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Home → Tours and Travel → What to Photograph in the Canary Islands

What to Photograph in the Canary Islands

By Václav Bacovský 33 Comments
Last Updated On April 23, 2018

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Table of Contents

  • Introduction and the Basics
  • Lanzarote
  • Tenerife
  • Fuerteventura
  • Gran Canaria
  • Reader Comments
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33 Comments
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Fabian
Fabian
October 25, 2023 12:30 am

thank you for this great article! I am currently on Teneriffe, La Gomera and Lanzarote for 6 weeks and looking forward to checking out all the places. One note: As of Oct 25 – and probably for a while, unfortunately, the Playa de los Guíos is closed for construction and not accessible anymore. I was looking to shoot some stars here, but I see clouds covering the sky in the mountain every day. I am most excited about La Gomera.

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Honora
Honora
October 8, 2019 11:40 am

Thanks so much for all the info. Just got back from a trip to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura and made use of many of your suggestions. One tip for photographers shooting the Molinos de Villaverde under the stars, we thoroughly enjoyed the Mahoh restaurant just a few minutes away. Staff was friendly, food was fabulous and the proximity allowed us to maximize our shooting time at the windmills.

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Mark
Mark
April 27, 2018 6:04 am

Thank you for an amazing article.

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Luis M. Anibarro
Luis M. Anibarro
April 25, 2018 11:13 am

Nice article.
Just some little subtle corrections:
All 7 islands can be reached by regular flights. Gomera and El Hierro also have regular domestic flights between islands.
The administrative capital of the islands is shared by the cities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Flights take from 2 (Seville)-3 (Barcelona) hours (Spain) to 4 hours (UK) 4 1/2 hours (Germany).
May and June are the actual low season for tourism, exactly from end of Easter to 30th June. This is the time I recommend to visit the islands. Lodging and car rentals are cheaper and you get better served at restaurants. Best light, flower blooming, nicer weather.
Lanzarote: amazing island, same you had a tight schedule, La Graciosa little island also deserves a visit. Save at least 4 days for your next visit to those islands.
Fuerteventura: I myself as a local, use to spend one month every year there. One of my favorites. Beaches are stunning, not only for bath, but also for shooting.
Tenerife: What can I say? this is my island. You skipped the north shore (Orotava Valley), probably the most beautiful area in all the Canary Islands. You’re right, the night scapes up in the National Park are not to be missed. Anaga and Teno mountains are also a must to visit.
La Gomera: Although ferries are the best choice to visit this island, you can also take a flight there from Tenerife. This is the paradise for trekking and hiking. Many tourists from central Europe come here just for enjoying its paths. Garajonay National Park is a gem where you are likely to run out of gigas in your memory cards. This is a unique forest, Laurisilva, the place where I’d like to die. It also holds a cozy touristic area in the southwest side of the island, Valle Gran Rey, my second home in the islands.
La Palma, also called “the beautiful island”, many german people only come to this island, as it seems to hold it all: beautiful black sand beaches, superb laurisilva forests, stunning mountains (La Caldera), impressive volcanoes… and lots of twirly roads… prepare yourself for a driving torture.
Maybe it will sound crazy, but you should save one whole month to visit all the islands.

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Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  Luis M. Anibarro
July 23, 2018 5:00 pm

Dear Luis, thank you so much for your extensive comment: very much appreciated. I totally agree with what you wrote-one part even made me laugh as it is exactly as you write: the driving torture in La Palma island. Yes! I never felt so dizzy after driving several times to the top of the Roque de los Muchachos…Anyway, I hope to come back in the future – I would love to explore La Gomera, come back to Tenerife and see the Orotava Valley. You are lucky one to live in such a beautiful landscape! Vaclav

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Blanka
Blanka
March 30, 2018 2:35 pm

Though I was born in Prague (one of the most beautiful cities in the world – great place for photographers), I have been in living in Tenerife for three years. I love it here. It’s paradise for photographers. I have visited and photographed many of the places you mention and your photos are fabulous. Love them. You should also add La Gomera and El Hierro to your places to visit. If you love photography, you must visit the Canaries.

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Simon Ewdards
Simon Ewdards
January 30, 2018 7:52 am

I’ve been to Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise in Lanzarote many times and completely agree that the island is very photogenic. Also worth a mention is Fuerteventura, which is equally, if not more spectacular. In particular, the small fishing village of El Cotillo, and the nearby lagoons and the sand dunes at Corallejo.

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Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  Simon Ewdards
February 5, 2018 3:21 pm

Thanks Simon, you are completely right with El Cotillo and Coraljo – I have visited them both and I recommend them in the article (in a part on Fuerteventura – it will be published later, probably at the beginning of March, once the Review-Month is over). Vaclav

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Walter Reichert
Walter Reichert
January 10, 2018 10:34 am

Great images and reporting!

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Walter Reichert
Walter Reichert
January 10, 2018 10:32 am

Really great images and reporting!

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Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  Walter Reichert
January 12, 2018 3:40 pm

Thanks!

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Ed Sanford
Ed Sanford
December 19, 2017 12:03 pm

Václav,

You have some great shots here and I have enjoyed viewing them. I am going to Tenerife in January. At a high level which areas should I make sure to visit for photography. Also, are there places that I can get in at dusk and dawn.

Thanks,
Ed Sanford
500px.com/esanford1

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Václav Bacovský
Václav Bacovský
Author
Reply to  Ed Sanford
December 28, 2017 3:57 pm

Dear Ed, first of all sorry for my late reply, I was sick lately…It is great that you will have the opportunity to photograph in Tenerife. I have just finished the article on Tenerife with recommended places of interest. It will be uploaded any time soon. I am sure it will answer your questions.
I also enjoyed browsing through your portfolio – thanks for sharing, it brings up some nice memories of my trips to Paris, Patagonia and other places…
Let us know once your are back from Tenerife about your experience.
Vaclav

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Tomáš
Tomáš
December 13, 2017 12:54 pm

Děkuji moc for sharing this one, I’d never even given a second thought about the Canarias but your article made me do a complete 180 turn, especially since it really seems to be incredibly European-friendly (and I thank you a lot for pointing that out too). Thanks for the eye-opening and the photos!

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