Canary Islands
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Canary Islands - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Bodegas El Grifo – Museo del Vino
Established in 1775, El Grifo is the Canaries' first winery and one of the oldest in Spain. Tour the grounds, which include a serene cactus garden and wine museum, before ponying up for a tasting. El Grifo's wines are fruity and crowd-pleasing—and slightly less complex than those produced at neighboring Los Bermejos. Guided museum tours, which include a glass of wine, cost €9 and take place Monday–Sunday at 11, 1, and 4:30.
Lugar de El Grifo, Playa Blanca, Canary Islands, 35550, Spain928-524036Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5 museum entry -
2. Caldera de Taburiente National Park
What strikes you first about Caldera de Taburiente National Park is its sheer verticality, jutting over 3,000 feet (900 meters) above sea level, which feels dramatic considering that the ocean is only a couple of miles away as the crow flies. Trails here take you through dense Canarian pine forests, meadows of wildflowers, dramatic gorges, and burbling streams. All around you are even higher, jagged cliff tops whose peaks are often hidden above the cloud line. There are essentially two routes: one uphill and one downhill. The latter is far and away more enjoyable, but you'll have to hire a taxi (approximately €55; try to split the fee with other hikers) at the Barranco de las Angustias (aka Parking de la Villa) to drop you at the trailhead at Mirador Los Brecitos. You then walk the scenic route from Los Brecitos back down to the taxi stand, 4–7 hours depending on how pokey you are. The hike is steep with lots of uneven surfaces and not suited to all travelers. Bring plenty of water and snacks. If you visit in spring or early summer, you'll be treated to jaw-dropping indigo tajinaste flowers in bloom. Islabonitatours ( www.islabonitatours.com) is an outstanding English-speaking tour company that can make all transportation arrangements and provide knowledgeable mountain guides.
Parque Nacional Caldera de Taburiente, Canary Islands, Spain922-922280 -
3. Casa del Vino
Wine and food lovers shouldn't miss this wine museum and tasting room, opened by the Canary Islands' government to promote local vintners. The surprisingly well-appointed museum, which describes local grapes, viticultural methods, and history, has English-language placards; reasonably priced tastings in various formats are held in the abutting bar area, and you can buy your favorite bottle in the shop. The complex also has a tapas bar and a restaurant with creative Canarian fare and a curious little honey museum with exhibits and tastings. Casa del Vino lies about halfway between Puerto de la Cruz and Tenerife North Airport, at the El Sauzal exit on the main highway.
Calle San Simon 49, Sauzal, Canary Islands, 38360, Spain922-572535Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Free -
4. Casa Museo Colón
VeguetaIn a palace where Christopher Columbus may have stayed when he stopped to repair the Pinta's rudder, nautical instruments, copies of early navigational maps, and models of Columbus's three ships are on display in addition to interactive exhibits. The palace, which retains many original features, has two rooms holding pre-Columbian artifacts and one floor dedicated to paintings from the 16th to the 19th century. There's a glaring absence of criticism of Columbus's complicated legacy.
Calle Colón 1, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, 35001, Spain928-312373Sight Details
Rate Includes: €4 (free Sun.) -
5. César Manrique House Museum
On a hillock overlooking the sleepy town of Haría you'll find César Manrique's final home, preserved as if in amber. The artist lived in this architecturally stunning estate, which he built for himself, until his untimely death by auto accident in 1992. Plant-filled courtyards lead into bohemian living areas brimming with sculptures, paintings, and iconic furniture; the bathroom, with a floor-to-ceiling window into a leafy garden, is a highlight, as is the outdoor pool area and art studio, kept precisely how it was left on the day he died.
Calle Elvira Sánchez 30, Haria, Canary Islands, 35520, Spain928-843138Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Fundación César Manrique
César Manrique (1919–92) made this high-design bachelor pad called Taro de Tahíche for himself in 1968 upon returning from New York City, where he'd been living and working thanks to a grant from Nelson Rockefeller. The artist managed to turn a barren lava field into an inviting and architecturally stunning abode—the first of its kind in the Canaries—that would play host to international celebrities and become the islands' most emblematic residence. The artist called Taro home for 20 years and created some of his most celebrated works while residing here; his studio now displays original paintings. The real attraction is the house itself with its cave dwellings outfitted with splashy furniture, crystalline pools tucked between boulders, and palms shooting up through holes between floors.
