Planning a trip to Tenerife? Let me guide you through the island’s must-see attractions in Tenerife, prices, locations, and insider tips. I’ll share my personal ratings, helping you decide which places are must-visits and which ones you can skip if you’re short on time. This article is your key to crafting the perfect itinerary for your Tenerife adventure.
Tenerife Attractions: General Info
Here’s a quick overview of the island and what awaits you in terms of attractions:
- Tenerife is the most densely populated of the Canary Islands, home to nearly 1 million residents, out of the total population of the Canary Archipelago, including Tenerife, which stands at 2.1 million.
- It’s also the most popular island among tourists, with the highest number of visitors. Both of Tenerife’s airports together welcome around 11 million passengers annually.
Important to note:
Tenerife is bustling with tourists, especially during peak seasons. Beaches are crowded, parking is a challenge year-round, and popular attractions are often filled with visitors. However, despite these drawbacks, the island offers a wealth of experiences. This article is a must-read for anyone planning a vacation in Tenerife, offering insights into the best beach resorts, accommodation options, bus schedules, and other island quirks.
But Tenerife isn’t all downsides, mind you. The island is beautiful, though it might be tough for those with social anxiety. Here are some pluses:
- It’s the most developed Canary Island. You’ll find all the touristy stuff you need: entertainment, huge shopping malls, stores with global brands.
- Tenerife’s attractions make a long list of cool spots. From volcanoes to oceans to forests, nature lovers will find plenty here. And if you’re into medieval architecture and old Spanish towns, Tenerife has those too.
- Then there’s Loro Park and Siam Park – family gems you won’t find just anywhere.
Keep in mind:
While Tenerife’s public transport is decent, it won’t get you to about half the attractions on this list. If you’re an active tourist, you’ll need a car. Renting one here is easy, cheap, and rental companies are super tourist-friendly. I’ve got the lowdown on car rentals in Tenerife, including personal experiences and pitfalls.
What to see in Tenerife: map
Below is a dynamic map of all the top (and not-so-top) attractions in Tenerife. Feel free to click around, zoom in, and explore any location in detail.
- Beaches aren’t on the map because you’ll find the best ones and beach activities in a separate article (link included). It’s got tons of recommendations and photos, so check out what beaches are on the island. Take choosing your resort and beach seriously – if you’re after endless sandy shores, Tenerife isn’t it.
Top 15 Attractions in Tenerife
Handy to know:
I’ll give each Tenerife attraction my personal rating. Yeah, it’s subjective, but it’ll help you narrow down your list to what interests you. Not every attraction on the island is mind-blowing. Some you can skip.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, or just Santa Cruz
The island’s capital and home to 215 thousand people. Many tourists flock here thinking the capital’s the coolest spot. Sure, it’s got attractions like any city – parks, pedestrian streets, main squares. But Santa Cruz isn’t a touristy town; it’s primarily an economic and logistical hub.
Here’s a list and coordinates of Santa Cruz’s main spots:
- Auditorio de Tenerife: 28.456224854158894, -16.25138374873658 (in the photo above). The Canary Islands’ main concert hall, hosting symphony orchestras, organ performances, and global stars.
- Also on the square by Auditorio de Tenerife, you’ll spot the 17th-century Castle of St John the Baptist and Cesar Manrique’s “Wind Toys” installation. You’ll learn all about “Wind Toys” and Cesar Manrique himself if you visit his homeland, Lanzarote – every attraction there’s tied to him: Attractions in Lanzarote.
- Cesar Manrique’s open-air pools (Parque Marítimo César Manrique): 28.45414, -16.2542. You can read more about these pools in the article: water parks in the Canaries, where you’ll also find coordinates for Tenerife’s lava pools.
- Plaza de España – Santa Cruz’s main square: 28.46762, -16.24734
- Beautiful and green Garcia Sanabria Park (Parque García Sanabria): 28.472066878788212, -16.253551418584507
- Central pedestrian street Calle del Castillo: 28.46706, -16.25088
- Palm Tree Park – Botanical Garden with over a hundred palm species from around the world: 28.45229, -16.25635. Ticket price is 6 euros.
- Nuestra Señora de África Market (Mercado Ntra. Señora de África): 28.46335, -16.25188.A typical Spanish market housed in a beautiful historical building. Locals come here to shop for groceries, so it’s not just a tourist spot. There are cafes, souvenir shops. In one part of the market, you’ll find fresh seafood, and you can even have it cooked and enjoy it with a glass of local wine right there. Highly recommended.
