11 Jul
2023

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Last Updated on 17/07/2023 by STEPHANE

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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Canary Islands

The islands of eternal spring

Endless tongues of white sand and turquoise waters to get lost, beautiful virgin bays for sunbathing surrounded by wild nature. With more than 500 beaches of all types and colours, an excellent climate installed in the eternal spring with long sunny days and temperatures between 19 and 25 degrees throughout the year, the Canary Islands are the envy of all Europe.

Table of content - Discover the Canary Islands hide

The islands of eternal spring

Why will you love the Canary Islands?

The Treasures of the Canary Islands

Parties and events

The real estate market in the Canary Islands

Check the real estate price evolution for the Canary Islands since 1995

Canary Islands Infographic information

Read further on the Balearic Islands and Spain

Why will you love the Canary Islands?

Apart from the weather, the Canary Islands are also known for hosting the second most popular carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro. It is celebrated in February in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although the most famous version is the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The Canary Islands also have the highest mountain in Spain, the Teide volcano. Its surroundings are within the boundaries of the National Park of the same name, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the best places to contemplate the stars and enjoy the night sky.

Sand lovers, photographers and nature lovers will feel perfect on the islands because the diversity of its landscapes is one of those breathtaking spectacles. Deserted golden sands, beaches of volcanic sand and dramatic cliffs with incredible caves in La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.

Also, the ideal climate and the immense nature make the land suitable to go out and enjoy them doing sports. Golf, football, surfing, fishing or diving are some of the options to choose from. The Canary Islands also have many water parks for both the little ones and adults. Play with the best golf club sets in Spain thanks to our local partner.

Playa de las Cucharas, Lanzarote

The Treasures of the Canary Islands

The most populated islands are Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The two have almost 900,000 inhabitants each. Then follow, Lanzarote, with almost 150,000 inhabitants, Fuerteventura, with a little more than 100,000 people living there, La Palma, with 80,000 inhabitants, La Gomera, with 20,000, and El Hierro, with just over 10,000 inhabitants.

Gran Canaria is only accessible by ferry and plane. There is an airport connecting to the main cities of Spain and Europe. It is also easy to get to the other islands of the archipelago by plane and ferry. There is a highway that connects the north and the south, and many other routes that lead to any corner of Gran Canaria.

Tenerife, like Gran Canaria, is only accessible by ferry and plane, the best option. Tenerife has two airports, one in the north and one in the south with connections to the main cities of Spain and Europe.

There is also a highway connecting the North to the South and other major routes that make anywhere on the island accessible in less than three hour drive.

The rest of the islands, except La Gomera, have airports that connect with the other islands and some (such as Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) also offer flights to Barcelona and Madrid. These islands also have ferry connections with the rest of the islands, so you can connect between them by plane or boat.

Gran Canaria

Parties and events

The main festivals that are celebrated in the Canary Islands are the following:

The Dwarf Dance in Santa Cruz de La Palma, where a chorus of men (doctors, gentlemen, navigators, etc.) walk to the rhythm of the melody.
The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the quintessential fiesta of the islands.
The Naval Car of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The Pilgrimage of San Isidro Labrador. It is a religious festival, but with a playful and traditional character.
The Feasts of the Virgin of Candelaria.
The Carnival of Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife), is one of the most popular in the area.
The Indians on the island of La Palma, where the arrival of the “Indianos” is recalled, a name that was known in the Canary Islands to the islanders who emigrated to America and returned to the islands.

Tenerife

The real estate market in the Canary Islands

During the years of the crisis, the prices of the apartments fell to 2001 levels, as in the whole country. In the last two years, the real estate market is experiencing a slow recovery. For example, the price per square meter in Las Palmas is about 1,500 €, while in 2008 was its peak, when the price was more than € 2,000 per square meter. Gran Canaria is still one of the cheapest places in Spain where you can buy a house. As of March 2022, prices were at 1,595€/sq m.

