The Canary Islands are desirable and increasingly popular sailing destination. Their “eternal spring” climate offers an ideal environment for a holiday at sea throughout the year. They are easily accessible with reasonable costs, excellent infrastructure, and a wide range of charter boats.
The distances between the islands are, after all, greater than in Croatia or Greece and the area is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. If you want to see all the islands from a boat, you need to set aside at least two weeks or even more. We will divide the itinerary into two weekly sections.
In the first itinerary, we will cover the western half of the archipelago. In the next one, we will look at the eastern half together. Keep reading as we delve into our informative seven days from Tenerife routes.
Suggested 7-Day Sailing Itinerary From Tenerife
We will start our journey from one of the marinas on the southeast coast of Tenerife. We will reach the island from mainland Europe on one of the many flights available.
Most people go to the southern Tenerife Sur Airport (TFS), which is closer to most yacht marinas (Marina San Miguel, Marina del Sur - Las Galletas and others). Some fly to the northern Tenerife Norte Airport (TFN). It is easy to get around by public transport, taxi, or a hired car.
Here are our suggested routes in this Tenerife travel guide 2024:
- Day 1 and 2 (Saturday-Sunday): Tenerife - El Hierro
- Day 3 (Monday): El Hierro - La Palma
- Day 4 (Tuesday): La Palma
- Day 5 (Wednesday): La Palma - La Gomera
- Day 6 (Thursday): La Gomera
- Day 7 (Friday): La Gomera - Tenerife
Sailing Route From Tenerife - Recommendations
The centre of charter sailing is the island of Tenerife, which lies roughly in the middle of the archipelago, making it an ideal starting point. You won’t go wrong if you spend a week sailing around this island. You’ll find plenty of attractive ports and destinations for your adventure.
Our sailing trip, however, will encompass circumnavigating the 4 islands in the central and eastern areas and seeing their most fascinating places during the week. Each island is different regarding the natural conditions, attractions and the results of human activity. On the other side, you’ll find friendly and helpful people everywhere. Islands breathe with relaxed subtropical culture and offer reliable, quality service and reasonably priced supplies. Here is our comprehensive itinerary:
Day 1 & 2 (Saturday-Sunday): Tenerife - El Hierro
We’ll begin the first leg of our trip on Saturday evening. Ahead of us is a lengthy journey to El Hierro (which means “the iron” in Spanish), an island situated to the southwest of Tenerife. The route is about 80 NM long, and we expect about 16 hours of sailing, mainly on the open ocean. There are usually favourable and relatively stable north-easterly trade winds in the area.
It's important to be aware of and prepared for the wind acceleration zones between the islands. In our planning, we'll consider the Canary Current, which typically moves southwest at about 0.5 knots but can speed up to 2 knots near the islands. Tidal currents flow northeast at high tide and southwest at low tide, reaching speeds of up to 3 knots.
El Hierro is among the more secluded and less visited islands. The Canary Islands’ southernmost and westernmost points are located here. In the 2nd century BC, the Greek scholar Ptolemy ran his prime meridian through the mentioned westernmost point. From that point, the island was known as 'Isla del Meridiano'. Incidentally, the Greenwich Prime Meridian was not generally accepted internationally until 1884.
Like all Canary Islands, El Hierro is of volcanic origin. The archipelago was formed about 25 million years ago and has maintained relatively abundant volcanic activity ever since. The most recent volcanic eruption close to El Hierro occurred in 2012 in the shallow waters south of Puerto de la Restinga, our initial crossing destination. This port, though modern, is relatively small compared to current standards. However, it provides a safe haven for resting and an excellent base for exploring the island.
Near the southern border of the small port town, you'll find open plains covered with lava flows from relatively recent geological times, which are certainly worth seeing. There are various restaurants and bars along the marina, and the nearby streets feature a few small shops and a car rental.
