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Tenerife
Tenerife is the striking grande dame in the archipelago family. Attracting over six million visitors a year, the island’s most famous southern resorts offer Brit-infused revelry and clubbing, combined with white sandy beaches and all-inclusive resorts. But get your explorer's hat on and step beyond the tourist spots and you’ll discover an island of extraordinary beauty and diversity, with remote mountain-ridge villages, cultured port settlements and charming ancient towns.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Tenerife
The cable car provides the easiest way to get up to the peak of El Teide. The views are great – unless a big cloud is covering the peak, in which case you…
Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs. The galleries display…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This magnificent, soaring white wave of an auditorium was designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and delivers…
Puerto de la Cruz
Established in 1788, this magnificent botanical garden has thousands of plant varieties from all over the world and is a delightful place to while away an…
Biblioteca Municipal Central de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This library downstairs at TEA is a design classic, a vast open-plan room with overhanging globular lights, copious natural light, angular lines and a…
Tenerife
These astonishing, dark rock cliffs soar sublimely 600m from the ocean, forging a magnificent natural geological spectacle right on the edge of Los…
Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Dating from 1944, this tantalising market is housed in an eye-catching building that combines a Latin American feel with Moorish-style arches and patios…
Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This brain-bending amalgam of natural science and archaeology is an excellent museum, despite a rather confusing layout. Set inside the former civil…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
The 14 best things to do in Tenerife, from ground-breaking galleries to Spain’s highest peak
Curated by Isabella Noble
North Coast Tenerife
This ornate mansion, dating to 1632, has a sublime setting, with balconies set around a picturesque central courtyard and also decorating the front of the…
Tenerife
This superfriendly kitesurfing school with professional instructors has an excellent reputation.
Tenerife
Marrying Western, Canarian and Japanese flavours, this Michelin-starred restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Abama has sent a tsunami barrelling through…
Tenerife
The cable car provides the easiest way to get up to the peak of El Teide. The views are great – unless a big cloud is covering the peak, in which case you…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This magnificent, soaring white wave of an auditorium was designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and delivers…
Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs. The galleries display…
Tenerife
Calling this mountain ‘Old Peak’ is something of a slight misnomer considering it was actually the last of Tenerife’s volcanoes to have erupted on a grand…
Tenerife
A popular but demanding trek is down Barranco de Masca to the sea. Allow six hours for the return hike, or take bus 355 from Santiago del Teide to Masca…
Tenerife
This large and extensive centre based in Los Gigantes is one of the better places in Tenerife for diving. A range of PADI courses are offered, up to…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Despite only having a few rooms, this new museum has an excellent collection of Carnaval costumes and displays with good English-language explanations of…
La Laguna
A recent recipient of a coveted Michelin star, NUB in the La Laguna Gran Hotel works culinary wonders under the expert guidance of husband-and-wife chefs…
Tenerife
The deep honey-coloured sands of Playa de las Teresitas, just beyond San Andrés village, were imported from the Sahara. It’s a lovely beach with a…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Conscientiously established on a former landfill area, this excellent 12-hectare botanical garden has the most diverse collection of palm trees in Europe,…
Tenerife
Stretching for around 1km, this delightful unspoiled beach has a simple straw-roofed bar for drinks and snacks and makes for tremendous photos as the sun…
Tenerife
These astonishing, dark rock cliffs soar sublimely 600m from the ocean, forging a magnificent natural geological spectacle right on the edge of Los…
La Laguna
To see the largest number of splendid mansions standing cheek to jowl, wander along Calle San Agustín. Look for the metal plaques outside the noble…
Tenerife
From its elevated perch gazing down on to a wide-angle perspective of the Atlantic, the vast, five-star Ritz-Carlton Abama wows guests with a breathtaking…
Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Dating from 1944, this tantalising market is housed in an eye-catching building that combines a Latin American feel with Moorish-style arches and patios…
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
It's difficult to miss the striking bell tower of the city’s oldest church, which also has traditional Mudéjar (Islamic-style architecture) ceilings. The…
Tenerife