These are the main locations in Santa Cruz, and they’ll keep you busy for a day. If you’re staying here longer, there are a dozen more squares, beautiful boulevards, and parks to explore.
Author’s rating:
6 out of 10. Let me try to convey one thought, and the decision is yours. Santa Cruz is the transportation and economic center of the island. There are no beaches in the city except for Cesar Manrique’s pools. And the entire city center is occupied by the port; the promenade along the port is quite questionable. You can easily cover all the main attractions of the city in 1 day, even in 4-5 hours. So, I recommend choosing one of the cool resorts in the south for your stay and coming to Santa Cruz for a day to stroll around the city. You’ll get your share of emotions and impressions, but don’t expect anything extraordinary; the city lacks that WOW effect.
The only time you definitely need to visit Santa Cruz for several days or a week is in February. Every year, a massive carnival takes place in the Canaries, and all the main festivities are in Santa Cruz. But about the carnival, what it’s all about, which day is the most important, read in the article: Carnival in the Canaries.
Anaga Rural Park
A very beautiful, huge, and green biosphere reserve protected by UNESCO. It boasts mountains, hiking trails, green valleys, beaches with black volcanic sand, viewpoints, and relic forests. To fully explore at least the main locations in the park, you’ll need a car; it’s indispensable here.
Here are the coordinates of the main attractions in the park:
- Pico del Ingles viewpoint: 28.532579204900163, -16.263805064418193
- Old road to Pico del Ingles (a super Instagrammable location): 28.53514, -16.26819
- Mirador Cruz del Carmen viewpoint, where there’s also a beautiful and easy hiking trail through the relic forest: 28.53032, -16.28045
- There are numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty levels in the park. One of the most popular and easiest, but also through a very beautiful forest, is called Sendero Bosque de los Enigmas (Enigma Trail, or Magic Forest). The trail is 3 km long, with a vertical drop of only 80 meters, suitable for anyone. Starting coordinates: 28.53176, -16.28091. Several long trails start from this point.
- All beaches with black volcanic sand are located on the northern coast of the park. The most famous and Instagrammable one is Benijo Beach: 28.57238, -16.19272. There are photos of the beach and a description in the article about the best beaches in Tenerife; the link was provided at the beginning.
Author’s rating:
9 out of 10. A very beautiful and green park. But you need to come here with a specific plan and understanding of which locations you want to see and where. Just aimlessly driving around the park is pointless; it’s very large, and you won’t see anything beyond the road. If you enjoy hiking, you’ll find your perfect day-long route here; the main thing is to plan everything in advance. I recommend it to nature lovers; it’s a really cool attraction in Tenerife.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
The cultural, religious, and educational capital of Tenerife. For nature lovers, ocean enthusiasts, and beachgoers, there’s absolutely nothing to do here. La Laguna, as the city is commonly referred to, isn’t even located on the coast. It’s a medieval city with Spanish colonial and traditional architecture. You should come here to soak in the city’s atmosphere, stroll through its medieval streets.
A few facts about La Laguna:
- It’s home to the most prestigious university in the Canaries, with 30,000 students attending. Considering the city’s population is only 150,000, it’s quite significant.
- The city was founded in 1496 and served as the former capital of Tenerife.
- Coordinates of the center, where you should head: 28.488946080902892, -16.31612859358367 (this is the main Cathedral of La Laguna).
- From here, narrow medieval streets branch out in all directions, with many churches and historic noble houses. Take a leisurely walk through the beautiful neighborhoods, admire the architecture, have a coffee or sangria, indulge in jamón, and revel in the cultural capital of the Canaries.
La Laguna is a satellite city of Santa Cruz, and a city tram operates between these cities. You can quickly and without traffic jams get from Santa Cruz to La Laguna, and parking issues will be immediately solved.
Author’s rating:
7 out of 10. The most beautiful city in Tenerife architecturally. I highly recommend it for lovers of old Europe and beautiful cobblestone streets. You can allocate 2-3 hours to explore the center of La Laguna at a leisurely pace. There are two large museums (of science and space and history museum) here, so if you plan to visit them, allocate an additional 2 hours for each museum.
Loro Parque
Loro Parque opened in 1972 as the world’s largest collection of parrots. Today, it’s a huge zoo that ranks among the best in the world.
My personal review:
I’ve been to dozens of zoos around the world, and in Loro Parque, both adults and children experience delight, not pity for the animals. The park conducts serious scientific and educational work, collaborates with international institutions in the rescue and protection of marine life, as well as in the conservation of endangered parrot species.
