Welcome to the Home of Sailing in The Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are situated off the north western coast of Africa (Morocco and Western Sahara) and are part of Spain. Due to their geographical location the Canary Islands have a subtropical climate which makes for a fantastic location for winter sailing without having to flee to the Caribbean.

The Canaries are an extremely popular holiday destination which means at times this destination can become very busy. A sailing holiday in the Canary Islands however offers sailors the ability to get away from the crowds and explore some of the more remote island locations.

Do remember that sailing the Canaries is challenging and should be approached by confident sailors only. Remember that this is the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean!

The Canary Islands consist of seven large islands: Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera, and Hierro. In addition there are also a few smaller ones: Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste und Lobos. The landscape of each island is distinctly unique.

Santa Cruz

This is the main yacht base in the Canary Islands. It's ideally situated in the middle of the islands, providing ready access to all the surrounding islands.Santa Cruz is characterised by its famous nightlife, consisting of ‘discotheques’ and pubs in the Marina Park, as well as pubs in La Noria street and surroundings, as well a nearby La Laguna.

Around this important port are wide avenues, squares and exotic landscaped areas, not forgetting some beautiful examples of modernist architecture. This beautiful location allows you to enjoy fantastic beaches such as las Teresitas, get to know the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, or visit the Teide National Park, the symbol of the island.

La Gomera

La Gomera is one of the smaller seven Canary Islands along with El Hierro and La Palma.The island is an ideal escape for any tourist or even Canary Island resident wishing to retire for a few days in the tranquil surroundings of a beautiful natural island with its own national park.

The Island is visible on a clear day from Tenerife and on occasions you can actually see the port of San Sebastian. The most popular attraction on the Island has to be the national park , De Garajonay. It was first recognised as a national park and declared part of the World Heritage of Humanity in 1986.

The island provides a stark contrast to the harsh Tenerife south environment, with its dense permanently green forest and its continuous mist on the centre of the Island; this is a genuine subtropical island not to be missed.

El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands with very little signs of tourism or development. It is on the edge of the Atlantic with Punta de Orchilla being first discovered many years ago and believed to be the end of the known world until the America was discovered. The island has spectacular cliffs over 1,000 feet with unbelievable lava formations all encapsulating lush forests. El Gofo is an unusual sight where the water has reacted with volcanic rock and minerals to form a "green pool ". Another spectacular sight is the Salmor Lizard dating back to the tertiary age which is a protected species of the Canary Islands. Scuba divers will find this most attractive with an abundance of marine life from big rays and hammerheads to trumpet fish. The people of El Hierro fight to retain their tradition with regular fiestas, folklore and their crafts. The Bajada de La Virgen de Los Reyes celebrates the religious procession of the patron saint every four years with processions around all the hidden paths of the island.

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean 210 km from the northwest coast of Africa and belonging to Spain. It is located southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. The island is of volcanic origin, which is mostly made of fissure vents.The island has a population of 802,257 with 378,628 (year 2005) of those in the capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the biggest city of the Canary Islands, also the capital of the province of Las Palmas, and also one of the two capitals of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, along with Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Most tourists stay in the south of the island, which is sunnier and has less rain than the north. There is a large bird park, Palmitos Park, in the south of the island (which is currently closed to the public until further notice), as well as many beach resort communities. The resort communities start in the central eastern part of the southern coast in the Maspalomas area which includes the towns of San Agustín, Playa del Inglés, Sonnenland, and Maspalomas where most tourists visit. The Dunes of Maspalomas are located between Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas. Another tourist attraction is the Lighthouse at Maspalomas situated at the western end of Maspalomas.

The main sailing centres on the island are; Las Palmas, Puerto Rico, Pasito Blanco, Arguineguin and Puerto de Mogán.

Please note: Sailing in the Canary Islands can be challenging. Distances between some of the islands can be considerable with winds channelling as they pass between the islands. Remember that this is not the Mediterranean Sea, but the open Atlantic Ocean.

We recommend you purchase a Atlantic Islands Imray Pilot Book. Sailing Holidays can arrange this if required.

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