Practical tips
Getting around without a car, car hire and airports, weather and microclimates, calima and alerts, rainy-day plans, health and travel insurance, legal excursions, travelling with a dog and camping permits.
Coastal warnings in the Canary Islands: what they mean and what to do
Every so often the Canary Islands government issues a coastal warning, a prealerta por fenómenos costeros. It goes out when the sea is expected to turn dangerous, usually alongside strong winds and heavy swell. It is not a reason to stay indoors, but it is a very good reason to change your plans if you were heading for the beach or a walk along the rocky coast.
How to check that an excursion is legal, island by island
How to verify a Canary excursion is legal: tourism registry, official guide and insurance, plus each island's access rules that only legal operators meet.
Is it legal for someone to drive you on an excursion around the Canary Islands?
Is it legal for someone to drive you on an excursion around the Canaries? Transport, guide and sale: the three permits and how to spot a legal trip.
Legal excursions in the Canary Islands: how to recognise and book a route with guarantees
How to recognise and book legal excursions in the Canary Islands: registration number, insurance, official guide. Avoid an 'off-the-books' route.
Renting a car with no deposit and taking it on the ferry between islands: the honest Canary Islands guide
Which companies rent without a deposit, what happens to your insurance if you cross by ferry to another island, and how to save with the car swap at the port. Verified facts, updated July 2026.
Which Canary Island should you choose for your holiday?
It isn't one destination, it's eight islands and each one plays a different game. We compare Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro by traveller profile, so you pick the exact island for your trip.
The Islands of Eternal Spring? The Complete Guide to the Weather in the Canary Islands
What the Canary climate is really like month by month: temperatures, microclimates and why they are called the islands of eternal spring.
The Best Apps for Travelling to the Canary Islands
Getting around the Canary Islands has its own logic: city buses, inter-island ferries and flights, and weather that shifts from valley to valley. No global travel app solves that. Here are the local apps that actually earn a spot on your phone, and which ones you can skip.