15 Very Best Things to Do in Tenerife, Spain - Endless Travel Destinations

Planning a trip to Tenerife? Don’t forget to check out this list of the very things to do in Tenerife, Spain.

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, a volcanic island group west of the African coast. Here there’s a pleasant climate all year round, making it a popular travel destination in the winter months as well as in the summer months.

The popular Spanish island is characterized by great diversity and great contrasts. Tenerife is home to lush and unique nature, moon-like landscapes, impressive volcanoes, beautiful beaches, charming villages, and plenty of fun things to do. There’s no doubt that Tenerife is one of the most beautiful islands in Europe!

If you’re planning a trip to Tenerife, hang on for a little longer. Here’s a list of the very best things to do in Tenerife, Spain.

Table of Contents

The best things to do in Tenerife:

1. Teide National Park

The biggest attraction in Tenerife is definitely Mount Teide in Teide National Park. With a height of 3,718 meters and a crater of 80 meters in diameter, Mount Teide is the highest point in Spain. Oh, and it’s even the third largest volcano in the world!

The surrounding national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers an incredible lunar-like landscape. As you move around the park, it feels like being in another world with craters, volcanoes, and rivers of petrified lava. In fact, it isn’t that hard to understand why Teide National Park has been used as a movie location in movies like Star Wars and The Planet of the Apes.

When visiting Teide National Park, don’t forget to pre-book your Mount Teide cable car tickets. After 8 minutes, you suddenly stand at an altitude of 3,555 meters. From here, you must climb the last hundreds of meters on foot. Reaching the top of Mount Teide, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent panoramic views of Tenerife.

2. Masca

In a lush valley, running through one of the oldest areas of the Canary Islands, you’ll find the small picturesque mountain village of Masca. The drive to Masca is seriously nerve-wracking along winding mountain roads with insanely sharp turns. In fact, driving through the breathtaking scenery with the most beautiful views is a great experience in itself.

When arriving in Masca, you’re greeted by a small village that dramatically embraces the rock walls at the top of the valley. The town itself is so charming and it feels like time has stood still for a very long time.

One of the very best things to do in Tenerife is to hike down the valley at the foot of the village. The trip through the lush valley takes about 3 hours and ends at the bay. From here can choose to hike all the way back again. But note that the trip back is very steep and demanding. You can also opt for an easier option by taking a boat from the bay to Los Gigantes.

3. Cueva del Viento

One of the greatest must-see sights and best things to do in Tenerife is to visit the Cueva del Viento volcanic tunnel. With a length of 18 kilometers, it’s one of the world’s longest volcanic tunnels. In fact, it’s only surpassed by a series of volcanic tunnels in Hawaii.

Cueva del Viento was created 27,000 years ago by a volcanic eruption from the Pico Viejo volcano next to Mount Teide. The tunnel consists of a huge labyrinth of underground passages on three floors. Inside the tunnel, you can experience many beautiful and dramatic lava formations.

A guided tour of Cueva del Viento lasts for about 2 hours. Since you’re going to explore something below the surface of the earth, you need to wear long pants and good hiking shoes. You should also be aware that there’s no access for children under the age of 5.

4. Pyramids of Güímar

Another of the best things to do in Tenerife is to visit the Pyramids of Güímar. The origin of the six mysterious stair pyramids is a great mystery still being debated by archaeologists around the world.

Some believe the pyramids date from the 19th century and have been used for growing crops. Others believe they date back to ancient times and were built in the same way as pyramids in Peru and Mexico. Regardless of the origins of the pyramids, it’s still a must-see sight in Tenerife. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Tenerife if you’re interested in history.

Besides the pyramids, there’s also a museum with historical and archaeological finds from the area. Also, don’t forget to explore the surrounding park with several unique plant species.

5. Lago Martiánez

Lago Martiánez is a large and beautiful outdoor pool area in Puerto de la Cruz in northern Tenerife. The large complex consists of seven saltwater pools and a huge artificial lake located right next to the sea. There are also several artificial islands, restaurants, cafes, bars, and an underground casino.

The many pools are surrounded by sun loungers, hammocks, terraces, gardens, palm trees, and much more. Lago Martiánez is one of the best things to do in Tenerife if you’re missing a relaxing day in beautiful surroundings. Admission for a full day is only £ 5.50 for adults and £ 2.50 for children.

6. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria

The town of Candelaria is the religious center of the island. In the town square, you’ll find the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. This basilica is the most important shrine in the Canary Islands dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria, a patron saint of the Canary Islands.

Inside the basilica, you can catch a glimpse of “The Black Madonna”. Outside next to the basilica, you can also see nine bronze statues of the former Guanche kings. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria is a must-see attraction in Tenerife for anyone interested in religion and culture.

7. Los Gigantes

On the west coast of Tenerife, you’ll find the huge cliffs of Los Gigantes. The huge rock formations are formed by volcanic rocks and rise dramatically from the sea to a height of between 500-800 meters. Although the cliffs are slowly being degraded by wind and weather, they’re still among some of the highest rock formations in Europe.

