We enjoyed many family holidays visiting the Canary Islands when I was younger, and it’s a shame that I have yet to visit with my own children. Here are some snapshots of a recent trip to Tenerife and five reasons why I’d love to holiday in the Canary Islands with children:
Snapshots of Tenerife
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| Photos of Tenerife by CeriBomb (thank you) |
Five Reasons to Holiday in The Canary Islands with Kids
1. Location, Flight Times & Sun!
The Canary Islands, consisting of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, are located in the Atlantic Ocean, south west of Spain and North West of Africa. This is an ideal location in terms of flights and weather. Flight times from the UK are on average just over four hours making it a medium haul flight and short enough to keep the kids entertained and happy as you’ll arrive at your destination by the time they’ve been fed and watched a DVD. The Canary Islands enjoy plenty of sunshine throughout the year with temperatures reaching into the 30’s at the height of summer. The Easter Holidays are a popular time for families to visit while the temperature is on average 19℃.
2. Beaches
The best thing about holidaying on an island is there is always plenty of coast to explore. From the quiet rugged beaches in Fuerteventura to the busy tourist seaside resorts of Las Playas, Gran Canaria, from the black lava beaches of Lanzarote and white sand beaches of Tenerife, there is a beach to suit everyone. We spent some time on the busier tourist beaches enjoying the refreshments and activities such as the infamous “Banana Boat” and also explored off the beaten track to find the hidden quieter beaches.
3. Visit a Volcano
The kids are fascinated with volcanoes. They love learning how they work and making their own model volcanoes so would love to visit Mount Teide in Tenerife. Visit the Mount Teide Observatory where you can observe the sun through long range telescopes. Then take a cable car to the highest peak in Spain, the Pico Viejo viewpoint to learn all about Tenerife’s Teide Volcano.
4. Stunning Accommodation and Resort Pools
The Canary Islands have a wide range of accommodation from affordable all inclusive breaks to luxury hotels with stunning resort pools. Take a look at the accommodation at Labranda Playa Bonita Hotel, Gran Canaria, in this luxury break available from HolidayGems. When travelling with children look out for resorts that have child friendly pools and children’s parks and entertainment. Each Canary Island boasts at least one water park too.
5. Shopping, Culture and Trips
The Canary Islands has a history which dates back over 1000 years. Of course the islands have a Spanish influence but also have their own unique language, music and cuisine. There are many Baroque Churches, museums and traditional festivals to explore as well as the unique natural landscape.
If you fancy a day shopping there are impressive commercial shopping centres in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria or stay traditional and explore the markets and craft stalls.
The Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo, Spain’s largest Botanic Gardens, in Gran Canaria are well worth a visit to find out more about every plant that grows in the Canaries.
My must have trip is the Glass Bottom Boat Excursion from Pasito Blanco or Puerto Morgan, Gran Canaria. It’s the perfect opportunity to observe the local marine life and also to get the best view of the island. If you’d like to visit more than one Canary Island during your holiday, day trips to the other islands are available too, for example you can catch a ferry from Lanzarote and Gran Canaria to Fuerteventura.
These are my five reasons to visit the canary Islands with children, the next question is- which island should we visit?
Have you visited the Canary Islands? Which would you recommend?
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