The Canaries are classic winter-sun spots. Bigger, more popular islands, such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, are the most wallet-friendly, with a wider range of accommodation and direct low-cost flights.
On-island location matters too. For instance, stay at Villa Harmony in the old town of busy Puerto del Carmen, on Lanzarote, and you can save by buying fresh fish from the local pescaderia to barbecue on your private pool terrace.
Also, you don’t have to hire a car as there are shops, restaurants and sandy beaches within walking distance, plus access to inexpensive buses linking the airport, the capital Arrecife and Teguise’s Sunday market, the most famous in the Canary Islands.
Good value full-day trips regularly run from Puerto del Carmen to Timanfaya National Park too, where you can marvel at the unique volcanic landscape.
How to do it: Villa Select (0800 270 0055; villaselect.com) offers seven nights at Villa Harmony, sleeping six, from £1,126 per week. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Lanzarote from £14.99 one way in January. Plan your trip with our Lanzarote travel guide.
This article was first published in September 2023 and has been revised and updated.
