Puerto de la Cruz has a spectacular coastal location on Tenerife, the biggest and most populated … [+]
Whether it is the dramatic cliffs of La Gomera, the extensive banana plantations on Tenerife and La Palma or the surreal volcanic landscapes on Lanzarote – there may be so way more to find on the Canary Islands besides the famous beaches.
Most travelers visiting the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa often fly to one among the important islands and spend their time there on the beach. While that is a wonderfully acceptable vacation selection, it means missing out on the incredible diversity that the archipelago has to supply.
It’s not all sun and sand within the Canary Islands; each island offers unique landscapes, from lush forests and volcanic terrain to charming little villages untouched by mass tourism. For the more adventurous, the islands offer climbing trails, off-road adventures, water sports, local food and sweet wines.
Exploring the islands is simpler than you would possibly think. Efficient ferry services, domestic flights and arranged tours make island hopping a breeze and permit visitors to experience the wealthy diversity of those volcanic islands.
Fly between the Canary Islands
Since only the five largest islands accept international flights from Northern Europe, visitors could also be surprised to learn that every one seven important islands of the Canary Islands have airports, making travel between the islands a breeze.
Binter Canarias is a regional airline for the Canary Islands in Spain and offers several day by day … [+]
Two important corporations—Binter And Canary fly—compete on the routes and in all cases the flight time is lower than an hour. Canaryfly is often known as a budget alternative, but each airlines offer low-cost fares if you happen to book prematurely.
One special thing to have in mind when flying is that every one domestic air traffic in Tenerife uses Tenerife North Airport, which is situated near the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
However, most international arrivals use the south of Tenerife, which is closer to the southern resorts equivalent to Playa de Las Americas, that are popular with holidaymakers from northern Europe. You should allow a minimum of 45 minutes for the journey between the 2 airports.
Canary Islands Ferries
Travelling by boat between islands is frequently cheaper than flying and offers a unique environment where it is way easier to calm down and maybe even see wildlife.
Several different corporations operate regular schedules connecting the islands with roll-on/roll-off automotive ferries, a few of which also carry cargo. Some of the biggest islands have a couple of port, so make sure to check your departure and arrival ports, not only the islands.
Car, cargo and passenger ferry Trasmediterránea leaves La Palma within the Canary Islands.
Departures are frequent and costs reasonable. Schedules are similar, with multiple day by day departures on many popular routes, equivalent to between Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Check the web sites of Naviera Armas/Trasmediterránea, Fred Olsen Express, LÃneas Romero and Biosfera Express to find one of the best routes and times in your needs.
There are some differences between the businesses. Fred Olsen, for instance, makes the crossing from Tenerife to Gran Canaria in only 80 minutes, but uses the port of Agaete within the northwest of Gran Canaria. The crossing with Armas takes 100 minutes, but arrives within the capital, Las Palmas.
Pedestrians are welcome and a few lines offer connecting buses to make traveling with out a automotive a bit of easier. Remember to think about the fee of this service or alternative transportation options when comparing prices.
On some shorter routes, some lines only use passenger ships, equivalent to the Fred Olsen trip from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura, which takes only 25 minutes.
Fred Olsen is one among the Canary Islands ferry corporations that operate connecting buses from … [+]
Renting a automotive is reasonable within the Canary Islands, so using the automotive ferry system is a really reasonably priced technique to visit multiple islands. Be sure to specify in your rental agreement that you simply are travelling between islands, as this will have a small impact in your rental price and/or insurance premium.
day trips
If you favor to remain on one island, you’ll be able to still go island hopping. Organized tours can be found from many islands, with departure and return on the identical day.
Many of those tours are bus tours that use the ferry connections mentioned above, equivalent to Atlantico Excursions’ 10-hour tour of La Gomera from Puerto de la Cruz or the southern holiday resorts of Tenerife.
It can be possible to take private yacht tours, although these are more focused on observing whales, dolphins and seabirds reasonably than traveling between the islands.
Cruise ship
If you must experience the variety of the archipelago, consider a cruise to the Canary Islands.
There are many options available, including 14-day cruises from the UK or 7-day fly cruises that start and end in Gran Canaria, normally visiting a unique Canarian destination every day. Many British and German cruise lines offer the sort of itinerary and it often attracts families.