If our schedule allows and we have enough energy after our night cruise, we can rent a car and drive about 8 km on the main road to the "Centro de Interpretación del Geoparque". This visitor centre specializes in volcanism and the local geological history. After visiting, exploring other local attractions in the area would be intriguing, as there are plenty to choose from.
Day 3 (Monday): El Hierro - La Palma
The cruise's second leg takes us north to La Palma, about 60 nautical miles. We need to start early and sail on time. After departing the marina, we'll head south, then around the southern cape, and change our direction to the northwest. Sailing in the island's shadow with the engine on, we'll follow its coastline. Along the way, we'll pass the impressive "Faro de Orchilla" lighthouse, perched high on a platform above the sea. Close by, there's a concrete monument marking the historic prime meridian's location.
Once we round the western cape, we can set a course of approximately 15 degrees under sail towards distant La Palma, aiming for the "Puerto de Tazacorte" marina. In typical conditions, we'll experience intense sailing here. The route opens westward into the Atlantic Ocean, where very long ocean waves, often up to 4 meters high, roll in. Their length makes them more comfortable to navigate, and they don't feel as high. A slightly longer boat is beneficial in these conditions, with 50 feet being the ideal sailboat size.
After a full day's sailing, we approach the southwest coast of La Palma and our final destination towards evening. On the starboard side, we'll see the area affected by the 2021 eruption of the "La Cumbre Vieja" volcano.
It devastated several inhabited parts of the island before it reached the coast and cooled in the seawater.
The marina is modern, well-equipped, and fairly large, offering all essential services, including car rental. Ideally, we should book a car right after checking into the marina for the next day, provided we arrive before the office closes.
We will balance the boat really well before the night's rest. The main ridge of the island is right above us. On the other side of it, clouds usually accumulate during the day, which then fall over the ridge in the evening and night, causing a very strong gusty katabatic wind that falls directly into the marina's harbour pool.
Day 4 (Tuesday): La Palma
On our 7-day itinerary from Tenerife, we dedicate a whole day to relaxing and discovering the island. Ideally, we can head out right after breakfast with a car reserved from the day before. After driving through the centre of Tarajal, we take the LP-1 road northward. This leads us on a steep ascent up the side of the old volcano crater, a prominent feature of the island. Along the way, we'll find several viewpoints to observe this caldera, its outer areas, and the expansive blue ocean surrounding it.
Once we turn onto the LP-4 mountain road, we slowly make our way to the European Astronomical Observatory. Situated over 2,000 meters high, this observatory is home to various optical and radio telescopes, attracting astronomers and scientists from Europe and worldwide. There's a visitor centre where you can learn about the equipment and research projects. Beyond the observatory, we reach the crater's rim at the "Roque de los Muchachos" peak. From there, a path leads to the "Mirador del Espigón del Roque," offering a truly breathtaking view.
We keep going on the mountain road, circling the entire top of the crater with multiple viewpoints, before beginning our descent on a winding road eastward towards Santa Cruz de la Palma, the island's capital. Along the route, we travel through dense pine forests filled with typical Canarian pine trees characterized by long needles, branches, and trunks blanketed in lush lichens. These forests flourish in a specific altitude range frequently enveloped in clouds, known as "mist forests". There are several spots to park the car and take a short or longer walk to explore this fascinating ecosystem.
We'll go on a tour after a late lunch in the capital. We plan to visit the local marina and see the replica of Columbus' ship Santa Maria in the town square, which celebrates his stop on the island before embarking on his famous oceanic voyage of discovery.
If you have time left, you can also visit Playa de los Cancajos beach, located about 2.5 km south of the port. This beach is known for its black volcanic sand, offering a great opportunity for a swim.
We take the LP-301 road with hairpin bends back to the boat. We'll reach the edge of the caldera and the "Mirador Astronomico del Llano de Jable" lookout point. From here, we descend into the crater's interior, towards the town of Tazacorte, and back to our marina.
