In December, southern Tenerife is the simplest island for winter sun: 22 °C average maximum at Los Cristianos, and 9% of days with more than 1 mm of rain. Lanzarote is the driest island (4.5%), La Palma the wettest (30%). For Christmas, book early.
Checked on against the official sources cited in the article (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis data; the French Ministry of Education school calendar; ISTAC).
December and January in the Canaries: sunshine, a sea between 18 and 21 °C, and a different trip on each island. The archipelago has seven islands. Northern Tenerife and La Palma get more rain, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are drier, La Gomera and El Hierro are quieter. This guide helps you choose an island by your dates, your budget and how you like to travel.
The climate figures come from ERA5 reanalyses, averages on a grid of about 25 km, not station readings. The other figures are dated and sourced in the text. Christmas flight and hotel prices are not included, as no verified rate was available on the day of writing.
The climate in December and January, island by island
These averages describe the climate of an area, not the temperature on a beach at a given time. For La Gomera and El Hierro, read them as orders of magnitude. Fuerteventura, close to Lanzarote, is not in the table.
| Reference point | Max Dec. (°C) | Min Dec. (°C) | Max Jan. (°C) | Min Jan. (°C) | Days ≥ 1 mm Dec. | Days ≥ 1 mm Jan. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife, Santa Cruz (north-east) | 21.7 | 16.3 | 20.7 | 15.0 | 20% | 19.4% |
| Tenerife south, Los Cristianos | 22.1 | 16.5 | 20.9 | 15.2 | 9% | 3.5% |
| Gran Canaria, Las Palmas (north-east) | 21.2 | 15.9 | 20.2 | 14.8 | 23.5% | 30% |
| Gran Canaria south, Maspalomas | 22.4 | 16.5 | 21.5 | 15.1 | 7.4% | 7.7% |
| Lanzarote, Arrecife (east) | 20.4 | 16.5 | 19.4 | 15.1 | 4.5% | 2.9% |
| La Palma, Santa Cruz de La Palma (east) | 21.6 | 16.1 | 20.7 | 14.5 | 30% | 26.5% |
| La Gomera, San Sebastián (south-east) | 22.5 | 16.7 | 21.5 | 15.3 | 12.3% | 8.7% |
| El Hierro, Valverde (north-east) | 18.0 | 14.1 | 17.0 | 12.9 | 21.9% | 18.7% |
Source: Open-Meteo, archive API (ERA5 reanalysis), checked on 18 October 2026. Averages for 2015-2024 for December and 2016-2025 for January.
In southern Tenerife and at Maspalomas, fewer than one December day in ten has more than 1 mm of rain. In La Palma, it is close to one day in three.
The sea, between 18 and 21 °C
Selectour (updated 31 March 2026) gives a sea of around 20 to 21 °C in December and 18 to 20 °C in January; explore-canaries (updated 2 October 2026) gives similar values. These are guide ranges, with no official reading: this article uses « 18 to 21 °C depending on the month and the island ». In January the water is cold for many visitors from the UK or northern Europe, but swimming is still possible.
Wind, calima and altitude
The south and east are generally the sunniest areas, according to ferryscanner and selectour, and clouds on the north coast are frequent, especially late in the morning. Two phenomena remain possible without being regular: the calima, a Saharan sand wind that can push temperatures up to 35 °C for a few days a year (voyagecanaries.fr), and cold at altitude, covered in the Tenerife section.
Tenerife
Tenerife is the most visited island in the archipelago: out of the 1.5 million tourists who arrived in the Canaries in July 2026, 600,339 came to Tenerife, four in ten, according to the ISTAC, Frontur press release for July 2026. On 24 December, restaurants fill up and take bookings early (ferryhopper, a 2023 article).
The area matters more than the island. On ERA5 data, Santa Cruz, on the north-east coast, has 20% of December days with more than 1 mm of rain, against 9% at Los Cristianos, in the south. Ferryscanner, in a 2024 article, says the north can drop to around 15 °C in winter. For a first trip, this guide therefore recommends the south, between Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas.
Mount Teide, at 3,718 m, dominates the island. Since 19 January 2026, access to the summit requires a separate permit and a fee, and places are limited (regional press, RTVC, to be confirmed on the official Tenerife ON site). The sources disagree on the booking window and on the amount of the fee: this guide does not give figures for either.
Highlights
- 9% of rainy days in the south in December (ERA5)
- Two airports and ferry links from Los Cristianos
- Mount Teide, at 3,718 m, and the southern coasts
Who it is for: travellers who want to see Teide at the end of the day, with hotel pickup (check what the itinerary includes). The catch: this trip is only available 43 days out of 62 between 1 December and 31 January (checked 18 October 2026). Check your date before you lock in the rest of the stay. On the cold: at altitude, around Teide, January nights can drop below zero (voyagecanaries.fr), so pack a jacket for the trip. The source does not say whether the summit permit is included: ask the operator.
