Blog
The Cueva Pintada and the ancient Canarians
In Gáldar, in the north of Gran Canaria, there is a room whose walls are covered in red and white triangles, circles and squares. We can measure it, but we can't read it. Here is what we know for sure about the painted cave, what is still open, and how you can visit it.
What to see in Santa Cruz de Tenerife: the city, and what lies under the square
Many only see Santa Cruz de Tenerife from the ship's rail, yet the best part lies under the lake of the Plaza de España: the remains of a 16th-century castle and the legendary El Tigre cannon. We walk you through the centre and the south coast, and show you where to go next.
The timple: the Canary Islands' little guitar
Today the timple is the sound of the Canary Islands, yet it has only been built on a regular basis since the mid 20th century. Its name is much older. Here is what we know for sure about the little guitar, what is still open, and where to hear and see it on Lanzarote.
Clocks go back on 25 October: what changes in the Canary Islands
Summer time ends in the early hours of Sunday 25 October 2026: in the Canaries 2:00 becomes 1:00, and on the Spanish mainland, at the same instant, 3:00 becomes 2:00. Here's what to watch out for, where "una hora menos" comes from, and whether the clocks will keep changing.
Las Tablas de San Andrés in Icod: what slides down that street is not what you think
You have seen the photo. A steep street in Icod de los Vinos, wet November cobbles, and someone hurtling down face first on a wooden board. It usually arrives without any explanation, as if it were a prank that stuck. It is not. What you are looking at is the top layer.
From the airport to your stay: the 8 airports of the Canary Islands
In the Canary Islands, an airport's name doesn't always tell you where it takes you. On Lanzarote, inter-island flights land in a different terminal, on Tenerife the bus company still uses the old names for both airports, and on the small islands the bus waits for the plane.
Los Finaos: chestnuts and remembrance in the Canary Islands
On the last night of October, Canarian villages roast chestnuts, and it has nothing to do with pumpkins. Here is what the Finaos is, why chestnuts, where the sources disagree and what is open over the three-day weekend in 2026, from 31 October to 2 November.
Getting sick on holiday in the Canary Islands: step by step
If you get sick on holiday in the Canary Islands, a lot depends on whether you are treated in the public or the private system, and you have to say which yourself. Step by step: when to call 112, where to go for urgent care, what to ask for with your EHIC and how to get medicine.
Gran Canaria markets: which day each one opens
In Gran Canaria there is a market almost every day, from the weekend farmers' markets to the Friday market in Puerto de Mogán. We have sorted them by day, with where and when to go, and we warn you about the few places where the venue or the day has changed over the years.