Tenerife, one of Spain’s stunning Canary Islands, makes a wonderful vacation destination! The volcanic island has beautiful black sand beaches, amazing hiking trails and tons of quaint, colorful towns. The southern portion of Tenerife is especially popular with tourists, as there are many wonderful resorts, restaurants, shops and bars. Tenerife South is a great part of the island to stay on for a fun vacation! Ready to start planning your Tenerife vacation? Keep reading for the 11 best things to do in Tenerife South!
Tenerife South Things to Know
- Ubers are available in Tenerife South, but not all of the island
- I still recommend a rental car for exploring other parts of Tenerife
- Tenerife South is the busiest and most touristy part of the island
- Tenerife South tends to be sunnier and warmer than the Northern part of the island
- Most flights, including international flights, arrive and depart from Tenerife-South Airport (TFS)
The Best Hotels in Tenerife
Tenerife South is home to a wide range of hotels and resorts at a variety of price points! Costa Adeje, Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos are three of the most popular areas for tourists to base themselves. All of these areas have beaches close by, offer tons of great activities and are surrounded by bars and restaurants.
Tenerife South Hotel Recommendations
- Flamingo Beach Mate
- Dreams Jardin Tropical Resort & Spa
- Adrián Hoteles Jardines de Nivaria
- H10 Gran Tinerfe – Adults Only
- Iberostar Selection Sábila – Adults Only
If you have a car and want to be in a beautiful and tranquil part of the island, while still being able to quickly access the main downtown areas, I highly recommend Royal River (Adults Only) or Royal Garden. These sister hotels are absolutely beautiful and truly an oasis. They are 100% some of the most incredible and luxurious places I’ve ever stayed.
The 11 Best Things to do in Tenerife South
1: Enjoy the Beaches in Costa Adeje and La Caleta
Costa Adeje is located in the southwestern portion of Tenerife and is home to beautiful beaches. While the beaches in Costa Adeje are still touristy, many of the beaches are much less packed than the most popular tourist beaches, like Playa de las Americas.
Two of my favorites are Playa de Fañabe and Playa del Duque. They’re far enough from the center of the downtown area to be a little less packed, but there are still shops and restaurants close by. Umbrellas and beach chairs are also available to rent.
If you venture a little further into the town of La Caleta, you’ll find even less crowded, but equally beautiful beaches.
La Caleta is a small, picturesque town that is very walkable and home to Playa de la Enramada. This black pebble beach has chairs and umbrellas to rent (that are cheaper than Playa del Duque) and also has a bar/restaurant (Coqueluche Beach Bar) right on the beach. There is also parking nearby.
Although this beach is rocky and not sandy, I love that it’s relaxing and less crowded than beaches in Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas.
Be sure to explore the town of La Caleta after a beach day and enjoy some delicious food. I recommend Bloom for brunch and Mirlo or Lagarto Brasserie for dinner.
2: Have a Beach day at Playa de las Americas
If you’re looking for a beach right in the middle of all of the action with tons of bars, restaurants and activities close by, Playa de las Americas is a great choice! Playa de las Americas is both a neighborhood and also a beach with the same name. This part of Tenerife is known as the party capital – so if that’s the vibe you’re looking for, this is the place for you!
Parts of the beach are quite rocky, as is the case with many beaches in Tenerife, but it’s a great place for surfing, people watching or laying out on a sunbed that’s available for rent. This is also a great place to watch the sunset and then enjoy the nightlife!
3: Take the Cable Car at Mount Teide National Park
Mount Teide Volcano is absolutely a must visit while in Tenerife. While Mount Teide isn’t exactly in Tenerife South, it’s very easy to access either with a rental car or on a guided tour.
At 12,188 feet, Mount Teide’s summit is the highest point in Spain. It’s also one of the tallest volcanoes in the world! Mount Teide began forming over 170,000 years ago and it’s truly incredible to visit. It is one of the most unique places with the most interesting landscapes I’ve seen during my travels.
You can purchase tickets to take the cable car here! Visitors can also choose to go on a guided tour to Pico Viejo (an easy viewpoint walk) to learn more about the history of Mount Teide with a guide. We did this and it was so informative and definitely worth it! You’ll find this option when you’re selecting the date, time and optional add-ons for your tickets.
