Where to stay in the Canary Islands: the 5 areas to know in 2026
Four of our eight city reviews say the same thing, and two give the reason: rent a car, "few public transportation options", "the island […] is not well served by public transport". It is the first expense to budget for, before even the room.
Our reviews settle the second decision too. The guide's only two 2/5 ratings target the two big cities, and for the same reason: in Las Palmas, "concrete, apartment blocks along the beach"; in Santa Cruz, "a very commercial city geared to cruise ship tourism". Both advise leaving. Three other reviews draw the line that matters on Tenerife: "the south is lively for going out, while the north is more typical", "in less than an hour's drive". Five areas below, across four islands.
Compare hotel prices in the Canary Islands
In a hurry? Find the best accommodation deals in 3 clicks.
Compare live deals from Booking, Expedia, Agoda and other partners.
The island is not very big, but it is not well served by public transport, so I recommend that you rent a car.
One base or several?
Four islands, four airports, and ferries between them: our reviews never compare two islands, they describe the one they were on. So the length of stay is decided island by island, and the first expense is not the room but the car, which four of our eight city reviews call for.
- A long weekend: Puerto de la Cruz, three nights, in the north of Tenerife, which three of our reviews prefer to the south. Loro Parque can be reached on foot, the rest of the island by car.
- A week: All of Tenerife: five nights in the north, one in Santa Cruz for arrival or departure. "In less than an hour's drive, you can move from one atmosphere to the other", says our review: a single base is enough.
- Ten days: Add Lanzarote, four nights, for Timanfaya National Park, which three of our reviews describe as "another planet". The Fuerteventura ferry leaves from Marina Rubicòn, to be booked online according to our review.
- Two weeks: Fuerteventura by bike, one week: it is the option one of our members chose and from which he "has some memorable memories from that week". Las Palmas last and two nights at most, according to our 2/5 review.
How much driving between two bases?
Four islands, and a single piece of advice repeated four times by our reviews: rent a car, because there are "few public transportation options". Distances within an island are short, those between the islands are covered by plane or ferry.
| Route | Driving time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife → Puerto de la Cruz | 40 min | 40 km on the TF-5 |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife → South Tenerife | 1 hr | "in less than an hour's drive", says our review |
| Puerto de la Cruz → Loro Parque | 20 min | on foot, or free shuttle |
| Puerto de la Cruz → Teide | 1 hr | 50 km, an access road that is "already impressive" |
| Teguise → Timanfaya | 30 min | 25 km, 40-minute coach tour |
| Yaiza → Fuerteventura | 30 min | ferry from Marina Rubicòn |
| Puerto del Rosario → Corralejo | 30 min | 40 km to the north |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas in the Canary Islands
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Puerto de la Cruz and northern Tenerife Old town, port, La Orotava, Teide
10 of our 28 reviews, and three that prefer it to the south
This is the area our reviews set against the south of the island: "this is the perfect spot if you are looking for an atmosphere that is more authentic and less touristy than the south", "touristy certainly, but to my taste less overrated than Santa Cruz de Tenerife". Loro Parque carries five reviews, all favourable, and three describe the same impression of a setting "that seems natural"; you get there on foot from the centre or by "a free shuttle". Above it, the Teide national park gives "volcanic landscapes that create an almost lunar impression". And Bollullo Beach mixes the local black sand with "white sand from the Sahara, brought in by humans".
This is the perfect spot if you are looking for an atmosphere that is more authentic and less touristy than the south.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Botanico & The Oriental Spa Garden Luxury
252 rooms and suites in a park, with views of the Teide or the ocean and an oriental spa. Twenty minutes' walk from Loro Parque, which five of our reviews recommend.
Pros
- "By renting a car, you can easily explore the rest of the island", notes our review: the north is central
- Loro Parque is reached on foot from the centre, or by free shuttle according to our review
Cons
- The Teide national park has received only one review on Avygeo: we cannot rank it
- One review voices the caveat about the zoo: the animals "are not in their natural habitat"
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Centre, Auditorium, Las Teresitas
8 of our 28 reviews, and a 2/5 that tells you to flee the city
Our three city reviews do not agree, and that is the information. The harshest gives 2/5: "a very commercial city geared to cruise ship tourism with a thousand passengers… when you arrive under sail, it is a shock!" The most enthusiastic gives 5/5 but is talking about the whole island, "its volcanic beaches, its colourful villages, its many hikes and the impressive Teide volcano". What the place reviews take from the city is precise and modest: Las Teresitas Beach, "the closest beach", "reachable by city bus", the Museum of Nature and Man, "very well documented", and the Tenerife Auditorium, where "a walk on the outside esplanade is worth a look".
