The island of Tenerife annually attracts a large number of tourists who want to visit it. Many of them prefer to relax in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, as well as in Costa Adeje, the second place is a resort located in the southwest of the island. Tenerife has two international airports where planes land: in the south, Tenerife Sur Airport (IATA: TFS, ICAO: GCTS) and in the north, Tenerife Norte Airport (IATA: TFN, ICAO: GCXO). If you fly on a charter flight to the island, there are four companies ready to offer their services in this direction, whose planes depart from Moscow airports - Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Domodedovo. When choosing charter flights, you should pay attention to the fact that planes arrive in Tenerife at the airport - Tenerife Sur Airport (IATA: TFS, ICAO: GCTS). Regular flights to the island can be carried out using any of the proposed airports. When choosing a destination in Tenerife, Tenerife Norte Airport, you need to understand that a flight to the island to this airport on a regular flight will always have one, and sometimes two transfers, so the flight duration will increase and on average will be from twelve to fourteen hours. The flight will be less long if you choose a regular flight to the island with a landing at the airport in the south of the island - Tenerife Sur Airport (IATA: TFS, ICAO: GCTS). This airport has regular flights to the island without intermediate stops. The flight time on a regular flight from Moscow to Tenerife SU 2548 takes about seven and a quarter hours, which you will spend almost unnoticed on board the Airbus Industrie A330-300 - a comfortable airliner. The planes fly belong to the Aeroflot company. You should be especially careful when choosing a flight to Tenerife, where the destination is Tenerife Sur Airport, take a closer look at the value of the “Duration” parameter of the flight. So, for example, by choosing a regular flight from Iberia Express, you may have a situation in which the flight duration will be about thirty hours, and this is from Moscow to Tenerife. This sad fact is only due to the fact that the regular connecting flight to Tenerife will depart a day later and you will have to stay for 22 hours the whole time. The flight to the island is quite long, so it is worth studying the layout of the cabin of the aircraft on which you will be flying a charter flight, or a regular flight to the island of Tenerife, this will at least help to somehow make your life easier from one to fourteen hours. Additional information regarding the rules of conduct on board an aircraft for passengers, as well as the baggage rules that apply to the airline that will operate your flight to Tenerife, will also be very useful. Of course, in order to fly to the island without any trouble, you need to know and also follow many rules: customs rules of Spain, customs rules of Russia, requirements of airline and airport security services, baggage rules and others. Also, do not forget the features of passing passport control upon arrival at Tenerife airport. This is all due to the fact that in Spain, dated May 10, 2007, the law “Order PRE/1282/2007” is in force, according to which travelers who cross the border of Spain for the purpose of tourism, or for personal business, will need to go through passport control confirm the availability of funds needed per day per person.
The Canary archipelago lies in the Atlantic Ocean, quite far from the shores of Spain, to which it belongs. Naturally, the main type of communication between it and mainland Europe in our age of space exploration is
The Canary Islands are a popular tourist destination that does not know the concept of low season. But where do travelers land, at which airport? The Canary Islands are an archipelago. It includes seven fairly large areas of land, not counting small rocks. The main island in the archipelago is Gran Canaria. Naturally, this is where the international airport is located. It is called simply and simply - Gran Canaria. So passengers immediately know which island they have landed on. But this is not the only airport in the archipelago. Read the article about how to fly to the Canaries and travel between the islands.
Let's start our review of the air harbors of the archipelago with the main one. This airport has international status and receives flights from many countries, including Russia. But that is not all. The main airport of Gran Canaria ranks fifth in terms of passenger traffic (after the capital of the country, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Malaga). It is located on the eastern tip of the island of the same name, near the ocean shore. If you fly with Aeroflot, you will most likely land at this airport.
The Canary Islands have two capitals. Every four years, the title of main city passes either to Santa Cruz de Tenerife or to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This latter resort is located just twenty kilometers north of the airport. The hub is not only a haven for civil aviation. The Spanish Air Force base is also located here. And one of the airport's runways is even capable of accommodating a NASA shuttle during an emergency landing. The airport terminal is connected by bus to the city. Registration of passengers traveling abroad begins 2 or two and a half hours before departure.
Yuzhny Airport
The largest island of the archipelago is called Tenerife. It is very popular among tourists. Therefore, it hosts two international airports - on the northern and southern ends of the island. The largest of them is the second. It was previously named after Queen Sofia, who ceremoniously cut the red ribbon at its opening in November 1978.
Now the annual passenger flow of this major transport hub is about seven and a half million. South Airport is located in Granadilla de Abona, sixty-one kilometers from the main city of Tenerife. If you are flying from Sheremetyevo or St. Petersburg, you will land in Yuzhny.
Los Rodeos
Now this hub is officially called Northern Airport.” The Canary Islands have brisk air transport links among themselves. Of course, the Northern Airport, like the Southern Airport, has international status. Planes to Europe and South America take off from it. But the busiest route (forty flights per day) is Tenerife - Gran Canaria.
