# Canary Islands travel eSIM guide > Canary Islands mobile guide: Vodafone Spain's 28-day prepaid plans, the loud ES-Alert cell broadcast, the 112 Canarias app, a rain alert on La Palma lifted on 2 October 2026 and Schengen entry rules. Page: https://esimnest.com/es-xci/guide/ The Canary Islands are part of Spain, so a mobile visitor meets Spanish operators, the EU's roam-like-at-home rule and the Schengen entry rules. What is distinctive is the islands' own emergency tooling: the Canarian government runs a free 112 app that sends your GPS position and works by text and photo for people who cannot speak, and it relays the national ES-Alert warning, a loud cell broadcast that reaches phones in the affected area. This guide reads Vodafone Spain's prepaid pages, the 112 Canarias site, the tourist board, the European Commission and the UK Foreign Office, and says where a page did not mention the islands. By eSimNest Team. Facts last checked 2026-10-02 against the sources listed at the end. ## Vodafone Spain's prepaid plans, on SIM or eSIM Vodafone Spain's prepaid pages list all-in-one plans with a Spanish phone number, available on SIM or eSIM, each lasting 28 days at 5G speed. At the time of checking, Prepago S cost 10 euros with 90 GB, 500 minutes and 15 GB of roaming in the EU and UK, Prepago M cost 15 euros with 270 GB, 2,000 minutes and 23 GB of roaming in the EU, UK and the USA, Prepago L cost 20 euros with 330 GB and Prepago XL cost 30 euros with 380 GB. The pages mention an extra 30 GB on all plans, a promotion that may have ended, and say that unused gigabytes can accumulate. The same pages describe a separate data-only eSIM for travellers to Spain and the EU, bought online in under a minute and activated on arrival, for the days you need. They say the prepaid SIM card is free and is posted to the address you give within 24 to 48 hours, or 48 to 72 hours for Ceuta, Melilla and the smaller Canary Islands, so a card ordered online would not suit a short stay. They do not say what identification is needed for a prepaid line, so ask the operator before you rely on a Spanish number. A visitor who only needs data can compare the data-only product with a foreign eSIM. ## Roam like at home, and who it excludes The European Commission says its Roam Like At Home rule applies automatically in the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine and Moldova, so a phone on a home EU plan is charged as at home in Spain. The page does not single out the Canary Islands, so ask your operator if the islands are covered by your plan. It says the rule does not apply in the United Kingdom, though some operators have kept the benefit, so visitors from the UK should ask their operator about charges in Spain. The Commission adds that operators should aim for the same quality abroad, including 5G where possible, and that travellers should get a text reminding them of 112 and the alternative ways to reach emergency services. If your plan has a fair-use limit, it may cap data after a number of days abroad, so check it before a long stay. ## ES-Alert: a loud warning to phones in the area The Canarian emergency service says Spain has built the ES-Alert platform for the EU-Alert requirement, based on cell broadcast, which sends messages immediately to all terminals within the coverage area of the antennas that are activated. Messages are headed Alerta de Protección Civil, or Alerta presidencial depending on device settings, and the page says the sound is set to maximum volume and cannot be configured, with a vibration alert as well. Civil protection authorities can use it to give instructions to people in an area affected by an emergency, and the government carries out periodic tests. For a visitor, that means a sudden loud alarm is likely to be an official message and should be read at once. The page says tourists can receive the alert on their mobile phones if they are properly configured in their home country, and that the configuration is the same across the EU. It says ES-Alert is added to other channels, such as evacuation bulletins, social media, loudspeakers and the 112 Canarias app. ## The 112 Canarias app, and a live example of an alert The free 112 Canarias app improves contact with the emergency number by making a call that sends your GPS position or, if you cannot speak, a no-voice alert that sends your position with icons for the type of emergency and a text chat that also allows photos. It also lets you receive notices of notable emergencies, alerts and self-protection advice, and can be set to send your medical data or text a contact. The page recommends keeping GPS on. On 