In order

1 - Fuerteventura
2 - Lanzarote
3 - Gran Canaria
4 - Tenerife

I would put Tenerife first only because it has a bit of all the other islands in it.
People still have this idea that it`s all beer and chips.
Try walking in the Mercedes mountains at dawn that will change your mind.
A lot of people would prefer the beer and chips though.
Horses for courses.
Rodz

Hi, Tenerife first for me, and Puerto de la Cruz. There is so much variety, mountains, lush valleys, sea and surf, lovely beaches, award winning lido. Great shops for all for all pockets, lovely restaurants for all tastes. And to round it all off sit and watch the sun go down on a perfect day, with another just 12 hours away.

Weather wise I would put Tenerife at the bottom.

for the scenery and views its got to be tenerife i love driving up to the mountains and down through the clouds to the pine forest

Just interested, why Tenerife at the bottom for weather.
I have been to all the islands exept El Hiero and now live on Tenerife for most of the year.

I have found the weather almost identical on all of the Islands.
The only exeption was Lanzorote which I have always found very windy but just as much sun.
Rodz

hello id put Tenerife at the top.Someone once told me that if you visit Tenerife first the other islands would never match it.I find this to be so true.I went to Gran Canaria this year in june and after day 2 i wished i was in tenerife.It was so boring and not very pretty (apart from Puerto mogan)Tenerife has it all, the weather the entertainment,the nice restuarants.Cant beat it

I have always found that Tenerife has far more cloud than the others.Even in the south of the island.It gathers round the highest mountain in Spain.

Actually, the mountain is the reason that the south is sunnier than the north in Tenerife. The trade winds blow from the north-east for most of the year causing clouds to form between 3,000 - 6,000ft. As the island is much higher than this, they stay mostly on the north side leaving the south cloud free for most of the year. Of course, this doesn't mean you never see clouds, but this is true of all of the other islands. We have had a couple of cloudy spells this year, in particular an unusually cloudy May. The key word here though is 'unusually'. Since the end of May there has hardly been a cloud in the sky in the south.

My favourites islands in order, of the one's I have visited are Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Lanzarote & Fuerteventura. Tenerife, in my opinion has everything the others have and more besides.

I visited in December and May and found that there is clear blue sky until about 10.30 then its a mixture odf clouds and sun all day.

Where in Tenerife are the beaches that match Fuerteventura?

I have been to Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote (and off to Gran Canaria next year!) And I have to say I wasnt overly impressed with Lanzarote, pretty shabby, nothing very wow(ing) about it! I have to say its hard to choose between Tenerife and Fuerteventura as I love them both, and do think they have different qualities. Although I would have to say Tenerife gets it. Theres abit more going on, abit more interesting, and abit more to see. Although the beaches arent as good as Fuerteventura!

As for the weather, normally its clear blue skies for the 2 weeks, bar normally one cloudy day!

There may well have been cloud when you visited but it doesn't follow that it's like this all of the time. I for instance spent Xmas and New Year in 2006 on the island and we had no cloud at all for 10 days and the temperature was in the high twenties everyday but I know it's not like that every Xmas! Now I live here full-time and can assure you that whilst we do have the odd cloudy spell, most of the time it is sunny in the south. I have visited Gran Canaria many times and this also has mainly sunny skies in the south but I have also been there when it has been cloudy. Same goes for the other islands.

As for the beaches on Fuerteventura, they are the best in the Canaries but in my opinion this is the only feature that the island beats Tenerife for.

to compare islands firstly there is two types of people who visit as holiday makers, the first type are the ones who sit on there backsides for the full fortnight round there complex and never once move, then come back home and say i will never go back to so and so it was rubbish, now thats the sort of people who really cheese me off. how can people like that make any construtive comments.

then there is people who when they visit the island get out and about and do the full rounds and see what the islands is all about

oh by the way folks i am not pointing my finger at anyone on here, this is just a general comment on my own experience with people i know

It depends what kind of holiday you're hoping for. Each island is different.
Tenerife has something for everyone, whether you want sightseeing, sports, sunbathing or clubbing, you have it all there, as long as you choose your location carefully. My ideal day in Tenerife is spending a day up in the mountains, visiting little villages, and then coming back down to PDLA for an evening round the bars.
Only been to Gran Canaria once, for a week's "R&R", and stayed in PDI and wasn't impressed, but it hasn't put me off seeing other places on the island, I would love to try the Mogan/Taurito area.
Fuerteventura is peaceful and has the most fantastic beaches. Not much to do there (you can see most of the sights/attractions in two touring days if you have a car) but great if you just want to chill out and enjoy the sunshine. We're back there next Easter and already looking forward to it.
Lanzarote is one of my personal favourite places, although I realise not everybody would appreciate the beauty of such a unique island. The input/influence of Cesar Manrique compliments the landscape and makes a stunning artistic feature of every volcanic site. The lava caves, Timanfaya, Manrique's house etc. I wouldn't go too often though, once you've seen it you want to wait a few years before enjoying it all again. It's very much a "love it or hate it" place.
Only been to La Gomera on a day trip and found it very green and un-touristy. I can definitely see the appeal for walkers. Not been to La Palma or El Hierro, but wouldn't mind trying them in the future when I can holiday without demanding teenagers.
Weather-wise, I don't think there's much difference. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are windier, but we have stayed in Tenerife (PDLA) in May and it was very windy (and cloudy) there too. We've had calimas in Lanzarote (August) and Tenerife (Easter - got burnt to a crisp, due to the "sparkly air"). La Gomera was much more humid than anywhere else we'd been.

little legs wrote:

the first type are the ones who sit on there backsides for the full fortnight round there complex and never once move, then come back home and say i will never go back to so and so it was rubbish

My neighbours went to Tenerife for the first time this summer with young children. They made a bad choice of hotel, right in the thick of 18-30s land, and have come home saying "Tenerife is a dump, full of idiots..." etc. I feel so sad that they haven't given it a proper chance. They're actually going to Bulgaria next year, which is one place I've never fancied due to reports of children begging, prostitutes on the streets and animal cruelty, but whatever...

Still think Tenerife has the edge because it has everything.
If you want to get away you can lose youself in the forests and mountains.
I suppose what happens is when you have young kids they have to be entertained, which means beachs and water parks etc. they won`t really appreciate a walk in the Orotava Valley.
I havn`t been to El Hiero yet but found La Palma in a time warp which made it very interesting.
Still I am always happy to get back to Tenerife.
Don`t know whether anybody else has done this, most probably me whose just stupid. I sometimes sit on the rubble opposite Spar on the way down from Dinistia and Castle Harbour and feed the lizards. They actually come to you out of the vegetation and take food out of your hand. Ah well every one to their ways.
Rodz

Don`t know whether anybody else has done this, most probably me whose just stupid. I sometimes sit on the rubble opposite Spar on the way down from Dinistia and Castle Harbour and feed the lizards. They actually come to you out of the vegetation and take food out of your hand. Ah well every one to their ways.
Rodz

You're not alone Rodz. I do this all of the time when out walking. Whenever I/we stop for a break, we often throw bits of fruit or bread down and often the lizards come running out from under the surrounding undergrowth.

Glad about that.
Rodz