We are planning to take our holiday in Canary islands next year but with a baby, when she will be around 7-8 months.

Anyone has suggestions on taking a baby for this kind of long distance trip and even holiday? Or any experience regarding Canary islands, like good viewing?

Many thanks.

Canary islands are hardly "long distance" !

It's a good family holiday but not so much to see really, more beach and lounging by hotel pool

As above, it's not long distance.

I've only been to Playa Blanca on Lanzarote, but it was very good for families, and if you get bored, you can always get the ferry over to Fuerteventura. I got an agent's discounted rate so don't know the cost, but take a look at the H10 Lanzarote Princess hotel. The location is really good because it's 10mins walk to the town centre, you have a small shopping centre opposite the hotel with steps down to the beach, plus the chemist and doctors surgery is a short walk away in case of emergencies.

Ha, thanks a lot.

We did Gran Canaria with both of ours when they were about that age (one even a bit younger iirc). A nice short flight (compared to Toronto).

Just go to the beach.

And try to relax.

Which Island, they are all very different. But even awful Tenerife is fabulous if you drive away from Las Americas and Los Christianos... just depends what you want. But it is about 4.5 hours so not tooo long. Depending on time of year, why not cut the flight in half by going to Mallorca or Menorca though. (later edit, no good if you want hot winter sun though - to the end of October is OK)

We went to Gran Canaria, Playa del Inglés with a 4 month old and a toddler. We stayed a walk away from the beach in a quiet area only to have the hotel next door blast music at us until late - so maybe try for a quiet location.

Lovely beaches and a reliable public bus service down the coast and we caught the boat back.

I went to Gran Canaria some years ago and stayed in a hotel that was actually part of a complex with swimming pool and the likes but also very nice bungalows..it was unexpectedly quiet actually. Defo a place I'd take my kids to.

You can split the flight ZRH->Madrid->Tenerife
Then it's even less of a long trip.

You could also opt for an apartment instead of a hotel.

Just stock on bottled water - the de-salinated tap-water is probably not too great for a baby.

I was in Las Americas (in a small apartment via booking.com) and it wasn't bad at all.

Though, of course, you can always have bad luck. But Google Maps and Streetview can tell you which noisy establishments might be in vicinity.

El Hierro is always an option... ;-)

This would be incredibly stressful as there are few direct flights to Mallorca/Menorca, most go via Barcelona or Madrid and return the same way so it would be 4 flights to get to Canary islands, a mere 4 hours away.

GVA-Barcelona-Menorca-Barcelona-Gran Canaria

All this business of having to visit whilst on holiday. Do you do it at home, visit churches etc, just chill, take a holiday sit by the pool and drink cocktails or whatever, enjoy watching life float past

Just a quick heads up r.e. the flights:

Lanzarote - Easyjet fly direct from Basel. Vueling fly direct from Zurich.

Gran Canaria - Swiss and Air Berlin fly direct from Zurich. Easyjet and TUI fly direct from Basel

Tenerife - Easyjet and TUI fly direct from Basel. Swiss and Air Berlin fly direct from Zurich.

Just a wild card now... If you fancy cutting your flight time in half, Swiss fly direct to Corfu in approx 2hrs and TUI fly direct from Basel, and if you want a budget hotel, right on the beach, with excellent food and staff, this is the place...

http://www.corfu3starshotel.com/

I'm usually the person who has to be out and doing something every day, but after a very hectic few months, we just relaxed at the 3 Stars and only left the hotel grounds 4 times in a week. We even met quite a few people who were staying at fancy all inclusive hotels along the beach, but were choosing to dine at the 3 Stars for the 'on the beach' location and good food.

Hello,
I am going there in 2 weeks! From Basel or Zurich is not a really long distance, 4h I think. The island is pretty easy, you can rent a car for a good price in the airport and drive around. Driving from one point to another will not take you more than 45min-1h in the worst case. You can visit the inland, Art from Manrique and short hikes to the volcano area.
I am not sure Lanzarote is a place to go everyear but you can relax plus do some activities. Then, Fuerteventura will be more beaches and Tenerife more touristic, bigger hotels. Of course you can take a ferry and visit any of small Island around too! Hope this helps

Direct short flights from Geneva with EasyJet to Mallorca- done it many times. But not sure about Menorca as both times we went from UK.