A few kilometres south of El Teide peak, across from the Parador Nacional, lies this geological freak show of twisted lava pinnacles, christened with…
The best free things to do in Tenerife, from beach days to star-spangled nights
Curated by Kerry Walker
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Founded in 1900 and formerly part of the adjacent church (note the fabulous stained glass), this excellent museum has an eclectic collection of paintings…
Tenerife
The cable car provides the easiest way to get up to the peak of El Teide. The views are great – unless a big cloud is covering the peak, in which case you…
North Coast Tenerife
Drago Park contains the pride of the town – a tree said to be the world’s largest and oldest drago (dragon) tree, allegedly here for more than 1000 years …
Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The highlights of this dramatic contemporary building are the architecture, its three galleries and the stunning library downstairs. The galleries display…
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria
Candelaria
This imposing domed church dates from 1959 and sits at the edge of the town centre, overlooking a rocky beach and flanked by a plaza where nine huge…
Garachico
Strung along Garachico's seafront are the natural pools and channels known as El Caletón. They were formed by the lava flow from the volcanic eruption in…
Biblioteca Municipal Central de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This library downstairs at TEA is a design classic, a vast open-plan room with overhanging globular lights, copious natural light, angular lines and a…
Tenerife
Just beyond the southern edge of Parque Nacional del Teide and just outside Vilaflor, 'Fat Pine' is a fabulous 800-year-old specimen of Canarian pine tree…
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Despite only having a few rooms, this new museum has an excellent collection of Carnaval costumes and displays with good English-language explanations of…
La Laguna
Head to this colourful market, which has close to 100 stalls, including fresh-produce counters piled high with glistening fruit and veg, and decorated…
Tenerife
One of the best places in the northern hemisphere to stargaze is the Observatorio del Teide, just off the TF24 highway between La Laguna and the El…
Tenerife
The deep honey-coloured sands of Playa de las Teresitas, just beyond San Andrés village, were imported from the Sahara. It’s a lovely beach with a…
Tenerife
These astonishing, dark rock cliffs soar sublimely 600m from the ocean, forging a magnificent natural geological spectacle right on the edge of Los…
La Laguna
To see the largest number of splendid mansions standing cheek to jowl, wander along Calle San Agustín. Look for the metal plaques outside the noble…
Garachico
The soul of Garachico is the main Plaza Libertad, with its towering palm trees, heritage buildings, cafe tables and lively atmosphere. Here old men in…
Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Dating from 1944, this tantalising market is housed in an eye-catching building that combines a Latin American feel with Moorish-style arches and patios…
Museo de la Historia de Tenerife
La Laguna
The documents, maps, weapons and tools are interesting enough at this museum, but the 16th-century mansion – with its creaking floorboards, old window…
Tenerife
When Plato mistook the Canary Islands for Atlantis, it must have been because of places like Punta de Teno. This beautiful spot, jutting into the Atlantic…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Things to Do
Dive into Tenerife’s endless delights, from mountain hikes, coastal kayaking and Atlantic swims to cutting-edge galleries and an unmissable national park.
Read articleThings to Know
Tenerife evokes everything that makes Spain’s Canary Islands so endlessly enticing. To fit in like a local, here's what you need to know before you go.
Read articleTransportation
Get the lowdown on how to get around Tenerife, from road trips through the mountains to coastal bike rides.
Read articleMoney and Costs
The best ways to explore Tenerife on a budget, from climbing Mt Teide to stays in casas rurales and pop-up dining.
Read articleFree Things to Do
You might not believe it when looking at the ritzy south coast, but the best things in Tenerife really are free. Here are our top free things to do.
Read articleArticles
Latest stories from Tenerife
Filter by interest:
Hiking8 of the best hikes in Tenerife, from volcano climbs to coastal cliff-hangersJul 21, 2022 • 10 min read
Budget TravelThe best free things to do in Tenerife, from beach days to star-spangled nightsJul 18, 2022 • 9 min read
BeachesThe best 8 places to visit in Tenerife: from cliff-hugging villages to culture-loaded citiesJul 13, 2022 • 11 min read
Destination PracticalitiesTop tips for getting around Tenerife, from sky-high road trips to coastal cycle ridesJun 24, 2022 • 6 min read
Budget TravelDiscover Tenerife on a budget, from cheap hideaways to volcanic heightsJun 21, 2022 • 8 min read
ActivitiesThe 14 best things to do in Tenerife, from ground-breaking galleries to Spain’s highest peakJun 17, 2022 • 9 min read
Destination PracticalitiesThe best times to visit Tenerife for carnival fever and coastal hikingJun 15, 2022 • 8 min read
National ParksTenerife’s most beautiful national park and protected areas, from pine forests to volcanic peaksMay 31, 2022 • 6 min read
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