CoconutCecci

Welcome to my itinerary for Tenerife!

📍Tenerife, Canary Islands

Tenerife is the dream island where volcanoes meet the Atlantic. Tenerife is one of the eight inhabited Canary Islands and the green gem of the archipelago. 

🛜 Internet

Tenerife is part of Spain and as such, part of the EU so my friends from the EU do not need to do anything to be online. For my friends outside of EU, it’s advisable to buy a local SIM card. In the mountains and some remote beaches there is no internet at all.

💵Currency 

The currency is euro and cards are widely accepted.

✈️Getting There

To get to Tenerife the easiest way is to fly. Most international flights arrive to the Southern airport. You can take the ferry from some of the other Canary Islands if you’re already visiting the archipelago.

🚘Getting Around 

Tenerife is a surprisingly big island and public transportation is not always available. That’s why I would recommend renting a car to explore the island. From the southern tip to the northern the drive is a few hours. Sometimes the traffic is heavy. 

🗺️Where to Stay?

I would recommend you to stay in different areas of the islands as the drives can be quite long to enjoy the different sceneries (beaches in the south, nature and mountains in the northern part). I split my time between Costa Adeje in the South and La Orotava in the middle/northern part.

🚨Safety 

Tenerife is extremely safe, just be aware of pickpockets.

🌤️Weather and the Best Time to Visit 

Tenerife as well as the other islands has good weather year round. The warmest months are from April to October but November to March are also good and you can enjoy the beaches all year! The sea temperature rarely drops below 20 C. In winter the evenings and nights can be a bit cold so bring a jacket! Same applies to the mountains year round.

📍 Southern Tenerife

In the south, Tenerife steps fully into its holiday mode. Most tourists stay here as the weather is mostly sunny and warm. There are several holiday towns, hundreds of hotels and beaches. This area also has the most activities and beach bars and restaurants. There is not much nature so if you’re not a pool and beach person, you should probably head to the more northern parts (later in my posts). You can also go diving or whale watching or join a sunset cruise. 

Many of the beaches in this area are quite busy and touristy with lots of beach bars and vendors. For more natural beaches you have to drive quite close to the southern airport and visit Playa de la Tejita or the beaches next to Montana Roja.

For some reason, we didn’t find many tapas places here and it’s my favourite thing in Spain! One gem that we found is No55 Wine Bar & Tapas in Costa Adeje, a lovely family-owned place with only a few tables, so do book in advance. 

I usually don’t do much shopping while traveling but one thing you shoukd check put is the perfume stores. The prices are around 30% cheaper than in Finland!

📍The North & La Orotava 

When you drive north, the island changes completely. Green valleys, banana plantations, misty hills and dramatic black-sand beaches decorate the landscape!

La Orotava is one of the prettiest towns on the whole island. Old Canarian houses, carved wooden balconies, colourful streets and charming gardens where time moves slower. It’s the perfect place to wander without a plan. There are not many hotels and we opted for an AirBnb.

The northern beaches are different from the south with black volcanic sand and some beaches with strong waves. I would recommend Playa de las Gaviotas, it’s an hour drive from La Orotava and has no connection but it’s beautiful next to the mountains and soft with warm black sand. No restaurants etc are available on this beach but as it’s natural and remote, it’s the perfect place for photography!

If it is cold or rainy, visit Silken Saaj Maar Spa in Puerto de la Cruz, it’s a gorgeous boutique spa with pool, jacuzzi, 2 saunas and warm loungers. A reservation is a must!

📍Teide 

No trip to Tenerife is complete without visiting Teide National Park. You can hike, take the cable car or simply enjoy the surreal landscapes created by ancient lava flows. It is advisable to book the cable car in advance. There are also walking trails to enjoy the scenery and the drive itself is already gorgeous. If you love photos, this is where you’ll fill half your camera roll. But remember to dress warmly, it’s very cold and windy!