As for what to do when on hols - each to their own. Spending a whole week or two by the pool is my idea of a nightmare. We usually do both, some touring and sightseeing, visiting, walking ... and some chilling and sunbathing as well. Variety is the spice of my life- with kids and grandkids too. And yes, I also do it at home, lol.

jmleosantos- have a great time. Again though- the 'touristic and bigger hôtels' re Tenerife only applies to Las Americas and Los Christianos - it is very quick and easy to go beyond and find smaller, more traditional resorts. Don't go to Golf del Sur unless you enjoy the noise of ariplanes taking off and landing and smiling at pilots in their cockpits! Never again. The 2 LA and LC - are like Marmite- you either adore it, or hate it - we hate it

Puerto dela Cruz on the South West coast is much nicer- but the Regency in Chayofa just above Tenerife is really nice and quiet, but minutes from the hussle and bussle of LA and LC. www.regencycountryclub.com/fr

For a long time i rushed around seeing everything to see and then i realised that in all honesty i had no interest in some church or ancient ruin in fact and that i was stressing for nothing on a holiday to such a destination as the Canary Islands.

Since then i go once maybe twice per year for a week just to chill out and let the world go past at it's own leisurely pace.

I take direct flights only, i stay in a 5* hotel, half board (albeit a "tourist 5*"), i rent a car so i can move from airport to hotel and back again, i'll do 1 maybe 2 outings during the week, kids club is essential and a mini bar to keep my gin nice and cold.

Stress free and totally relaxing.

And that is totally fine - each to their own. We are interested - so we go visit and it is not stressful at all and leaves plenty of time to relax by the pool, have a drink and a great meal (for us half-board is sooooo boring- we want to experience different restaurant and styles9. That's OK, truly.

I wouldn't dream of 'criticizing' your holiday style - leave mine alone. Bonnes vacances. We jsut spent 3 weeks touring around the Cape and Cape Town- each day totally different and full of surprises- we turn right, we turn left - we stop in all sorts of places and have a fabulous time- and always in great accomodation, also very varied, from nice apartments to 4 or 5 star. We stayed at 5 different places in the 3 weeks - each totally different, each superb in their own way. Wonderful (we are 70 and 65 and staying in one place on half-board, to us, seems like an old peoples' holiday ).

I haven't been on holiday for years.

I can't say I miss all the fuss, to be honest.

... and that is fine too

Back to small children- I have to say I don't get why parents with young babies and toddlers want to go on hols on long haul flights to the other side of the world?!?!? We just did Cape Town return, 11 hours and there were several families with screaming and very unhappy children. Why oh why? Of course sometimes it can't be helped as one has to visit elderly parents who can't travel and want to see grand-children, etc- but otherwise?

So well done OP for forward thinking - 4 hrs to Canaries is fine- 2 hours to Corfu or Mallorca even better. Enjoy

Our families are 21 hours flying time away in Sydney. It is much cheaper and less effort to fly the 4 of us over there, even when the kids were small, than all our relatives to visit us. I have 7 nieces and nephews and wanted to meet them when they were small too.

I'm thankful that both my kids both got to meet their great grand parents - they were a baby and a toddler when we flew, and I got to see my Nanna before she passed away. You can't put your life on hold and not travel just because you have babies and toddlers.

Went a few times to Fuerteventura at the Robinson Club Esquinzo Playa when my daughter was shorter.

Can highly recommend - had some beautiful times there, although the ride from the airport is quite long it was worth it.

I got a 6 year old in tow ......

I fully agree with your "holiday type" but it all depends where you go. Canary Islands are not renown for sights.

I also travel a lot for work and usually take time out to see things too, but fwith a 6 year old, half board, kids club, 1 week by the pool ticks an awful lot of boxes !