Tenerife north
Base · 3 nights
Base around La Laguna or Puerto de la Cruz for historic streets, lava pools, banana country and the green side of Tenerife. It is the right counterweight to the resort south, though clouds are part of the deal.
Tenerife south
Base · 3–4 nights
Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos are the practical sunny bases, with beaches, whale-watch departures and the ferry to La Gomera. Come for ease and winter sun, not for Tenerife at its most distinctive.
3Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
A real working city with Las Canteras beach, Vegueta, bars and markets—far more useful for a city-and-beach stay than a resort strip. Keep it separate from the island's southern beaches and mountain interior.
South Gran Canaria
Maspalomas, Meloneras, Playa del Inglés and Puerto de Mogán make the low-friction beach coast, with dunes, large hotels and strong nightlife. It is built-up and tourist-facing, but extremely easy for a sunny week.
Gran Canaria interior
Tejeda, Artenara, Agaete and the central mountains reveal the island's ravines, pine forest and high villages. Rent a car and accept slow, twisting roads; this is not an efficient add-on to a resort schedule.
6Lanzarote
Base · 5 nights
The archipelago's most visually coherent island: Timanfaya lava fields, La Geria vineyards, Manrique architecture and low-rise white villages. Base in Playa Blanca for beach convenience or Teguise/La Geria for a more characterful self-drive trip.
7Fuerteventura
Base · 4 nights
Corralejo and El Cotillo suit dunes, surf and restaurants; Jandía is for long southern beaches, while Betancuria gives a sparse interior detour. Choose it for sand and wind rather than culture-heavy days.
8La Gomera
Base · 3 nights
A steep, quiet island of Garajonay laurel forest, terraces and palm valleys, best given three to five nights rather than reduced to a Tenerife day trip. San Sebastián is practical for arrivals; Valle Gran Rey is the better relaxed western base.
9La Palma
Base · 5 nights
Come for Caldera de Taburiente walks, volcanic ridges, dark skies and a greener, more strenuous island rhythm. Santa Cruz de la Palma suits town atmosphere; Los Llanos is better for the sunnier west and trail access.
10El Hierro
The smallest and least developed main inhabited island is for diving, volcanic swimming pools and genuine quiet. Its thin accommodation and dining options make it a deliberate specialist trip, not a casual add-on.
11La Graciosa
A sandy, largely unpaved island reached from northern Lanzarote, with limited vehicles and a notably off-grid feel. Use it as a short escape or overnight add-on, with slack for its limited logistics.
Sample routes
Tenerife, done properly
7 nightsTenerife north (3 nights) → Tenerife south (4 nights)
The strongest first Tenerife trip. Start in the green, lived-in north for La Laguna, Santa Cruz, Anaga and the Orotava Valley, then cross Teide slowly and finish with reliable sun, beaches and whale-watching from the south. Puerto de la Cruz and Costa Adeje are not interchangeable, and this route does not pretend they are.
Plan this routeVolcanoes and beaches: Lanzarote plus Fuerteventura
9 nightsLanzarote (5 nights) → Fuerteventura (4 nights)
A clean two-island pairing rather than a frantic island hop. Give Lanzarote enough time for Timanfaya, La Geria, Manrique sites and the north coast, then ferry to Fuerteventura for Corralejo dunes, surf, Betancuria and one proper Jandía beach day. Keep the ferry day light and do not change hotels every other night.
Plan this routeGreen western islands: Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma
14 nightsTenerife north (3 nights) → Tenerife south (3 nights) → La Gomera (3 nights) → La Palma (5 nights)
A nature-first route for walkers and travelers who prefer forests, volcanoes and mountain roads to resort time. Split Tenerife to see both sides, use Tenerife south for the Los Cristianos ferry, then give La Gomera and La Palma enough time for weather, slow roads and serious hikes. Treat the La Gomera–La Palma connection as a transfer day, not a sightseeing challenge.
Plan this route