It is better to rent a car to escape the city and discover the rest of the island (few public transportation options).
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey Luxury
261 rooms on calle Doctor José Naveiras, the city's historic address, ten minutes' walk from the Tenerife Auditorium. Handy for an arrival night, before picking up the car our reviews recommend.
Pros
- Las Teresitas beach is "reachable by city bus" and "protected by a breakwater", according to our two reviews
- This is the island's main port, and the North airport is close by: your arrival night involves no long onward journey
Cons
- One of our three reviews gives 2/5 and advises you to "escape the city"
- "The sun sets quite early on this eastern side of the island, don't go too late", warns our review of the beach
Lanzarote: Timanfaya and the south Teguise, Timanfaya, Yaiza, Playa Blanca
6 of our 28 reviews, and two that give the same seating tip
Timanfaya National Park carries three reviews and is the island's best-documented place: "the volcanic, arid landscapes are truly fabulous and unique. I know of no other place that resembles it", "you really feel as though you are on another planet". The visit is by coach, 40 minutes, $23*, and the two reviews that mention it warn that "you CANNOT get off". Two of them give exactly the same tip: sit on the right. Marina Rubicòn, in the south, is "modern and well maintained" and serves as the departure point for the Fuerteventura ferry, "I recommend booking your ticket online".
Quick tip: sit on the right side of the bus for the best view.
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort Luxury
385 rooms in Canarian colonial style at Playa Blanca, in the south of Lanzarote, a short walk from Marina Rubicòn, where the Fuerteventura ferry mentioned in our review departs.
Pros
- Two of our reviews recommend the same restaurant in the park, where "the meat is cooked using the heat of the volcano"
- The cactus garden at Teguise "is worth it", according to our review, "even with children"
Cons
- "You pay €20 for a coach tour that was rushed through for my taste", judges one of our reviews, and you do not get off the coach
- Our two reviews contradict each other on the time: the 9.30 a.m. opening versus late afternoon
Fuerteventura: Puerto del Rosario Puerto del Rosario, Corralejo
Two reviews, and an island one of our members did by bike
Our only city review does not sell the town, it explains its function and gives a means of transport nobody else mentions in this guide: "Puerto del Rosario is a seaside town that mainly serves as an ideal starting point for exploring the island. There are lovely beaches, often windy, which makes it a perfect place for water sports. As for me, I chose to bike around Fuerteventura, and I have some memorable memories from that week." To the north, Corralejo Beach is "in a slightly wild corner of the Canaries, this sandy beach several kilometres long".
As for me, I chose to bike around Fuerteventura, and I have some memorable memories from that week, with stunning landscapes and really beautiful images stuck in my head.
Pros
- It is the only island in this guide that one of our members crossed by bike, over a week
- The "often windy" beaches make it "a perfect place for water sports", according to our review
Cons
- Only two reviews for the whole island, and no verified address
- The wind is constant: our review presents it as an asset, which it is not for everyone
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Vegueta, Las Canteras, port
Two reviews by the same author, a 2/5 and a 5/5, on the same city
The same member wrote both, and the gap says it all. On the city, 2/5: "going to the Canaries, you expect to find a bit of escape, of wild nature. […] Las Palmas is a very big city, nearly 400,000 inhabitants. Concrete, apartment blocks along the beach, roads full of cars, crowds everywhere on the white sand of the beaches." On the Casa Museo de Colón, 5/5: "overall, I didn't really like Las Palmas compared to the rest of the Canaries. The Columbus House is the exception." And she gives the detail, "old explorers' maps, miniature ships, a reconstructed ship's cabin", with "explanations in several languages, including French".
Overall, I didn't really like Las Palmas compared to the rest of the Canaries. The Columbus House is the exception.
What to see and do in this area
Pros
- The Columbus house is the only place in the city our review rates 5/5, with explanations in French
- "There are still a few nice corners, a few historic places", our review concedes
Cons
- It is one of the guide's only two 2/5 ratings: "I only stayed 2 days then continued my trip elsewhere"
- Only two reviews, by the same author, and no verified address in the town
Our tips for booking the right place
- Four of our eight city reviews call for a car, and two say why: It is the simplest step in this guide, and the most expensive to ignore. "So remember to book a car rental to really make the most of your stay", writes the first. "It is better to rent a car to escape the city and discover the rest of the island (few public transportation options)", decides the second. "The island is not very big, but it is not well served by public transport, so I recommend that you rent a car", confirms the third. And the fourth turns it into an argument about freedom: "by renting a car, you can easily explore the rest of the island". Two of them give the reason, and it is the same one: public transport is thin on the ground.
