This guide is built from the live property pages and booking engine of Lanzarote Retreats — sleeping capacities, inclusions, distances and prices come from the operator, never invented. We have not stayed in these homes ourselves; we research them and send readers.

What we can and cannot tell you

We live in Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, and a January that sits at −20 °C makes any Canary Island look good. We have not stayed in Lanzarote Retreats’ homes and we do not claim insider knowledge of Tenerife’s resorts either. What we can do is lay out the differences that most affect a family choosing between the two, using the Lanzarote operator’s own facts for the Lanzarote side and general, widely known characteristics for the Tenerife side. Where we are describing Tenerife, treat it as a pointer for your own research, not a verdict.

Both islands are Spanish, in the same time zone (UTC+0 in winter, two hours behind Finland, same as the UK), use the euro, and have mild winters. The honest answer to which is warmer in January is that the difference is small enough that other factors should decide.

Character: volcanic and low-key versus big and varied

Lanzarote is a smaller, flatter, drier island shaped by volcanic eruptions, with white villages, black lava fields, vineyards in pits and a strong design identity from the artist César Manrique. Its north-east, around Arrieta, is not a purpose-built resort: the operator describes a fishing village of about 400 inhabitants with seafront fish restaurants, a pizzeria, a supermarket and an 810 m golden beach, Playa de la Garita, with calm water, a beach bar and showers.

Tenerife is much larger and more mountainous, dominated by Mount Teide, with a lush north and a drier south where most of the big beach resorts sit. Generally speaking, that means more choice in everything — hotels, restaurants, attractions, flights — and also more crowds in the tourist south. If your family wants a water park, a big resort pool and an entertainment programme every evening, Tenerife is the island with more of that. If you want self-catering in a quiet village with a play park and donkeys, Lanzarote is where we would look.

Winter weather on Lanzarote

The operator’s table gives these monthly averages for Lanzarote: November 22 °C with about 15 mm of rain, December 20 °C and 29 mm, January 18 °C and 16 mm, February 18 °C and 18 mm, and March 19 °C and 12 mm. That is sweater-and-sunglasses weather, not hot-beach weather, and the trade winds can make the Atlantic feel fresher than the number suggests. Sea temperature is roughly 18–22 °C in winter by our general knowledge, so most children paddle rather than swim for long.

That is where a pool matters. At the Finca the shared pool is solar-heated and 13 m × 2.5 m; for a guaranteed warm pool the operator lists electrically heated pools at Villa Las Palmitas and Finca Panorama, a heated plunge pool at The Beach House, and says some other pools are unheated, so check before you book if swimming is the point.

Where to stay on Lanzarote with children

There are three sensible bases, in our reading of the operator’s map. Finca de Arrieta in the north-east is the one we would pick for most families: 21 off-grid homes, a 300 m track to the beach, a play park, giant chess, ping-pong, chickens and fresh eggs, and children 17 and under stay free. The Eco Luxury Villa5% off · code inside suits 4 adults plus 2 children, and the Eco Garden Cottage5% off · code inside, the budget option, is listed as sleeping up to 4 adults plus 2 children in a 40 m² studio cottage.

Costa Teguise is the resort option. The Beach House5% off · code inside sits 100 m from the sandy beach with a solar-heated plunge pool, and the operator says a car is not needed: the promenade, bars and shops are within walking distance. The south, around Puerto Calero, has Villa Las Palmitas5% off · code inside, an eight-guest villa with a private heated pool and hot tub, six minutes by car from the marina; a car is recommended there.

What a January week costs on the Lanzarote side

These are 7-night totals from the operator’s booking engine on 23 October 2026. They move with dates and guests and they are not a promise. We do not quote Tenerife prices because we have no verified figures for them; compare like with like by pricing the same dates and the same number of bedrooms on both islands before you decide.

Things to do with children

Lanzarote’s day trips are about landscape and culture rather than theme parks. From the north-east, families commonly combine Jameos del Agua and the Cueva de los Verdes (lava-tube caves), the Mirador del Río viewpoint, the Haría market, the Sunday market in Teguise, and the Timanfaya volcano area in the south-west. Costa Teguise has Las Cucharas beach, Pueblo Marinero, a Friday market, an aquarium and an aquapark, according to the operator.

