The Canary Islands (Spanish: Islas Canarias) are an Atlantic territory of Spain off the coast of Morocco and Western Sahara.
The Canary archipelago consists of 8 inhabited islands, and a few smaller uninhabited ones.
All islands use the same time zone: Western European Time (WET). This means the time is the same as Portugal and United Kingdom.
Pico del Teide (on Tenerife) at 3718 metres above sea level is the highest point in both the Canary Islands and Spanish territory.
The islands have a population of 2.2 million (2019). Since the Canary Islands are a major European tourist destination, all the major islands have well-developed communication systems, airports, and ports.
Ethnically the population is mostly a mix of Spanish, European (German and British), South American, and especially Cuban and Venezuelan as well as Northern and Sub-Sahara African. There are also historical minorities such as Indians, Koreans and lately Russians.
Each island speaks with a slightly different accent and there is a strong rivalry between the main islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Most of the accents in the Canary Islands are closer to Latin American Spanish than to Castilian Spanish spoken in continental Spain.
The Canary Islands are very modern, very European, and extremely liberal.
Ancient legend claims the Canary Islands are the ‘lost islands’ of Atlantis. They have also been referred to as the lands without sorrow, holding on to the edge of the world. The first settlers were known as Guanches, thought to have arrived in the 10th century BC. The main economic system was built around agriculture and animal farming. During the 14th century, the islands were continuously invaded by different European countries. Sugar cane became the dominant crop, and since the early 20th century, bananas have been widely farmed.
During the Age of Sail, the islands were an important waypoint on the Cape Route.
In contrast to Spanish North Africa and other Spanish overseas territories, the Canary Islands have been an integrated part of Spain for centuries.
The Canary Islands are known for their mild climate. They feature mild winters, although there is a lot of wind virtually every day, which makes temperatures feel cooler. Summers are dry and temperatures are generally comfortable but can feel chilly with the wind. The average temperature is 13°C in January and 19°C in July. Sunshine is somewhat abundant in summer and relatively scarce in winter.
Just like mainland Spain, the Canary Islands are part of the European Union and the Schengen area. Arrivals from other Schengen territories usually don't need to clear immigration.
The Canaries is a popular destination with Europeans, and swarms of charter and discount flights descend on the island year round. The North & South airports on Tenerife and the Gran Canaria Airport are the busiest, but it's also possible to fly to many of the other islands, although it's often more expensive.
The Spanish company Naviera Armas has weekly connections between Huelva and Cadiz in Spain and Arrecife (Lanzarote), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Tenerife. Fred Olsen also has weekly connections from Huelva to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. A detailed map of these three routes can be found on Ferrygogo.
Portuguese ferry company Empresa de Navegação Madeirense used to operate a service between Madeira and the Canary Islands, connecting the two archipelagos with the Algarve in Portugal. There also used to be a return service from Funchal to Gran Canaria. However this service is not active anymore.
To rent a car is the best option for discovering the remote wilderness regions. There are several well-established local rental companies that are well worth considering. International companies like Avis, Europcar, Thrifty, Hertz, or Enterprice are present too, but probably not worth the extra money, unless you have a membership thing or get a good discount. The likes of Goldcar, Dollar, or Interrent are not worth the stress — they are well known for ripping off their customers.
Local rental companies (always compare!):
A tram on Tenerife linking Santa Cruz bus station and La Laguna opened in 2007 costing €2.35 return in about 40 minutes.
There are also tentative plans for a train linking Santa Cruz and Los Cristianos.
Buses are the most common public transport around the islands. They are more expensive than mainland Spain, but you are not going to travel far anyway. Most buses on tourist routes are adequate. Do not expect the drivers to know more than a couple of sentences in English or German, though they would try to be helpful.
Taxis can be expensive, and inside a city they are not worth the money unless you are in a real hurry or cannot balance yourself after a shopping day.
If you want to travel between the islands a good option might be to take a ferry if you are in any particular hurry, especially between close by islands. Most ferries are now quite modern and cheap. The most important companies are Fred Olsen, Lineas Romero Transmediterránea and Armas.