- The guide's only two 2/5 ratings target the two big cities, and for the same reason: Out of 28 reviews, only two go down to 2/5, and they are the two capitals. In Las Palmas: "going to the Canaries, you expect to find a bit of escape, of wild nature. That was roughly my state of mind anyway. Las Palmas is a very big city, nearly 400,000 inhabitants. Concrete, apartment blocks along the beach, roads full of cars, crowds everywhere on the white sand of the beaches…" In Santa Cruz: "a very commercial city geared to cruise ship tourism with a thousand passengers… when you arrive under sail, it is a shock!" Both conclude the same way: leave. One "continued [her] trip elsewhere", the other advises you to "escape the city".
- North versus south Tenerife: three of our reviews draw the same line: "The southern part for partying all night and sunbathing on burning black sand beaches (this is a volcanic island!). The northern part, better preserved, greener, with black or white sand beaches and small villages typical of the Canaries. In less than an hour's drive, you can move from one atmosphere to the other." The second says the same thing in one line: "the south is lively for going out, while the north is more typical". And the third writes it from the north: "this is the perfect spot if you are looking for an atmosphere that is more authentic and less touristy than the south". An hour separates the two: a single base is enough, and our reviews know which one they prefer.
- Timanfaya: two different reviews give exactly the same seating tip: It is the most concrete detail in this whole guide, and it comes twice. "Quick tip, try to sit on the right-hand side of the coach, to get the best views", writes the first. "Quick tip: sit on the right side of the bus for the best view", writes the second, who has not read it. Both also confirm the constraint: "the coach makes a few stops, but you CANNOT get off", "the route lasts about 40 minutes and includes photo stops, but you will not be able to get off". And the first gives the price: "you pay €20 for a coach tour that was rushed through for my taste".
- On the time to visit Timanfaya, our reviews contradict each other, and both have a point: "Then try to come at opening time, 9.30 a.m., to avoid queueing with the tourists and the other vehicles", advises the first. "The ideal, in my opinion, is to start the visit in the afternoon and leave late", answers the second, who talks about a park "that stays wild despite the tourism" and who took the "camel ride". The first optimises the queue, the second the light. Both recommend the park restaurant, and for the same reason: "eating meat roasted on the lava in a good restaurant", "the meat is cooked using the heat of the volcano".
- Loro Parque: five favourable reviews, and only one that raises the question: Three of our five reviews describe the setting in almost the same words: "the animals enjoy a setting that seems natural", "observing animals in a setting that seems almost natural", "the zoo's operators have gone to the trouble of recreating lovely exotic, lush natural spaces". A fourth mentions the speciality, "the varieties of parrots are impressive and are what this zoo is known for". And the fifth, while recommending the visit, ends with the caveat nobody else raises: "a very fine visit, ideal for animal lovers… even if they are not in their natural habitat". It also explains how to get there: "you can easily get there on foot from the centre of Puerto de la Cruz, or opt for a free shuttle".
- The white sand of one Tenerife beach comes from the Sahara, and our review explains it: It is the most unexpected fact in this guide, and it fits in one sentence: Bollullo Beach "is made up both of black volcanic sand and rock, naturally present on site, and of white sand from the Sahara, brought in by humans to please the tourists. It makes for a rather curious and unusual mix of colours." The same review points out "another curiosity, a cocktail and seafood bar built right into the rock". One review, one place: we do not extend it to the other beaches, and we report it because nothing else says it.
- Coming to the Canaries without a car: four of our eight city reviews call for one, and two specify that there are "few public transportation options".
- Booking more than two nights in Las Palmas: our reviewer only stayed two days before moving on.
- Arriving at Timanfaya mid-morning and sitting on the left of the coach: our two reviews give the same tip, sit on the right, and one advises the 9.30 a.m. opening.
- Counting on getting off the coach at Timanfaya: our two reviews warn that it is impossible.
- Going to Las Teresitas Beach late in the afternoon: our review warns that "the sun sets quite early on this eastern side of the island".
FAQ: where to stay in the Canary Islands
Which Canary Island should you choose?
Do you need a car in the Canaries?
North or south Tenerife?
Where to stay in the Canaries on a budget?
What is the best time to go?
Keep exploring
Things to do in the Canary Islands
Keep exploring
Where to stay in Fuerteventura
Keep exploring
Where to stay in Gran Canaria
Keep exploring
Where to stay in Lanzarote
Keep exploring
Where to stay in Tenerife
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!