As for Tenerife, in 2021, the price per square meter on the island was around € 1300 (in the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the price per square meter was almost € 1,700). Expectations for 2023 are that the market will continue to grow, but a little slower when compared to Barcelona or Madrid

So does the origin of buyers, Karin Muegge of Immorent Canarias, states that the Canary Islands attract people from all over Europe.

“Among them, British, Germans, French and Italians are the main buyers. If we look in more detail who are the main buyers, Ian Meyer of Tate Properties Tenerife notes that ” the British, Belgians and Italians are among the main buyers”.

Likewise, all these trends may change in the future, for example, although the British are the main buyers, as happens in other parts of Spain adds Konstantin Hinner.

In regard to what areas are preferred by foreigners, if we look at the case of Tenerife, Konstantin Hinner Insular Projects SA explains that “after the crisis, we see that the southern part of the island is receiving as much of the foreign investment as before, however, there is a tendency to invest less in this area, the most tourist part of Tenerife, and to invest in the rural area where the locals live, not far from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the university city of San Cristobal de la Laguna “.

Check the real estate price evolution for the Canary Islands since 1995

Prices in Gran Canaria remained on average 10% lower than the national average and rebounded by 10% of the lowest levels seen since 2008.

For more on that, read our detailed quarterly report on the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria property market and the Canary Islands property market.

Read the article written by our local property finder, Manuel, in Tenerife: Tenerife property investment: a Case study of property for sale in Tenerife or check the one we wrote on the real estate market of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Gran Canaria, the tropical gem of Spain

If you want to check the monthly weather statistics for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria follow to link.

Download here our map of the Canary Islands

Are you looking for a local partner: Lawyer, property hunter in the Canary Islands? Don’t look further check our team and ask us for the correct contact.

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Canary Islands Infographic information

Airports: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, Tenerife
Ave stations: –
Cities: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (379,000 inhabitants), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (203,600 inhabitants), San Cristóbal de la Laguna (153,100 inhabitants), Telde (102,200 inhabitants), Arrecife (58,500 inhabitants), Puerto del Rosario (38,100 inhabitants), Maspalomas (36,100 inhabitants),
Unesco sites: San Cristóbal de La Laguna (1999), Garajonay National Park (1986), Teide National Park (2007). Find all the UNESCO Sites in Spain on our page: “10 reasons why you should buy in Spain”
Top beaches: Pozo de la Salud (El Hierro), Playa de Cofete (Morro del Jable), Playa de las Conchas (Isla de Graciosa), El Cotillo Beach & Lagoons (El Cotillo), Playa de Benijo (Almaciga), Playa Sotavento (Costa Calma), Playa de Sotavento, Playa de Jandia, Playa del Matorral (Pajara), Playa de Las Canteras (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Monumento Natural de Ajuy (Fuerteventura), Playa Del Duque (Costa Adeje), Playa Dorada Beach (Playa Blanca), Piscinas Naturales El Caleton (Garachico), Playa El Bollullo (Puerto de la Cruz), Playa de las Vistas (Los Cristianos), Playa de Maspalomas (Maspalomas)
Kids Parks: Siam Park (Adeje), Oasis Park Fuerteventura (Fuerteventura), Loro Park (Puerto de la Cruz), Holiday World Maspalomas (Maspalomas), Katmandu park
Shopping Malls & Outlets: Siam Mall (Adeje), Centro Comercial Las Arenas (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Centro Comercial Meridiano (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Marina Lanzarote (Arrecife)”
Traditional & Flea markets: Mercado del puerto market (Palmas de Gran Canaria), Las Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)
Top golf courses: Abama, Golf del Sur, Anfi Tauro, Tecina, Maspalomas, El Cortijo Play with the best golf clubs sets in Spain thanks to our local partner.
Natural Parks: Caldera de Taburiente (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Garajonay (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Teide (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Timanfaya (Las Palmas)
University: Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria), Universidad de la Laguna (Tenerife)
Hospitals: Hospital Universitario de Canarias (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Hospitales San Roque (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)