Top 10 Things to do in Tenerife, Canary Islands
When we saw £35 roundtrip flights to Tenerife this April, we knew without a doubt we had to take them. Last year we visited Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, which caused us to fall in love with this chain of islands. We have added the rest of the Canaries to our bucket list, because each of them offers something so completely different to the rest.
Tenerife is the biggest of the Canary Islands and is extremely diverse both in landscape and things to do. There’s a vibrant city life, rural fishing towns, tiny villages on mountain sides, and there’s also plenty of hiking, biking, surfing, water sports and lounging on the beach.
Here are a few important things to know about Tenerife:
Tenerife has two airports, one on the North and one on the South part of the island. Make sure you fly into the correct one, otherwise you could be in for a long(ish) airport transfer.
English is well spoken almost everywhere on the island, much more so than Lanzarote.
The roads in Tenerife, and the other islands, are amazingly smooth and well maintained. But be warned that Tenerife also has some very steep, windy roads to get you through the mountains. You will need to be a confident driver to tackle these ones.
Top 10 things to do in Tenerife:
Visit Playa de Las Terista.
One of the only white sand beaches on the island. The San is imported - all natural sand is black due to the volcano. Rent a beach lounger for €3 a day and enjoy a fresh OJ or beer on the beach. Note- we think we were scammed into paying parking. It seemed like a local was just charging tourists and pocketing the money. But it was €3. Not bad but just be cautious and never leave items in your car.Walk around the Abama Ritz Carlton.
This hotel is an absolute dream. It costs about £1k a night - eek but you are totally able to walk around the property and enjoy the beach club restaurant and bar. This is the second white sand beach on the island that we found but definitely isn’t talked about. It is mostly hotel guests but they won’t stop you from enjoying the beach and cocktails for the afternoon.Take a trip to Garachico and wander the streets.
Garachico is one of the oldest villages on Tenerfide and is also one of the prettiest towns in the Canary Islands. It is a very popular spot for swimming and offers a lot of history and stunning views.Mount Teide is the third highest volcano in the world.
The drive up here on a clear day is spectacular! The range of landscapes and views are truly stunning. Near the top there is a cable car to take you to the top or you can hike your way there. Bear in mind the weather up here is much cooler than down at the beach, so bring a jacket.Take the windy roads to Masca Valley.
Explore the tiny village and pop into the visitor center to learn more about Masca. On weekends and bank holidays you can take the Masca trail and hike down through the valley to the beach.If you’re missing city life then head to Santa Cruz, which is the island’s most urban built-up area.
Here you can shop all your favorite stores and explore the mini parklets and numerous restaurants, cafes and gelaterias.La Caleta.
We were only there for a short time but we fell in love with La Caleta. This little beach town was quiet and had a bit of an older crowd, but had everything we enjoyed. Cute local restaurants with good food and walking paths along the beach. This area didn’t have the biggest sand beach, most of the swimming was done in the calm ocean waters that was accessible by ladders.Look in awe at the Los Gigantes cliffs that tower over the Atlantic ocean.
These giant cliffs reminded us of the Milford Sound in New Zealand. Spend the afternoon at Playa de los Guios overlooking the cliffs and then stay for an epic beach sunset.Driving around Tenerife you will see an abundance of banana trees. And one unique activity to do is to take a tour of a Banana Plantation.
We unfortunately didn’t have time for this activity but are adding it on our to-do list for our next visit.All around the coastline of Tenerife you will find Natural Rock Pools. Our favorites were right outside of Garachico.
Where to eat in Tenerife
La Cava - Located in La Caleta. Great for breakfast.
Bloom Bar & Brunch - Located in La Caleta. Great trendy spot for breakfast/brunch. On weekends you need a reservation for breakfast as it is a popular spot.
Tierra - Located in Costa Adeje. Great vegan and vegetarian spot with smoothie bowls and various lunch items.
River Valley Hotel - The Top Restaurant - Located in La Caleta/Costa Adeje inside a hotel. This was on the fancier side and had spectacular views over Adeje and the hotel's golf course.
El Caletón - Located in Garachico. Wine bar along the ocean with amazing views.
Wine Bar and Terrace - Located near Los Gigantes. Great views and actually had nice Enchiladas.
Café Caramba - Located in Santa Cruz. Great lunch spot with modern options.