Canary Islands in winter: These are the warmest places to vacation
In Germany, winters are characterized by long, cold, and wet months. To escape this gloom, the Canary Islands offer an ideal winter destination. Not only does the climate here remain pleasant year-round, but in many places, swimming in the Atlantic is possible even in winter.
But not all the Canary Islands are the same. The islands are diverse, and choosing the right region and resort is crucial for enjoying sunshine and warmth. The travel reporter presents the top sun destinations on the islands.
The sun shines for six to seven hours a day in Gran Canaria's southwest, even during the winter months from November to March. What a blessing to escape the dreary weather in Germany! Puerto de Mogán is considered one of the sunniest spots on the island. The surrounding mountains protect it from wind and rain, giving it 320 days of sunshine a year.
Not only in terms of temperature, but also visually, Puerto de Mogán is a gem. Small canals lead from the port into the town, which has earned the resort the nickname "Little Venice" or alternatively "Venice of the South".
Low houses with a maximum of two stories and white facades with colorful frames, alleyways with lush bougainvillea vines Bridges spanning the small canals give Puerto de Mogán a picturesque townscape and a relaxed atmosphere.
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In December, the average daytime temperature here is still 23 degrees Celsius, and January, considered the coldest month, reaches 21 degrees. Even a quick dip in the Atlantic is possible during the winter months, as the water temperature averages 20 degrees in December and still 19 degrees in January.
The sandy beach of Playa de Mogán, located right next to the harbor, is ideal for this. Golden-brown sand and the turquoise shimmering sea invite you to enjoy swimming in the gently sloping water.
On Gran Canaria's neighboring island of Tenerife, it is also the mountains, in this case the Teide massif, that protect the south and southwest of the island from wind and rain, giving it a particularly mild and sunny climate. Here, too, the average temperature in winter almost always exceeds 20 degrees Celsius. And even in the coldest month of January, temperatures still reach 20 degrees. In other words: T-shirt weather!
One of the warmest areas of Tenerife is the Costa Adeje coastal region. Elegant hotels, high-priced apartments, and sophisticated beach promenades are prominent features, earning Costa Adeje the nickname "Beverly Hills of Tenerife".
Beaches in the vicinity of this popular holiday region include the palm-fringed Playa del Duque, the artificially created, 500-meter-long Playa Fañabé made of light gray volcanic sand, and the adjacent Playa de Torviscas. Here, water temperatures remain around 20 degrees Celsius even in winter, making it perfect for a day of swimming.
The southeast coast of Lanzarote is pleasantly warm in winter. Although the island, influenced by the northeast trade winds, is constantly windy, it is least noticeable there due to the protection of the mountains. Puerto del Carmen is considered the warmest spot. Located directly on the coast, it still reaches an average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius in November, but the average temperature of 22 degrees Celsius from December to April, combined with six to eight hours of sunshine, also sounds promising. Rain is generally rare.
Puerto del Carmen is a former fishing village that has developed into the island's largest tourist center with approximately 30,000 beds. However, high-rise hotel complexes have been avoided, and the old port of El Varadero, with its colorful fishing boats, has retained its historic charm.
Not only does Puerto del Carmen boast a seven-kilometer-long promenade perfect for strolling, but its beaches are also superb. There's the bright, fine-sand Playa Grande, stretching for over a kilometer and lined with palm trees, or the equally large Playa de los Pocillos. Those seeking a more tranquil experience can choose small coves like the 100-meter-long Playa Chica or explore the surrounding area's small sandy beaches. In recent years, water temperatures have consistently ranged from 20 to 21 degrees Celsius, even in December.
Morro Jable is the warmest place on Fuerteventura . Located at the southern tip of the Jandía peninsula, it's the place to be in winter. This tourist resort is a former fishing village with a historic center, surrounded by spectacular bays.
The sun shines for six to seven hours a day during the winter months, and even in the coldest months of January and February, temperatures usually reach around 19 degrees Celsius. The peninsula is also more sheltered from the wind than the north. And since Morro Jable has a desert climate, there is hardly any rainfall.
The wide Playa del Matorral beach is probably the most famous beach in Morro Jable, stretching for about four kilometers. Light, fine sand and a sea that shimmers emerald green and turquoise blue evoke a true summer feeling. It's almost never too cold for swimming, as the water temperature rarely drops below 19 degrees Celsius. Playa del Matorral offers nudist areas, and the 59-meter-high lighthouse, located on the beach at the edge of a nature reserve, is a particularly striking photo opportunity at sunrise and sunset.
The rocky and wooded island of La Palma encompasses diverse climate zones. Those seeking warmth in winter should choose a destination on the west coast. One of the warmest spots on the island during winter is the Puerto Naos district in the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane. Here, daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20 degrees Celsius.
The area surrounding the tourist center is charming. Banana plantations encircle the town, traditional fishing remains an important industry, and right on the Atlantic coast, the 600-meter-long black lava sand beach of Playa de Puerto Naos beckons – one of the longest beaches on the island – as do secluded coves nestled among volcanic rock, such as Playa de Charco Verde. As with the other Canary Islands, the water temperature in winter is around 20 degrees Celsius, making swimming possible year-round.
Worth seeing are the old town of Los Llanos de Aridane, which can be reached after a ten-minute drive, and excursions to the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, which lies in a volcanic caldera and provides spectacular impressions of dense forests and deep gorges.
The second smallest of the Canary Islands boasts gorges and whitewashed villages, as well as dense green forests and mystical landscapes like the often mist-shrouded laurel forest in Garajonay National Park. Arguably the wildest of the Canary Islands, it's a dream for hiking enthusiasts, who can explore nature on numerous trails – even in winter.
To soak up plenty of sunshine in winter, the villages in Valle Gran Rey, the "Valley of the Great King," on the southwest coast of La Gomera are highly recommended. Here, banana and orange trees thrive, and palm trees reach for the sky. It's a place so charming and almost too beautiful for this world that it became a meeting point for hippies in the 1960s.
While the trade winds bring somewhat cooler temperatures to the north of La Gomera, Valle Gran Rey enjoys a mild climate year-round. Even in winter, average temperatures of 19 to 22 degrees Celsius can be expected. The water temperature at beaches like the sheltered sandy Playa de Vueltas or the popular Calera beach with its fine, dark sand rarely falls below 20 degrees Celsius, even in the winter months.
South of La Palma lies the often overlooked Canary Island of El Hierro . At 270 square kilometers, it is the smallest island in the archipelago and offers tranquility and wild, unspoiled landscapes. The warmest spot on this rugged island is the fishing village of La Restinga. It is not only the southernmost point of the island, but also the southernmost point in Spain .
The village, with barely more than 500 inhabitants, has developed into a diving center, as underwater volcanic eruptions have left behind spectacular underwater worlds. At the dark volcanic beach of La Restinga, swimming is also possible even in winter, thanks to the sheltered water temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius.
In La Restinga, it hardly rains in winter, and seven and a half to almost nine hours of sunshine a day are quite possible even from December to March. Temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius can still be reached in December. Anyone visiting El Hierro shouldn't miss a special natural spectacle: the El Sabinar juniper forest on the La Dehesa plateau. Constant winds have sculpted the trunks of the mighty trees into bizarre shapes.
Looking for more inspiration? You can find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter.
Travel reporter
reisereporter