What you need to know about Loro Parque:
- Coordinates of the main entrance and paid parking lot: 28.408552236422576, -16.566125424426033
- Ticket price: 42 euros for adults. Parking costs 7 euros for the entire day.
- Make sure to arrive at the opening for the whole day; otherwise, you won’t have time to see all the shows. Opening hours: from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- In addition to cool aquariums, bird sanctuaries covering 2 hectares that you can enter, the zoo hosts shows throughout the day (visiting any show is included in the ticket price) with seals, dolphins, parrots, and the coolest – killer whale shows. Tip: Sit lower for the killer whale show, you’ll thank me later 🙂
- Official park website: https://www.loroparque.com/. You can buy tickets here, the price is the same as at the ticket office, but there may be queues at the ticket office.
Author’s rating:
10 out of 10. I recommend it to everyone for the whole day. A mega cool zoo. And just 300 meters from the entrance are the beaches of the town of Puerto de la Cruz with black volcanic sand. And in the town itself (Loro Parque is located on its outskirts) are the famous Martianez open-air pools. By the way, Puerto de la Cruz is a great resort for tourists for several days. There are many entertainment options and activities, and there’s beach relaxation too.
Dragon Tree, or Dracaena Draco
The Dracaena Draco is the primary endemic species of the Canary Islands, found only here. It’s a unique tree, whose bark secretes a red sap, resembling dragon’s blood when damaged, hence the name. These trees are abundant on Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and Gran Canaria. However, the largest and oldest Dracaena, believed to be over 1000 years old, grows in the northern part of the island in the town of Icod de los Vinos.
- The oldest Dracaena is located in a small garden, with an entrance fee of 5 euros. Apart from the Dracaena, there’s not much to see there.
- Here are the coordinates of a free viewing platform offering an excellent view of this Dracaena: 28.367045936363986, -16.721881182805284. The entrance to the garden is just 20 meters from this point.
- Time to allocate: 10 minutes
Author’s rating:
5 out of 10. On one hand, this tree is very unusual and massive. Even ten people holding hands couldn’t wrap around its trunk. On the other hand, it’s a 5-minute attraction, and there’s not much else to do in the town, especially considering the long journey from all the main resorts on the island. Moreover, there are plenty of these Dracaena trees on Tenerife if you know what they look like.
If you’ve made it here, I recommend visiting the souvenir shop at the banana museum; you don’t necessarily need to visit the museum, although it’s cool. The museum is located 200 meters from the millennial Dracaena: 28.367716342675216, -16.72154804010766. In this shop, you can buy local alcoholic beverages made from bananas: liqueurs, wines, and frizzante. And it’s all Made in Canary. You’ll find photos and types of alcohol produced here in the article: alcohol in the Canaries.
Garachico
Today, it’s a popular tourist town, but in 1796, it was completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption. The locals rebuilt it, restoring the architecture and preserving the Spanish charm of those times.
There are no beaches in the town, although Garachico is located on the coast. There’s a lava pool, an old dock, the San Miguel defensive fort (very small), a pedestrian street, a central square, and a promenade along the ocean.
- Coordinates of the large guest parking lot: 28.37497505878774, -16.763467363240768.
- The town is small; you can walk around it in 2 hours.
- There are no beaches or beach leisure activities here, but bring your swimwear; there’s a lava pool where you can swim if the weather permits. The pool is located near the San Miguel fortress.
Author’s rating:
8 out of 10. A beautiful Spanish town. Garachico is a destination for sightseeing tourism. There are no beaches or beach leisure activities here. It’s very convenient to visit the millennial Dracaena, Garachico, and the village of Masca in one day; all three attractions are located in one part of the island. If you follow this route, plan to have lunch at a local restaurant in Garachico.
Masca Gorge and the Village of Masca
A very beautiful natural and architectural attraction in Tenerife with a challenging road, narrow endless switchbacks. For novice drivers, this will be quite an adventure.
What you’ll see here:
- Masca Gorge – the deepest gorge in Tenerife. The cliffs rise 1300 meters, covered in greenery, offering breathtaking views and landscapes.
- The village of Masca – a traditional Canarian village on the mountainside, home to 90 people who have preserved the 19th-century way of life.
- A hiking route from the village of Masca through Masca Gorge to Masca Beach. The route is about 5 km one way, with an elevation gain of 550 m. If you decide to go, double the time since you’ll need to walk back.
