The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is also the most popular.
Thousands of British, German and international tourists flock to the island all year round – drawn to its stunning landscapes, weather, amazing nightlife, beaches and resorts.
Of course, many people who come to Tenerife are looking for sun, sand and sea. And they’re never disappointed!
If you’re tempted by a trip to Tenerife, check out my guide to this beautiful island.
Getting to Tenerife
There are two airports in Tenerife – Tenerife North and Tenerife South.
If you are arriving at the South airport you are likely to be visiting Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas, and the North airport is used mainly by visitors who are staying at Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Puerto de la Cruz.
Cheap flights to Tenerife are available throughout the year on websites like Skyscanner, and tourists who are looking to combine sandy beaches with culture and a lively nightlife can find direct flights from most UK/European airports.
Flights from London to Tenerife take approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, and you can find special offers and promotions for flights throughout the year.
Weather
The climate is one of the main benefits of visiting Tenerife, all year round is a great time to go. This is one oft he warmest and sunniest places in the whole of Europe with the average year round temperature 21 degrees C, climbing up into the mid 30s in summer.
South Tenerife Weather
Known as the island of eternal Spring, Tenerife is famous for its mild climate, and visitors flock to the island for its warm spring and autumn weather. The south coast of Tenerife, where most of the resorts are situated, is warm all year round with hot summers.
The resorts of Playa de las Americas and Playa Paraiso and Los Cristianos enjoy the hot weather which comes over from the Sahara in Africa. Between May and November, temperatures rise through the 20’s, and reach a peak of around 26-28ºC in August, although highs of over 30ºC are not unusual.
During winter in the south of Tenerife, temperatures from December to April are still warm, and the average high and low temperatures do not usuallyfall below 18ºC and 12ºC respectively.
North Tenerife Weather
The North coast of Tenerife is much cooler and wetter than the south of the island, particularly during winter, and for this reason it is generally much quieter.
Summer can still be hot but more overcast and visitors are likely to see much more cloud than in the south of the island. North coast resorts in Tenerife include: Puerto de la Cruz, El Sauzal and Garachico, and the area is particularly popular with walkers and golfers.
The landscape is also greener, due to the rainfall, and the beaches here are normally consist of black, volcanic sand. High summer temperatures peak at 24-26ºC in July and August, and Autumn sees average temperatures of around 18ºC.
Average highs in winter on the north coast of Tenerife see temperatures of around 10-15ºC.
Where to Stay
There are tourist resorts and hotels dotted all over the island, Los Cristianos and Playa Las Americas and two of the most popular locations with lots of accommodation, cafes, restaurants, bars, clubs and entertainment.
Tenerife has two airports and two ports, which allows easy access to Spain and the other Canary Islands. Puerto de la Cruz is the second largest tourist city on the island and is still one of the more traditional resorts.
Whether you are looking to stay in the tourist hotspots of Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas, or you prefer a quieter holiday in El Medano or Las Galletas, you will find plenty of accommodation and hotels to suit your requirements.
Small hotels and boutique hotels are popular in Tenerife, plus cheaper accommodation, including hostels and guesthouses, plus self-catering apartments.
Wherever you decide to stay in Tenerife, you will be surprised at the vast range of accommodation in the main resorts of Los Gigantes, Playa de las Americas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and also in the quiet areas of rural Tenerife, where you can find fincas and farmhouses to rent.
If you want to book a golf holiday, you can also find plenty of small hotels in Tenerife near Golf del Sur, Golf Costa Adeje, Golf los Palos, Golf las Americas, Amarilla Golf, Buenavista Golf, Abama Golf and Tecina Golf Gomera.
Cheap Tenerife hotels can be found near the main beach resorts for budget-conscious travellers, and small hotels in Tenerife are situated around the island, offering visitors excellent food and service in some great locations.
Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Getting Around
Tenerife car hire is among the cheapest in the Canary Islands, with prices from just €69 per week.
Whether you are staying in one destination in Tenerife or you want to travel around the island and make the most of the incredible landscapes, towns and cities, the most economical way to get around is to hire a car from the airport.
All the major car hire companies are represented at Tenerife North and Tenerife South airports, including Hertz, Helle Hollis and Avis and several local car rentals firms.
For organised experiences find sightseeing tours on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Top Things to Do in Tenerife
Tenerife is popular among tourists in the summer and winter seasons, and along with the seaside promenades, also offers visitors a wealth of cultural and historical sights which are well worth visiting.
This is just a tiny snapshot of the things to do and see in Tenerife.
Towns and Cities
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island´s capital, and it is the second most populated city in the Canary Islands. Puerto de la Cruz is the oldest tourist destination on the island, and is often seen as a relaxing resort, which is situated among the most beautiful natural landscapes of Tenerife.