Day 5 (Wednesday): La Palma - La Gomera
Today's journey covers around 50 nautical miles. We'll start early in the morning, and after going around La Palma's southern cape, we'll set a course of about 310 degrees towards Puerto de Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera, aiming to arrive before nightfall. Puerto de Valle Gran Rey isn't a marina but a municipal harbour where we can tie up our boat along the long inner side of the breakwater (it's important to account for significant tidal changes when mooring) or anchor in the shallow bay south of the harbour.
Valle Gran Rey is known for its artistic, free-thinking community. This community primarily resides in the large property just south of the town, near Playa de las Arenas beach or in caravans parked around it. Until recently, you could walk from the harbour to this area along a gravel path by the coast, right under the towering cliff above the port. However, in November 2020, a large section of this cliff collapsed, blocking the path. Now, the beach can only be accessed by boat.
In the small centre of the town, in a tangle of narrow streets, we can find a number of pleasant restaurants and bars, shops with art objects and various cannabis products.
Day 6 (Thursday): La Gomera
Thursday will be about exploring La Gomera. We'll drive inland in a rented car, entering the large fertile valley that the city is named after ("Valley of the Great King"). Alongside the road, there's also a well-maintained hiking trail for those who prefer to walk. A few kilometres in, we'll reach the Mirador de El Palmarejo lookout point. The building with a restaurant hidden in the terrain features a panoramic window and offers a fantastic view. It was designed by the renowned Canarian architect César Manrique in his signature style (though most of his works are on the island of Lanzarote). Regrettably, the restaurant has been closed in recent years, leading to the building’s gradual deterioration.
As we drive further into the island's centre, the surrounding landscape transforms dramatically with increasing altitude. The cliffs and steep slopes give way to plateaus blanketed in dense, deep green laurel groves, flourishing in the area's unique humid climate. We'll stop at various viewpoints and eventually park near the Las Cruces site. From there, we'll embark on a circular hike through the surrounding forests, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We'll take the GM-2 road eastward and, after a few kilometres, turn left onto Carretera Laguna Grande. This unpaved but manageable road leads north. Along the way, we'll pass several stunning viewpoints before parking at the Mirador de Abrante restaurant. Built on top of a cliff above the coastal town of Agulo, this restaurant not only serves excellent food but also provides spectacular views of the ocean, nearby Tenerife, and its iconic 3,718-meter volcanic peak, Pico del Teide.
Following a satisfying lunch, we'll head to San Sebastián de La Gomera, the island's capital. There, we'll explore the local harbour and visit the town beach. Once we've enjoyed enough swimming and time in the town, we'll leisurely return to our marina. During the journey, we'll take frequent stops to admire the ever-changing scenery, where one stunning view quickly gives way to another.
Day 7 (Friday): La Gomera - Tenerife
After a delightful 7-day trip from Tenerife, it's time for us to head back. We have about 50 nautical miles of beautiful ocean sailing ahead of us. Hopefully, we'll be accompanied by dolphins and possibly pilot whales, which are plentiful in this area. After a full day of sailing, we'll return to our home marina.
Over the course of a week, we’ve travelled approximately 250 nautical miles and visited 4 of the Canary Islands. I hope this article will persuade everyone that this region has much to offer and that every sailor can find their ideal experience here. The remarkable diversity of nature and the welcoming locals will draw us back again soon.
For those of you who would like to visit the Canaries with your boat but don't dare to do it on your own, I recommend checking out the range of cruises organised in the area by the SeaTime Sailing Academy. In the spring months, there are always several flotilla cruises to choose from.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Days Do I Need For Tenerife?
A minimum of 7 days is recommended to fully enjoy your trip, as this allows you to combine different activities for a memorable experience. Additionally, consider renting a boat from a reputable charter company to enhance your experience.
How Can I Travel Along Tenerife's Coast?
You have a selection of yachts available for rent, starting at €182 per day. Choose one that suits your preferences to ensure comfort during your trip.