- There are many viewpoints along the road to the village of Masca. The switchback is narrow, making it difficult to pass in some places. It’s best to come here early in the morning to avoid meeting oncoming traffic.
- Coordinates of the guest parking lot in the village of Masca: 28.305357970479758, -16.839485339714148
- You’ll need about 30-60 minutes for a walk around the village; there’s literally only one street here. Also, add another 30 minutes for the switchbacks to the gorge in each direction.
Author’s rating:
10 out of 10. Definitely a top attraction in Tenerife and a must-visit for everyone. If you’re an unsure driver and worry about driving on switchbacks, you can book a tour here. See below the prices for various tours and excursions to Masca Gorge offered by local guides.
Los Gigantes Cliffs
The sheer 600-meter Los Gigantes cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean are a symbol of the island’s ruggedness. This unique natural wonder of Tenerife can be seen from the sea by boat or from viewpoint platforms in the village of Los Gigantes itself. You can’t climb the cliffs of Los Gigantes, nor is there much to do there. The best views of this attraction are from the outside.
- Coordinates of the viewpoint (Mirador Archipenque) overlooking the cliffs: 28.240518892147787, -16.837024609172232. By the way, the Los Gigantes cliffs are visible from almost any point in the village of Los Gigantes, especially from the main beach near the port.
- Right in the port of Los Gigantes, you can book a boat trip to the Los Gigantes cliffs, Masca Beach, and if you’re lucky, you might spot dolphins or even whales. The excursion costs from 25 euros per person to 100 euros, depending on the program, route, and departure point.
- The cheapest excursions depart from the village of Los Gigantes since it’s the closest. The most expensive ones depart from Los Cristianos, in the south of Tenerife. Below is a list of excursions with prices; it’s best to book in advance, as there may not be availability on the day of the trip. This location is very popular.
Author’s rating:
9 out of 10. A cool location and a beautiful natural attraction. It’s impressive even from the shore or viewpoint platforms. If you don’t get seasick, buy a boat excursion; seeing the cliffs up close is very emotional. But remember, this is the Atlantic Ocean, and it can get quite rough; it’s better not to eat anything a couple of hours before the excursion, and take a motion sickness bag just in case 🙂
Siam Park
Siam Park is a huge open-air water park. To put it simply, the founder and owner of Siam Park is the same person as the owner of Loro Parque, which means there’s an equally fantastic implementation of ideas here. The architecture of the water park is in Thai style (Siam is the former name of Thailand). I could go on describing how awesome this water park is, but here’s one simple fact: Siam Park has been recognized as the best water park in the world 9 times in a row! No other water park in the world has received so many awards.
- Parking coordinates: 28.07119871131201, -16.726194837770855
- Official website: https://siampark.net/es/
- A ticket for an adult costs 42 euros. There’s an option to buy a combined ticket (on different days) with a discount for Siam Park and Loro Parque. All the up-to-date information is available on the website provided above.
- It’s better to buy tickets in advance; there are long queues at the entrance in the morning. The locker rental is charged, with a deposit of 15 euros. Prices at the park cafes are a bit high.
- The water park will delight both children and adults. You should plan to spend the whole day here.
- You can bring your own food or buy it on-site, but the prices at the park cafes are quite high.
Author’s rating:
10 out of 10. If you find a water park that has been the best in the world more times, let’s go there. But for now, comments are unnecessary; there’s no water park cooler than Siam Park. This is water park number 1.
Pyramids of Guimar (Pirámides de Güímar)
This attraction of Tenerife is listed as a “must-see” in all guidebooks, but for me, it’s a very controversial location. Six mystical stepped pyramids. Scientists still don’t know who, when, and why these pyramids were built. There are many theories, each with evidence, but there is no consensus among experts.
These stone structures were mentioned in the works of Pliny the Elder (an ancient Roman philosopher and scientist) when Tenerife was still sparsely populated. That was in the first century AD. However, radiocarbon dating suggests that the pyramids were built in the 11th century AD. But most scientists believe that these stones were gathered by farmers from the fields and stacked into pyramid-like structures, and this happened about 100 years ago. There’s a 2000-year gap between different theories about the origin of these pyramids, and there’s still no clarity.
- Coordinates: 28.320821058991104, -16.41375998822867
- Official website: https://www.piramidesdeguimar.es/
- Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm.
- Price: from 12.5 euros.
- Plan to spend: 40-50 minutes; there’s an ethnographic museum with quite interesting exhibits here. This time will be enough to explore the entire area.
