Safety
The Canary Islands are extremely safe — safer than most German cities. Violent crime against tourists is virtually non-existent. Nevertheless:
What to watch out for
- Pickpocketing: The only relevant risk — especially in tourist centers (Playa del Inglés, Playa de las Américas, beach promenades), markets, and buses. Keep valuables close to your body, do not leave backpacks unattended
- Rental cars: Do not leave anything visible in the car — broken into rental cars at hiking parking lots and viewpoints are unfortunately not uncommon. Put everything in the trunk
- Beach: Never leave valuables unattended on the beach. Waterproof phone cases with a neck strap are a good solution
- Nightlife: In nightlife districts (Veronicas in Playa de las Américas, Avenida de Tirajana in Playa del Inglés), drinks can be tampered with when left unattended. Do not take your eyes off your drinks
- Currents: The greatest danger in the Canary Islands is the sea. The Atlantic has strong currents, and the surf on the north and west coasts can be deadly. Red flag = absolute swimming ban. Even with a yellow flag, exercise extreme caution. Drowning is the most common cause of death among tourists in the Canary Islands
Achtung
NEVER swim with a red flag! The Atlantic is not the Mediterranean — the currents are treacherous and life-threatening even for good swimmers. Especially the north coasts of all islands and the west coasts of Tenerife, La Palma, and El Hierro have dangerous surf.
