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Original poster

Canaries - which is the nicest island?

53 replies

Whiskers4 · 12/04/2023 19:24

If you've been to more than one Canary island, which one did you prefer?

We've been to Gran Canaria before, wouldn't be against going back but one of the other islands could be a possibility. Just wondering which one others prefer and why?

OP posts:
Carrotsandsuede · 12/04/2023 22:57

I hated lanzarote. We were freezing the whole week, couldn’t sun bath and had to weather jackets everywhere. We even asked about heating in our room but the hotel didn’t have any heaters so brought lots of blankets instead.

we packed loads of summer clothes but ended up re-wearing the outfits we wore to travel in from the UK (jeans and jacket) as they were the only non-summer clothes we had.

im going to Tenerife end of June so some of these replies have me on tenterhooks if they prefer lanzarote to Tenerife! I can’t cope with another windy cold experience! I loved Gran Canaria though! Especially during Eurovision as it’s the gay capital of Europe!

aholidaynotacarpark · 12/04/2023 23:02

The first time I went to Lanzarote I was blown away by how lovely it was. I had very low expectations (and I've traveled extensively) but it is a beautiful island. As others have said Playa Blanca is the nicest resort town, but we've hired cars and visited other parts of the island that are lovely too. Puerto del Carmen is quite rubbish but other than that it's great.
I believe that there is a rule on the island that buildings can only be of a certain height. That definitely helps with the aesthetic.

Filterphobia · 13/04/2023 08:12

@Carrotsandsuede where are you staying in Tenerife? We went last October and had no issues with the wind, there was barely a light breeze. Costa Teguise and the North in Lanzarote is known for being especially windy whereas Playa Blanca in the South, which is where most people on this thread seem to be recommending, suffers less with the wind. Maybe you were just unlucky with your visit to Lanzarote, which resort did you visit?

LubaLuca · 13/04/2023 08:17

Puerto del Carmen is lovely in the old town around the harbour, in defense of it. We spent a lovely evening there at the harbourside eating and drinking when they had a festival of local music and sports on.

PeonyFairy · 13/04/2023 09:08

@Carrotsandsuede did you go in winter? Lots of people go for winter sunshine not realising that it's winter there too. It's nothing like going to Greece in July! You wouldn't be cold between June and September.
I was there in February. We had 6 out of 7 days sunshine. I day sunny but cold. Evenings are always cold that time of year and you need long trousers and fleeces. That's why bars and restaurants have mostly indoor seating.
However it's a blast of sun in the dreariest months and I love it.

WuTangGran · 13/04/2023 09:10

La Gomera. Nice and quiet, lots of lovely walks.

Chickenwing2 · 13/04/2023 09:11

So surprised at the love for Lanzarote. We thought it was awful- not very clean, windy AF, not much to do (except Timanfaya) and a really "dead" atmosphere.

Tenerife is way nicer.

Original poster
Whiskers4 · 13/04/2023 15:33

AnyFucker Where were the photos taken - it looks lovely there.

Filterphobia We're thinking of going away October or perhaps early November.

Although, we'd go on a beach or down to the pool for an hour, it's not something we'd be doing all day. Just want a nice island, oh and an area without the party vibe. We enjoy pottering around, watching world go by over coffee or evening meal and visiting other parts and seeing the scenery enroute. Anyway with a square or harbour is a plus.

Will go through your replies (thank you) and make some notes to discuss with DH.

OP posts:
CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/04/2023 18:25

Gran Canaria was my favourite then Fuerteventura. Tenerife didn’t do it for me. I haven’t been to Lanzarote yet.

Bouledeneige · 13/04/2023 18:31

Yes I was going to say La Gomera but I've not been for a long time.

Firstshoes · 13/04/2023 18:43

Yoyo2021 · 12/04/2023 22:46

I love Gran Canaria!!!!

Lanzerote and Fuerteventura - too windy!

Tenerfie - lots to do but too busy!

Me too! Gran Canaria was my favourite and I have visited them all

GrisleyR · 13/04/2023 18:50

Loved Lanzarote, surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it.

I thought it was a beautiful island, lots to see (Timanfaya was fab), snorkeling was brilliant, and we had a bungalow in the dreaded Puerto Del Carmen and thought it was great.

I was a 2 minute walk from a fabulous beach, equidistant between the old town and the strip with lots of live music, restaurants and people watching.

It was lovely.

We had holidayed in Tenerife several times, never again. Lanzarote knocks spots off Tenerife in my opinion.

