Dialysis in Canarias, Spain

The Canary Islands are Spain's year-round warm archipelago, a cluster of volcanic islands off the northwest coast of Africa where the sun barely disappears even in January. That makes them one of the most popular winter-escape destinations in Europe, and it means the islands have long experience welcoming visitors who need regular dialysis. Whether you are planning a week in Gran Canaria, a fortnight on Tenerife, or a quieter stay on Lanzarote, you can keep your treatment schedule and still feel the benefit of the trip.

Reni coordinates your dialysis while you travel. We list the dialysis centres we can find across the Canaries (across operators and islands). Tell us where and when, and we contact the centres for you, follow up until one confirms your sessions, and help you plan the rest of the trip. The centre provides your treatment, and you book your travel directly with each provider. Finding a centre and arranging your sessions with it is free, and we share your details with a centre only with your consent.

Getting your sessions sorted comes down to five steps:

1. Find a centre. The centres in our directory appear below, so pick the one closest to your island and resort.
2. Send your inquiry. Include your current dialysis schedule, prescription details and travel dates. We contact the centre for you and follow up until it answers, only with your consent.
3. Confirm dates, times and what to bring. The centre replies with available slots. Get your sessions confirmed in writing before you do anything else.
4. Gather your paperwork. Ask your nephrologist or dialysis nurse for everything the centre needs. Leave time; home units can be busy.
5. Travel. With your slots confirmed and your documents in order, you can enjoy the islands with your schedule sorted.

Spain runs a high-standard mix of public and private dialysis units, and the Canaries are no exception. Most holiday visitors arrange sessions with a private or visitor-friendly unit; Spain's public health network (Servicio Canario de la Salud) primarily serves residents and emergencies.

When we last reviewed this guide, our directory listed centres in the places below. The list further down this page comes straight from the directory, so check it for the current centres.

• Gran Canaria: Las Palmas (the archipelago's largest city), Telde on the east coast, Santa María de Guía in the north, and the southern resort area around Maspalomas.
• Tenerife: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital, in the north-east, and Puerto de Santiago on the west coast, near Los Gigantes.
• Lanzarote: the capital, Arrecife.

A typical routine is three sessions a week of around four hours each, but your schedule is a matter for you and the centre. We don't give medical advice; our job is to help you find the centre and make contact.

Centres typically ask visiting patients for the same core set of documents. Gathering these before you leave is one of the most important things you can do:

• A recent letter or summary from your home unit, including your dialysis prescription and current schedule.
• Recent blood test results.
• Virology and serology results (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV), routinely required.
• A full list of your medications, including doses and timing.
• Your passport, plus EHIC or GHIC if you have one and it's valid.

How recent your blood and virology results must be is set by the centre that will treat you, and it differs from one centre to another. Ask that centre what it needs, then ask your nephrologist or home unit to arrange the tests to match.

Requirements vary by centre, so confirm the exact list when you make contact, and allow time to gather paperwork from your home unit before you travel.

Three airports serve the main islands, all with direct flights from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia and the rest of northern Europe:

• Gran Canaria (LPA): handles the most traffic and sits close to Las Palmas.
• Tenerife Sur (TFS): in the south of Tenerife, the gateway for the resort coast and the airport most winter-sun visitors use.
• Lanzarote (ACE): a short taxi or bus ride from Arrecife.

Journey times from the UK and northern Europe are typically three to four hours, which keeps the islands accessible even for shorter stays. Car hire and taxis are available at all three airports, and the road networks are straightforward.

Unlike Mediterranean summer destinations, the Canaries have no quiet off-season when dialysis slots open up. The islands draw visitors throughout the year: families in school holidays, retirees and winter-sun seekers from October through March, surfers and walkers in spring.

The golden rule: get your sessions confirmed in writing before you book flights. Don't assume flexibility because you are travelling outside a European summer peak; capacity can be tight at any time of year.

Treat your dialysis arrangement with the same urgency as your flights: inquire at least several weeks ahead and keep a backup centre in mind.

Availability, what to bring, languages spoken and any costs can all change, and they differ from centre to centre. Always confirm the details directly with the centre before you book flights or treatment. We list centres and keep their contact details as current as we can, but we are not affiliated with them and cannot confirm availability on their behalf.