Tenerife vs. Lanzarote

If you’re looking for year-round sunshine plus fantastic beaches and natural attractions, you probably already have the Canary Islands on your radar.

Chances are, you’ll be choosing between the Canary Islands' biggest stars: Tenerife and Lanzarote. Tenerife is all about its golden beaches, lush nature reserves, and lively Carnival celebrations, while Lanzarote enchants with its unique art and architecture, distinctive wines, and striking volcanic landscapes.

After nearly two decades of living in Spain and countless visits to both Lanzarote and Tenerife, I’ve gathered plenty of insider tips to help you choose the perfect island for your next vacation.

Tenerife is the most populated island and it offers the most diverse landscape and activities, from the island’s lush north to the sun-soaked resorts of the south, plus Teide, the massive volcano that looms above the island, making it a popular year-round destination. Like all of the Canary Islands, Tenerife has a subtropical climate with sun and warm temperatures that stay consistent throughout the year, so weather isn’t a consideration for planning a visit. However, the high season is typically December through March, when other regions are experiencing cold temperatures.

Tenerife throws a massive Carnival celebration each year around February and March that goes on for more than two weeks. It’s an ideal time to visit if you want to experience the lively and welcoming Canarian culture via parades, music, dancing, and general merriment.

All of the Canary Islands are breezy, but Lanzarote is one of the windiest—that’s why it’s a world-famous kite, surf, and windsurfing destination. Surfers looking for great breaks should visit in the summer, which is the windiest (and also warmest) time of year. July and August see the most visitors, and prices for hotels can creep up. May has lovely weather but is a much quieter time to visit, while September and October are still very warm, without the searing summer heat. December to April have more rain, although the island doesn’t really have a rainy season.

A highlight of visiting Lanzarote is its vineyards; plan a visit around the wine harvest, mid-July through August.

The eternal spring-ish weather is similar on both islands, but you’ll want to think carefully about where you go on each island, as certain parts of each destination can be windier or sunnier than others. Deciding when to go is also largely personal—as temps are mild and sunny year-round, you have your pick of visiting to avoid the extreme heat and extreme cold that many other areas of the world experience in the dead of summer and winter.

Tenerife is known for its package vacations, where tourists book their flights from mainland Europe and an all-inclusive resort all together in one, but there’s much more to the island’s accommodation scene than just that. Luxury travelers should head straight to the Ritz-Carlton Abama, where inviting beachfront pools and stately rooms beckon the entire family.

If you're in search of entertainment, the Hard Rock Tenerife has memorable pool parties, sunset music sessions, and even Fender guitar rentals. The boutique, adults-only Hotel Colon Guanahani features chic rooms and tranquil outdoor pool spaces primed for relaxation. And if you’re looking for a mega-all-inclusive resort experience, The Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora has a full activities calendar and one of the largest saltwater pools on the island (around 1,300 feet), which they claim is the longest in Europe.

Lanzarote has its fair share of all-inclusive resorts and large, family-friendly hotels—I recommend Iberostar Selection Lanzarote Park, an all-inclusive property with several swimming pools near Playa Flamingo. The island also has many tranquil hideaways, including La Casa de los Naranjos in Haria, a village nicknamed “Valley of 1000 Palms.” It’s listed in Spain’s heritage register, and you can stroll through the orange garden, relax with a bath in a vintage standalone tub, or dine by candlelight.

Experience Lanzarote’s deep connection with art and history with a stay at the Hotel Palacio Ico, a former manor house that dates back to 1690 and still retains its traditional Canarian architecture, including a charming indoor patio and a whitewashed exterior built with volcanic stones.

While Tenerife offers large resorts and a wide variety of options, Lanzarote wins when it comes to unique, upscale, and boutique properties. However, if you search hard enough, you can probably find accommodation to suit your travel style and trip on either island, as both destinations have numerous lodging options.

Tenerife offers a range of culinary options from traditional Spanish tapas and fresh seafood to global cuisine and Michelin-starred restaurants. But Tenerife also has its very own cuisine, which you can find at traditional eateries known as guanchinches, a nod to the island’s Guanches, the Indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands.

These no-frills restaurants have government permission to cultivate their own wine and serve it to patrons alongside hearty dishes such as:

For meat eaters, I recommend Bodegón Casa Tomás for grilled meats, especially the tender ribs in mojo picon, as well as Guanchinche El Miradero, which overlooks the restaurant’s vineyard and the Teide volcano. Prefer fresh seafood instead? Restaurant El Cine in Los Cristianos Harbor serves up the catch of the day.

Lanzarote’s cuisine is similar to Tenerife’s, where you can chow down on papas arrugadas and fresh seafood and chat with locals at guachinches throughout the island.