La Orotava is also well worth a visit, as it is situated in a fertile valley, and its monuments and buildings illustrate Tenerife´s rich cultural past. Los Realejos is under the shad of the great slopes of Las Cañadas del Teide mountain range, and is the perfect place to enjoy the open countryside.
San Cristobal de La Laguna is one of the most historical towns in the Canary Islands and attracts visitors from all over the island. The town was founded in 1497 on the shores of a fromer lake, and it offers visitors an insight into life in Tenerife during the days gone by.
Beaches and Resorts
Tenerife has so many first-class beach resorts, it’s hard to name them all.
Popular favourites include Los Cristianos and Playa Las Americas, because, as well as the beaches, there’s always something going on. Both have black and yellow sand beaches, calm waters and a variety of watersports, sun loungers and beachfront cafes on offer.
Playa de las Vistas is another popular resort and the south coast’s pièce de résistance in terms of sand, sea and sun. El Medano in the south is the home of the kite-surfing championships and is decidedly quieter. The beaches at Costa Adeje are also very popular with tourists.
Other top rated beaches in Tenerife include:
• Playa de Torviscas
• El Bullullo (La Orotava)
• Playa San Marcos
• Playa Del Roque (Taganana)
• Playa del Médano
• Las Galletas
• Torviscas
• Los Gigantes
• Las Gaviotas
Mount Teide National Park
The middle of the island is watched over by the imposing Mount Teide, the largest peak in all of Spain and the third highest volcano in the world!
A trip to the interior of the national park that surrounds this incredible mountain is a must and one of the best alternative things to do in Tenerife. One of the best features about Tenerife is the variety of outdoors activities and El Teide, an active volcano and the highest mountain in Spain, is the island’s largest attraction.
El Teide sits in an immense UNESCO World Heritage-listed National Park where tourists can see Tenerife’s unique flora and fauna. Climbing Mt Teide itself is quite difficult but well worth the view for experienced hikers.
You can hike to the top of the peak or just enjoy the bizarre lava-formed landscape around it. There is also a cable car that can take you to some magnificent lookouts.
A Taste of Tradition
Aside from the holiday resorts, Tenerife is dotted with the type traditional villages where there is little to do but relax and forget.
Las Caletillas in the north-east is a sleepy little place with great access to black pebble beaches; Garachico on the island’s north-west is a lovely colonial treat with cobbled streets and a rich past; and La Orotava in the central-north offers you a cultural insight into traditional Tenerife as well as amazing views of Teide.
Carnival
The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the most spectacular street celebrations of its kind in the world, and it regularly attracts over a million people to dance and party until dawn.
Second only to the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Santa Cruze de Tenerife Carnival brings a riot of colour, noise, music and dancing to the streets of the capital, and it is now one of the biggest and most important festivals in the world.
The February party starts in the streets the Friday before the main Carnival event, with a superb opening procession, when thousands of party goers don fancy dress in the evening. The party continues every night until Ash Wednesday, when the local people and tourists celebrate the ´burial of the sardine´ which ends the carnival.
The party starts up again the following weekend to keep the crowds entertained, and if you enjoy a good knees up, there is no better place to be than Santa Cruz de Tenerife during carnival time in February.
Walking and Hiking
Volcanoes aside, there are also plenty of other natural wonders on Tenerife. In the northeast, Parque Rural de Anaga is known for its superb hiking trails – make sure you follow the maps to the Pico del Inglés lookout where you can see across the whole of the island.
Parque Rural de Teno is another amazing sight. It’s very isolated, but worth the trip for the panoramic view over the 600m high Gigantes Cliffs and the old lighthouse. Tenerife’s terrain is also good for mountain biking and you’ll find many bike hire places around the towns.
Food and Restaurants
Whatever type of food you enjoy, you are likely to find it in Tenerife. Every type of cuisine is served on the island including: Indonesian, Italian, Spanish, typical canarian, Chinese, International, Indian, Japanese and even Caribbean.
Most of the major tourist towns in Tenerife have a cosmopolitan feel, including Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Playa de las Americas, and whether you want to sample some traditional fayre or enjoy a taste of home, you will find several restaurants to suit your tastes and budget.
Tenerife food is known for its freshness and simplicity, and many recipes include the island’s freshest produce, including olives, tomatoes, green beans, oranges, bananas, mangos, avocado and guava.
Seafood lovers will also be spoilt in Tenerife, as there is a wealth of fabulous fresh fish and seafood on most menus from the Atlantic Ocean, including tuna, sardines, mackerel, sea bream and even Canarian lobster.
Fresh herbs and spices are used in most dishes to give them an intense and delicious flavour.
Wherever you decide to stay in Tenerife, you can find a wide range of accommodation, cheap airport car hire and flights from most UK/European airports.
Tenerife offers a great choice of things to see and do for all the family, and some of the best restaurants, bars and nightlife in the Canary Islands. Search flights to Tenerife and see why everyone can’t get enough of this gorgeous Canary Island!
You might also like to view my guides to Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.