tenerife itinerary
The island of eternal spring
The beautiful island Tenerife is one of the eight Canary Islands. It is popular for it’s all year round warm weather and attracts up to 5 million visitors a year. Beaches, Mountains and Sun are the three main reasons why people love Tenerife.
Tenerife’s landscape will blow you away. Black sand beaches that slop inwards towards lava-caved green forests, untouched towns, and upwards to the island’s central peak, the sometimes capped in snow Mount Teide. The beautiful desert landscape of Teide National Park surrounding the Mount Teide, as well as the unique mountain range of the Anaga Rural Park, often covered in fog and rain.
But there is so much more to explore besides black sand beaches and the unique landscapes, like snorkelling, dolphin and whale watching, water parks, historical towns and swimming in nature pools.
Table of Contents
WHAT TO DO AND SEE IN TENERIFE:
Visit the Loro Parque
The Loro Parque is a theme Park turned into a zoo and was owned by SeaWorld until 2018. It’s one of the best modern zoo in the world, they work on animal research, education, responsible breeding, rescue, conservation and sustainability. It was really great to see how responsible they treat the animals and our environment, you can even walk by the laboratories and breeding stations surrounded by glass seeing the researcher, scientist and keepers work. The Loro Parque also features dolphin and whale shows. I personally don’t agree with keeping dolphins and whales in captivity, however I thought we had to pay extra for these shows, but you don’t it’s all included in the entrance ticket. So please do your research before you decide if this is an attraction for you.
If you want to see sea life close up, there are plenty of ethical boat companies in Tenerife, who can take you out to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
Spend the day exploring Puerto de la Cruz
Take a trip around by walking, so you get to see all the amazing corners of the town. Look out for the Mujer Pescadora, aka the ‘Ganochera’ statue in Puerto de la Cruz’ fishing harbour, go for a dip in the nature pools near the promenade, a stroll around the palm fringed promenade for sunset.
If you come in the morning, go for a stroll through the streets before you take a brunch break at “The Brunch Factory” and then go for a dive off the rocks into the waves of the natural swimming pools. If you’re keen for a shopping trip, then visit the cute little shops to buy souvenirs and bring along’s for the family, after you’ve taken lunch in one of the promenade restaurants.
Take a mystery walk through Ghosttown
One of the most interesting places on the southeast coast of Tenerife is the Ghost Town of Abades. The remains of an early twentieth-century abandoned leprosy village still bask in the bright sun.
There is the Sanatorio de Abona church, a hospital, administration buildings, a crematorium and many buildings intended to live in. Since leprosy was successfully fought on Tenerife, the village built for this purpose was never actually used.
Walking around the village is more peaceful than spooky, with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. A look of the back of the ghost town reveals a beautifully organised coastal community where everything matches: White stucco, green windows, and red roofs. A short walk towards the coastline next to the lighthouse, you will find a harmonic and calming view of the waves breaking and the horizon.
Look out for whales and dolphins
The Atlantic Ocean where Tenerife is situated is one of the best places in the world to spot dolphins and whales.
Take a boat trip from Playa de las Americas for your chance to spot some short finned pilot whales, which are the most commonly sighted whale. When booking, make sure you book with a boat company who has the whale watching certification, meaning they comply the regulations to protect the pilot whales. Look for boats bearing the Barco Azul/Blue Boat Flag (a yellow flag with a life ring in the middle showing a mother and a calf pilot whale and reading Barco Azul Blue Boat). These boats make sure not to stay longer than 15 minutes near the whales to minimise disruption, but don’t worry, this is plenty of time to take in the amazing encounter. You see some boat tours also offer a swim or snorkel stop (we even got to see a turtle too).
Lie on Tenerife´s beautiful beaches
What would a trip to Tenerife be without a relaxing day at the beach. Many of Tenerife’s natural beaches are made up of black sand, which is a result of years of volcanic activity. There are some golden beaches on the island and they have a surprising origin. These beaches are not natural, they have been specifically built for tourism and have sand shipped in from the Sahara Desert.
Beaches to visit: Playa de Castro, Playa de Las Teresitas, Playa de Troya, Nature pools of Puerto de la Cruz, Playa Grande, Bahia Beach, Playa de la Tejita, Playa de Sotavento.
Take a day trip to Costa Adeje
Costa Adeje is an upmarket resort located on the southwest coast and is one of the major tourist spots in Tenerife, offering wide shopping opportunities, some of the best beaches on the island and an outstanding selection of restaurants.
Go for a shopping tour through the promenade, enjoy a cocktail in one of the amazing bars, relax at the beach and have a mouthwatering dinner at a beachside restaurant.
Beach: Playas de Troya
Restaurarant/Bar: Maningos Bar Restaurant, Restaurante Drop Inn and Monkey Beach Club/Kong
Make a splash at Tenerifes water parks
Fun for the whole family, the Siam Park is one of the best water parks in the world with an amazing Thai architecture. With over 20 rides and attractions, as well as restaurants, a lazy river, beach pool and much more, the Siam Park holds loads of action and fun for every age.