Calle Jorge Luis Borges 16, Tahíche, Canary Islands, 35507, Spain928-843138Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10 -
7. Jardín Botánico Canario Viero y Clavijo
Welcome to one of Spain's largest botanical gardens, with plants from all the islands grouped by their natural habitat. The cactuses are particularly arresting.
Ctra. de Centro, Km 7, Tafira Alta, Canary Islands, 35017, Spain928-219580Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
8. Jardín de Cactus
North of Costa Teguise between Guatiza and Mala, this cactus garden with 10,000 specimens of more than 1,500 varieties was César Manrique's last creation for Lanzarote. Look beyond the park and you'll see prickly pear fields: for centuries locals have cultivated these plants for their cochineal, an insect living on the cacti from which scarlet carmine dye is extracted.
View Tours and ActivitiesCtra. General del Norte, Guatiza, Canary Islands, 35530, Spain901-200300Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7 -
9. Las Canteras
One of the best urban beaches in Spain is found at the northwest end of the city. Its yellow sands are flanked by a pleasant promenade that stretches more than 3 km (nearly 2 miles) from the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, in the south, where surfers congregate, to the Playa del Confital, in the north. The beach is protected by a natural volcanic reef, La Barra, which runs parallel to the shore and makes for safe swimming. Lounge chairs and sunshades can be rented year-round. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.
Paseo Las Canteras, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, 35008, Spain -
10. Masca
Approximately 16 km (10 miles) north of Guía de Isora, tucked deep in the Macizo de Teno mountains, lies Masca, colloquially known as the Macchu Picchu of the Canaries. If you squint, you can see the resemblance—the huddle of houses is perched on a misty ridge beneath a massive, pyramid-shape rock. Descend the cobblestone steps into the town center, grab a quick coffee or sandwich, and, if you're feeling adventurous, embark on the three-hour (each way) hike down to the beach.
Guía de Isora, Canary Islands, Spain -
11. Maspalomas
The island's most emblematic beach and one of the most beautiful, Maspalomas has golden sand that stretches for 2¾ km (1¾ miles) along the southern tip of Gran Canaria. Behind this beach are the famous Maspalomas dunes as well as palm groves and a saltwater lagoon, which lend an air of isolation and refuge to the beach. Bathing is safe everywhere except at La Punta de Maspalomas, where currents converge. Topless bathing is acceptable, and there's a nudist area at La Cañada de la Penca. This beach is busy year-round. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: nudists; sunrise; sunset; walking.
View Tours and ActivitiesMaspalomas, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain -
12. Parque Nacional de Timanfaya
Popularly known as the "Fire Mountains," this national park of barren volcanic landscapes takes up much of southern Lanzarote. The terrain is a violent jumble of exploded craters, cinder cones, lava formations, and heat fissures. The park is protected, and you can't drive or hike through it yourself (leave your car in the lot beside the middling, overhyped volcano-top restaurant, El Diablo); the only way to see the central volcanic area is on a 14-km (9-mile) bus circuit called the Ruta de los Volcanes, designed to have minimal environmental impact. (Photographers will be bummed that the only pics you can take on tour are through smudged windows.) A taped English commentary explains how the parish priest of Yaiza took notes during the 1730 eruption that buried two villages. He had plenty of time—the eruption lasted six years, making it the longest known eruption in volcanic history. By the time it was over, more than 75% of Lanzarote was covered in lava. Throughout the park, on signs and road markers, you'll see a little devil with a pitchfork; this diablito was designed by Manrique. As you enter, you'll see the staging area for camel rides, which we recommend skipping due to recent animal cruelty complaints.