Author’s rating:
4 out of 10. The pyramids themselves are a big disappointment; photos on the internet are greatly embellished. You can’t get close to them; the tallest pyramid is literally 6 meters high, and the rest are even lower. It’s a completely uninteresting attraction. But the ethnographic museum and the garden of poisonous plants are a different story altogether. Be sure to take an audio guide. There are interesting exhibits about the history of Tenerife. This is why you should come here, and the Guimar Pyramids will just be a bonus. If you have limited time on the island, you can safely skip this attraction in Tenerife.
San Miguel Castle
I’ll say right away, this is not the same San Miguel mentioned earlier, which is located in Garachico; this is another castle. This San Miguel Castle is located in the south of Tenerife in the tiny village of Aldea Blanca.
This is the most “authentic” medieval knight’s castle (actually, it was recently built). But it’s very atmospheric and immersive; you’ll definitely be transported back to the era of chivalry. Shows, knight tournaments, medieval feasts – this awaits you at the castle.
- Coordinates: 28.06688380118605, -16.62636586364536
- Opening hours: three times a week only in the evening, from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Be sure to check the current opening hours on the website before your visit.
- Official website (you can also buy tickets here): https://medievaladventure.com/.
- Ticket price without transfer (there’s an option with transfer): 45 euros per person. The price includes: castle visit, knight’s cloak, knight’s horse show, knights’ battle in the arena, and a medieval feast (usually soup, chicken with a side dish for the main course, chocolate dessert, there’s even wine and beer). You can’t just come during the day and walk around the castle; it’s closed. Tickets are only for the evening knight’s tournament.
Author’s rating:
7 out of 10. Personally, I didn’t expect anything from this location. And if you come here during the day, you’ll just see the castle from the outside, regret the time spent on the road, and move on. You should only come here for the knight’s show with the feast. It’s fun, very atmospheric; the vibe is great. The team has created a truly excellent medieval entertainment.
Teide National Park and Volcano
And, of course, the main attraction in Tenerife and all the Canary Islands is the highest peak in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the Teide volcano, standing at 3,718 meters.
Today, in the center of Tenerife, the Teide National Park has been established. Besides the Teide volcano itself, there’s also the crater of the Pico Viejo volcano, with a diameter of 800 meters, lava fields, the Garcia Rocks, about a dozen hiking trails, and nearly a hundred viewpoints with breathtaking views.
You have the chance to conquer the highest peak in Spain. Almost to the very top of Teide, a cable car route is laid.
- Coordinates for the lower station of the cable car, which takes tourists to the top: 28.25446, -16.62581
- Teide Park, entrance, roads, and parking are all completely free. The cable car ride is the only paid activity.
- Plan to spend the entire day at the park.
- There’s a very detailed article about the Mount Teide and park, where you can buy tickets for the cable car, how to hike up, a map of hiking trails, where the lava fields are located, how to get to Pico Viejo, how to obtain a free permit to ascend to the crater of Teide at 3,718 meters, which road in the park is the most scenic, all of this is available at the link.
Author’s rating:
10 out of 10. If you haven’t visited Teide, consider that you haven’t been to Tenerife. And in general, conquering the highest peak in Spain is a great achievement to add to your list of conquered summits; not every day do you get to climb a genuine three-thousander. This is a must-see attraction in Tenerife.
Travel Tips
And finally, a few tips that will make your trip to the island easier:
- Without a rental car, you won’t see even half of Tenerife attractions.
- The island is quite large, there are traffic jams, and driving on serpentine roads is not fast either. It’s theoretically possible to drive around the entire island and see the main attractions in Tenerife in one day, but it would be quite rushed.
- I recommend renting a car for 5-6 days in Tenerife; that’s the minimum that will allow you to leisurely visit all the locations on this list. But in general, Tenerife is an island where even two weeks won’t be enough to explore it fully. There are just too many Spanish villages, beautiful black beaches, hiking trails in the mountains, and attractions that didn’t make it into this article.
Important:
Car thefts are not uncommon in Tenerife. Windows of cars can be smashed if you leave a jacket or bag on the seat. Always hide absolutely everything in the trunk, especially in parking lots near tourist attractions.
List of Tenerife hotels, features, prices.
In conclusion: I hope this “what to see in Tenerife” list will help you plan your ideal route around the island. And you’ve already decided what you want to see and what you can skip.
Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:
- Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.
- Accommodation:
- Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.
- or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.
- Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.
- Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.
- eSIM and internet: Airalo.
- Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.
- Travel Insurance: EKTA.