Overview
The sun-drenched Canary Islands, which are volcanic in origin, have a remarkably diverse landscape with subtropical flora, large pine forests, huge sand dunes and towering mountains. The most popular Canary Islands are Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Lanzarote is a successful mix of modern hotel complexes, environmentally friendly development and an aesthetically pleasing design without high-rise buildings. Fuerteventura, on the other hand, is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts and beach holidaymakers; the island’s sandy beaches are among the best in Europe. The unspoilt little island of La Gomera is charming and great for day trips. It can be reached by ferry from Tenerife in 30 minutes. La Palma is perhaps the most beautiful of the Canary Islands. The green, non-commercialized oasis is primarily of interest to hikers. The westernmost island is El Hierro, a windswept patch of land that sees just a handful of visitors a year.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Iberia (IB) connects Germany, Austria and Switzerland with Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Palma. TUIfly (X3) flies from numerous German cities and from Basel to Tenerife (south), Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Eurowings (EW) connects Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, La Palma and Fuerteventura with various German cities; Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura also with Zurich and Vienna and Lanzarote with Zurich. Austrian myHoliday (OS) fly from Vienna to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Air Europa (UX) connects the Canary Islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma. Condor (DE) flies from numerous German airports and Zurich to Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Tenerife. Corendon Airlines (XC) flies from Weeze to Gran Canaria.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Tenerife: 4 hours 50 minutes; Zurich – Tenerife: 4 hours 35 minutes; Vienna – Tenerife: 5 hrs 25 mins
Arrival by car
There are bus connections and car rental companies on all islands. Toll: There are no toll routes on the Canary Islands. Documents: The national driving license is sufficient.
Arrival by train
There is no rail service on the Canary Islands.
Arrival by ship
Tenerife and Gran Canaria each have a large commercial port. All the islands are connected to each other and to mainland Spain by numerous ferries; The main port of these connections is the port of Las Palmas.
Note on arrival by ship
Car and passenger ferries run regularly between the islands. Day trips to the smaller islands can be arranged.
Cruise ships
Shipping companies such as AIDA, Tui Cruises and Phoenix Reisen offer cruises from Germany to the Canary Islands.
Ferry provider
Car ferries of the line Trasmediterránea operate between Las Palmas and Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma and Tenerife as well as to Cádiz on the Spanish mainland. Ferries the Fred. Olsen Express connect Gran Canaria with Tenerife and Fuerteventura, Lanzarote with Fuerteventura and La Palma and La Palma with La Gomera and Tenerife. A catamaran runs every hour between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (journey time: 12 minutes). Naviera Armas ferries operate from Las Palmas to all of the Canary Islands except El Hierro and between El Hierro, La Gomera and Tenerife.
Passport and visa regulations
Visa information
See Spain.
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Visa information
See Spain.
Language
Overview
Official language is Spanish. The Canarian dialect is similar to the Latin American Spanish spoken in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The letter s is often not pronounced and the 2nd person plural is replaced by the 3rd person plural. Some words differ from mainland Spanish (Castilian). On La Gomera, El Silbo, the Guanche whistled language, is still used today and taught in elementary schools. Many islanders speak English and German, especially on the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, which are very well developed for tourism.
Idioms
Eight = Ocho Eighty = Ochenta Goodbye = Adios Exit = Salida Beer = Cerveza Please = Por favor Thank you very much = Gracias Tuesday = Martes Thursday = Jueves Doctor = Médico Thirty = Treinta Three = Tres One = Un / uno / una Entrance = Entrada One Hundred = Cien One Thousand = Mil Friday = Viernes Five = Cinco Fifty = Cincuenta Danger = Peligro Open = Abierto Closed = Cerrado Good Morning = Buenos Dias Good Day = Buenas Tardes’ Good Evening = Buenas Noches Hello = Hola Today = Hoy Hotel = Hotel I understand not that one. = No entiendo I feel sick. = Me encuentro mal Ja = Sí My name is… … = Me llamo… I’m doing very well. = Estoy muy bien Wednesday = Miércoles Monday = Lunes Tomorrow = Mañana Nine = Nueve Ninety = Noventa No = No Restaurant = Restaurante Saturday = Sábado Six = Seis Sechzig = Sesenta Seven = Siete Seventy = Setenta Sunday = Domingo Menu = Carta Do you speak German/ English? = ¿Habla inglés? Excellent! = Chevere! Toilets = Servicios Forty = Cuarenta Four = Cuatro Wine = Vino How are you? = ¿Qué tal estas? How much is it? = ¿Cuánto it? Where is …? = ¿Dónde esta? Ten = Diez Twenty = Veinte Two = Dos Toilets = Servicios Forty = Cuarenta Four = Cuatro Wine = Vino How are you? = ¿Qué tal estas? How much is it? = ¿Cuánto it? Where is …? = ¿Dónde esta? Ten = Diez Twenty = Veinte Two = Dos
Contact addresses
El Hierro
c/o Spain B2B
El Rosario/Tabaiba
Spain
+49 176 61 69 21 89.
http://www.spainb2b.de/
http://www.spainb2b.de/ Tenerife Tourist Office
c/o Global Communication Experts (GCE)
Hanauer Landstrasse 184
Frankfurt am Main
Germany
+49 (69) 17 53 71 028/036. SPET Turismo de Tenerife SA
C. Alcalde José Emilio García Gómez 9
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Spain
+34 (902) 32 13 31.
http://www.webtenerife.de
http://www.webtenerife.de Promotur Turismo de Canarias
Calle Víctor Hugo 60
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Spain
+34 (928) 29 05 79.
http://www.holaislascanarias.com
http://www.holaislascanarias.com Tourist Office in La Gomera
Other tourist offices in Valle Gran Rey and Playa de Santiago.
Calle Real 32
San Sebastián de La Gomera
Spain
+34 (922) 141 512.
http://lagomera.travel/
http://lagomera.travel/
Mon-Sat 09.00-13.30 and 15.30-18.00, Sun 10.00-13.00.
Tourist Office La Palma – DACH
c/o Lieb Management
(Also responsible for Austria and Switzerland.)
Bavariaring 38
Munich
Germany
+49 (89) 689 06 38 21.
http://www.visitlapalma.es/de
http://www.visitlapalma.es/de Tourist Office Fuerteventura
c/o Adelina Diaz
Lichtensteinallee 1
Berlin
Germany
+49 (30) 882 65 43.
http://visitfuerteventura.es/de
http://visitfuerteventura.es/de
Communication
Internet
On El Hierro there is free internet access via WLAN.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to request the current frequencies directly from Deutsche Welle customer service (Tel: (+49) (0221) 389 32 08. Internet: www.dwelle.de).