View Tours and ActivitiesCtra. de Yaiza a Tinajo, Km 11.5, Tinajo, Canary Islands, 35560, Spain928-118042Sight Details
Rate Includes: €12 -
13. Parque Nacional del Teide
This park includes the volcano itself and the Cañadas del Teide, a violent jumble of volcanic leftovers from El Teide and the neighboring Pico Viejo. The last eruption here was in 1909. Within the park you can find blue-tinged hills (the result of a process called hydrothermal alteration); spiky, knobby rock protrusions; and lava in varied colors and textures. The bizarre, photogenic rock formations known as Los Roques de García are especially memorable; a two-hour trail around these rocks—one of 30 well-marked hikes inside the park—is a highlight. Visit in late May or early June to see the crimson, horn-shaped tajinaste flowers in bloom, a dramatic sight. You enter the Parque Nacional del Teide at El Portillo. Exhibits at the visitor center explain the region's natural history; a garden outside labels the flora found within the park. The center also offers trail maps, video presentations, guided hikes, and bus tours. A second park information center is located near Los Roques de García beside the Parador Nacional Cañadas del Teide.
La Orotava, Canary Islands, Spain922-922371 -
14. Parque Rural de Anaga
Thanks to its ornery terrain, Anaga Nature Park has managed to keep the tour-bus crowd (mostly) at bay—their loss. This magical oasis takes in misty laurel forests (aka laurisilva) with numerous endemic species, bizarre rock formations that jut above the trees, and hidden mountain villages like Taganana, founded in 1501. Explore the area by car, stopping to take a dip at Playa de Benijo, where you can catch a hiking trail into the surrounding countryside, and to snap a few postcard-worthy pics at the Pico de Inglés viewpoint.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain922-633576-for Anaga Visitor Center -
15. Playa de Famara
Directly opposite Costa Teguise on the north coast of Lanzarote is perhaps the island's most breathtaking beach. Set in a natural cove, its 6 km (4 miles) of sand are flanked by spectacularly high cliffs. The riptide here makes for excellent surfing and windsurfing, and Playa de Famara is regularly used for world championships for those sports. That said, the strong currents mean swimming can be dangerous (a surfer died here in 2022). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking; windsurfing.
Av. el Marinero, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, 35530, Spain -
16. Playa de los Guíos
This small, placid cove situated 12 km (7 miles) from Playa de las Américas is dwarfed by Los Gigantes, the towering cliffs nearby. Its natural black sand, striking in appearance, can be hot on the toes, so be sure to strap on some sandals. A nearby marina provides boat trips along the coast to take in the full beauty of the cliffs. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming.
Los Gigantes, Santiago del Teide, Canary Islands, 38436, Spain -
17. Playa de Papagayo
The rugged coastline east of Playa Blanca has several stunning beaches, but Playa de Papagayo is considered to be the area's—if not the island's—most picturesque. This small bay with fine white sand is perfect for sunbathing as it's protected from the wind by cliffs at both ends. You have to walk along a dirt path to get here, so take suitable footwear and bottled water. Despite its remoteness, Papagayo is a busy beach, particularly in summer. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.
Playa Blanca, Canary Islands, 35580, Spain -
18. Playa de Sotavento
This famous stretch of pure white sand rivals Corralejo for the title of best Fuerteventura beach. It extends for 6½ glorious km (4 miles)—at low tide you can walk over to neighboring beaches for 9 km (5½ miles). A sandbank that runs parallel to the beach creates a shallow lagoon that's perfect for swimming and for getting down the basics of windsurfing. Nude sunning is favored here, except directly in front of hotels—these areas are also the only place where amenities are available. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: nudists; solitude; sunrise; windsurfing.
Jandía, Canary Islands, 35627, Spain -
19. Tenerife Espacio de las Artes
This museum is the leader in contemporary art on the islands due to its sleek low-rise design and avant-garde exhibitions. Designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, it's next to the Museo de la Naturaleza. Expect 20th- and 21st-century art with a political or sociological bent. TEA's crown jewel is the hall dedicated to Tinerfeño surrealist artist Óscar Domínguez.
Av. San Sebastián 8, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38003, Spain922-849057Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. -
20. Aqualand Maspalomas
The largest water park in the Canary Islands has wave pools, slides, and just about everything else splash-related.
Ctra. Palmitos Park, Km 3, Maspalomas, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain928-140525Sight Details
Rate Includes: €35
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