The Sunniest Canary Island, Month by Month
Lanzarote is the sunniest Canary Island for most of the year by average sunshine hours, closely followed by Fuerteventura and southern Gran Canaria. The flat eastern islands catch fewer clouds than the mountainous western ones. Sunshine peaks in July at over 300 hours on the sunniest islands, and even in the darkest month, December, the leaders still manage around 180-210 hours.
Lanzarote is the sunniest Canary Island across most of the year, with Fuerteventura and the south of Gran Canaria close behind. As flat, desert-dry islands in the east, they trap far less cloud than the high, green western islands like La Palma. The table below shows the island with the most sunshine hours in each month, from official climate normals. Note that the live picture changes daily — see our live sunshine ranking for which island is actually sunniest today.
| Month | Sunniest island | Sunshine hours |
|---|---|---|
| January | Lanzarote | 213 |
| February | Lanzarote | 209 |
| March | Lanzarote | 257 |
| April | Lanzarote | 265 |
| May | Lanzarote | 300 |
| June | Tenerife | 306 |
| July | Tenerife | 337 |
| August | Tenerife | 319 |
| September | Lanzarote | 267 |
| October | Lanzarote | 240 |
| November | Lanzarote | 208 |
| December | Lanzarote | 208 |
The sunniest islands, season by season
The pattern flips with the seasons. Lanzarote leads from September right through to May, but in high summer (June to August) Tenerife's tall southern resorts actually top the table as the whole archipelago enjoys long, near-cloudless days. The real gap opens up in winter, when Atlantic fronts brush the northern and western islands but mostly spare the dry east. That is why, for guaranteed winter sun, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura — and the southern coasts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria — are the safest bets.
Sunshine versus warmth
Sunniest is not the same as warmest. The eastern islands win on sunshine hours for most of the year, but the south of Gran Canaria and Tenerife often edge ahead on raw daytime temperature. If your priority is reliable sun rather than the highest thermometer reading, head east.
See it live and by month
Averages tell you the odds; our home page tells you today's actual winner. Explore further:
- Where is it sunny in the Canary Islands today (live ranking)
- Sunniest Canary Island (full ranking)
- Best Canary Island for winter sun
Frequently asked questions
Which Canary Island is sunniest?
Lanzarote tops the sunshine charts most months, closely followed by Fuerteventura. The flat eastern islands catch fewer clouds than the mountainous western ones.
Which Canary Island is sunniest in winter?
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, along with the southern coasts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, get the most reliable winter sun, as Atlantic fronts mainly affect the green north and west.
How many hours of sun do the Canary Islands get?
From around 180-210 hours in December to over 300 hours in July on the sunniest islands — roughly 2,800-3,000 hours a year, among the most in Europe.