Gran Canaria: every profile, with a very dry south
Gran Canaria
Guides call it a « mini continent ». The Maspalomas dunes, Puerto de Mogán, Roque Nublo and the Tamadaba forest are among the highlights cited. The north is wetter: Las Palmas has 23.5% rainy days in December and 30% in January, against 7.4% at Maspalomas (ERA5). The island received 24% of the archipelago’s arrivals in July 2026, second behind Tenerife (ISTAC).
For a stay in the south, Maspalomas is the reference point for the ERA5 data. The ferry to Fuerteventura takes about two hours, for a fare of €35 in 2024 (ferryscanner, to be rechecked).
Lanzarote: the driest, with the volcanic landscape of Timanfaya
Lanzarote
Arrecife, on the east coast, has 4.5% rainy days in December and 2.9% in January: the lowest values of the seven islands in the ERA5 data. The laviesauvage-rando.com site describes a « very stable climate » and says it would choose Lanzarote if it could keep only one island.
Timanfaya National Park, in the centre of the island, is visited by bus, not freely by car. The adult entrance is about €30 according to several 2026 guides, and €15 for ages 7 to 12. The official site of the Cabildo de Lanzarote was not reachable when this was written: confirm the price before you go. A time slot would be compulsory from 15 June 2026 (Gazette Life, to be confirmed).
Fuerteventura: dunes, sand beaches and surf
Fuerteventura
Puerto del Rosario, on the east coast, has values very close to Lanzarote: 21 °C maximum and 16.3 °C minimum in December, with 5.5% rainy days. Ferryscanner calls it the « surfers’ paradise », and explore-canaries describes it as « surf and beach ».
Two areas stand out: Corralejo, in the north, with its dunes, and Morro Jable, in the south, for its beaches. The ferry to Lanzarote takes 25 minutes, for a fare of about €17 in 2024 (ferryscanner, to be rechecked). Wind is the one point the sources do not quantify: no official reading or forecast was consulted. If surfing is your priority, check the day’s forecast before you book a lesson or equipment.
La Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma: hiking, calm and rain
La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma
These three islands attract hikers and people who want calm. For La Gomera and El Hierro, laviesauvage-rando.com describes a « more variable » weather.
La Gomera owes its appeal to Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The island has no airport: you fly into Tenerife and take the ferry from Los Cristianos. With 12.3% rainy days in December in San Sebastián, it is less wet than La Palma.
La Palma is the wettest of the seven islands in the data: 30% of December days have more than 1 mm of rain at Santa Cruz de La Palma, and 26.5% in January. For hiking, the Caldera de Taburiente and the Los Tilos forest remain the classics. A volcanic eruption took place in 2021 (ferryhopper): check the current volcanic news before you go.
El Hierro is a quiet island. Valverde has the lowest averages in the archipelago, 18 °C maximum and 14.1 °C minimum in December, a reading to take with caution given the grid size. Ferryscanner presents it as the choice for people who want less visited places.
Which island for which profile in December and January
Each row points to the section of the island named. The « Avoid on these dates » column names the situation to steer clear of on these dates.
| Profile | Main island | Alternative | Avoid on these dates | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family with children | Tenerife south | Gran Canaria south (Maspalomas) | Northern Tenerife | 9% of rainy days in southern Tenerife (ERA5) |
| Couple, comfort | Lanzarote | Tenerife south | Northern Tenerife | 4.5% of rainy days in Arrecife (ERA5); « very stable climate » (laviesauvage-rando) |
| First trip | Tenerife south | Gran Canaria south | Accommodation outside the south | 9% of rainy days in the south (ERA5); most visited island (ISTAC) |
| Solo traveller, tight budget | Gran Canaria south | Tenerife south | From 19 December to 3 January, the busiest period | More inter-island ferries and flights, according to guides; fares to be rechecked |
| Hiking | La Gomera | La Palma (Caldera) | La Palma if you are looking for sun | 30% of rainy days in La Palma, 12% in La Gomera (ERA5) |
| Calm and switching off | El Hierro | La Gomera | Anything that needs a wide tourist offer | « More variable » weather (laviesauvage-rando); few visitors (ferryscanner) |
| Surf and watersports | Fuerteventura | Lanzarote | No wind forecast checked | Surf cited by ferryscanner and explore-canaries; no sourced wind figure |
| Volcanoes and lunar landscapes | Lanzarote (Timanfaya) | Tenerife (Teide) | Teide without checking access conditions | Timanfaya and Teide, cited by the guides consulted |
Source: this guide’s synthesis of the Open-Meteo (ERA5) data and of ISTAC figures, checked on 18 October 2026.
