Lying just off the west coast of Africa the charming Canary Islands are blessed with year round sunshine. The cluster of islands boast varied landscapes, ranging from impressive mountains, volcanic islands and vast sand dunes. Dominated by the towering Mount Teide, Tenerife is the island with everything, here you can visit national parks, lush banana plantations and pineapple groves, head for Playa de las Americas for the commercial centre, or discover your own quiet haven along the stretching coastline. Gran Canaria is home to the impressive sand dunes of Maspalomas, whilst Lanzarote's landscape possesses an otherworldly beauty once used to test NASA moon landing vehicles. Why not go island hopping to spot a pod of playful dolphins, or just take advantage of that warm year round sunshine with a glass of sangria.
Featured Port:
Santa Cruz, Tenerife
The port of Santa Cruz has colorful markets and fine...
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Currency
Euro = 100 cents
Foreign currency can be changed in any bank, and at most travel agencies, major hotels and airports.
MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club are widely accepted and ATMs are widely available.
Traveller’s cheques are widely accepted. To avoid additional charges, take traveller's cheques in Euros or Pounds Sterling. Traveller's cheques should be changed at banks or foreign exchange offices.
Time Difference
GMT (GMT +1 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October)
Tipping
Restaurants often include service in the bill so a tip is discretionary, and will be very much appreciated. Pay tips in cash, so that the person it is intended for receives it fully. It is common to tip 5% to 10%. Taxi drivers don’t expect a tip but most people round up the fare.
Visas Health Safety
Summer sunshine is guaranteed on all the islands. At other times of the year La Palma can be cool, with a west European spring-like climate. Both Tenerife and Gran Canaria tend to be drier in the south and a cooler, slightly wetter northern climate.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is generally very warm and sunny, with over 300 days of sunshine each year and little rainfall, experiencing less rainfall than the other Canary Islands. When Rain does occur it is usually between October and March. Fuerteventura has a subtropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 21°C / 70°F. The summers are dry, sunny and windy and winters are spring-like with only the occasional overcast day.
Gran Canaria
Winter temperatures very rarely dip below 16°C (61°F) in winter and only occasionally rise higher than 32°C (90°F) in summer. The coolest month is January, with average daytime temperatures of 18°C (64°F). The hottest month is August with an average daytime temperature of 26°C (79°F). The north of the island is slightly cooler and less arid than the south.
La Gomera
La Gomera has a pleasant climate all year around. The best time to visit is between late autumn and spring. The temperatures at the coast are between 20–25°C (68–77°F). Rain is possible in the winter months, though the risk of rain is less in the south and southwest of the island.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote has a warm, pleasant climate throughout the year with annual average temperatures of around 22°C (78°F) and very little rainfall. The north of the island tends to be windier and cloudier. Occasionally temperatures can reach 40°C (104°F) and above when the sirocco wind brings hot, dry and sandy air from the Sahara. This can last from a few hours to a week.
La Palma
La Palma is mostly hot and sunny near the coast. Summer temperatures are usually only slightly below those of the southern coast of Spain. Winter has mild temperatures, not far below those of summer. It has fewer days of sunshine than the other Canary Islands and the weather varies greatly and can change quickly across the island. The south of the island is quite dry with virtually no rain falling through the summer months and very little the rest of year.
Tenerife
Tenerife has quite a stable climate throughout the year with average daytime temperatures varying between 15°C (59°F) and 25°C (77°F). August is generally the hottest month, January and February the coolest, during which time snow can appear on the highest ground. The north of the island can be cooler with more chance of cloud.
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