Los Gigantes is best experienced on a boat trip on the sea, from where you can get very close to the huge cliffs. Another option is to visit the beach in Los Gigantes town at the foot of the cliffs. From here you can go on arranged trips with diving, snorkeling, paddle-boarding, and much more.

8. Siam Park

Siam Park is one of the largest water parks in Europe. Oh, and it’s also one of the best water parks in the world! The name comes from the park’s Thai theme, after which all the buildings are inspired. In fact, there are so many buildings that it’s said to be the largest collection of Thai buildings outside of Thailand.

Inside Siam Park, you can jump into the world’s largest wave pool with waves up to 3 meters high. You can also try a nerve-wracking 28-meter-high water slide. Here you can reach a speed of about 80 kilometers per hour before whizzing through an aquarium filled with sharks.

The large water park also offers a large playground for the kids, several water slides, an artificial sandy beach, waterfalls, and much more. Siam Park is definitely one of the best things to do in Tenerife for both children and adults.

9. Dragon Blood Tree

In the small charming town of Icod de los Vinos, you’ll find the famous Dragon Blood Tree. The tree also goes by the name Drago de Icod de los Vinos. The Dragon Blood Tree is one of the most popular sights on Tenerife as it’s the oldest and largest of its kind in the Canary Islands.

The tree is about 20 meters high and has a circumference of about 20 meters. It isn’t known for sure how old the Dragon Blood Tree is, but it’s estimated to be somewhere between 800-1000 years old. The dragon blood tree is best experienced at a distance from Plaza de San Marcos.

10. La Laguna

San Cristóbal de La Laguna was once the capital of Tenerife. Today it’s the second-largest city on the island. La Laguna is the only city in the Canary Islands to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The historic center of the city is characterized by narrow streets and old colorful colonial-style houses dating back to the 15th century. A visit to this old university town is definitely one of the best things to do in Tenerife!

The whole city is incredibly beautiful and is packed with historical and cultural experiences. Enjoy the sight of the beautiful buildings, visit the local market, educational museums, impressive churches, and ancient monasteries. Either way, La Laguna is one of the most beautiful cities in Tenerife.

11. Natural lava pools in Garachico

The dramatic volcanic landscape of Tenerife has resulted in many unique natural phenomena. This is also the case in the city of Garachico which was once Tenerife’s most important port city. However, it all took a drastic turn in 1706 when a volcanic eruption resulted in lava flowing down through the city and filling the harbor basin.

The large lava flows created several natural lava pools. Today they’re among the most popular tourist attractions in Tenerife. The natural lava pools in Garachico are officially called Piscinas Naturales de El Caletón and have different sizes, some of which are child-friendly. It’s definitely one of the best free things to do in Tenerife!

Besides the natural lava pools in Garachico, you can also visit several other great lava pools in Tenerife. They’re scattered throughout the island but some of the most spectacular lava pools are those in Bajamar and Jover.

12. Orotava Valley

In northern Tenerife, you’ll find the Orotava Valley. The great valley stretches all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the northern part of the volcano Teide at 2,000 meters altitude. Orotava Valley is known for its scenic surroundings and lush vegetation with endless fields and banana plantations.

The Orotava Valley is also Tenerife’s most important wine region and is filled with idyllic vineyards where you can taste fine wines. Don’t forget to visit the town of La Orotava. This beautiful city is characterized by charming old buildings and cobbled streets. If you’re looking for a beautiful panoramic view of the whole valley, visit the viewpoint of Mirador de Mataznos.

13. Whale watching

One of the best things to do on Tenerife is to go whale watching off the coast of Tenerife. The strait between Tenerife and the neighboring island of La Gomera is known to be a great place to spot whales in their natural environment. You may be lucky to see dolphins, humpback whales, and even large sperm whales.

There are many different whale safaris in Tenerife. For example, you can sail with a pirate ship, a catamaran, a glass-bottom boat, or something completely different. On most of the trips, you get the opportunity to jump into the sea along the way.

14. Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the capital of Tenerife and is home to about 220,000 inhabitants. It isn’t a typical tourist town in Tenerife with long beaches and huge resorts. In contrast, Santa Cruz is a busy port city that’s perfect to visit if you’re looking for an exciting day trip.

Although Santa Cruz isn’t a typical tourist town, there are still plenty of fun things to do. You can experience the everyday life of the locals up close. But you can also visit the old town with beautiful architecture, old churches, and cozy squares.

Another option is to go shopping, see cultural buildings or visit popular museums such as the Archaeological Museum with mummies. So, it isn’t without reason that Santa Cruz is one of the best things to do in Tenerife.

15. Day trip to La Gomera

La Gomera is the second smallest of the Canary Islands but one of the most beautiful! After a short boat ride of about 40 minutes from southern Tenerife, you arrive at this adventurous volcanic island.

It almost feels as if time has stood still on the small island that hasn’t yet been taken over by mass tourism. Unlike the neighboring islands, there hasn’t been a volcanic eruption on La Gomera for more than 2 million years. Fortunately, this means that the island is extremely lush and incredibly beautiful with magnificent and varied nature.

So, that’s all on this list of the very best things to do in Tenerife, Spain. What are your favorite things to do in Tenerife? What are you looking forward to on your trip to Tenerife? Feel free to leave a comment.