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PolskiChoose Tenerife if you want the most choice: more resorts, more flights, Mount Teide, a green north and a big, easy-going long-stay community in the south. Choose Lanzarote if you prefer a calmer, smaller island with striking volcanic landscapes, low-rise towns and somewhat lower rents. Winter temperatures at the coast are very similar; the difference is scale, scenery and pace of life.
Tenerife is the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands, with two airports and a wide range of places to live. Lanzarote is smaller, flatter and drier, shaped by volcanic eruptions and by the artist César Manrique, who helped keep high-rise hotels off the island. Here is how they compare for a winter stay of one to four months.
Side by side
| Tenerife | Lanzarote | |
|---|---|---|
| Main long-stay bases | Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje, Puerto de la Cruz | Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise |
| Typical rent, one-bedroom, peak winter | About €1,100-1,800 in Los Cristianos | About €900-1,500 in Puerto del Carmen |
| Landscape | Mountains, forests, Teide at 3,715 metres | Flat to hilly, volcanic, very dry |
| Climate variety | Sunny south, greener and cooler north | Similar across the island, often breezy |
| Airports | Two, north and south | One, next to Puerto del Carmen |
| City life | Santa Cruz and La Laguna | Arrecife, smaller |
| Pace | Busier, more international | Calmer, low-rise |
Rents are indicative ranges from listings. See monthly rental prices in the Canary Islands.
Weather
At the coast, both islands are typically around 21 to 23°C by day in December, January and February, and 23 to 25°C in November. Southern Tenerife is very sunny and sheltered; Lanzarote is also dry and sunny but usually breezier. The big difference is inside Tenerife itself: the north around Puerto de la Cruz is greener, cloudier and a couple of degrees cooler than the south. See Tenerife weather in January, Lanzarote weather in January and Tenerife’s microclimates.
Lifestyle
Southern Tenerife is built around long seafront promenades, with Los Cristianos the classic flat, walkable base and Costa Adeje the more upmarket option. There are many long-stayers from Scandinavia, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, plenty of clubs and activities, and everything you need within walking distance. Read Los Cristianos for a long winter stay.
Lanzarote is calmer. Puerto del Carmen has a long flat promenade and all services, but buildings stay low and evenings are quieter. Playa Blanca is even more relaxed. Life is simple: walking, beaches, markets and day trips across a small island. Read Puerto del Carmen for a long winter stay.
Things to do
Tenerife offers more variety over a long stay: hiking in Teide National Park and the Anaga mountains, the historic town of La Laguna, Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava in the north, whale-watching trips and ferries to La Gomera. See things to do in Tenerife on a long stay.
Lanzarote is smaller but distinctive: Timanfaya National Park, the La Geria vineyards, Manrique’s Jameos del Agua and Mirador del Río, the Sunday market in Teguise and a short ferry to Fuerteventura.
Cost
Lanzarote is usually a little cheaper. Rents in Puerto del Carmen tend to be below those in Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje, and Arrecife is one of the most affordable towns in the archipelago. In Tenerife, the north around Puerto de la Cruz offers lower rents than the south. Food shopping costs about the same on both islands. See the cost of a 3-month winter in Tenerife and the cost of living in Lanzarote.
Flights and getting around
Tenerife has two airports and a wider choice of direct flights from northern Europe, which helps if you want to fly home in the middle of the winter or have visitors. Lanzarote has one airport, about ten minutes from Puerto del Carmen, with good winter connections but fewer routes.
Both islands have bus networks good enough to live without a car in the main towns. Tenerife’s TITSA network is larger and a bus card lowers fares; see the Tenerife bus pass for long stays. On Lanzarote, a hire car for a week or two is the best way to see the island.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | Most choice, Teide and hiking, two airports, big long-stay community | Busier, higher rents in the south, cooler and cloudier north |
| Lanzarote | Calm, low-rise, unique volcanic scenery, lower rents | Smaller, breezier, fewer flights and evening options |
Who should choose which
Choose Tenerife for your first long winter if you want plenty to do, guaranteed sunshine in the south and easy flights. It is also the better choice for hikers.
Choose Lanzarote if you want a calmer, smaller island, like flat walks by the sea and prefer lower rents to a big choice of resorts.
If you are also considering Gran Canaria, read Tenerife vs Gran Canaria for a winter stay. Travelling with someone without an EU passport? Check the dates with the Schengen 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tenerife or Lanzarote warmer in winter?
At the coast they are very similar. Southern Tenerife is often slightly more sheltered from the wind, so it can feel warmer.
Which is cheaper for a long stay?
Lanzarote is usually a little cheaper, especially for rent.
Which is better for older visitors?
Both work well. Los Cristianos and Puerto del Carmen are flat, compact and have health services nearby. See the best places for retirees in winter.
Can I visit both on one trip?
Yes, there are short inter-island flights between Tenerife and Lanzarote. See island hopping in the Canary Islands.
Our verdict
Tenerife is the safer choice if you want variety and easy flights; Lanzarote is the better choice if you want calm, space and a distinctive landscape at a slightly lower cost. Read the full guides to wintering in Tenerife and wintering in Lanzarote.