Practical information Canary Islands

Since the Canaries are part of Spain, no visa is required for French, Belgian, Swiss and Luxembourg nationals. A valid national ID card or passport is sufficient to enter and stay for up to 90 days. We recommend a passport rather than an ID card, which is simpler in case of car rental or police checks. For Canadian nationals, entry is visa-free for a tourist stay of less than 90 days, with a passport valid for at least 3 months after the planned return date. From mid-2025, ETIAS authorization will be required for Canadian and non-European travelers, approximately 7 euros, valid for 3 years.

No vaccines are mandatory to enter the Canaries. We simply recommend staying up to date with universal vaccinations: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis, and MMR for people born after 1980. There is no risk of malaria, dengue or yellow fever in the archipelago. Tap water is drinkable everywhere, although many Canarians prefer bottled water for taste. For Europeans, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers routine care in the Spanish public health system. We still recommend comprehensive travel insurance that covers repatriation and sports activities if you plan mountain hiking, diving or water sports.

Excluding international flights, budget 90 to 130 euros per day per person for a couple for a comfortable stay, with mid-range accommodation, car rental and restaurants. For a more budget-friendly version, around 60 to 80 euros per day with an apartment, supermarket shopping and local restaurants. As examples, a night in a 4-star hotel runs around 100 to 160 euros for a double room, a daily menu in a local guachinche around 12 to 18 euros per person, a full tank of petrol for a compact car 50 euros, entry to the Teide cable car 40 euros. High season around Christmas and Easter increases accommodation costs by 30 to 50 percent.

The archipelago can be visited year-round with temperatures ranging between 18 and 28°C on the coasts. April, May, June and September, October offer in our view the best balance: sea at 21-23°C, little rain, moderate visitor numbers. July and August remain pleasant but popular sites fill up and prices rise. Winter from December to March stays mild, ideal for escaping European cold, with sometimes snow on Teide above 2,500 meters. The calima, a Saharan wind, can blow for a few days per year between February and March, reducing visibility. The north of the islands, especially Tenerife and La Palma, remains more humid and cloudy than the south year-round.

On each island, a rental car is essential to explore freely, as public transport is limited to major coastal routes. Count on 30 to 50 euros per day for a mid-range category, and a French driving license is sufficient. Between islands, you have two options. The fast ferry Fred Olsen or Naviera Armas connects Tenerife to La Gomera in 50 minutes, to La Palma in 2 to 3 hours, and Lanzarote to Fuerteventura in 30 minutes, convenient with a car. For remote islands like El Hierro or to save time, domestic flights with Binter and CanaryFly take 30 to 45 minutes, starting from 50 euros. We organize all inter-island logistics in our circuits.

The Canary Islands rank among Europe's safest destinations, with a very low crime rate and discreet yet effective police presence. Standard precautions apply: avoid leaving visible items in your car, especially in parking lots at tourist sites and trailheads, and stay alert in nightlife areas around Playa de las Américas or Maspalomas. The main risks are nature-related: strong currents on certain northern beaches, demanding hikes at Teide or Caldera de Taburiente requiring proper equipment and preparation, and calima, which makes driving and breathing more difficult a few days per year. Our English-speaking team in Tenerife will brief you before each stage on specific points of attention.