The outdoor lover's winter playground, the walker's paradise and the beach bum's dream come true, the Canaries offer one of the easiest escapes from a snowy European winter. Avoid the mega-resorts and have yourself a more authentic, relaxing time. Read the overview

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Visas overview

The Canary Islands are part of Spain, thus all rules (for passports, visas, residency etc) that are pertinent to Spain, also apply here.

Spain is part of the Schengen Convention, an agreement whereby all EU member countries (except the UK and Ireland), plus Iceland and Norway, have abolished checks at common borders for nationals of those countries included in the agreement. Residents of one Schengen country do not require a visa for another such country. In addition, nationals of a number of other states, including the UK, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland, do not require visas for tourist visits of up to 90 days to any Schengen country. Various other nationals not covered by the Schengen exemption can also spend up to 90 days in Spain without a visa. These include citizens of Australia, Israel and the US. If you are from a country not mentioned in this list, you should check with a Spanish consulate as to whether you need a visa.