10 things you should know before traveling to the Canary Islands

The 10 best tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

We want to share with you our best tips for traveling to Gran Canaria which are applicable to all the Canary Islands. Especially if you are travelling for the first time, as there may be things you don't know yet. The most basic thing is that the Canary Islands belong to Spain, so the currency used is the euro. In the same way, Spanish speaking, although with an accent more similar to Venezuelan than Spanish.

1. We do not recommend drinking tap water

Unlike in most European countries and cities in Spain, in the Canary Islands it hardly rains and the water in homes is usually desalinated. In addition, a lot of chlorine is added so you yourself will notice a somewhat strange taste. In general, In the homes of the Canary Islands we do not drink tap water and As a general rule it is not recommended. There are houses in which there is a water filter in their taps or American refrigerators, in that case yes.

2. Wear warm clothes

El weather in Gran Canaria and in the Canary Islands in general it is one of the best in the world. However, it is important that Bring some warm clothing if you plan to visit its mountains and inland towns. Especially in the fall, spring and winter months. Keep in mind that the highest mountain in Spain is in Tenerife with 3.718 m of altitude.

So, if you are going to visit El Teide, the Roque Nublo Natural Monument or any mountain and interior area, There may be temperatures below 5 degrees in winter. And, at the same time, the weather on the south coast of the Island enjoys 20 degrees.

3. Rent a car, one of the best tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

We repeat it whenever we can, the Canary Islands have totally different landscapes that are worth knowing. Many of these corners are located in remote places that can only be reached by car. Therefore, one of our best tips is rent a car in Gran Canaria or any island to discover. Find all the car rental options on the island at RentalCars. The searcher includes local rental companies such as Cicar, Top Car, Road trips, etc. If you want to consult transfer prices in Gran Canaria, you can see all the options here.

4. Benefit from reduced indirect taxes: the IGIC

In mainland Spain we have the VAT tax, which as a general rule is 21%, but the Canary Islands are governed by a different tax.. It is the Canary Islands General Indirect Tax or IGIC and as a general rule it is 7%. Therefore, you should know that when purchasing certain products, it is cheaper to do so in the Canary Islands. These are: alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and electronics, for example, an iPhone or a camera. Take a look at the perfumeries in Las Palmas.

5. Take out travel insurance

Like every international trip, we recommend taking out insurance. At least that's how we do it whenever we travel. You will have coverage for flight delays, lost luggage and even coverage for health expenses at the destination in the event of an accident. We offer all our readers a 5% off in any of your policies by booking through the following image. Furthermore, this discount will help you anywhere in the world, not just the Canary Islands.

You can consult yourself the price of travel insurance depending on the number of days and the coverage you want below.

Iati insurance

6. Be careful with solar radiation, tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

In Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands in general it is usually sunny all year round, so if you visit the island outside of the summer season, also remember use sunscreen, since although solar radiation is less, it also burns and is harmful to your skin.

7. Travel connected to the internet with an eSIM

If you are going to visit the Canary Islands and need internet because your country's company does not have roaming in Spain, we have a 5% discount on Holafly eSIM. You can see all the plans and benefit from this discount in the following button. All options eSim in Gran Canaria include unlimited data, without surprises of extra costs. Also you can use the code LOCALGUIDEGRANCANARIA for when you travel to Gran Canaria or any destination in the world, so keep it to yourself.

8. Avoid staying in tourist areas, one of the best tips for traveling to Gran Canaria and other islands

We always recommend spend at least a couple of nights in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the case of Gran Canaria. The same happens with La Laguna in Tenerife, Santa Cruz de La Palma in La Palma and San Sebastián in La Gomera. Likewise, if you are traveling for more than a week, you can choose to Stay a couple of days in the interior of the island. If you are looking for cheap accommodation, you will most likely find it in the most crowded areas. Something that you should avoid if you want to know the most authentic side of each island. If you are going to travel to Gran Canaria, take a look at our post about where to stay in Gran Canaria or start your hotel search now by clicking below.

9. Savor Canarian gastronomy

We recommend you take a look at the article about the canarian food and what to order in restaurants. Highlight the internationally awarded Canarian cheeses, the gofio, potatoes with mojo, fruits such as avocado, banana and papaya, fresh fish, among others. In the case of Gran Canaria, we have a guide that includes more than 80 restaurants throughout the island that we would recommend to our friends. That is, they are the ones we visit. Below we leave you a link with direct access to the guide, although In the end you can see them all and benefit from a special pack.

€6,99 – Buy restaurant guide Checkout Added to cart Including 7% tax

10. Discover which is the best Canary island for you

Although at first they may all seem the same to you, Each Canary Island is different and has something to offer. So if you haven't decided yet one of the 8 Canary Islands where you can spend the night, we recommend you take a look at our article on which is the best island in the Canary Islands. This It will depend on the type of trip you want to make., if you travel as a couple, as a family, if you like urban tourism, if you just want the beach, if you like hiking, etc. In short, in this article we give you all the necessary information to choose your next Canary destination.

Video: Tips for traveling to the Canary Islands

Below you have a summary with the top tips, but below you can get more information. We are waiting for you in our YouTube Channel with more videos about Gran Canaria.

Gran Canaria Guides

If you have any other questions before traveling to Gran Canaria or any other Canary Island, leave us a comment below or contact us at [email protected]. Next, we also leave you with just one click all our travel guides for the island so that you can get to know what to see in Gran Canaria and discover its most authentic side without wasting time organizing your trip. Have a good trip!