2 October 2026 the service's homepage reported that the Canarian government had ended its rain alert for the north and east of La Palma from 11:00 that day, under its plan for adverse weather. That shows how alerts are declared and lifted, and it is a snapshot, so check the page for current notices. ## Schengen entry, wildfire risk and mountain rescue The UK Foreign Office says UK visitors do not need a visa for the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It adds that the new Entry/Exit System may ask for fingerprints and a photo on your first entry, at no cost, so you should allow extra time. Rules differ by nationality, so check the Spanish authorities for your own passport. It says wildfires happen often in Spain, including on the islands, during the summer months, that causing one is a criminal offence even if unintentional and that you should report fires on 112. It also lists Tenerife among places where altitude sickness may be a risk, and gives 112 and 062, the Civil Guard, for mountain rescue. ## Island hopping, and keeping tickets on your phone The Canary Islands tourist board says the archipelago has 8 airports connecting all the islands, with flights under an hour and frequent departures, and lists Binter and Canaryfly among the airlines. It says boats between the islands are usually cheaper and lists Armas, Fred Olsen and Líneas Romero among the operators. Keep boarding passes and bookings on your phone, and screenshot them in case your signal drops at a port. We found no official island-by-island coverage statement for the operators, so a trip to a remote spot such as the mountains of El Hierro or La Gomera is worth planning with offline maps. ## Emergency numbers The UK Foreign Office lists 112 for ambulance, fire and police in Spain, with 062 for the Civil Guard in mountain emergencies. The Canarian service runs the 112 call centre and its app. Our Canary Islands plan page covers data before you arrive. Emergency calls: Many travel eSIMs carry data only, and a data-only profile may not place a normal phone call. Keep a voice-capable SIM for emergencies, such as your home SIM or a local plan, and save the local emergency number from this guide. Plans and current prices for Canary Islands: [eSIM for Canary Islands](https://esimnest.com/es-xci/). ## Questions ### Which operator sells a prepaid plan in Spain? Vodafone Spain lists 28-day plans from 10 euros with 90 GB, on SIM or eSIM, and a separate data-only eSIM for travellers. ### Does roam like at home apply in the Canary Islands? The Commission lists Spain among the covered countries but does not single out the islands, so ask your operator. UK plans are outside the scheme unless the operator extends it. ### What is ES-Alert? A cell broadcast that sends a loud warning, headed Alerta de Protección Civil, to phones in the affected area. ### Is there a 112 app? The free 112 Canarias app sends your GPS position and can send a text alert with photos if you cannot speak. ### Do I need a visa? The UK Foreign Office says UK visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Rules differ by nationality. ### How do I get between islands? The tourist board says 8 airports connect the islands with flights under an hour, and several ferry companies also operate. ### What is the emergency number? 112, with 062 for the Civil Guard in mountain emergencies, according to the UK Foreign Office. ## Sources - [Vodafone Spain: prepaid cards](https://www.vodafone.es/c/particulares/es/productos-y-servicios/movil/prepago-y-recargas/tarjetas-prepago/) - [Vodafone Spain: prepaid tariffs](https://www.vodafone.es/c/particulares/es/productos-y-servicios/movil/prepago-y-recargas/tarifas-de-prepago/) - [European Commission: roaming in the EU](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/roaming) - [112 Canarias: ES-Alert system](https://www.112canarias.com/112/sistema-es-alert/) - [112 Canarias: app](https://www.112canarias.com/112/app-112-canarias/) - [112 Canarias: rain alert on La Palma ended](https://www.112canarias.com/112/el-gobierno-de-canarias-finaliza-la-situacion-de-alerta-por-lluvias-en-la-palma/) - [GOV.UK: Spain entry requirements](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements) - [GOV.UK: Spain safety and security](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/safety-and-security) - [Hello Canary Islands: travelling between the islands](https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/travelling-between-the-islands/) - [GOV.UK: Spain getting help](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/getting-help) - [112 Canarias](https://www.112canarias.com/112/)