Africa > 🇪🇸The Canary Islands
Should You Hire a Car in The Canary Islands? This can be broken down into two similar questions - do you need a car in The Canary Islands (in other words, will your holiday be ruined without one), and is it worth hiring a car in The Canary Islands - i.e. is a car better value than using public transport? We'll weigh up both questions and give you a response generated by Chat GPT, together with our own curated opinion before finally giving a yes or no verdict at the end.
The Canary Islands are politically part of Spain 🇪🇸 and fully inside the EU, yet they sit far off the coast of West Africa, on the African continental shelf. This unusual mix means they feel European, but the landscapes — volcanic peaks, desert dunes, subtropical forests, and black-sand beaches — feel much more exotic. With seven main islands, many travellers naturally ask: should you rent a car in the Canary Islands?
In most cases, the answer is yes, although it depends on the island and the type of holiday you want.
🌋 The Islands at a Glance
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Tenerife – the biggest island, home to Mount Teide, diverse climates, and a long list of day trips.
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Gran Canaria – famous for dunes, mountain villages, and wide loop roads around the island.
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Lanzarote – surreal volcanic scenery, Timanfaya National Park, and long coastline drives.
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Fuerteventura – dunes, beaches, surf towns… and distances that really reward having a car.
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La Palma – the “Isla Bonita,” ideal for hiking, crater drives, and rural exploration.
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La Gomera – steep roads, wild landscapes, and limited buses.
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El Hierro – tiny, remote, quiet, and best explored independently.
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La Graciosa – car-free (you’ll cover that separately).
🚗 Why Renting a Car Often Helps
👉 1. The Landscapes Are Wild and Spread Out
Although each island looks small on a map, the mountains, ravines, and national parks make journeys slow and incredibly scenic. A rental car lets you stop for viewpoints, hiking starts, and remote beaches whenever you feel like it.
👉 2. Buses Don’t Always Go Where Tourists Want
Public transport exists everywhere, but it varies by island:
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Tenerife and Gran Canaria have good networks
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Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are patchy
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La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro rely heavily on cars
So, while buses are fine for resort-to-resort travel, they aren’t ideal for exploring rural scenery.
👉 3. Prices Are Surprisingly Reasonable
Because the Canary Islands have huge tourist demand, rental cars are often cheaper than in mainland Spain — especially in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura.
🚌 When You Might Skip the Car
Despite the advantages, a few travellers do not need a car:
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If you plan to stay mostly in Las Palmas, Santa Cruz, or in a resort area and simply use buses
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If you’re visiting only for beaches and don’t intend to explore
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If you prefer organised excursions, which are available everywhere
But even then, renting a car for one or two days is still a common choice.
🛣️ Island-by-Island Quick Verdict
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Tenerife – Car strongly recommended for Teide, Anaga, and the Teno mountains
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Gran Canaria – Car very useful for the inland routes and viewpoints
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Lanzarote – Almost essential for volcanic landscapes
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Fuerteventura – Best explored by car due to long distances
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La Palma – Car highly recommended for hiking and crater roads
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La Gomera – Bus routes are limited; car strongly advised
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El Hierro – Best explored independently
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La Graciosa – No cars allowed
🏁 Summary — Should you rent a car in the Canary Islands?
➡️ Yes — in most cases having a car transforms the experience.
The islands are easy to navigate, beautifully scenic, and full of places that buses simply don’t reach. While you can get around using public transport, especially on Tenerife or Gran Canaria, you’ll see far more — and at your own pace — with a rental car.
