Why you need to spend Christmas in the Canaries

Craving a Christmas in sunnier climes? Warm up your winter with a trip to the Canary Islands and you’ll be surprised to find it comes with all the festive trimmings – just swap tinsel for toasty temperatures (and snow for sand, of course.) Here’s why you should enjoy a hot Christmas this year… 

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Be spoiled for choice 

Admit it – we’ve all had unwanted presents before. But with these options of stunning Canary Islands, you’re allowed to be picky with your choice. Lanzarote’s the lively one, La Palma’s a hidden gem, while sand-swept Fuerteventura is all about the beaches and Tenerife is the biggest island of them all, with tonnes of mountains perfect for skiing down. Being spoiled doesn’t stop once you arrive, either. We have plenty of All Inclusive holidays available, so you don’t have to rely on Santa Claus to deliver the food and drink you really wanted. 

Indulge in Christmas spirit 

Planning on a Christmas in La Palma? Get in the festive spirit with a visit to one the biggest nativity scenes in the world – hand-sculpted in sand on Las Canteras beach. Or, trade in your reindeer and hop on a camel in Gran Canaria, and take a ride over the Maspalomas dunes to feel like one of the three kings. More tempted by Tenerife? Sit under the stars in Santa Cruz and get in the festive spirit at one of its frequent open-air Christmas concerts. 

Walk in a winter wonderland 

The sun’s shining, it’s boiling hot and there’s absolutely no sign of snow – but that doesn’t mean Christmas hasn’t arrived in the Canaries. Drive up to Gran Canaria’s highlands and walk through a forest of pine trees to smell the true scent of Christmas. Keep an eye out for Belen – the Spanish word for Bethlehem that also refers to traditional nativity scenes – which pop up everywhere from parks to shopping centres. The biggest is Los Llanos de Aridane’s nativity village in La Palma. 

Top up your tan 

Say bye to woolly jumpers and hello to shorts and tees. Unwrap your layers and sunbathe in temperatures that can reach up to 25 degrees, with seven hours of sunshine per day. Don’t forget to be smug at the fact it’s probably miserable at home and that it took under five hours to get there – beat that, Rudolph. 

Fill your stockings at the Christmas markets 

Swap the usual frenzy of hunting for last-minute presents with festive walks around twinkling Christmas markets. There’s no need to wear three scarves, either. Every town in Gran Canaria puts on a market in late December and you can work your way around food stalls and enjoy the music in most town squares, too. Fill your tummy with truchas – traditional pastries stuffed with sweet potato and candied pumpkin – and bag unique gifts including jewellery and unusual prints by local artists. Most markets run until nightfall. Ones to look out for include Tequise Market in Lanzarote, Teror market in Gran Canaria, Puntagorda Market in La Palma, Teguise Market in Tenerife and La Oliva Market in Fuerteventura. 

Have a BBQ on the beach 

Forget fighting over reduced turkeys in the run–up to the big day – let someone else do the hard work for you with Christmas dinner at a beachside restaurant, or do things totally differently with a BBQ on the beach. It’s typical for traditional Canarian festive meals to happen on Christmas Eve, so if you fancy doing things the Spanish way, tuck into giant prawns in a Marie Rose sauce (known by the locals as langostinos con salsa rosa) and nibble on turron, a traditional almond candy dessert. 

Meet the three kings 

No Christmas is complete without a visit from the three kings. On the 5th January, get ready for Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar arriving in the main cities of each of the Canary Islands on camels, accompanied by a sea of colourful floats and sleighs full of gifts. Make sure you’re in the front row for the biggest processions in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, or Santa Cruz in Tenerife. 

See in the new year in style 

“Nochevieja” is the official name for New Year’s Eve in the Canaries. Go traditional and eat a grape at every chime up until midnight and look forward to a year blessed with good luck. Or watch the fireworks under one of the starriest skies in Europe, on the beach in Tenerife Santa De Cruz. If you’re feeling fresh enough the next day, grab your swimwear and take part in the Canarian tradition of welcoming renewal and purity with a swim in the sea on New Year’s Day.  

Ski your way through Christmas 

For better luck getting a white Christmas this year, take a trip to Mount Teide in Tenerife and admire the powder-covered peaks glistening over the valley. Ski down the dormant volcano or stay wrapped up with a cable car ride to the mountain tops, while spotting Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro in the distance. 

Fancy a ho ho holiday after reading this? All puns aside, we’ve got tonnes of great winter trips to the Canary Islands – go on, get it on your Christmas list… 

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Authors: Becky Wells and Lucy Perrin

Last updated: 22/08/2023