If you want to make the most of your day, be sure to arrive early and buy your tickets online, otherwise you will have to stand in a very long queue and waste a lot of time. The water park is for every age, although I would recommend it for kids at the age of 6. Almost every ride has a minimum height and long queues to wait in. The younger ones could get bored waiting all day.
If travelling with younger kids there is a smaller water park called Aqualand, which is near the Siam Park, but quieter and therefore the better option for families with young kids who want to avoid long queue, also there are a lot more options to play with for the little one while the older siblings also have enough rides to go on.
Romantic sunset on Mount Teide
Mount Teide is a volcano, gives Tenerife it’s shape and is the highest point above sea level on the island in the Atlantic.
If you love romantic sunsets, Mount Teide is definitely a spot you can’t miss. Grab your picnic blanker, get a bottle of wine and a takeaway pizza, and you have everything you need for an epic sunset above the clouds of Tenerife.
It was so amazing we even went up twice, it’s an about one-hour drive up the mountain to the viewpoints. Mirador de Chipeque is a main viewpoint and I would suggest arriving a bit earlier, it was a bit crowded as we arrived. The second time we didn’t visit a main point, a few minutes down from Mirador de Chineque, we found a private little spot next to the street at Vista del Teide, that we had all to ourselves.
Spend the evening at a Beachclub
Spending a day or evening in one of Tenerife’s beach club’s is a must-do. Tenerife has so many wonderful beach club’s you can choose from. No matter if you’re travelling with kids or without, Bahia Beach club in Puerto Colon has everything you need and entertainment for every age.
If you are planning on having dinner at the beach club, I would recommend getting a reservation. The dinning area was very full, but the rest of the club was very quiet in the evening, perfect to lay back enjoy a cocktail and sunset while the kids can play in the sand.
Secret hidden beach with waterfall and cave
If you like exploring unique and hidden gems, this is a perfect spot to add to your itinerary. The way down may feel like you are lost in a beautiful oasis full of palm trees and other greenery. You cross a few wooden bridges, might meet some lizards and see stunning views. Take a quick stop at the viewpoint – Fortin de San Fernando, where you can spot the hidden beach from above.
The beach is full of stones and pebbles, but when there is a low tide it also shows its black shimmering sand. Playa de Castro is the only beach with a waterfall in Tenerife, it’s not very large and if there is a high tide, the sandy beach is hidden underwater it then only shows the mentioned stones.
Tips:
- make sure you wear good shoes for the hike down, flip-flops are not the best choice
- bring enough food and water to refresh yourself
HOW TO GET AROUND
If you want to explore Tenerife in its full go for renting a car, it’s the absolute best way to see the island in it’s brimming beauty.
We went for the company Sunny Cars, which we were totally happy with and had no problems whatsoever. Although next time we would go with Cicar because they are cheaper.
- Sunny Cars is a German company, has cars all around the world and a full insurance.
- Cicar is a company only in Spain and the Canary Islands.
- check the drop-off and pick up times
- drop off and pick up location – it’s possible to drop off at a different location as you picked it
- do your research, what car rental is the cheapest at the time you are travelling
- check the tire pressure
- check the gas gauge – bring the car back as you got it to avoid extra payment
- check the car for any damage
- bring your license, ID and credit card
WHERE TO STAY
VILLA MIRADOR LOS CORALES
The villa is located in a quiet area with a jaw dropping view over the Atlantic Ocean and on mount teide. It was spotless and providing everything you need even for long stays. Checking in/out and communicating with the host was very easy and available at all times to answer questions. The garage was very useful since we hired a car, and the private pool was great for a late night swim or a quiet stay at home afternoon.
Quick FACTS and INFOS
Rent a car:
- Sunny Cars is a German company, has cars all around the world and a full insurance.
- Cicar is a company only in Spain and the Canary Islands.
More details: www.sunnycars.com or www.cicar.com
Aqualand, Siam park and Loro Parque ticket:
You can choose between a variety of different tickets
Aqualand single ticket
- Day ticket: €13,-
- Family ticket – 2 adults and 2 children €96,-
- Combi ticket for 2 parks: €15,- (Aqualand and Jungle park)
https://www.aqualand.es/costa-adeje/
If you plan to visit both the Siam Park and Loro Parque I would recommend going with the twin ticket.
Prices:
- Adult: €70,-
- Child: €40,-
We booked all our tickets on Get Your Guide, the Siam Park and Loro Parque was a twin ticket and the Aqualand a single. You can also book all the tickets on their own homepages – for us, Get Your Guide was the easiest and quickest way, and we had all our tickets on one App.
Whale watching boat trip:
Keep an eye out for dolphins and whales in their natural environment on a sailing trip off Tenerife’s south coast. Watch out for other sea creatures, relax on deck with snacks and drinks and go for a swim in the clear sea.
Prices:
- Adult (10-99): €58,-
- Child (3-9): €44,-
Important to know:
- Although the weather is always warm, bring warm clothes at least a warm jumper and pants, for the higher areas like a sunset on Mount Teide (it can get cold and windy).
- Bring beach shoes, the sand is extremely hot.
WHERE TO STAY:
Villa Mirador los Corales
English 
German 