NOTE: be sure to get a “return” ticket, otherwise your cable car ticket will only be for one direction – and, unless you really love hiking, I wouldn’t recommend trying to hike down on your own.
If you don’t want to go with a guide, you can also take the easy 15 minute walk out to Pico Viejo on your own. The path is very clearly marked and is where the majority of tourists go once they reach the top of the cable car.
From Pico Viejo, on a clear day, you’ll have amazing views of La Gomera, another Canary Island. Just be aware that the path is rocky/uneven and at such high elevation some visitors may have a more difficult time breathing. If you go slowly and take breaks, most travelers will be able to do the walk quite easily.
Things to know when visiting Mount Teide
- The drive to Mount Teide’s cable car from Tenerife South is about 1 hour
- Be sure to bring a jacket (at least a light one) and maybe a hat – even in the summer it’s very cold at such a high elevation.
- We got lucky when we went in early September and it was sunny and pretty warm, but this isn’t always the case, so it’s best to be prepared.
- Bring plenty of bottled water
- Don’t forget your sunglasses
If you want to visit Mount Teide but don’t have a rental car, or would simply prefer to go with a group, there are a wide variety of guided tours! You’ll find everything from star gazing tours, to ATV rides to traditional hikes.
There’s something for everyone and guided tours are a great way to learn more about the volcano from a professional guide.
Mount Teide Guided Tour Options
- Teide National Park Sunset & Stargazing with Dinner
- Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus
- Mount Teide Quad Bike Trip
- Private Tour Teide National Park
- Mount Teide and Tenerife North with Food & Wine Tasting Private Tour
4: Marvel at Los Gigantes
If you enjoy seeing incredible landscapes, especially on the coast, then Los Gigantes is a must visit. These giant cliffs, where the name “Los Gigantes” (or The Giants) comes from, come out of the ocean to a height of between 500-800 meters (1600-2600 feet).
Los Gigantes cliffs are located in, you guessed it, the town of Los Gigantes, which is under 30 minutes by car from Playa de las Americas.
In addition to the impressive cliffs, the town of Los Gigantes is a great little area to walk around, shop and have lunch (I recommend Bistro 22). Additionally, Playa de los Guíos, a beach right under the cliffs, offers beautiful views and a nice place to relax.
Unfortunately, when we tried to visit, the beach had been closed for a few days due to falling rocks. However, if it’s open, it’s a great place to check out.
5: Go Shopping at Siam Mall
I don’t usually recommend malls when traveling, but if you happen to want to do some shopping, the Siam Mall is a great choice. This indoor/outdoor mall is nicely designed and has many of the major stores many shoppers are looking for, like H&M, Zara, etc.
From Playa de las Americas, or downtown in general, it’s about 10 minutes by car to reach Siam Mall. While the drive is easy, the parking is a little limited. We drove around for about 15 minutes before we were able to find a spot in the garage.
There’s a free shuttle bus that goes back and forth to the mall from many downtown areas, so that’s a great option if you don’t have a rental car. You can find the bus route here.
6: Watch the Sunset at Mirador de Fañabe
If you’re looking for a beautiful place to watch the sunset, Mirador de Fañabe in Costa Adeje is a great option. This viewpoint has parking and you’ll find that it’s a popular spot to hangout and watch the sunset.
There isn’t anything at Mirador de Fañabe (restaurants, shops, etc), so this is somewhere you should specifically go for sunset watching. There’s parking and you’ll definitely want to drive since it’s uphill and outside of the main downtown area.
7: Have a Sunset Rooftop Dinner
Having a rooftop dinner with a beautiful view is such a fun thing to do during a trip to Tenerife! There are several wonderful rooftops to choose from, but a few of my top recommendations include:
8: Enjoy Water Sports
Tenerife has some of the most beautiful black sand beaches I’ve seen and it’s a great destination for beach and water sports! There are tons to choose from in Tenerife South, everything from jet skiing to scuba diving to kayaking.
There’s definitely something for everyone!