Christmas and New Year: the busiest window
For British travellers, the peak is the Christmas school break in England. From 19 December to 3 January, it overlaps with the French school holidays (zones A and B) and with most German state holidays. The table gives the dates known. Zone C is not included: the official calendar data could not be retrieved for it.
| Market | Period | Dates | Source status |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Christmas 2026-2027 | Most often from Monday 21 December to Friday 1 January, back on Monday 4 January | Local authorities and media |
| Germany, most states | Christmas 2026-2027 | Start between 19 and 24 December, end between 31 December and 12 January, depending on the state | Aggregator sites, to be checked state by state |
| France, zones A and B | Christmas 2026 | Saturday 19 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 inclusive, back on Monday 4 January | Official (ministry) |
| France, zone A | Winter 2027 | Saturday 13 February to Sunday 28 February 2027 inclusive | Official (ministry) |
| France, zone B | Winter 2027 | Saturday 20 February to Sunday 7 March 2027 inclusive | Official (ministry) |
Source: data.education.gouv.fr, French school calendar dataset, checked on 18 October 2026. England and Germany: aggregated and local authority calendars, dates to be confirmed locally.
Are there direct flights to the Canaries at Christmas? No direct route has been verified for Christmas 2026-2027 at the time of writing. Compare on the airlines’ sites or on a comparison site, and date your result. No flight or hotel price has been recorded for the period.
What changes on the day
- 24 December (Noche Buena) is Christmas Eve, according to ferryhopper. Restaurants fill up and take bookings early, according to the same source.
- 25 December: Christmas Day and Boxing Day are bank holidays in England. Many places are often closed or fully booked, according to a 2023 guide, so check the opening hours of each place.
- 31 December (Nochevieja): the New Year’s Eve dinner is sometimes held on the beach, in Las Palmas or Puerto de la Cruz (selectour).
- The Geminids are visible from mid-December, according to canariestourisme.com, an unofficial site.
Budget: what can be priced and what cannot yet
The table only includes amounts that were checked or dated. Christmas flights and accommodation are not priced, as no verified rate is available.
| Item | Amount recorded | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Teide sunset excursion, with pickup (Viator) | €65 per adult, based on 2 people | Checked 18 October 2026; available 43 days out of 62 between December and January |
| Ferry Tenerife to Gran Canaria | From €35 | 2024 fare (ferryscanner), to be rechecked |
| Ferry Lanzarote to Fuerteventura | From about €17 | 2024 fare (ferryscanner), to be rechecked |
| Timanfaya National Park entry | About €30 (to be confirmed) | Several 2026 guides; Cabildo de Lanzarote site not reachable at the time of writing |
| Christmas flights and accommodation | Not priced here | No verified price at the time of writing; compare live |
Source: Viator, rates and availability checked on 18 October 2026; ferryscanner, article dated 7 October 2024 for ferry fares.
Ferry fares date from 2024: compare them with the day’s timetables before you fix your itinerary.
A ten-day stay: one possible itinerary
This itinerary assumes a first visit between Christmas and New Year, based in southern Tenerife. Adapt the order to your dates.
- Days 1 to 4, southern Tenerife. Arrive at Tenerife South, settle in Costa Adeje or Los Cristianos, and spend your days on the beach. Book the Teide trip as soon as your dates are fixed (available 43 days out of 62), then keep one day free for the south of the island.
- Days 5 to 7, Gran Canaria. Ferry crossing to Gran Canaria (about 1 h 20, 2024 fare to be rechecked), then settle in Maspalomas. One day on the dunes, one evening in Puerto de Mogán or Playa del Inglés.
- Days 8 to 10, return. Return to Tenerife by the same link, checking timetables and fares on the operators’ sites, then the flight home.
For New Year’s Eve, book the restaurants for 24 and 31 December before 20 December, and book the car early in high season. No rental rate was recorded for December.
What other guides don’t tell you
The guides consulted describe the islands well, but leave out three points that change the decision.
- The school holiday dates are missing from the guides read. The English Christmas break is most often from 21 December to 1 January (local authorities and media). The French ministry calendar gives zones A and B: from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 inclusive, then the winter holidays from 13 to 28 February 2027 (zone A) and from 20 February to 7 March 2027 (zone B) (data.education.gouv.fr, checked 18 October 2026).
