Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. The south is drier and sunnier, with the beach resorts. The north is greener and wetter, with the old towns and the gardens of Puerto de la Cruz.
Where to stay, by what matters to you
- Places to stay within 10 minutes' walk of the beach in Tenerife
- Places to stay with a level walk to the beach in Tenerife
- Places to stay in Tenerife that work without a car
- Quiet places to stay in Tenerife: few bars nearby
- Lively places to stay in Tenerife: bars and clubs close by
- Within 30 minutes by car of Tenerife South airport
- Within 30 minutes by car of Tenerife North airport
- Within 20 minutes of Lago Martiánez
- Within 20 minutes of Siam Park
- Within 20 minutes of Los Cristianos ferry port
- Within 20 minutes of Los Gigantes cliffs viewpoint
- Within 20 minutes of Loro Parque
- Within 20 minutes of Auditorio de Tenerife
Best things to do in Tenerife
The one thing not to miss
See Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, in a UNESCO-listed national park. Ride the cable car for the views, and book a summit permit well ahead if you want to stand on top.
Mount Teide and Teide National Park1. Mount Teide and Teide National Park
Spain's highest peak, about 3,715 m, at the centre of a national park listed by UNESCO in 2007. The cable car takes you most of the way up for the views; the last stretch to the summit is a short, very steep trail that needs a permit.
Summit permits are booked only on Tenerife ON, released each Monday for the next 56 days, and do not include the cable car. New booking rules apply from 6 December 2026. Under-3s are not allowed on the summit trail.
19,022 readers a month
2. A day trip to La Gomera
The third-smallest of the main Canary Islands, about 50 minutes by ferry from Los Cristianos to San Sebastián de La Gomera on Fred. Olsen's sailings. A full day away from the resorts.
Check sailing times with the ferry operator before you plan the day.
6,163 readers a month
La_Laguna.jpg: Jens Steckert La_Laguna_BW_1.JPG: Berthold Werner UniversityLaLaguna.JPG: Edub La_Laguna_BW_10.JPG: Berthold Werner LagunaCatedral01.jpg: Koppchen LagunaMontanez02.jpg: Koppchen Monte_las_Mercedes-Llano_el_Loro.jpg: Noemi M. M. LagunaCabildo01.jpg: Koppchen derivative work: Martely (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 3. La Laguna old town
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. UNESCO describes it as the first non-fortified Spanish colonial town, whose street plan became a model for cities in the Americas. Most of the historic centre is pedestrianised.
The tram links La Laguna with Santa Cruz. If you drive, park near the centre and walk.
3,886 readers a month
4. Loro Parque
A zoo and animal park in Puerto de la Cruz on the north coast, which says it holds more than 400 species. Open every day of the year, 09:30 to 17:30. You may bring your own food, and there are picnic areas.
Children under 3 enter free. A combined ticket with Siam Park is valid for 15 days.
2,705 readers a month
5. Masca village and gorge
A small mountain village at about 650 m in the Teno mountains in the far north-west, home to around 90 people. The gorge trail below it runs down to the sea.
Walking the gorge trail must be booked on the official site, the boat at the bottom is compulsory and booked separately, and since April 2025 walkers must reach Masca on the Cabildo's shuttle bus.
2,562 readers a month
6. Puerto de la Cruz old town
The Canary Islands' first tourist resort, with a protected historic quarter of more than 140 listed buildings around Plaza del Charco and the La Ranilla fishing quarter. Playa Jardín's black-sand beaches and the Lago Martiánez pools are on the seafront.
2,402 readers a month
7. Los Gigantes cliffs
Sheer cliffs that rise several hundred metres straight out of the sea on the west coast, part of Teno Country Park. The small black-sand beach of Los Guíos sits right under them.
2,280 readers a month
8. El Drago, the ancient dragon tree
El Drago in Icod de los Vinos is the oldest and largest living dragon tree. It is said to be a thousand years old, although its age is disputed. It has been a national monument since 1917 and is one of the symbols of Tenerife.
We have not yet confirmed entry arrangements for the Parque del Drago; check before you go.
1,950 readers a month
9. Auditorio de Tenerife
Santiago Calatrava's white concert hall on the Santa Cruz waterfront, completed in 2003. Worth seeing from outside, or book a concert for the evening.
1,930 readers a month
No machine-readable author provided. Nami~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 10. Santa Cruz Carnival
One of Spain's biggest carnivals, a Festival of International Tourist Interest. For 2027 the opening gala is reported for 22 January and the street carnival for 19 to 28 February.
The 2027 dates come from press reports; the official programme is not out yet.
1,855 readers a month
Just missed the list: Siam Park (11th; a water park in Costa Adeje, open every day); La Orotava (12th; the historic town above Puerto de la Cruz)
How we ranked these
By how many people read about each place on English Wikipedia in a typical month, measured October 2026. It is a popularity measure, not our opinion. Mount Teide and Teide National Park leads with about 19,022 readers a month. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are on each photo.
Compiled from the sources listed below. Not yet individually fact-checked by an editor.
Choosing a base
- South (Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos): the tourism board describes the south as suited to beach lovers, families and water sports, with more sunshine and a drier climate. Adeje and Arona are the big resort municipalities.
- North (Puerto de la Cruz, La Laguna, Santa Cruz): the north suits nature, gardens, history and quieter corners. Trade winds push cloud against the northern mountains, so it is wetter and more humid.
- Metropolitan area (Santa Cruz and La Laguna): shopping, culture and the old town.
Getting there
Two airports serve the island: Tenerife South (Reina Sofía) and Tenerife North. The airports and transfers guide gives drive times from each to every resort.
Areas
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Costa Adeje
Costa Adeje is the upmarket, busy coast of Adeje, from Playa de Troya to Callao Salvaje, with Siam Park, a golf course and a marina.
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Los Cristianos
Los Cristianos is the peaceful fishing-village resort in Arona, with a ferry port for the other islands.
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Puerto de la Cruz
Puerto de la Cruz is the historic north-coast resort: a protected old town, black-sand beaches and the Manrique sea complex.
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Playa de las Américas
Playa de las Américas is the lively resort on the southern coast, between Arona and Adeje, with seafront bars, nightlife and water sports.
Guides
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