If Tenerife’s headline attractions — Teide, big water parks and animal parks — are what your children dream about, that is a legitimate reason to choose Tenerife. For us the deciding factor would be how much driving and queuing we want on holiday. A smaller island with a base 20 km from the airport suits families who want few transfers.

Questions to ask before you choose either island

Four questions settle most of the debate. First, do you want to cook for yourselves? Lanzarote Retreats’ homes are self-catering, with private kitchens in most of them, a welcome pack on arrival and a 24/7 honesty shop at the Finca, which suits families with picky eaters or early bedtimes. Second, how much do you value quiet? Arrieta has no purpose-built resort, so evenings are stars, not stages. Third, how do you feel about off-grid living? The Finca runs on solar power with generator back-up, so there are no dishwashers, TVs, electric kettles or irons, and a hairdryer comes on request. Fourth, what is the real budget once flights, a car and meals are added? Price the same week on both islands rather than comparing a Lanzarote villa quote with a Tenerife hotel headline.

If you answered yes, quiet, fine, and we will cook, Lanzarote is a natural fit. If you answered no to most of them, you may be happier in a Tenerife resort hotel, and we would rather you were honest with yourselves about that than book a villa you will not enjoy. We would also encourage you to read the operator’s cancellation terms before committing to either island, since a non-refundable deposit changes how much flexibility you have if plans shift.

Getting there and getting around

Flights from Helsinki to the Canaries take roughly six hours and from the UK about four (approximate, generic). Tenerife has two airports and the wider choice of routes; Lanzarote has one, Arrecife, which is about 20 km from Finca de Arrieta. Lanzarote Retreats can arrange private airport transfers with 48 hours’ notice for Finca de Arrieta, the Fisherman’s Cottage, Casa Lili, Villa Palacio, Casa Pino and the Boutique Beach Villa, and says the transfer package includes a complimentary 5-seater car for up to 7 days. Drivers need to be 25+ with a licence held for 2+ years. Drive carefully on volcanic roads and mind the wind on coastal stretches.

So which island, and how do we book Lanzarote?

Choose Tenerife for variety, big resorts and mountain scenery. Choose Lanzarote for volcanic scenery, quiet villages, self-catering homes with character and a base where children can run to the beach. For a first winter-sun week we would keep it simple: the north-east of Lanzarote, a home with a private garden, and the beach on foot. Our Stays in Lanzarote hub collects every home we have written up.

We are Lanzarote Retreats’ affiliate partner and may earn a commission on bookings made with our codes — the 5% discount is yours either way. Use code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for stays until 18 December 2026 (Christmas and New Year excluded) or HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY275 for stays from January 2027 — 5% off either way. Terms: a 30% non-refundable deposit, the balance 30 days before arrival, and we recommend travel insurance.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

We cannot tell you Lanzarote beats Tenerife, because the right island depends on what your family wants from a week. What we can say is that Lanzarote Retreats publishes clear sleeping capacities, distances and prices, and that mid-January quotes of roughly €1,160–€1,660 for the Finca homes make the north-east a realistic family base. If winter sun is on your list, the best homes for the best weeks go first.

Book directly at lanzaroteretreats.com and use code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for stays until 18 December 2026 (Christmas and New Year excluded) or HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY275 for stays from January 2027 — 5% off either way, on the Eco Luxury Villa5% off · code inside, the Eco Garden Cottage5% off · code inside and every other home in this guide.

5% off · reader codes below

Our Lanzarote picks for a winter family week

Tap a home to see live availability and the exact price for your dates on the operator’s own site. At checkout enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for stays until 18 December 2026 (Christmas & New Year excluded) or HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY275 for stays from January 2027 — 5% off either way.

eco villa · ArrietaEco Luxury VillaSleeps 4 adults + 2 children · From €237 per nightCheck availability →eco cottage · ArrietaEco Garden CottageSleeps 4 adults + 2 children · From €128 per nightCheck availability →villa (townhouse) · Costa TeguiseThe Beach HouseSleeps 4 adults · From €273 per nightCheck availability →villa · near Puerto Calero marinaVilla Las PalmitasSleeps 8 adults + 1 children · From €427 per nightCheck availability →

We are Lanzarote Retreats’ affiliate partner and may earn a commission on bookings made with our codes — the 5% discount is yours either way.