Which is the best Canary Island for you?

Who wouldn’t want to exchange the winter months in Britain for guaranteed sun on the Canary Islands, with their amazing scenery, unspoilt nature and fascinating wildlife? Saga offers a range of ocean cruises aboard our all-inclusive ships Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, hotel stays, escorted tours and special-interest holidays, where you can be as active or as laid back as you wish. The average temperature in the Canary Islands from December to February is 22^oC, with six to seven hours of sunshine each day. As there is so much to choose from at sea and on land, we’ve compiled a guide to ensure that your experience is everything you’ve dreamed of.

Perfect for... Adventure

Why stay on one island when you can try three? Start your island-hopping holiday in Tenerife, where there is plenty to explore. In the capital Santa Cruz, history lovers will discover more about the battle where Admiral Nelson lost his right arm on 25 July 1797, during an unsuccessful attack on the Spanish port. There are many interesting monuments such as the colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception and the 18th-century Palacio de Carta with its Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, plus exquisite botanical gardens for a quiet wander after all that sight-seeing. On another day, walk to the base of dormant volcano Mount Teide and take a cable car to the top.

Then it’s on to La Palma, which contains 10 of the 30 volcanoes in the Canary Islands. Nature lovers will enjoy the Cumbre Vieja reserve, a paradise for birdwatchers, while a boat trip along the northern coast invites you to gaze in awe at dolphins and whales. A guided walk on the Route of the Volcanoes takes in pine forests, craters and lava flows. On a visit to the north coast, stop for a vino de tea – not English Breakfast but a wine aged in pine barrels – in the charming village of San Andrés, with centuries-old mansions and cobbled streets.

Our final island is La Gomera. It’s less busy than the others, with flora and fauna to admire in Garajonay National Park and excellent hiking trails criss-crossing the island. Bicycle touring, horseback riding, diving and abseiling are all available here.

Find out more: Canary Island Hopping

Perfect for... Ocean Wildlife

What better way to escape the everyday than a cruise to view up close two of the world’s most intelligent and graceful mammals: whales and dolphins? On a Saga all-inclusive ocean cruise to the Canaries, visiting several islands, a team of marine experts will teach you about their behaviour, feeding habits, and the threats to their survival. Dolphins and whales are often seen following boats, sometimes because the movement of the boat stirs up fish for them to eat, but often simply from curiosity.

Another member of the dolphin family is the orca, confusingly called the ‘killer whale’ because of its hunting prowess. ORCA is also the name for a marine conservation charity that accompanies selected Saga cruises. They gather important scientific data and provide fact-filled talks about these super-intelligent creatures.

Sharks, seals and porpoises can also be spotted in good numbers. The outside deck is the perfect vantage point – using the binoculars supplied, you can join the ORCA team and help to identify species. And an included birdwatching excursion offers more chances see more amazing wildlife.

Find out more: ORCA Cruises and Canaries and Culture of Cape Verde

Perfect for... Stargazing

"Don’t let’s ask for the moon, we have the stars" is the famous Bette Davis line from the classic movie Now, Voyager, but in the Canary Islands you really can have both. The lunar landscape is ideal for observing the sky at night, with an expert astronomer on hand to offer guidance about the Northern Lights, Black Holes and the lifecycle of stars. The islands of La Palma and Tenerife are considered among the world’s best locations for identifying constellations – they are starlight reserves, places where interference from artificial light and air pollution are restricted in order to preserve views of the night sky.

On a Saga ocean cruise taking in La Palma, you’ll spot the two brightest stars in the sky Canopus and Sirius, as well as the constellations of Orion and Taurus, and the Pleiades star cluster. In Tenerife, the Mount Teide National Park, with its clear skies away from light pollution, is the place to see Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, and other planets with the use of telescopes. On board to answer all your questions is expert Tom Boles, former president of The British Astronomical Association, who has appeared on The Sky at Night and Final Frontiers.

Find out more: Canary Island Constellations

Perfect for... Walkers

Walking in winter, when the weather is pleasantly warm in the Canary Islands, but not too hot, is a great way to keep active and enjoy the scenery, away from the grey and cold of the UK. If you are a regular walker at home, you will have no problem with ascents and descents, and the dramatic scenery is your reward. Fitting in some practise walks at home before you go is always a good idea, though.

On Saga’s special interest holiday to Gran Canaria you can wander through semi-tropical valleys, pine forests in Tamadaba Natural Park, villages with whitewashed houses, and climb to the mountain town of Teror with its colonial-style buildings and basilica. An expert guide will lead five walks during the week, but if you fancy a day off to read and relax, that’s also fine. One of many highlights is Roque Nublo, the 80-metre-tall volcanic rock that has become one of Gran Canaria’s most famous landmarks, while at Pico de las Nieves, Gran Canaria’s highest point, you can even spot Mount Teide on Tenerife on a clear day.

Find out more: Walking in Gran Canaria

Perfect for... Relaxation

What better way to enjoy your winter break than a stay at a hotel and spa in Lanzarote with a choice of four pools, a Turkish bath, massage treatments, sauna and gym? The Hotel Costa Calero in Puerto Calero, on the south-east coast, is a great base for exploring the lunar landscape of this island, the result of volcanic eruptions between 1730 and 1736, and again in 1824.

Not far away is Timanfaya National Park, where you’ll see volcanic cones punctuated with red, yellow and orange plants that somehow survive among the black and grey rocks. La Geria is the wine-growing region, where everything is done by hand because machinery cannot work the tough terrain. A vineyard visit is a good introduction to the excellent cuisine on the island, a mix of Spanish and African influences. Art and music lovers are in for a treat too, with galleries exhibiting Picasso, Joan Miró and Lanzarote-born César Manrique, while the underground music hall at Cueva de los Verdes is renowned for its wonderful acoustics.

Find out more: Hotel Costa Calero Thalasso Spa

Perfect for... Something different

The Spanish know how to party and the Canaries and Madeira are famous for their festivals.

"Latin Rhythms" is the theme of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026, 16 January-22 February. The programme includes flamboyant parades in elaborate costumes (think Rio Carnival), children’s pageants, the election of a carnival Queen, competitions between musical groups, a parade of vintage and classic cars – and the burial of a giant sardine, on the first day of Lent each year, when mourners accompany a large papier-mâché sardine in a funeral procession. According to legend, a shipment of sardines arrived in Madrid during the reign of Charles III of Spain (1759-1788). When the fish were discovered to be rotten, the king ordered that they should all be buried, to avoid poisoning the population, and ever since, the event has been marked all over Spain, its islands, and in Latin America.

In Madeira’s vibrant capital, Funchal, the period before Easter brings Madeira Carnival, where the streets are filled with costume parades and samba beats – live bands keep the party going day and night. Dates vary according to when Lent falls, but Saga cruises are organised to coincide with key carnival dates.

Find out more: Canaries and Carnivals

Explore more cruises and holidays to the Canary Islands with Saga.