- Northern Tenerife should be judged with figures. Selectour talks about « microclimates » without figures. ERA5 data give 20% of December days with more than 1 mm of rain in Santa Cruz, against 9% at Los Cristianos (Open-Meteo, checked 18 October 2026).
- Teide is not always presented as paid or booked. Several guides present access as free; the regional press indicates a separate permit since 19 January 2026 (RTVC, checked 18 October 2026, to be confirmed on the official site).
Practical information before you leave
Three points to check on official sources before you leave: the access conditions for Teide (official Tenerife ON site), the booking for Timanfaya (Cabildo de Lanzarote site) and the entry requirements for your nationality. The FCDO travel advice for Spain, last updated 12 August 2026, flags no risk specific to the Canary Islands (FCDO, checked 18 October 2026).
A data eSIM to activate before you leave, to stay connected between the airport, your accommodation and your excursions, without a local SIM card.
Plans vary by duration and data volume, see the site for pricesFrequently asked questions
What is the weather like in the Canaries in December?
In December, the average maximum ranges from 18 °C in El Hierro to 22.5 °C in La Gomera, and the minimum stays between 14 and 17 °C, according to ERA5 reanalysis (averages for 2015 to 2024). Selectour gives 20 to 25 °C for the air in November and December, a wider range than these averages. In the south, afternoons are mild and evenings are cool, so pack a jacket.
Which island should I choose in the Canaries in winter?
For a first trip and comfort, choose southern Tenerife or southern Gran Canaria. For the driest weather, pick Lanzarote. For hiking, La Gomera, or La Palma if you accept more rain. The profiles table gives one answer per profile, with the island to avoid on those dates.
What is the sea temperature in the Canaries in December?
It is between 20 and 21 °C in December, and around 18 to 20 °C in January, according to selectour and explore-canaries. These are guide ranges, with no official reading. Regular swimmers and visitors from northern Europe go in; others find the water cold and take a thin wetsuit.
Should I stay in the north or the south of Tenerife in winter?
The south. In Los Cristianos, 9% of December days have more than 1 mm of rain, against 20% in Santa Cruz, on the north-east coast (ERA5). Ferryscanner, in a 2024 article, says the north can drop to 15 °C in winter. The south remains the simplest base for a first trip.
Do I need to book access to Teide in advance?
Yes, access is controlled. Since 19 January 2026, access to the summit requires a separate permit and a fee, with limited places (regional press, to be confirmed on the official Tenerife ON site). The sources disagree on the exact booking window, so check the official site. For an organised excursion, ask the operator whether the permit is included.
How much does Timanfaya cost?
About €30 for an adult, according to several 2026 guides (the child price is given in the Lanzarote section). The official site of the Cabildo de Lanzarote was not reachable when this was written, so confirm the price before you go. According to Gazette Life, a time slot would be compulsory from 15 June 2026, to be confirmed.
Do British travellers need any special entry formalities?
The FCDO travel advice for Spain, last updated 12 August 2026, flags no risk specific to the Canary Islands. Entry rules can change, so check the entry requirements page on the official FCDO site before you travel.
Which school holiday dates should I plan around?
For English schools, the Christmas break is most often from Monday 21 December to Friday 1 January, with a return on Monday 4 January; local authorities set the exact dates. For French zones A and B, the Christmas holidays run from Saturday 19 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 inclusive, and the winter holidays from 13 to 28 February 2027 (zone A) and from 20 February to 7 March 2027 (zone B). Zone C is not covered here, because the data could not be retrieved.
Sources
- ISTAC, Frontur July 2026: visitor numbers by island.
- Open-Meteo, archive API (ERA5): temperatures and rainy days by island.
- French Ministry of Education, school calendar: zones A and B.
- FCDO, travel advice for Spain: last updated 12 August 2026.
- Explore Canaries, winter in the Canaries: sea and climate by island.
- Selectour, when to go to the Canaries: air and sea temperatures.
- Ferryscanner, the Canary Islands in December: ferry fares from 2024.
- Ferryhopper, Christmas in the Canaries: 2023 article.
- La Vie Sauvage Rando, the Canary Islands: a hiker’s review.
- Voyage Canaries, climate and season: calima and cold nights.
- Canary Islands Tourism, top winter destination: unofficial site, 24 December 2024.
- RTVC, access to the Teide summit: regional press.
- Gazette Life, Timanfaya: press, to be confirmed.
- Viator, rates and availability for the Teide excursion, 18 October 2026.
Consulted on 18 October 2026. Rates and timetables should be reconfirmed on the official sites before you leave.
Plan your trip with Pixidia
Pixidia learns how you travel and helps you build a trip that truly fits you and everyone coming along.
Open the planner