Canary Islands family holidays and breaks

A major tourist destination, the Canary Islands – a territory of Spain but located off the west coast of Africa – have long been popular for family holidays by virtue of being quick and easy to reach and blessed with a lovely year-round climate that makes them particularly well-suited to half-term holidays and breaks.

The major islands – Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote – are all well-developed. But though mass-market tourism has left its mark in places, all still offer a variety of compelling (often volcanic) landscapes to explore in addition to family-friendly beaches and facilities galore.

As for the lesser-known Canaries, La Gomera boasts one of the most child-friendly of Spain’s main nature reserves and national parks, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Garajonay National Park, with forest landscapes where you can get up close to reptiles and different plant formations. La Palma, nicknamed la isla bonita (‘the beautiful island’) attracts hikers with its spectacular landscapes, while El Hierro, the smallest of the Canaries, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with plenty of wilderness to escape into.