It should be noted that the Northern Airport is conveniently located. Los Rodeos is located a couple of kilometers from the main city of the island and sometimes the capital of the entire archipelago of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The harbor handles more than four million passengers annually.
Fuerteventura
Only a few flights from Western European countries are accepted at this international airport. The Canary Islands experienced a tourism boom in the 50s and 60s of the last century. It is not going down even now. But the popularity of Fuerteventura led to the construction of an airport on the third largest island of the archipelago. The location of the air harbor is very convenient - five kilometers from the city of Puerto del Rosario. This hub mainly serves inter-island flights.
Other airports in the Canaries
Residents of the archipelago prefer air transport to sea transport. Therefore, all more or less significant islands have airports. Even tiny Hierro has its own hub. Due to its small size it is called the “Crab Airport”. Its capacity is one hundred and seventy thousand passengers. The most popular flights are to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Palma.
La Gomera is another small airport in the archipelago. It is located on an island of the same name near the village of Alajero, thirty-five kilometers from the main city. The hub consists of one terminal and accepts only domestic flights. La Palma is located on a piece of land of the same name and eight kilometers south of the main city of Santa Cruz. Despite the modest size of the harbor, its passenger flow is one million sixty-seven thousand people annually. It accepts seasonal charters and, more recently, regular flights from Europe. The largest of the small airports in the archipelago is Lanzarote. It is located five kilometers from Arrecife. The airport serves five million travelers annually. Recently, the old terminal of this air harbor turned into an entertaining
Cheap flights to the Canary Islands are available from major Russian airports throughout the year. This route offers many flight options, both regular and charter flights. Direct flights from Russia are only available to the largest Canary island, Tenerife. Cheap flights here are offered by Vim-Avia and Transaero. You can also travel via Madrid or Barcelona (Iberia, Ryan Air), from where there are flights to all international airports of the archipelago - Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Russians need a Spanish visa to visit the Canary Islands. Those arriving at Tenerife Sur airport can get to the resort area by taxi (about 20 euros) or by regular bus, which is much cheaper. The same applies to other popular resorts in the Canary Islands.
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Transport in the Canary Islands
The most popular and cheapest form of public transport in the Canary Islands is regular buses. Taxi company services are also popular. Licensed carriers can be recognized by the special coloring of their cars - white with a green light that lights up when the taxi is free. However, instead of paying for each trip separately, it is cheaper and more fun to explore the islands by rented car. Agencies offer a wide selection of cars at attractive prices, which usually already include insurance and taxes. In order to rent a car, drivers need an international license; There is also an age limit. There are also cheaper alternatives - instead of a car, you can rent a motorcycle, scooter or bicycle. If you have enough time and want to travel around the islands, you should prefer a trip by sea to flights. Take advantage of the ferry companies - there are excellent connections between the Canary Islands and mainland Spain.
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Main attractions
The Canary Islands are famous for their attractions. When traveling through the archipelago, be sure to visit the Cliffs of the Giants, the pyramids in Guimara, the Hell's Gorge waterfall, and the natural parks of Teide and Loro. The most famous and popular beach of the Las Teresitas archipelago is located on the island of Tenerife and is a kilometer-long strip of fine golden sand. Another natural “calling card” of the island is the active volcano Teide, 3718 m high. The Timanfaya National Park on the island of Lanzarote was also created in a volcanic area. At a depth of just 10 meters, the temperature reaches 600 °C. A local restaurant called El Diablo uses this phenomenon for grilling. The island of La Gomera is famous as Christopher Columbus's last stop before traveling to the New World, and its capital is home to pyramids and other ancient structures.
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Shopping, restaurants, nightlife
Shopping in the Canary Islands is significantly cheaper than in mainland Spain. Sales tax here is only 5%, compared to 16% in the rest of the country. The shopping capital of the Canary Islands is, of course, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Its pedestrian streets are replete with high-end boutiques and cheaper brands, which are adjacent to the largest shopping centers. It is customary to bring tobacco products as souvenirs from the Canary Islands. For example, Don Miguel cigars are a unique brand of the island of La Palma. Souvenirs made from durable Canarian pine are highly prized, as are local lace embroideries. In the south of Tenerife you can find the Tenerife Pearl store - the largest center in Spain for the sale of pearls and mother-of-pearl products.
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The Canary Islands have plenty of restaurants where you can sample traditional Canarian and Spanish cuisine cheaply, along with international chains. To try local food, look for the word "tipico" in the name of the restaurant. For a night out, head to one of the oldest and most beloved clubs in the Canary Islands, the Casablanca Disco Pub in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In Las Palmas, fun is in full swing in the Plaza de España, and the resort of Playa del Inglés is the most popular party spot in Gran Canaria.