Pointblank2 · 13/04/2023 18:51

Definitely Lanzarote, love the breeze, especially when it’s hot. Any of the main resorts are nice. We prefer Puerto Del Carmen and don’t agree it’s a dump at all. Lovely beaches, old harbour, lovely prom, nice shops including some new upmarket ones, and brilliant restaurants at every price point. Been 20+ times and even tho we go plenty of other places we try and have a Lanza holiday once every year. I get off the plane and feel I’ve come home

countvoncount · 13/04/2023 18:55

Like a poster further up thread....I've always been put off Tenerife by reports of loads of cockroaches?
Has anyone experienced this?

AnyFucker · 13/04/2023 18:56

@Whiskers4 the 1st pic is at Caleton Blanco up in the north of Lanzarote and the 2nd is Punta Mujeres just outside Playa Blanca

Carrotsandsuede · 13/04/2023 22:39

@Filterphobia staying south-west in June so fingers crossed it’s not cold! my boss has just got back from there and really enjoyed it and has been about 10 times. Although I don’t really care too much about the overall island so long as there’s nice weather. It’s our first holiday with a baby and we booked a child friendly resort so we don’t have any hopes/plans of exploring and relaxing. More just a week of sun and us not cooking/cleaning!

we stayed playa del carmen in lanzarote in march for ‘spring sun’. Never again! Although this was a few years ago in my twenties and I was child-free so my expectations were higher 😂😂

Gran Canaria however i loved and would go definitely back!

TheFairyCaravan · 13/04/2023 22:50

La Palma is my favourite by miles. It’s really underdeveloped and not commercialised. It’s greener than the big 4, the people are so friendly. There’s hardly any light pollution so star gazing at night is incredible.

Lanzarote is truly awful imo. If someone paid for me to go back I’d turn if down. Fuerteventura is my second favourite, followed by Gran Canaria.

bruffin · 13/04/2023 23:01

Have been to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura . We were in Lanzarote in March and really loved it . We hired cars in both islands and drove around we liked Fuerteventura but Lanzarote had the edge.

fussychica · 14/04/2023 16:33

I'm in the fabulous island of Lanzarote at the moment sitting reading by the pool. We've been coming since the 70s when very few people in UK had even heard of it. We started in Puerto del Carmen when there was almost nothing there. Within a few years we'd moved on to Playa Blanca where we've been coming ever since. We didn't come for about 9 years. Came at Xmas still loved it so booked the same villa for this holiday before we left.
I've also been to Tenerife several times and Fuerteventura once but we like here the best.

KnottyKnitting · 14/04/2023 16:56

Lanzarote is nice for a short while and the wind is great for sailing( which is why we went there recently.) The area around the Rubicon Marina in Playa Blanca is just beautiful but I have to say I wasn't that impressed with the main town- had a very very touristy British Seaside feel to it- and the beaches weren't all that. The other end of the resort beyond the Marina is nice and the Papagayo beaches are lovely. We also sailed to Calero which is a very unspoilt beautiful little town.

The scenery is totally surreal - spectacular as opposed to beautiful. Unfortunately there was a calima there for 5 days while we were there meaning the island was shrouded in a dust cloud!

I enjoyed it and would go back for sailing but not for a beach holiday.

hennybeans · 14/04/2023 17:07

Lanzarote for sure. Mirador del Rio, the cactus garden, rooftop open air cinema, Playa Papagayo.

Usernamen · 14/04/2023 17:07

I too was very surprised by how much I liked Lanzarote, and I’m VERY hard to please.

I’ve been twice, both times in December. It’s the ideal short-haul winter sun destination.

Puerto del Carmen is really close to the airport and perfectly fine if you stay near the harbour.

I think what really surprised me about Lanzarote was that I could get gluten-free brunch and delicious vegan food (gorgeous vegan restaurant called Bistro Arbol) - I was thrilled! I had this ‘Brits abroad’ image in my head but those areas are so easy to avoid in Lanzarote.

bruffin · 14/04/2023 17:14

hennybeans · 14/04/2023 17:07

Lanzarote for sure. Mirador del Rio, the cactus garden, rooftop open air cinema, Playa Papagayo.

Yes and the Cesar Manrique architecture and volcanos!

kirinm · 14/04/2023 19:24

We've just come back from Playa Blanca and whilst it is nice, the wind made at least half of the holiday a total pain in the arse (and coke).

kirinm · 14/04/2023 19:24

*cold

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