Visiting Tenerife for the First Time? Here’s What To See and Do

Teide National Park (Parque Nacional del Teide) is home to Spain’s tallest peak, which also happens to be a volcano: Mt. Teide (El Teide). The park has numerous hiking trails (and driving through it is also an interesting way to take in its rocky, volcanic landscape), but the best way to enjoy the peak is by taking the Teide Cable Car (Teleférico del Teide) to (almost) reach the top of the crater.

As this activity is one of the top things to do in Tenerife, plan your Mt. Teide tour ahead of time to ensure availability. And, view the weather conditions on the website before you start your adventure, as high winds and other meteorological conditions can suspend daily operations.

Insider tip: Bring sunblock and wear layers. It’s usually significantly colder at the top of the summit, even when conditions are summer-like down below.

If you’re driving through the Santiago de Teide region, you can’t miss Los Gigantes, the giant cliffs that tower over the ocean. Part of the Parque Rural de Teno, the cliffs, which reach up to 1,968 feet (600 meters) high in some spots, feature several hiking trails and, down below the water, many areas that are excellent for scuba diving (it’s best to scuba dive as part of a tour, though, as waters can be rough).

Additionally, one of the best places to visit in Tenerife is the Mirador Archipenque, located on the winding Carr. Gral. Puerto de Santiago. This viewpoint has a small café where you can sit with a drink and admire the cliffs or just stop to snap a few memorable photos.

No Tenerife island tour is complete without visiting some of the island’s beaches. Start in the north at the white sands of Playa de las Teresitas, then head to Playa Benijo, where jagged rock formations shoot up from the volcanic black sands. In the south of the island, visit the golden sands of the tourist-catered Los Cristianos and Las Vistas Beach (Playa Las Vistas), bask in the shadow of the Gigantes cliffs on Playa de Los Guíos in Santiago de Teide, or join the windsurfers at the blustery Playa La Tejita, where sands look almost reddish.

Tenerife’s Atlantic waters may be rough and chilly, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting out into the sea and swimming or taking a snorkeling tour, during which you can see marine life such as sea turtles. And no Tenerife travel guide is complete without a whale-watching tour or dolphin-watching tour. The island’s waters are home to 21 different species, including resident species that you can spot year-round, such as the bottle-nosed dolphin or the short-finned pilot whale.

Taste Tenerife’s food and wine, savoring everything from roasted potatoes with mojo picon sauce to delectable seafood—the island’s signature fish, vieja, is a smooth and mild white fish you can get at many local restaurants. But the island also has many typical Canarian restaurants called guachinches, which produce their own wine and have affordable, no-frills food. As an added bonus, Tenerife is also known for producing volcanic wine and is home to two wine sub-regions. A stop at the popular Monje Winery (Bodegas Monje) for a tasting and tour should be at the top of a Tenerife itinerary for first-timers.

The one-of-a-kind wooded, mountainous Anaga Rural Park offers a microclimate that feels worlds away from the volcanic Teide or Tenerife’s breezy beaches. Here, you’ll hike through misty, verdant foliage up and down peaks that give way to stunning sea views and tiny, hidden villages. You can also drive to different sections of the park, take hiking tours, or stop at a viewpoint to see some of Tenerife’s beautiful landmarks.

Insider tip: Similar to Teide, wear layers when visiting Anaga. It may even be misting or raining here while it’s sunny and hot down by the beach.

Santa Cruz is the capital of the island, and its historic center spans more than five centuries of history. Once an important stop along the seafaring route between Europe and the Americas, this city and its waters were a key port for trading. Make sure to see the first church on the island, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, deemed a National Historic-Artistic Monument, and one of Tenerife’s top landmarks for first-timers.

On Sundays, you can also stop at the Nuestra Señora de África market, a food market popular with locals. And the best Tenerife sightseeing tip? Taking a sightseeing tour of the city means you won’t miss any of the most important spots.

Many Tenerife travelers head straight to the tourist-catered Costa Adeje or Santa Cruz. But one of the best Tenerife travel trips for newcomers is to remember that some of the tiniest hidden gems make for the most wonderful travel experiences, and this includes Tenerife villages such as Icod de los Vinos, home to a tree that’s more than 800 years old; and UNESCO–listed La Laguna, with its bright, colorful buildings. La Orotava, perched in La Orotava Valley, is another colorful gem worth visiting, as is Masca, which sits surrounded by lush peaks overlooking the Masca Valley.

If you’re in the market for kitesurf, windsurf, or surf lessons, there are several spots on the island of Tenerife worth visiting, but El Médano is the best. With many rocky coves and a sandy stretch that’s especially ideal for lessons, this area also has plenty of restaurants, hotels, and amenities you need to enjoy your stay. If you’re already an experienced surfer, you can rent boards and equipment by the hour, day, or week, and take advantage of El Médano's great swells on your own.

If there’s one piece of Tenerife travel advice you should take, it’s to visit the island during the popular Carnaval celebrations. The celebrations last nearly a month and occur in early spring (usually February and March). Expect to enjoy festivals, contests, parades, music, dance, and other cultural festivities, children’s events, and spectacular costumes. If you plan to attend Carnaval, know that most of the events take place in Santa Cruz, and it’s best to book in advance to get the best price (and before hotels fill up).