best travel time for the Canaries

Best Time to Travel to Canary Islands

The best time to travel to the Canary Islands is from April to October. The two Canary Islands in the east, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, are warm travel destinations all year round. The high western islands of La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria are particularly suitable for travel in spring, summer and autumn. In winter, mild to warm temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius await you on the Canary Islands. Especially for those who want to escape the cold temperatures in this country, the winter months are the best time to travel to the Canary Islands. The main travel season for the Canaries is the summer months. If you want to save, it is best to travel to the Canaries in the off-season between autumn and spring.

Depending on which activities you are aiming for on your Canary Islands vacation, certain months are best for traveling. The following table shows you the best travel time for the Canary Islands depending on your preferences . This is followed by information on the location, the climate, the weather and the temperatures in the Canaries in an annual overview. For each month I will show you what weather you can expect and what is best possible in the Canary Islands during this travel time. Read on and find out more!

Best travel time Canary Islands for activities at a glance

Best travel time Canary Islands
Beach vacation Lanzarote & Fuerteventura: all year round; Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro & La Gomera: April-October
Island hopping & cruises all year round, optimal weather conditions with little chance of rain: April-October
Trekking tours Spring & Autumn Months
Active vacation March-May & end of October-November
Surfing in Fuerteventura & Lanzarote Beginner Surf: July-November; advanced surfers: October-mid-December; Kitesurfing in Lanzarote: late March-late October
Surfing in Gran Canaria & Tenerife Surf beginners: all year round; advanced surfers: October-March

Geographical location of the Canary Islands

Politically, the Canary Islands belong to Spain . However, geographically speaking, the archipelago is in Africa . According to Harvardshoes.com, the Canary Islands are located in the eastern central Atlantic between the 27th and 29th parallel. The closest state is Morocco, whose coast is about 112 kilometers from the easternmost Canary Island Fuerteventura (Puerto del Rosario on Fuerteventura to Tarfaya in Morocco). There is currently no ferry connection between the two coastal areas, so the route leads over the Spanish mainland. There are regular ferries between the Canary Islands and mainland Spain . It is around 1,380 kilometers from Tenerife to Huelva. On the following Google Maps map you can see theView the geographical location of the Canary Islands .

What is the climate like in the Canaries?

The climate in the Canaries is subtropical and is determined by the trade wind belt. This brings a fresh breeze to the warm volcanic islands. The Canary Islands owe their year-round mild climate to their proximity to the equator and the Gulf Stream. On Fuerteventura and partly also on Lanzarote there is an arid climate with less precipitation due to the flatlands .

The Canaries are known as the islands of eternal spring . With a sun guarantee on over 300 days a year, the islands are warm all year round. The interplay of the dry Sahara air that comes to the Canary Islands and the refreshing trade winds conjures up a wonderful climate that is particularly inviting in summer. The annual average temperature in Tenerife is 25 degrees Celsius. The average water temperature in the year is 18 degrees Celsius. The warmest month is August with eleven hours of sunshine and up to 29 degrees Celsius. The coldest month in the Canary Islands is January with around six hours of sunshine per day and up to 20 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures cool down to 13 degrees Celsius in winter. In summer the average temperature at night is 20 degrees Celsius.

Climate table Canary Islands (Tenerife)

Jan Feb March Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max. Temperature in ° C 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 29 28 27 23 21
Min. Temperature in ° C 14 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 20 19 17 16
Hours of sunshine per day 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 8 7 6 5
Water temperature in ° C 19 18 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 21 20
Rainy days per month 7 6 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 5 7

Conclusion

The Canary Islands invite you to vacation all year round. The best time to travel to the Canary Islands is from April to October . The weather here is consistently warm and there is little to no rainfall. This travel time is the best, especially for sun worshipers who want to spend their beach holiday in the Canary Islands. The summer months of July and August are the high season in the Canary Islands. Most of the tourists settle on the party island of Gran Canaria in particular. Because of this, the prices for hotels in the Canary Islands are also rising. If you want to fly to the volcanic islands for less, the off-season in spring and autumn is best for this. Especially in autumn, the temperatures are still over 25 degrees Celsius, making it a beach holiday is very possible. Those who want to do trekking tours should also arrive in the off-season. It can get too hot for that in summer and too cold in winter. In the high regions, the temperatures in the Canary Islands are on average lower than on the low plains. The largest mountain in Spain on Tenerife even invites you to go on a skiing holiday in winter , as snow accumulates up there. Whatever time of year you travel to the Canary Islands, you will be enchanted. The Canary Islands know how to convince every month of the year. So it is in the eye of the beholder and his preferences which is the best travel time for the Canary Islands .

best travel time for the Canaries