The Canary Islands in winter: Tenerife, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote?

Spain's highest mountain stands at the centre of the park, surrounded by lava fields in rust, ochre and black. In winter the summit can be white with snow, which may change your plans. After snow or frost, the paths around the upper cable-car station can be closed, and the final stretch to the summit needs a free permit, plus crampons and poles in winter. If you're happy to see the park from the road and its viewpoints, winter is no obstacle. Either way, bring warm layers, as it's much colder up here than on the coast. Take water with you too, as there's none nearby.

In winter Anaga shows Tenerife's green north at its wettest. Mist drifts between the laurel trees at Cruz del Carmen, the air is damp and cool, and the coast feels a long way off. Anaga is the oldest part of the island and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Waymarked trails head into the forest straight from the visitor area at Cruz del Carmen. Choose a dry day, because after rain the steps and steep sections get slippery. Pack layers and rain gear, and arrive early, as the car park is full by mid-morning.

On the south coast, golden ridges of sand run down to the beach, with a saltwater lagoon and a palm grove at the edge of the reserve. The wind keeps moving the crests, so the shapes are never quite the same twice. There's no shade at all, so go early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The low sun picks out every ripple, and at sunset the whole dune field changes colour. Soft sand makes the walk harder than it looks, so bring your own water. Wear shoes that slip off easily, because they soon fill with sand.

Up in the mountains the weather is another story. The summits are colder and windier than the coast, and in winter they can get frost or even snow, so bring a warm layer. In late winter the almond trees of the Tejeda basin come into flower. From the rim of the Caldera de Tejeda the land drops away in cliffs and gorges, with Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga standing out above them. On a clear day you can see Teide across the sea on Tenerife. Use the marked car parks: if you leave the car by the roadside, you risk a fine or being towed.

Thirteen metres below the surface, the rock here is still between 100 and 600 °C. At the main building on the Islote de Hilario, where the park coach starts, water poured into a hole in the ground shoots straight back up as steam. Most visitors see the lava fields from that coach. The road is closed to all other traffic, and the coach winds for about 35 minutes past craters and steep drops. No public bus comes here, so you'll need a car or a tour. Arrive early, as cars can queue between the gate and the car park.

Cueva de los Verdes is the place for a grey or windy day, when the beach has little to offer. This lava tube in the north of the island keeps the same temperature whatever the weather is doing outside. The guided visit takes an hour to an hour and a half and leads through narrow passages and wider chambers lit with coloured lights. Tickets are sold online for a set entry time; aim to be there 15 minutes early. There's no café on site, so bring water. Some passages are tight and low, which is hard going if you're claustrophobic. The cave isn't suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.