Top 7 things to do in the Canary Islands when it’s cold back home

In the Canaries, it’s 22°C and the sea is trying to outshine the sky. We’ve all had that moment when your phone pings with a cheap flight and your jumper suddenly feels heavier. This is for that restless, blue-lipped week.

I stepped off the plane in Tenerife and the air was soft enough to make people unzip their winter selves. A taxi driver laughed, pointed at Mount Teide, and said, “Clouds are our winter. You’ll be fine.” The café by the harbour did those strong little coffees that taste like a decision, and a kid in a wetsuit flew past dragging a surfboard bigger than him. This is winter, but not as you know it. A pensioner slid into the ocean like she did it every day and waved the kind of wave that says go on then. The islands reward those who wander.

Heat-seeking hits: the first three moves

The fastest way to warm your bones is to drive up through Tenerife’s pine belt until the world flips and you’re above the clouds. Up on Mount Teide, the evening light turns volcanic cones into bruised gold, and it’s strangely quiet, like snow quiet, only warm. You stand there, jacket off, and watch the sun drag a pink scarf across the sky.

Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park feels like another planet built by a meticulous chef. You watch water whoosh into geysers and see a bundle of straw burst into flame on hot rock. Average winter highs hover around 20–23°C across the islands, and London is only four to four and a half hours away. One couple next to me whispered, “We left hail for this,” and high-fived like they’d hacked the year.

Then the sand takes over. Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is a desert poured beside the sea, and walking those dunes at golden hour is a full-body reset. Your steps are a metronome. Your shadow grows long. The Atlantic breathes in your left ear and a warmth you’d given up on creeps into your shoulders. You suddenly forgive January.

Salt, spray, and volcanic edges

If you’ve ever wanted to stand up on a wave, Fuerteventura is your friend. Start early in Corralejo or El Cotillo when the wind still yawns and the foam is forgiving. A good instructor will nudge your feet into position, have you pop from knees to feet in one motion, and catch that first small ride like it’s an inside joke. Let’s be honest: nobody actually does that every day.

Charcos — those natural lava pools — might be the Canaries’ greatest winter cheat code. Aim for low tide at Garachico in Tenerife or Agaete in Gran Canaria, slip in where the Atlantic has been filtered by rock, and float as if the sea made you a private room. Common mistake: rocking up at peak swell with bravado and no plan. Take a beat, check the tide board, and let a local auntie give you that nod that means “now”.

The sea between Tenerife and La Gomera is a corridor for whales and dolphins, and a small-boat trip there is the kind of quiet thrill you remember on the Tube. Go with a responsible operator who cuts the engine and lets the animals write the script.

“Winter is a concept here,” the skipper said, watching pilot whales roll like commas, “not a rule.”

• Best window: calm mornings, October to March for fewer crowds and gentle light.
• Ports to try: Los Cristianos or Los Gigantes (Tenerife), Vueltas (La Gomera).
• Bring: a windbreaker, polarised sunnies, and your best listening face.
• Red flags: boats chasing pods, loud music, no briefing on distance rules.
• Bonus moment: switch your phone to flight mode and treat the horizon like a movie.

Slow island days, the bit you remember

There’s a seventh move that makes winter feel like a story you outran: stargazing. La Palma and Tenerife both offer skies with a swagger, and the first time you see the Milky Way shoulder its way across the darkness, you forget your scarf exists. You can do a guided night up near Teide or drive to a mirador with a flask and a blanket, and it’s the same quiet hum — the world tilting into perspective while you breathe out the month. People swap snacks, someone points at Orion with a biscuit, and boom: strangers become a small camp, together. It’s a tiny act of winter rebellion that asks very little and gives a lot. You go back to your room salt-damp and sleepy, and the idea of cold suddenly feels optional.

FAQ :

• Which Canary Island is best for winter sun?Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the most varied microclimates and plenty of sheltered spots, especially in the south. Fuerteventura is windier, great for surfers, while Lanzarote brings that volcanic drama with reliably mild days.
• Is it warm enough to swim in January?Yes for most people. Sea temps sit around 19–20°C, and the midday sun helps. Natural pools and sheltered coves feel warmer than open beaches when the trade winds pick up.
• Do I need a car to do these seven things?It helps. Buses are decent on major routes, but a car lets you chase patches of blue and reach trailheads, charcos, and miradors at the right times. Consider a day rental if you’re based in a resort.
• What should I wear for Mount Teide and stargazing?Layers. It can be 22°C on the coast and single digits at altitude after sunset. Trainers with grip, a fleece, and a light windproof will keep you happy above the clouds.
• Can I fit this into a long weekend?Yes if you focus. Day 1: arrival swim and dunes. Day 2: Teide or Timanfaya. Day 3: charco float, whale trip, late-night stars. Fly home with salt in your hair and smug in your pocket.