Some of Lanzarote’s best cuisine is simple: fresh tomatoes, potatoes, vegetables, and legumes cultivated in the island’s volcanic soil. There are a few speciality dishes of the island.

The island’s vast volcanic terrain is home to the Majorera goat, which translates to some flavorful cheese blends. You can order cheeses at restaurants or even pick some up at markets, but it’s best to go straight to the source, tasting varieties at cheese farms like Quesería Flor de Luz or Quesaría El Faro, which offers guided tours. Order this and fresh seafood of all kinds at Casa Rafa Restaurante del Mar.

You’ll eat well (and relatively affordably) on both islands, especially if you opt for local cuisine versus international food. Each of these islands has similar cuisine and many different types of restaurants, though Tenerife, as a larger island, may have a slightly more variety.

Tenerife’s island has two main parts. The northern side—where many of the locals live—is home to the island’s capital, Santa Cruz, where the annual Carnival celebrations are centered. If you’re hoping for culture, wandering around the UNESCO-listed Santa Cruz in the north is a start. Make sure to stop at MUNA, the Museum of Nature and Archelogy, to understand more about the island’s pre-Castilian roots (including mummies). The northern part of the island also has some small villages worth visiting, such as La Orotava, a colorful ode to Canarian heritage, and San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the oldest town on the island. The north also boasts wine culture—pay Bodegas Monje a visit to taste Tenerife wines and admire stunning sea views from its terrace.

Lanzarote is for travelers in search of one-of-a-kind art and architecture. One of the most famous names on the island is the celebrated sculptor César Manrique. You can see his influence at the Jameos de Agua, an art, culture, and tourism space housed within a lava tube; the César Manrique Foundation and House Museum; or the Jardín de Cactus, home to thousands of cacti.

Lanzarote’s viticulture is one of the most exceptional in the world, where vines sit amid active volcanoes surrounded by circles of stones to protect them from the island’s fierce winds. Explore this unique method of wine cultivation at Bodegas La Geria, one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries on the island.

Art enthusiasts will definitely enjoy Lanzarote, where César Manrique has left his mark on many of the island’s cultural attractions. But Tenerife’s villages and museums offer historic interest focused on the Indigenous and Castilian heritage of the islands. Both destinations offer plenty of wineries, but travelers looking for something a little different will enjoy Lanzarote’s one-of-a-kind volcanic cultivation methods.

Active travelers have a lot to do on the island of Tenerife. Surfers can ride the waves in El Médano Beach, hike trails at Anaga Natural Park, which feels like a slightly less humid version of a Costa Rican jungle, and take the cable car above the clouds at Teide, one of the highest peaks in Spain.

Whale and dolphin watching is a popular activity, especially from November to February. Families should visit Siam Park, one of the biggest and most popular water parks in Europe. And, of course, there are the beaches. Playa del Duque is one of the most beautiful beaches in the south, while Playa de las Teresitas is where you’ll find white sands in the north. If it’s volcanic black sands you’re after, the fine black grains and jagged rock formations at Playa de Benijo make for memorable vistas.

Lanzarote’s landscape feels pristine and wild, starting with the reddish, Mars-inspired crater landscape of Timanfaya National Park, which runs into Volcanos National Park. And it’s not just volcanos that feel far-flung—the protected Playa de Papagayo, a strip of golden sand and clear waters flanked by two cliffs—feels as remote as it gets. From kite surfing to scuba diving to the Atlántico Museum, an underwater museum with sculptures and a boat, Lanzarote is full of unique things to see and do. There’s also the Charco Verde, a green lagoon, and the Cueva de los Verdes, a lava tube and cave.

Both islands have much to do and see, endless natural wonders (beaches included), and family-friendly activities. You won’t be bored on either island, just make sure to either rent a car or plan to sign up for guided tours, as these islands are large, and you’ll need a way to get around and explore.

Tenerife is larger than Lanzarote and has two airports as well as more hotels, restaurants, and activities, so things may be slightly cheaper here due to competition. An all-inclusive resort for a family of three that includes all meals could run you as low as €250 ($272) per night, though this can vary. Expect to get a glass of wine or a beer for a couple of dollars, and a meal at a local guanchinche might just run you less than €20 ($22) per person.

Lanzarote’s hotel scene feels slightly more upmarket, often catering to adults-only versus families, which can make it more expensive. The island often attracts travelers interested in art and wine. Still, things are generally affordable here, with boutique hotels costing about €200 ($217) per night (lodging only), and meals and drinks have similar prices as Tenerife.

Both islands are extremely affordable, especially when compared to the rest of Western Europe. If you’re looking for a more upscale trip, you may want to consider Lanzarote and be ready to spend slightly more. However, neither of these Canary Islands will break the bank, and you can have whatever kind of stay you want—affordable and simple or luxurious and opulent—and everything in between both destinations.