If you are afraid of the sea, or get sick just by staring at a ferry, then a plane is what you need, and that usually means a turboprop ATR-72 or ATR-42 by one of the airlines like Binter or Canaryfly. They are perfectly safe and adequately fast as you are likely to spend more time at the airport than in the plane.
The Canary Islands are home to 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
Lanzarote: There is a bustling nightlife in four main resorts... Arrecife, Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
Gran Canaria: The main resorts on the Island are Las Palmas, Maspalomas, Puerto Rico and Playa del Ingles.
Fuerteventura: The main resorts of Fuerteventura are Corralejo, Caleta de Fuste and Morro Jable.
Tenerife:
The euro (€) is the currency of the Canaries. The islands are outside the EU VAT area and have a separate sales tax from the VAT levied in mainland Spain.
Canarian cuisine is a mix between Spanish, Latin and African cultures. Most of Canarian cuisine is a variety of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish, generally light meals, more easy to digest in a warm climate. Meat is usually consumed as a part of stews or as steaks.
112 is the common emergency number.
There are no regular ferries to the surroundings (Madeira, Morocco, Azores), but flights are available.
The decision to travel is your responsibility. You are also responsible for your personal safety abroad. The purpose of this Travel Advice is to provide up-to-date information to enable you to make well-informed decisions.
You should confirm your booking arrangements before entering or leaving the Canary Islands.
Consult our Transportation Safety page in order to verify if national airlines meet safety standards.
Be sure that your routine vaccines are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.
You may be at risk for these vaccine-preventable diseases while travelling in this country. Talk to your travel health provider about which ones are right for you.
Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver spread through blood or other bodily fluids. Travellers who may be exposed (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment or occupational exposure) should get vaccinated.
Seasonal influenza occurs worldwide. The flu season usually runs from November to April in the northern hemisphere, between April and October in the southern hemisphere and year round in the tropics. Influenza (flu) is caused by a virus spread from person to person when they cough or sneeze or through personal contact with unwashed hands. Get the flu shot.
Measles occurs worldwide but is a common disease in developing countries, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia. Measles is a highly contagious disease. Be sure your vaccination against measles is up-to-date regardless of the travel destination.
Yellow fever is a disease caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.
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Travellers to any destination in the world can develop travellers' diarrhea from consuming contaminated water or food.
In some areas in Southern Europe, food and water can also carry diseases like hepatitis A. Practise safe food and water precautions while travelling in Southern Europe. When in doubt, remember…boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
In some areas in Southern Europe, certain insects carry and spread diseases like Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis and West Nile virus.
Travellers are advised to take precautions against bites.
There is no risk of malaria in this country.
Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats. Some infections found in Southern Europe, like rabies, can be shared between humans and animals.
Crowded conditions can increase your risk of certain illnesses. Remember to wash your hands often and practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette to avoid colds, the flu and other illnesses.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are spread through blood and bodily fluids; practise safer sex.
The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.
Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.
You are subject to local laws. Consult our Arrest and Detention page for more information.
Canada and Spain are signatories to the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This enables a Canadian imprisoned in Spain to request a transfer to a Canadian prison to complete a sentence. The transfer requires the agreement of both Canadian and Spanish authorities.
An International Driving Permit is strongly recommended. However, you may use a Canadian driver's Natural disasters & climate
The currency of the Canary Islands is the euro (EUR).
Hierro Island has been experiencing a higher than normal level of seismic activity since July 2011. Temporary small-scale evacuations may take place with little notice. On October 12, 2011, villagers of La Restinga living near the coast were evacuated to higher ground. Exercise caution and follow the advice of local authorities.
On August 1, 2009, thousands of residents were evacuated from the Island of La Palma due to wildfires. The most affected zones were the area southeast of the San Antonio volcano and the town of Fuencaliente, located southwest of Santa Cruz de La Palma Airport.
