Must SeeFree
Teide National Park
Las Cañadas
A lunar landscape of lava fields, strange rock formations and colourful rock layers around Spain’s highest peak.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Open all day; free to enter
Overview
Why go to Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest Canary Island, dominated by Spain’s highest peak and ringed by very different coasts: sunny resort beaches in the south and a greener, quieter north. It works for winter sun, hiking in lunar landscapes, whale-watching and family holidays.
Tenerife is a large island with very different coasts: the dry, sunny south suits beach holidays, while the green north is quieter and more local. A hire car makes it far easier to see more than one area.
- Where
- Canary Islands, Spain
- Recommended stay
- 5–8 nights
- Best time to go
- Year-round: winters stay mild, which makes it a top winter-sun choice; summers are hotter in the south.
- Approx. daily budget
- £55–120 a dayPer person, excluding flights. Indicative.
What does Tenerife cost?
Full cost guide- Budget traveller£50–70a day
- Mid-range traveller£110–155a day
- Luxury traveller£215+a day
Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.
Things To Do
See all 14 Top picks in Tenerife
Must See~£38
Teide Cable Car
Teide
A cable car that lifts you to almost 3,600 metres in minutes, with wide views over the park and, on clear days, the other islands.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- Book ahead
- Suits: Photographers
Daily; weather dependent
Must SeeFree
La Laguna Old Town
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
A UNESCO-listed colonial town of colourful merchants’ houses, churches and student cafés, laid out on a grid that inspired cities in the Americas.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Streets open all day; museums vary
Family~£37
Siam Park
Costa Adeje
A Thai-themed water park with big slides, a wave pool and a lazy river, often ranked among the best water parks anywhere.
- Suggested time: Full day
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Families
Daily in season
Hidden Gems
See all 4 Beyond the checklist
Hidden GemsFree
Masca Village
Teno Mountains
A cluster of stone houses clinging to a ridge, reached by a spectacular winding road through the Teno Mountains.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Open all day
Hidden GemsFree
Garachico Old Town and Rock Pools
Garachico
A small harbour town rebuilt after a 1706 eruption, with lava-rock swimming pools right on the seafront.
- Suggested time: 2 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Beach lovers
Open-air; best in the morning
Hidden GemsFree
Anaga Mountains Walks
Anaga Rural Park
Misty laurel forest, ridge-top hamlets and sea views in a UNESCO biosphere reserve at the island’s north-east tip.
- Suggested time: 4 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Outdoor lovers
Open all day; best in clear weather
Hidden Gems~£4
Drago Milenario of Icod
Icod de los Vinos
A centuries-old dragon tree, one of the Canaries’ most famous plants, in a small garden above the town.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- No booking needed
- Suits: Everyone
Daily
Hotels
All 3 hotels Best-value hotels in Tenerife
Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.
Best ValueBest Luxury Value
Example listingMirador del Sur Palace
Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
Excellent valueValue score 82 out of 100
Rated 9.0/10, priced in line with similar 5★ hotels in Tenerife, right by the beach.
From £210 per night · check current availability
Best Budget ChoicePopular Choice
Example listingCasa Volcán Boutique
Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife
Excellent valueValue score 80 out of 100
Rated 8.5/10, about 13% below typical 3★ prices in Tenerife, in a central location.
From £70 per night · check current availability
Best Mid-Range Hotel
Example listingAtlántico Azul Resort
Costa Adeje, Tenerife
Very good valueValue score 77 out of 100
Rated 8.7/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Tenerife, right by the beach.
From £125 per night · check current availability
Food & Restaurants
See all 3 Where to eat
Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
The island’s biggest market, with fruit, fish, cheese and flowers in a courtyard setting, plus small snack counters.
Known for: Local cheeses, tropical fruit, fresh fish
Under about £14 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
El Rincón de Juan Carlos
A Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Juan Carlos Padrón, serving refined Canarian cooking with local ingredients.
Known for: Tasting menus of modern Canarian cuisine
£50+ per person
Special occasion Good for Couples · Groups
M.B
A two-star restaurant by chef Martín Berasategui, inside a luxury resort on the south-west coast.
Known for: Creative tasting menus
£50+ per person
Special occasion Good for Couples · Groups
A suggested Tenerife itinerary
3 nights Couple
Tenerife · Highlights
Tenerife in 3 nights
A balanced first-visit plan built from our Tenerife picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.
- Day 1 · Teide National Park, Masca Village, Garachico Old Town and Rock Pools, Los Gigantes Cliffs
- Day 2 · Siam Park, Drago Milenario of Icod, Teide Cable Car
- Day 3 · La Laguna Old Town, Loro Parque
Plan Tenerife your way
Tell us your dates, who’s travelling and what you enjoy. We’ll build a first draft you can edit.