And here I am, writing my personal review of the Canary Islands. Honestly, if someone had told me this a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. For too long, I told myself I wanted to go, but I never found the right motivation. Then, within five months, I found myself spending a month on the islands.
I visited the ones that intrigued me most: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Graciosa, and Tenerife. I left out La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, which never particularly interested me. Here’s a brief review of each island, ranked by preference.
It is without a doubt my favorite island, for several reasons: kilometers and kilometers of coastline, beaches that are almost Caribbean in some places, clear and dry land, and a hinterland that recalls the American landscapes of the Wild West or Mexico. Vegetation is quite sparse and consists mostly of shrubs, but much more can be found near inhabited centers.
It’s the longest island in the archipelago and driving from north to south takes almost two hours. The distances between the various villages enhance the feeling of space and freedom. Unlike the other larger islands, it’s still easy to find peaceful corners here, far from mass tourism. Even though it is the second-largest island by area, the lack of mountains and the wide, flat landscapes make it feel like the biggest one.
Of course, if you want to stay near the coast, you’ll have to make some compromises, but you’ll always find a beach where you can feel free. The north, center, and south offer fairly similar views, but if you’re looking for authenticity, the inland villages are often the most authentic. Personally, I love the south, especially the spectacular beaches of the Jandía peninsula, with their clear, golden sand and crystal-clear water.
A very touristy island — though less chaotic than Tenerife. The south, the warmest and most beach-rich part, is unfortunately overrun with construction, tourist complexes, and tons of visitors. However, the island’s true charm is probably found in the hilly and mountainous interior: touristy areas, yes, but more authentic and quieter than the coast.
Gran Canaria is well-connected, with a convenient highway that almost encircles the entire island. If you’re looking for relaxation and uncrowded spaces, avoid the south; the east coast, on the other hand, is fairly flat but not particularly charming. The north, where the capital Las Palmas is located, is greener and often cloudy. Traveling from the lush north to the drier south, you will clearly notice the change in landscape, vegetation, and even climate.
The most touristy and crowded island in the archipelago. The south is a bit like Gran Canaria: the warmest area with the most beaches, but unfortunately also the most affected by construction, tourist complexes, and a constant flow of visitors. Fortunately, the southeast coast is somewhat safe: it’s a slightly quieter area, although the sea is a bit rougher than the calmer Los Cristianos area. The most authentic and best-preserved charm is found in the north of the island and on Teide but you have to forgo the classic southern climate: plenty of sun, dry heat, and dry days.
Despite being the largest island, its mountainous terrain makes it difficult to walk around and diminishes the sense of vastness. Tenerife is nevertheless very well connected, thanks to a convenient highway that crosses the main areas of the island. The contrast between north and south is stark: moving from the greener, more lush areas of the north to the arid, drier south, you’ll clearly notice the change in landscape, vegetation, and even climate.
In my opinion, these are the least charming islands in the archipelago. The landscape is dominated by dark, almost black colors, and the contrast with the white houses creates a somewhat tiring visual effect. Driving around Lanzarote was, at times, almost irritating to the eyes. Here too, the vegetation is quite sparse and consists mostly of shrubs, but much more can be found near the inhabited centers.
Mass tourism is highly developed: no skyscrapers, but huge expanses of tourist houses in the most bathing areas. There are some unique attractions — like Timanfaya National Park or the Cueva de los Verdes — but overall, they fail to make the island truly captivating. It offers services that are much closer to each other than in Fuerteventura, but in my opinion it’s much less pleasant to live in.
La Graciosa, on the other hand, is quieter and has a more relaxed atmosphere, but is already starting to suffer from overtourism, which is somewhat detracting from its magic.
The other islands — La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro — are, for my taste, a bit too mountainous and lush, with a fairly limited beach scene. They undoubtedly offer a more unspoiled and peaceful environment, perfect for those who love wild nature and hiking. That said, they’re also cooler, less flat, few or no beaches, and not as convenient to get around.
On top of that, they have a smaller range of essential services — transport options, shops, accommodations, and facilities in general. I can appreciate their charm and see why they appeal to travelers seeking a more rugged, active kind of tourism, but they simply don’t match what I’m looking for.
#6. 🌞 Living in the Canary Islands?
Good question. In theory, yes, but only in Fuerteventura, as far as I’ve seen. The Canary Islands are a pleasant place: the locals are friendly, the sun is high enough to always keep you warm, and the climate is truly enviable — practically almost all year round it is summer during the day and late spring in the evening. The wind in winter can be a bit annoying, but in most cases a sweatshirt will solve the problem. The ocean water is quite cool, and swimming without a wetsuit is acceptable only in summer or early autumn.
You have to get used to the intense and constant tourism, as well as the fact that many “Italian” products are not always easy to find. Overall, however, the quality of life remains good: people live well, the climate can be a real advantage for those seeking sun and mild temperatures year-round, and many goods are cheaper than in Italy — although not all brands and products benefit from the same price advantage. Tourism is truly abundant and steady throughout the year, with the warmest, sunniest, and most attractive areas naturally seeing much more of it. It also varies from island to island; in my opinion, Fuerteventura still manages to offer some relief thanks to its vast size and many quieter spots, even though the main coastal centers remain very touristy. All the other islands, except for the less-visited ones (La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro), tend to feel much more intensely touristy and crowded.
The flipside is growing discontent among residents, caused by overtourism: the rising prices of goods, services, and especially housing are making daily life increasingly difficult, compounded by stagnant wages that are poorly aligned with the cost of living. With approximately 2.2 million inhabitants, the islands welcome almost eight times as many tourists each year, an enormous pressure that has also increased the tourism offering price, which is sometime beyond any reasonable reach. Despite this, the local population never shows hostility towards visitors: on the contrary, they continue to distinguish themselves through great cordiality, politeness, and respect, welcoming tourists with their characteristic kindness.
In terms of services, the Canary Islands seem to me to be generally well-equipped, at least when it comes to basic amenities. The smaller islands may have less infrastructure or activities than the larger ones, but they still provide the same essential services: healthcare, supermarkets, transportation, and main connections. The flaw that bothers me most, however, is that the average food in the tourist areas is a bit “junk”, geared more toward Northern European tourists than Mediterranean tastes. To find something truly distinctive, in my opinion, you need to get away from the mass-tourism hubs and seek out authentic dishes in less crowded areas, where the local gastronomic tradition shines through… or cook yourself.
I found the infrastructure and road network to be generally well connected and well maintained, reflecting European standards in efficiency and quality. Bigger islands such as Tenerife and Gran Canaria also offer additional services and broader opportunities, especially for work in tourism or the digital sector. That said, I never felt a lack of anything essential that would make life there feel disconnected from Europe. Services and infrastructure remain solid and reliable, and the overall impression is one of clear belonging to the European context, without any sense of being remote or outside the continent.
Ah… one myth to dispel concerns cucarachas: they’re often described as an insurmountable problem, but in reality they’re not as fearsome as they’re said to be. Sure, they’re not as pretty as butterflies, but in new, well-maintained, and clean buildings and homes, they’re very rare to encounter. Another positive aspect is the almost total absence of mosquitoes — in fact, in the places where we stayed, we never saw a single mosquito net.
In short, you can live well in the Canary Islands: it just takes a little adaptability and the awareness that, as in any paradise, there will always be some small compromises. But overall, it’s absolutely worth it. Some consider them “the Caribbean of Europe,” but in reality they are more of a sub-Caribbean, but it’s the best european approximation we have, just a few hours’ flight from Italy.
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