Islas Canarias

About this board game

Islas Canarias is a board game about settling the Canary Islands for 2–5 players, with play lasting about 45 minutes. Players compete to build houses, develop more valuable buildings, and earn the most points from their island.

On a turn, a player draws three settler cards from the stock or chooses one from their hand to build a house. The card determines the house’s color, while its listed priorities guide where it must be placed on the island.

A priority might direct a new building to a location near the river, next to a red building, near the coast, or beside a brown building. Players must follow the highest applicable priority when choosing the house’s location, creating a direct connection between each card and the island’s developing layout.

• Choose a settler card and build a house according to its priorities.
• Place a settler card on the table as part of the ship.
• After everyone has taken both actions, resolve the ship’s cards.
• A card’s building goes to the player who fulfills its highest possible priority best.

Once the ship phase is complete, the next turn begins. Players can also exchange two or three houses for more valuable buildings and gain privilege cards by being the best player in a building color.

As the settlement grows, players must weigh immediate building opportunities against the priorities that may decide the ship phase. In Islas Canarias, the final winner is the player with the most points from their buildings.