A few of my top recommendations include:
- Jet Ski Excursion
- Kayaking with Dolphins and Turtles and Snorkelling in Tenerife
- Scuba Dive for Beginners in a Turtle Area in Costa Adeje
- Group Surf Class in Playa de Las Américas with Photographs
9: Go Whale Watching
I will preface this by saying that I didn’t go whale watching in Tenerife, because the past few times I’ve gone in other locations I’ve gotten extremely seasick.
However, Tenerife is known to be an incredible place for whale watching. Seeing whales, dolphins and other sea life up close is such an incredible experience and something that I would recommend adding to a Tenerife itinerary (as long as you don’t get extremely motion sick.)
Another positive to going whale watching in Tenerife is that many tours are very affordable, especially when compared to other popular destinations. Most tours are around $25-$60 per person and some include hotel pick-up.
Tenerife Whale Watching Tours
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet
- Whale Watching Eco-Adventure from Costa Adeje
- Whale Watching Experience
- Whale & Dolphin Watching Boat Tour from Los Cristianos
10: Try Local Dishes from the Canary Islands
Spanish food, in general, is delicious and Canarian food is no exception! In addition to the classic Spanish dishes that you can find all over Tenerife, be sure to also sample some traditional Canary dishes.
Must try Canarian dishes:
- Papas Arrugadas
- Small potatoes boiled in salt water and served with a delicious sauce
- Ropa Vieja
- Ropa Vieja is a traditional dish across much of the Caribbean and Latin America, however the Canarian version is a little different. This stew with meat and vegetables typically also has garbanzo beans and potatoes.
- Mojo
- A delicious sauce that comes in many variations (usually a green or red sauce), and is served with various dishes – like papas arrugadas!
- Garbanzada a lo Canario
- Chickpea stew with pork
- Fresh fish dishes
- Goat cheese
- Tenerife has delicious fresh, local cheeses and goat cheese is among the most popular.
A few of my favorite restaurants in Costa Adele for traditional Canary dishes include:
11: Explore the Picturesque Coastal Towns
All across Tenerife you’ll find quaint coastal towns that are lovely to stroll around. A couple of my favorites include La Caleta and Los Gigantes, but there are tons of adorable ones all across the island.
Los Gigantes and La Caleta are both are great towns to check out for a walk, a bite to eat, a little shopping and maybe even a trip to the beach!
Tenerife South Q&A
- What airport do I fly into for Tenerife?
- Tenerife Sur Airport, also called Reina Sofía Airport, is located on the Southern portion of the island and is the main international airport.
- Can you fly direct from Tenerife to the USA?
- Yes! There are direct flights on United from Newark (EWR).
- What are the best months to visit Tenerife?
- You can get direct flights from Newark to Tenerife during the summer months and this is also the nicest time of year to visit with the warmest sunniest weather. However, the Canary Islands have a sub-tropical climate and are nice to visit year round. You’ll find sunshine and warm(ish) temperatures all year.
- Is Tenerife an expensive holiday/vacation?
- Tenerife is an affordable place to vacation in Europe! There are great budget options for hotels and food and there are also many free activities to partake in once you’re on the island, like beach days, swimming and hiking.
- Is Tenerife closer to Africa or Spain?
- Although the Canary Islands are part of Spain, they are physically closer to the continent of Africa. Tenerife is about 300 km (187 miles) off the coast of Morocco.
- Is it easy to travel around Tenerife without a car?
- In the Southern portion of the island Ubers are available. The downtown areas (Playa de las Americas, Costa Adeje, etc) are very walkable and there is also a good public bus system. However, I do recommend a rental car as it will allow you to easily explore other parts of the island.
- If you don’t want to rent a car but still want to explore other parts of the island, there are good guided tours available.
- Can you use American dollars in Tenerife?
- Tenerife is part of Spain, so you will need euros. You can easily take euros out with your debit card from any ATM around the island.
So there you have it! The 11 best things to do in Tenerife South on your vacation. I hope you found these activity and experience recommendations to be helpful. Tenerife is such a fun island and you’re sure to have an incredible trip.
If you have any questions, or if there’s anything you’d like to add to this post, let us know in the comments!
Be sure to also follow us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad, for mini-guides and travel photo inspo!
Pin Me!
♡Kate
Note: This guide to the best things to do in Tenerife South includes affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
