canary islands -worlds best weather? (to live in, cost of, safe)

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by ocean2026

Has anyone been to the canary islands? More specifically Gran Canaria?

What is it really like? Weather is nice? Is it polluted? More safe than most US cities? Interesting people from all over?

World's best weather is in California.

[Chris82]

Originally Posted by Texas User

World's best weather is in California.

Whereabouts in California? Southern California enjoys a very mild climate all year round but i'd find it boring not to have obvious changes in the seasons.

This is a subjective question, one persons idea of perfect weather is probably another persons idea of hell.

[takeo3]

canary islands are nice enough and have an ideal climate if coming from europe.

But much closer to the US you have islands like Cuba or Dominican Republic with an even better climate and much more exploring and things to Do. Cuba is safe, Dominican republic not so.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by Chris82

Whereabouts in California? Southern California enjoys a very mild climate all year round but i'd find it boring not to have obvious changes in the seasons.

This is a subjective question, one persons idea of perfect weather is probably another persons idea of hell.

All of CA but I grew up in Northern Cali. Little bit more cooler there overall.

[noela]

Not perfect for me. Far too monotonous, ever-warm and sunny. And (not weather-related) overall very little to do...

[SmoothDrJay.CDN]

The worlds best weather is in Vancouver, Canada... We have lots of sunshine and 20-30C all summer long. And rainy, mild winters between 3-7c in winter. But on many spring days, we can go skiing in the morning, then come down the hill and go windsurfing in the afternoons. No extreme heat, and no extreme cold.... But more to your topic, im assuming your looking for nice green palm trees, and white sandy beaches and crystal clear, blue water. Try French Polynesia Tahiti. OR With the their economy in the crapper, im assuming you could travel to Greece and contribute to their tourist trade. Beautful beaches there, and they would be glad to take your dollar, euro, or maybe just a loaf of bread for a suite at the Hyatt. Anyways, the general consensus of these posters seems to me that the Canary Islands are a hot, windy, sandy, polluted, over used tourist dump. With or without nude beaches. Im sure it has its beautiful areas but I, myself, will steer clear after reading up. Thanks guys.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by wggmn3

I think what you mean is that the beaches allow topless sunbathing,as do most beaches in Europe.Certainly nude bathing is not allowed everywhere.

Nude and topless are two very different things, for sure.

Neither bothers me whatsoever.

But topless is partially nude, and usually just refers to women not wearing a top.

Nude is 100% nude for both men and women.

[pigeonhole]

Chill out people, the Canary islands in my experience deserve much better than some opinions expressed here :
- Gomera and Hierro are hidden gems
- Fuerteventura and Lanzarote's lunar countryside with all hues of volcanic stones is awesome
- Agaete in the NW of Gran Canaria remain a quaint village , tourism remains at a human scale up there
- there is an awesome animal park at the SW of Tenerife, a blast for a winter/early spring family vacation with kids
- Playa Las Teresitas at Sta Cruz is the only beach with yellow sand, very pretty
Even at the dead of winter, the ocean waters don't fall under 20°C, it happens nowhere else in Europe .
- these islands are somehow the Florida of Europeans, that's why they are very touristy all year round, nevertheless even at the height of winter season (February) I never found the beaches to becrowded like in the Mediterranean in the summer
- IMO security here is better than on Spanish Costas, because there are not so many chavs, more snowbirds and families, because vacations in the Canary islands are slightly more expensive
- you can't compare with the Balearic islands, which are a summer/early fall destination only, and where mass tourism is still worse, particulatly in Ibiza...

[Manolón]

Hi Manolón,
I lived there for years and know all the islands, with the exception of La Graciosa. Most beaches you won't find full on nudity, such as Las Teresitas, and most beaches are pretty staid. When I lived on Tenerife, I can think of only three beaches on the island that were in part, nude beaches.
-----

We have a problem here in Spain because "overpermissivity".
For example, nude bathing is allowed in any beach whatsoever.

[Tiger Beer]

How expensive is it to live in the Canary Islands?

Is it essentially 'the Hawaii of Europe'? I.E., high cost of living, low wages, and tourism being the main industry?