The Canary Islands have been a top travel destination for many a voracious traveler, and for good reason. The Islas Canarias have everything from a vibrant culture to otherworldly sights. Before you set out, listen to these tips first to fully immerse yourself in what the Canaries have to offer.
1. Pick the best time to visit
Before you plan on heading anywhere, you should first pick when you plan on visiting.
When choosing your essential travel items before getting to the Canary Islands, the weather should be something to remember, as you wouldn’t want to be unprepared for it. Most of the time, the Canary Islands have a typical Mediterranean climate of dry summer months and winters more about rainfall.
The best time to travel to the Canary Islands is Spring or Fall. Many tourists go here during the summer, which is fine, but if you want to avoid the crowds, spring and fall are excellent second choices. Spring for the Canary Islands would be around March to May, while fall is around September to November.
If you’re worried about rain, the Islands usually experience rain for about 26 days yearly. The rainier area of the Canary Islands would be in the northern part.
2. Choose the perfect island destination
Since the Canary Islands is an archipelago, there are many islands to choose from for your trip. If you’re not in the mood to hop from one island to another, you might want to know which island to stick to if you had to choose one.
Although all the islands have something to offer, here are a few suggestions.
Your best bet is that if you want an island that could provide a well-rounded experience, you can choose Tenerife or Gran Canaria, which have been a reliable choice for many. You can admire beautiful beaches, lush forests, and picturesque villages.
Tenerife is the larger of the two, but Gran Canaria is nearby. Both of them offer a great variety of choices of activities for outdoorsy people. You can enjoy a day on the beach or a fun snorkeling tour along the coast for example.
Fuerteventura is another excellent choice. It has a large dune landscape that you could feel like a character in a Sci-Fi movie. Coupled with its strong winds, it’s a popular choice for people interested in surfing, kite or windsurfing. If you want to swim, several coves are also there for an enjoyable dip.
If you want to admire a unique landscape, then come to the volcanic paradise that is Lanzarote. With its one-of-a-kind black terrain, it feels otherworldly to find yourself in it. Timanfaya National Park is a great place to admire said landscape. While there, try out the volcanic wines in one of the old fishing villages there, too.
3. Book your ideal accommodation in advance
There are tons of accommodations available in the Canary Islands for you to choose from.
Plenty of resorts and hotels can provide just that if you’re there to enjoy a slow day by the pools and beaches. They’re the better choice if you don’t want to worry about the presence of other people and want to relax your days away while you’re on this trip.
For more adventurous people who prefer a budget-friendly stay, plenty of hostels and apartments are available for short-term lodgers that come at affordable prices.
Just be aware that you most likely will be sharing the room with other travelers. However, if you spend most of your time away from your accommodations to go on adventures, this could be a better stay for you.
4. Getting around
Once you’re there, you have plenty of transportation choices from which you can go from one spot to the next.
One of the most affordable and reliable choices for many would be the buses on these islands. They are on time, cheap, and fast, which makes them an excellent choice for traveling from one spot to the next. Just plan out your route.
Another option is to rent a car, which is also relatively inexpensive and provides more privacy. Sometimes, this is the better choice if your destination is too far from a bus stop for your taste.
Some braver souls opt to rent bikes to go from spot to spot. But given that there are tons of mountainous and hilly areas and roads in the Islands, proceed with caution, or you’ll be tiring yourself out before you even arrive at your destination.
5. Practice your Spanish
Many inhabitants of the Canary Islands know how to speak English but don’t take that for granted. Knowing a few useful Spanish phrases is a great way to interact politely with the locals.
Learning your thank yous, sorry, excuses, goodbyes, and more can go a long way in making you a more welcomed guest in the Islands. You don’t even have to be fluent to do this, but you might as well take the time to pick up some Spanish phrases. You can even converse with locals using your broken Spanish if you can, but the thought counts.
6. Enjoy the culture and traditions
There are a lot of local villages, museums, art exhibitions, libraries, and events in the Canaries. While you’re there, use this time to get to know and enjoy whatever local culture or traditions are there. It’s always a great mental exercise to expand your horizons and learn more about the culture of the places you’re going to.
Many of the celebrations and festivals in the Canaries happen in the outdoors, too. So you can admire the festivities while you’re out and about. Some tourists even schedule their trips to catch one of the many festivals held here.
If you’re staying here on a long-term basis, you can get even more profound by getting to know local customs and traditions from the locals themselves.
7. Try the local Canarian cuisine
Eating only the food you know and are familiar with will make you miss out on the unique local cuisine. Expand your palate and try out some of the local foods and drinks.
Speaking of familiar, potatoes indeed are a familiar food to you. If so, consider trying out Papas arrugadas, salted and boiled potatoes with a delicious spicy sauce, and a cold alcoholic beverage.
It would be best to try out some of their local goat cheeses. Each island has a unique twist on its goat cheese, so why not make a charcuterie board?
8. Explore the natural beauty
The Canary Islands offer some of the most stunning landscapes with distinctive qualities for each island. Thus, it’s best not to stick yourself in your hotel room. Please explore the natural beauty of the Canary Islands, its plentiful national parks, and local villages sprinkled all over.
These spots are great to look at and make the perfect subject for your photos.
Conclusion
You should be ready to embark on an adventure-filled journey to the Canary Islands now that you’ve gotten an overview of things to plan for your trip there. What’s most important is that you be in the moment and admire the sights around you as you take in the Islands’ beauty on your journey. Enjoy!
