Let’s be honest. Until last year, I had no clue that such a place exists on earth. Sure, I had heard about Canary Islands, but had never thought of exploring more until few of our friends traveled here. The idea of a beach vacation and warm weather enticed us enough to plan a vacation and let me tell you, it was so worth it! Tenerife, definitely felt like the charm of Canary Islands and here is why..
The Spanish Canary Islands is made up of 7 volcanic islands, off the coast of northwestern Africa i.e. the Sahara desert in Morocco. The 7 islands are – Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma, and out of these Tenerife and Lanzarote are the popular ones. These islands are very popular among the Brits and Irish folks. They fly to Canaries year on year to sunbathe in the warm weather (can’t blame them for craving for some sun!).
Tenerife is the largest of these islands and is dominated by El Tiede (a dormant volcano) at the heart of the island. The landscape changes drastically between the south and the north and there is a lot more you can do here in addition to of course beaches.
How to Travel to Tenerife & other Canary Islands:
To our surprise, it’s fairly easy to travel to any of these islands. All of them have an airport and you can directly fly to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and La Palma from an international destination. For the other two islands, there are inter-island hopping flights and boats available. From Spain, Ireland, and the UK, the frequency and connection to these islands are very good, and I am sure that would be the case from other European countries.
Also, it is highly recommended that you rent a car in Tenerife. Public transportation isn’t great and if you want to explore other parts of the island car is your best bet. Car rentals are pretty reasonable as well, so it’s totally worth it.
Where to Stay in Tenerife:
Two of the popular locations to stay are the beach resorts in the south and the rain forest BnBs in the north. We stayed in South Tenerife, just 10 mins drive from the airport. Our resort Santa Barbara Golf and Ocean Club By Diamond Resorts had the most amazing facilities including a heated swimming pool. It’s very expensive to maintain a heated pool, so loads of countries in Europe don’t offer this facility. It definitely felt like a luxury considering the cold winds.
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Things to do in Tenerife:
El Teide
The highlight of Tenerife is this dormant volcano and the national park. As you drive towards El Teide, the landscape changes every few kilometers and before you know, you would have entered Mars. It’s so unique, and vast that you wouldn’t believe your eyes. For sure this place makes Tenerife the charm of the Canary Islands.
You can do lots of hiking in the Nation Park but the hike up / cable car up El Teide is the most popular one. You can hike till the crater but remember that you will need a permit to do so and it gets booked a few months in advance. However, you can get to the viewpoint on the top i.e. the cable car upper station by either hiking up or taking a cable car. The cable car costs 27 Euro per person and can be bought on the day by standing in a queue. On a clear day, you can see the other Canary Islands from the top. If you are not affected by altitude sickness, consider walking on routes 11 and 12 for some pretty stunning viewpoints.
Tenerife is one of the very few places in the world-famous for star and milky way gazing due to its clear skies. If you time your travel properly you will be amazed by the natural wonder our earth offers. El Teide national park is the best place in Tenerife for star gazing as it’s away from all light sources. For more information read the Volcano Teide experience article. Just make sure you travel during the no-moon phase of the month.
You would easily spend an entire day at the national park, so plan accordingly.
Parque Rural de Anaga and Las Vueltas de Taganana hiking
Anaga national park is the popular rain forest in the northeast of the island. An ideal visit to the rain forest should start by visiting the tourist center at Cruz del Carmen, on the TF-1 road. There is a short hike within the rain forest and you will feel really calm inside as you walk in between the trees and hear the birds chirping. If you are up for something more intense, do the Las Vueltas de Taganana hike to enjoy the lush forest and some stunning views.
How cool is this presence of a rain forest on a volcanic island? Nature and its wonders never cease to amaze me. Anaga National Park is another location that makes Tenerife the charm of the Canary Islands.
Playa de Las Teresitas
The golden sand at Playa de Las Teresitas is the perfect definition of an island vacation. Tenerife is a very rocky and volcanic island, the sand on this beach was imported from the Sahara desert. You can rent one of the sunbeds for 4 euros per person. The weather is pretty warm in winter and spring. However, the water is very cold and not ideal for swimming. This place is perfect for a summer beach vacation.
The beach is close to Anaga national park and you can easily combine both these spots in one day. Also, don’t forget to drive up the hill to the famous viewpoint of Playa de Las Teresitas. The view during sunset is super stunning from there.
Los Cristianos
Los Cristianos is another very famous spot in Tenerife. You will find loads of beach resorts, cafes, pubs & restaurants and beautiful beaches in this area. Again, there are plenty of sunbeds you can rent here. In addition, you can also choose to do some of the excursions like whale watching, scuba diving, etc. This can be booked at one of the numerous agents in Los Cristianos.
Masca
Masca is a small mountain village in the northwestern part of the island. The drive to this village is stunning and so is the view. However, the drive can get a bit tricky considering the narrow hairpin bends.
Los Gigantes
Los Gigantes is the resort town in Tenerife and a super stunning place for those fancy Instagram photos. The rock formation is really unique and gives a very different look to the town. There are a lot of small shops and cafes here if you fancy some shopping or dinner. Los Gigantes and Masca are very close in proximity and can be combined in one day.
We suggest going to Los Gigantes during sunset to get some super amazing shots. Again, we believe this is another location that makes Tenerife the charm of the Canary Islands.
