Tenerife

Getting There

Tenerife has two airports, one in the north – Tenerife North Airport (TFN), and one in the south – Tenerife South Airport (TFS) with TFS being the main international airport.

The Canary Islands consist of 7 islands and are most accessible from mainland Europe. Being the largest two islands, Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the most frequent flights and largest variety of options. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, slightly smaller, also have some direct flights available. The Canary Islands are located just off the coast of Western Sahara in Africa, meaning the trip from mainland Europe is longer than many other transcontinental Europe flights.

Getting Around

There are a variety of options on ways to get around the island and will be based on both your location and plans in Tenerife. I’d recommend doing an assortment of the below options.

Rent a vehicle

In order to do some activities, it will be helpful to rent some type of vehicle (car, scooter, ATV, etc.). Cars and scooters are on the roads all throughout the island, while people used ATVs and dune buggies closer to the volcano. The ATVs and dune buggies are typically used with organized groups. Renting a scooter or car should be fairly easy and cheap as there are spots all across the island. If you require automatic transmission for cars, there’s a chance they’ll have limited options so you may want to look into it in advance or just be willing to pay for a larger vehicle than you require.

For reference, a 2 person scooter rental costs about $40/day and gas is cheap (only a few euros to fill it up). Car rentals were closer to $50/day – $100/day depending on the vehicle.

Taxis

Cabs are easy to come by on the island and fairly priced, but not a form of transportation you want to solely rely on. For a ~30 min ride, a taxi was about 30 euros

Foot

Depending on where you pick to stay, restaurants, shops, town centers, and beaches may be in walking distance

Public Bus (Titsa)

These green and white buses go all around the island and can help you travel between towns or areas. These buses do not travel quickly and make a lot of stops. They provide a good, cheap option, but make sure to budget in extra time for transportation. Tell the driver your destination as prices vary by distance and buy tickets directly onboard.

Accommodations

Tenerife is a fairly diverse island, with different terrain, climate, and vacation activities to consider before choosing where to stay

Southwest

The southwest portion of the island is the driest part of the island with the most sunshine and warmest weather. This tends to be the area most people choose to stay when they come to visit. A few of the main spots in the southern part of the island include Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, and Playa de Las Americas. These areas are all relatively close to the TFS airport and right on the beach.

Hotel Jardin Tropical -Located in Costa Adeje, this is a beautiful hotel right near the ocean. Breakfast is included with your stay and guests can opt-in to a full all-inclusive package. The property has multiple restaurants, a few pools, a beautiful outdoor gym overlooking the ocean, and a spa. The location is prime as there are many restaurants in walking distance and it is also close to some beach bar nightlife. Book here

West

The Western side of the island is also a nice spot, with the main areas including Playa de las Arenas, Playa San Juan, and Los Gigantes. After driving through Playa de las Arenas and Playa San Juan, both appeared to be fairly busier locations with restaurants and shops around. Los Gigantes is a quaint town, but much quieter than the areas on the Southwest coast.

Northeast

The Northeast is mainly composed of the current capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz. La Laguna, the old capital, is also located in the NE, but it is a small town. This area tends to be a bit cooler than the south and forecast often calls for more clouds due to the terrain around it as the area is more lush and less dry than in the south.

North

The north portion of the island is lush and green and generally a bit cooler. Other areas to look into for places to stay in the North include Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz.

Duration

Since the trip to the Canary Islands is longer than other transcontinental Europe flights, consider staying for at least 3 days if not longer. The Canary Islands are each unique and known for different aspects so if you have more time, try to visit more than one island. Ferries travel between the closer islands or one can take a quick flight between the islands.

Time of Year

Tenerife is a great spot to check out and is much further south than people often realize, meaning it is warm all year. If you are looking for a warm getaway in late winter, consider any of the Canary Islands.

Spanish Food

• Tapas – lots of small plates, perfect for sharing with a group. Some favorites include padron peppers, octopus galecian, tortilla (eggs & potato omellete), local goat cheeses, papas arrugadas (boiled potatoes served with sauces), fried calamary, among many others
• Paella – this Spanish rice dish is found a lot here, with different variations including seafood paella, meat and seafood paella, and vegetarian
• Seafood – being an island, freshly caught seafood will be a must
• Miel – a Canarian rum based liqueur often taken after a meal
• Sangria – Spanish wine cocktail