A number of international airports are concentrated in the Canaries. The official air terminal of the island of Gran Canaria is Las Palmas. The airport has only two terminals. But, despite this, it was given international status. It is located 9 km from the main city of this island.
Canary Islands airports are also represented by an air port Tenerife Norte. It is located on the famous island of Tenerife, near the city of Santa Cruz. This station is of strategic importance, as it is a connecting chain between all Canary airports. From here ships fly towards South America and Europe. However, the busiest destination is the flight to Gran Canaria. On average, about 40 such flights are made per day.
There is another airport of international importance in Tenerife. It is located in the southern part of the island. Therefore, it is called Tenerife South. The distance from the city of the same name is about 61 km. From here there are also many daily flights to various parts of the world.
Canary Islands airports are represented by a terminal Fuerteventura. As you might guess from the name, it is located on an island that bears the same name. The air port is located near the city of Puerto del Rosario, only 5 km. This airport was one of the first to be built back in the middle of the last century, when the tourist destination in the Canary Islands was just developing. And since then, it has been one of the most popular places to fly to. The airport terminal is a kind of connecting element between this island and other parts of the Canary Islands.
There is also an airport on the exotic island of Lanzarote. It has been given international status. It is concentrated near the city Arrecife in a southwest direction. Thousands of tourists prefer to fly here.
The airport is exclusive of its kind El Hierro. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is the only air port of the wonderful island of El Hierro. The closest town to it is Valdera. It is located 9 km away if you follow it in an easterly direction.
An airport has also been built near the famous capital of the islands. This air port is called La Gomera. It is located almost 35 km from the metropolis.
As you can see, the authorities of the archipelago have created all the conditions to make the road as comfortable as possible for tourists.
Where to find cheap tours?
It’s better to look for profitable tours through a service that compares prices from more than 120 tour operators and allows you to find the cheapest offers. We do this ourselves and are extremely happy :)
Canary Islands, Spain
There are two ways to get to Lanzarote from Tenerife: by ferry and by plane. The ferry is long and expensive. Cheaper and faster by plane. Direct flights from Tenerife are operated by Binter Canarias. Departure from Tenerife North Airport. Flight time is only 50 minutes. They write that the cost of tickets is 50-70 €, but there are significant options. So, if you book tickets in advance, it will be much cheaper. If they are also irrevocable, then it is even cheaper. And if you are over 60, then you get a discount. And if you order back to back, it’s more expensive. In general, my wife and I were over 60, we ordered a few days in advance, it cost 80 € per person.Specifically, you need to find out on the website of the Binter Canarias airline, but here you need to keep in mind that there is no Russian version of this website. All information is in Spanish, English, German.
We flew on a small twin-engine turboprop plane (photo below). Two rows of seats, two in each, like on a bus. And just like on a bus, the seats are not numbered, so if you want to sit in a comfortable place, then when boarding is announced, you should not look condescendingly at the eccentrics crowding in the queue and when they dry up, imposingly go out to the aisle. However, if you don’t care, then you can do it that way, there are no standing places there - they’ll seat you somewhere else. During the flight they offer water and candy like a lollipop.
We take a last look at Tenerife and its capital, Santa Cruz. Lanzerote is ahead.
The plane enters Lanzarote from the south.
And here is the first volcano.
We descend further. Judging by the Google map, this is the city of Castillo del Aguila.
Volcano crater close-up.
We flew to the island on this plane. The procedures here are also simple. When leaving the plane, people saw their suitcases in the unloaded luggage and simply took them and left the airfield. A group of passengers, including us, thought that this was the way to go and stopped next to the plane. But an employee came up and explained that we needed to go to the arrivals hall.
Arrival Hall
At the exit from the hall, tourists are greeted by the emblem of the island, painted by the artist Cesar Manrique, a native and patriot of Lanzarote. Caption - Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve. 
Exterior view of the Lanzarote airport building. The view is not very "pretty"
We leave the terminal and see this landscape - we are in Lanzarote
Lanzarote airport
Airport on the map of the island.
Lanzarote Airport is located in the southeast of the island, between its two capitals: the administrative capital, Arrecife, and the resort capital, Puerto del Carmen. 5-7 kilometers from both cities.
The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 for international flights, including mainland Spain, and Terminal 2 for local flights.
Practical advice: if you are going to the airport by taxi, give the terminal number. Often a taxi driver, seeing that you are a foreigner, thinks that you are flying home to your Europe and takes you to Terminal 1, but you need to go to Tenerife. Of course, it’s not much work to get there, but still.
Both terminals are decorated externally and internally in the same style: externally they are long, “low-rise” buildings without any decorations, internally they are spacious and completely deserted halls.
Terminal 1 Hall
As for “where to eat,” both terminals have one small cafe with a poor selection. Sandwich - a loaf cut lengthwise with ham or cheese inside, sweet buns and coffee. That's all.
Terminal 1 Cafe
Terminal 2 Cafe
