Europe -> Southern Europe -> Canary Islands

Tenerife has been attracting tourists for centuries due in the main part to its stunning natural beauty and fantastic climate. Here you can find relaxing beaches, snow-capped volcanoes, water sports, tax-free shopping, all night parties, carnivals, rugged coastlines, great food and fascinating marine.

 

Beaches and Water Sports:

 Tenerife is famous for its beaches. With sand from white to golden to black, from rugged isolated beaches to ones with all the amenities you can find it all. There are also a number a man made beaches around the larger resorts, which boast high cleanliness and all the facilities you may need.

If its sun and relaxation you’re after then the beaches in the south and the west are best as the weather is generally hotter, drier and less windy. Fanabe in southern Tenerife is a lovely yellow sand beach with showers, sun beds, shades and a range of water sports. Torviscas is similar and nearby but boasts more restaurants and bars. Playa de las Americas is popular with the young crowd and can often be good for surfers.

There are a number of good surf beaches on Tenerife including K16, a large rocky cove in the west and Conquistador, with its reef break in the south. Wind surfing, too is popular on the island with El Medano beach in the east offering great year round conditions. La Caletta in the south boats some great coves and beaches for snorkelling.

Water sports such as jet-skiing, parapenting and water-skiing are widely available on the more developed beaches, and there are a number of scuba diving outfits.

 

Nightlife:

 There are many bars, restaurants and nightclubs across Tenerife. So whether it’s a cocktail at sunset, a seafront meal or dancing long into the night, there’s a place to suit everyone.

Playa de Las Americas is the ‘lager-lout’ capital of Tenerife and is where the young crowd (mainly British) go to party all night. Here you can find karaoke, bars and nightclubs as well as foam parties and booze cruises. Nightclubs are generally open until 6am. The area is also packed with fast food joints

If you’re after something a bit quieter and a little more Canarian you’ll be better off in one of the quieter resorts such as Puerto de la Cruz. Here you can dine on local food including traditional tapas and great sea-food, all washed down with local wine  - the volcanic ground in parts of the island is great for growing grapes!

The Carnival in February is a great time to visit the island, when all the towns, especially anta Cruz are transformed into a sea of colours. The partying and parades last for over a week and some boast that they rival even Rio’s famous carnival.

 

 

Places of Interest:

 Los Gigantes: These ‘Giant’ cliffs around the village of Los Gigantes plunge dramatically into the ocean on Tenerife’s west coast. The cliffs are 800m high in parts and are famous for being the site from where local inhabitants hurled boulders in order to repel a British invasion in 1797. There is also a great black sand beach sheltered in the cove.

Mount Teide: This huge volcano is the highest point in Spain and its peaks are often snow covered. On a clear day you can see the mountain from anywhere on the island. The mountain is part of a stunning national park and a cable runs to the top, weather permitting

Santa Cruz: This is Tenerife’s capital and is host to many cultural and historic sights, including the Church of Our Lady of Conception, the Museum of Natural History, the Church of San Francisco and the Palace of Carta. The city also boasts one of the world’s busiest ports which often plays host to transatlantic yacht races. The tax free shopping in Santa Cruz is another major draw for visitors.

Loro Park: This wildlife centre is the biggest tourist attraction on the island. It’s home to the most extensive collection of parrots in the world, as well as tigers, jaguars and gorillas. There is a huge aquarium, and the biggest dolphin habitat in Europe. There are daily parrot, sea lion and dolphin shows throughout the year.

Taganna: A beautiful and remote village, Taganna is set in beautiful surroundings. The village is renowned for its wine and sea food.

There are a number of other great places for the family in Tenerife. Aqualand in Costa Adeje includes all the rides and slides as well as a Dolphinarium. You can pick up a free bus from Playa de Las Americas or Los Cristianos to the Camel Park and take a one hour camel ride through the park. The Jungle Park near Los Cristianos boast a fine array of exotic birds as well as animals as tigers, caymans, monkeys and lions. The Botanical Gardens in Puerto de La Cruz are also worth a visit.

 

Excursions and Day Trips:

There are many boat trips around the island for tourists to go whale and dolphin spotting, and explore hidden coves.

A number of operators run Jeep Safaris and Quad Bike excursions on the island for a action packed exploration of inland Tenerife.

There are a variety of cruises and boat trips to neighbouring islands such as El Hierro and Lanzarote. La Gomera is the closest island to Tenerife and is a small but beautiful and mountainous island.