Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, and in a single day you can go from a volcanic beach to the foot of a volcano over 3,700 metres high. Few places pack in so much contrast: evergreen laurel forests in the north, a desert of lava in the centre and a sunny south almost all year round.
This guide gathers the essentials — Mount Teide, La Laguna, Santa Cruz and Masca — plus the beaches and a few notes on getting around. And to explore its cities and corners on your own terms, you'll find local guides' audio tours at the end.
At a glance
- Island
- The largest of the Canaries
- Must-see
- Mount Teide, 3,715 m, Spain's highest peak
- UNESCO heritage
- Mount Teide and La Laguna
- Climate
- Eternal spring, all year round
- Getting around
- Rental car or local buses (TITSA)
- Airports
- Tenerife North (TFN) and South (TFS)
Tenerife's essentials
From the volcano to the coast: the six things you can't miss and how to fit them in.
Mount Teide: Spain's highest peak
At 3,715 metres, Mount Teide is the highest mountain in Spain and the heart of a national park listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Climbing towards it means crossing a landscape of lava, flows and mineral colours that looks like another planet — science-fiction films have been shot here.
A cable car climbs to 3,555 metres in a few minutes. To set foot on the summit (3,715 m) you need a free permit, requested online in advance, as places are limited. And after dark, the sky above Teide is one of the best in the world for stargazing: it is protected and home to observatories.
- The cable car: It climbs to 3,555 m in about eight minutes; book ahead and check the wind report, which sometimes closes it.
- The summit permit: To walk the last stretch to the crater (up to 3,715 m) you need a free permit, and they go fast; request it weeks ahead.
- Starry skies: The park has some of the best stargazing conditions on the planet; there are viewpoints and guided evening visits.
Tip: Wrap up warm even if it's hot on the coast: at 3,500 metres the temperature drops sharply and the sun burns twice as hard.
Explore Teide with an audio tourLa Laguna: the city that travelled to the Americas
San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the island's first capital, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Its old town was the first unfortified colonial city, and its grid layout became the model for many cities founded later across the Atlantic, in the Americas.
Today it is a lively, pedestrian university town, with streets of colourful houses, palaces and Canarian courtyards. Take your time on foot, stepping into its churches and peering into its doorways.
- The old town: Calle de la Carrera, the cathedral and the Church of the Concepción, with its lookout tower.
- Canarian courtyards: Many grand houses hide wooden courtyards; some let you take a look inside.
- University buzz: Terraces, taverns and a good atmosphere at any hour, especially midweek.
Tip: It's ten minutes from Santa Cruz by tram, so you can see both cities on the same day.
Discover La Laguna with an audio tourSanta Cruz de Tenerife: the capital by the sea
Santa Cruz, the capital, grew up as a port and still lives facing the sea. It is a city of open squares, a market, good shops and a seafront presided over by the Auditorio de Tenerife, architect Santiago Calatrava's white sail that has become a symbol of the island.
In February it hosts one of the biggest carnivals in the world, second only to Rio's. And a stone's throw from the centre lies Las Teresitas beach, with golden sand and calm waters, very different from the black-sand beaches of the rest of the island.
- The Auditorio and the port: Calatrava's landmark and the seafront promenade, best at sunset.
- Plaza de España and the market: The heart of the city and the Nuestra Señora de África market, to taste local produce.
- Las Teresitas beach: About seven kilometres away, in San Andrés: golden sand brought from the Sahara and gentle waters.
Tip: If you travel in February, reckon with Carnival: the city fills up and accommodation sells out fast.
Explore Santa Cruz with an audio tourMasca and the Teno massif
In the far north-west, the Teno massif shelters the village of Masca, a handful of houses clinging above a spectacular ravine. The mountain road that leads there, narrow and full of bends, is a sight in itself, with viewpoints over the cliffs and the sea.
This is Tenerife's wildest, greenest side, the one of small villages and footpaths. Nearby lies the Anaga rural park, with its laurisilva forest, a kind of ancient woodland that survives in only a few places in the world.
- The village of Masca: Stone houses above the ravine; go early, as parking is very limited.
- The Teno road: Vertiginous bends and viewpoints; drive calmly and pull into the lay-bys for photos.
- Anaga forest: Laurel forest and misty trails in the far north-east; an island within the island.
Tip: The Masca ravine is a demanding hike with set times and booking; the village and the viewpoints can be enjoyed without going down it.
Get to know Masca with an audio tourThe north coast: Garachico and the Icod dragon tree
The north coast holds two of the island's best-loved sights. In Icod de los Vinos stands the Drago Milenario, the most famous dragon tree in the Canaries: a huge tree of impossible shape, a true symbol of the archipelago, admired from the park beside the old town.
A few kilometres away, Garachico was the island's great port until an eruption buried it in 1706. Today it's a lovely, quiet town, and that same lava, cooling in the sea, formed El Caletón, natural rock pools where you can still take a dip.
- The Icod dragon tree: The Drago Milenario, a symbol of the Canaries; seen from the Drago park, next to the old town.
- Garachico: A former port buried by lava in 1706; today, one of the most charming towns in the north.
- El Caletón pools: Natural volcanic-rock pools formed by that eruption, next to Garachico.
Tip: Icod and Garachico are very close; they pair well in a half-day around the north.
Beaches and getting around the island
Tenerife has beaches for every taste. The south — Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje — is home to the big resorts, with almost guaranteed sun and well-equipped beaches. The north is greener and has more surf, with natural pools and coves of black volcanic sand.
To see it all, a rental car helps: Teide, Masca and the north are far away and harder to reach by public transport. There is a good network of guaguas (the local buses, TITSA) linking the main towns, and a tram between Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The island has two airports: the southern one (TFS), for most international flights, and the northern one (TFN).
- Sunny south: Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Costa Adeje: resorts, services and sun almost all year.
- Green north: Puerto de la Cruz, natural pools and black-sand beaches such as Playa Jardín.
- Getting around: A car for Teide and the north; guaguas (TITSA) and the tram for the cities.
Tip: If you only rent a car for one day, save it for Teide and Masca, where you'll appreciate it most.
Explore Tenerife at your own pace
With a self-guided audio tour you explore Teide, La Laguna, Santa Cruz or Masca whenever you like and at your own pace, with a local guide's commentary in your ear. You buy it once and listen in the app whenever it suits you, without depending on schedules or groups.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need to see Tenerife?+
With four or five days you see the essentials: Teide, La Laguna, Santa Cruz, Masca and a beach or two. A week lets you take it slowly and add the north and Anaga.
Can you climb Mount Teide? Do you need a permit?+
A cable car climbs to 3,555 metres. To walk up to the summit, at 3,715 metres, you need a free permit requested online in advance, as places are limited.
When is the best time to visit Tenerife?+
You can visit all year round, thanks to its eternal-spring climate. The south is drier and sunnier; the north, greener and more humid. In February, the Santa Cruz Carnival fills the island.
Do you need a car to get around Tenerife?+
It's highly recommended for reaching Teide, Masca and the north. There are guaguas (TITSA) and a tram between Santa Cruz and La Laguna, but a car gives you much more freedom.
What are the must-sees in Tenerife?+
Mount Teide and its national park, La Laguna (a World Heritage Site), the capital Santa Cruz, Masca, the Icod dragon tree and its beaches, from the sunny south to the black-sand coves of the north.
