the heat | The trade wind blows hardest; El Hierro and La Palma have the mildest summers (highs of about 26 °C) |
In winter, La Palma and El Hierro are the cloudiest (around 4.5 hours of sunshine a day in December and January), although they have the mildest nights. The rare tropical storms that have reached the Canaries arrived between late September and November.
The islands on the map
Outlines: © OpenStreetMap contributors
What if I want to see two islands?
You can, with well-connected pairs. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are 25–35 minutes apart by ferry between Playa Blanca and Corralejo, and you can fly into one airport and home from the other. Tenerife and La Gomera are 50 minutes apart from Los Cristianos; Tenerife and Gran Canaria, 80 minutes from Santa Cruz to Agaete. La Gomera and El Hierro only have flights from Tenerife North and Gran Canaria, so combining them with Lanzarote or Fuerteventura means changing at one of those two. The cheap fares you'll see are for residents: visitors pay the full fare. Everything in ferries and flights between the islands.
From Fuerteventura, the easiest trip to another island is Lobos: the boat costs the same everywhere, and the free Cabildo permit is requested separately at https://lobospass.com/.
| Where | Ticket | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Fuerteventura: Lobos Island Ferry from Corralejo (Return) | 4.7 (3,649) | €17 | View on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Isla de Lobos: Ferry from Corralejo | 4.5 (76) | €17 | View on Tiqets |
| Official website | Naviera Nortour, Corralejo – Lobos return | — | €17 | Official site ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They may vary by date; each site confirms the final price.
Tours to get to know each island
GetYourGuide7 hours
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
4.3 (6,095 reviews)
from €92Check availability
GetYourGuide9 hours
Tenerife: Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour
4.6 (3,035 reviews)
from €58Check availability
GetYourGuide30 minutes
Maspalomas: Guided Camel Riding in the Maspalomas Sand Dunes
4.4 (5,243 reviews)
from €18Check availability
GetYourGuide40 minutes
Puerto de Mogán: Submarine Tour
4.4 (4,446 reviews)
from €38Check availability
GetYourGuide5 hours
Lanzarote: Timanfaya National Park – Half-day tour
4.4 (2,815 reviews)
from €59Check availability
GetYourGuide9 hours
Lanzarote: Timanfaya Park, Jameos del Agua, & Cueva de los Verdes Tour
4.5 (2,866 reviews)
from €89Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 2 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which Canary Island is best for families?
Tenerife, for Siam Park, Loro Parque and its fleet of whale-watching boats. If you'd rather get around without a car, Gran Canaria, with Aqualand and Palmitos Park in Maspalomas.
Which Canary Island is best to visit for the first time?
Tenerife, because it brings together a volcano, beaches, whales and theme parks on one island. If it's only the beach you're after, Fuerteventura; if you want a city and buses, Gran Canaria.
Which is the best Canary Island for couples?
Lanzarote, for César Manrique's centres, the wineries and the highest satisfaction score of the islands surveyed. For something quieter and greener, La Gomera.
Which Canary Island is best in December?
The south of Tenerife or Gran Canaria, or Fuerteventura, the driest. Don't count on the north of the high islands or La Palma if you want guaranteed sun: December is the wettest month.
Which Canary Island is best for hiking?
La Palma: 58% of its visitors go hiking, and it has around 1,000 km of waymarked paths. La Gomera and Tenerife come next.
Which Canary Island is best for diving?
El Hierro, for La Restinga and its marine reserve. In Lanzarote you have shore diving at Playa Chica and the Museo Atlántico.
Which is the cheapest Canary Island?
Of the four big islands, Fuerteventura has the cheapest average hotel (€124 a night in December, against €155–159 in Gran Canaria and Tenerife). La Palma and El Hierro are cheaper still, although in La Palma 83% of visitors hire a car.
