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Playa de las Americas, Tenerife © canaryforum

Overview
Playa de las Americas is Tenerife's largest tourist playground, a purpose-built hedonistic haven for holidaymakers of all ages and stages who come here for fun in the sun from all over the world. The resort is situated in the south of the island near the Tenerife South Airport (Reina Sofia Airport). It has grown vastly during its 30 years of existence and now covers three different zones: the original Playa de las Americas, San Eugenio and Toviscas. There are three natural beaches in the resort area and three man-made ones, all covered with dark volcanic sand and extremely crowded during the summer season. The las Americas beaches are linked by a long promenade, which winds along the busy waterfront, backed by dozens of high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks. A mini train runs around the resort stopping at scheduled points every hour, and there are plenty of free buses to assist visitors in getting around, making the most of the Playa de las Americas bars, entertainment venues, shops and sports facilities that abound. Don't expect to soak up any Canarian culture while holidaying at Playa de las Americas, but for those who enjoy the hullaballoo of a packaged, carefree summer vacation, the resort will exceed expectations.

Shopping
There is a vast array of shops in Playa de las Americas and holidaymakers can indulge in the delights of duty-free shopping in the numerous electrical stores and clothing shops. Shoppers should be aware that salesmen can be quite aggressive - bargain hard and remember that the shop next door probably sells the same stuff. The supermarkets offer most of the well-known brands, many imported to cater for the British tourists. Those in the mood for some haggling should go shopping in las Americas Torviscas Market (Thursday and Saturday from 10am); there are great bargains to be had and it's perfect for presents, but shoppers should get there early as it can get very crowded. A trip to Santa Cruz (one hour by bus) is worthwhile for those looking for designer clothes.

• Unlike at home you can bargain in all the shops, even the posh ones. Try it, you will be surprised how much discount you get. : Dianne and Kev...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Restaurants
Playa de las Americas has top-rated restaurants in which holidaymakers can dine, such as Montana, Vista Sur, Meson Castellano, Mei Shi Xuan and Da Angelo. There are restaurants in las Americas catering for every taste; along the seafront are dozens of fast food stalls and restaurants advertising English breakfasts and Sky TV, and international dishes of all varieties are also offered including Indian, Chinese, some great pastas and, of course, excellent tapas and local Canary Islands cuisine. Many of the better restaurants are located in the Torviscas areas and in the neighbouring resort of Los Cristianos. There are also some nice restaurants overlooking the marina in Puerto Colon.

• Go to the Cosy Cafe on the walk between Los Christianos and Costa Adeje - their cream cakes are to die for ! Excellent service, excellent food. : Lindsay Turley...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Nightlife
With more nightclubs than some British cities and some of the best nightlife in Tenerife, las Americas is a honey pot for those looking for more of a nocturnal holiday. The area known as The Patch is the best place to start the evening as most of las Americas bars are located within easy walking distance. The Patch also has a fine choice of nightspots and most bars have a happy hour or two. The most popular are Rags and Linekers, dance bars that play a good mix of Pop, R&B, Dance and 80s party music. Many of the bars have good live music, often with impersonators. Later on the Veronicas complex and the Starco Commercial Centre are the places to head to, or avoid. The streets are packed with revellers until the early hours, particularly during the busy summer months; Tramps is the largest club on the island and very popular. There are also two casinos at the resort.

• stay in a group 3 or more people don\'t be alone. : Patrick...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Activities
Las Americas has entertainment for visitors and holidaymakers of all ages including tennis courts, amusement arcades, bowling, water parks and go-carting, and all sorts of watersports can be arranged from the beaches, from jet skiing and windsurfing to scuba diving and banana boat rides. Some popular things to do in las Americas include bungee jumping at the Sky Park and visitors can swim with dolphins at the Aqua Park. There is an 18-hole golf course on the way to Los Cristianos and horse and camel riding can be arranged nearby. Boat trips leave regularly and bottlenose dolphins and whales are often seen. Other popular excursions include a trip to the capital, Santa Cruz, and to the Mount Teide National Park.

• Relax and enjoy the sunshine all year round. : Christine Barker...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Negatives
The resort is built on the side of a hill and many apartments have a steep walk up from the beach. The accommodation near the centre can be very noisy until the early hours. There are hundreds of touts trying to sell you everything from trinkets to timeshare apartments - it's best to be firm but polite and avoid getting into a conversation with them. There are promotions staff outside the bars and restaurants who are quite insistent, but it can be worth chatting them up as they sometimes offer free drinks. Be aware of con artists; don't accept scratch cards or play cards with anyone on the beach. Although the authorities are clamping down on prostitution, drug dealing and yobbish behaviour, some visitors find the Veronicas complex intimidating at night. Those looking for a quieter evening should remain on the Torviscas side of the resort. The beaches are fairly small and get crowded, particularly during the busy summer season.

Nearby Attractions

Masca

For great scenery, a visit to the northwest tip of the island of Tenerife, around the picturesque village of Masca, is hard to beat. The village is set in the Teno Mountains, clinging to the slopes of a deep green ravine beside a...  see full details

Pirámides de Güímar

On the east coast of Tenerife, south of Santa Cruz, stand six mysterious step pyramids of which archaeologists have yet to discern the origin. The pyramids were initially thought to be just remains of agricultural stone terraces, or random piles of stone cleared from...  see full details

Teide National Park

The Parque Nacional de las Canadas del Teide was declared a protected area in 1954, and has become recognised as offering one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, including an enormous volcanic crater with a circumference of 30 miles (48km), out of...  see full details

Activities

Boat Trips from Tenerife
There are a huge number of companies offering boat trips to tourists and these vary from a 'booze cruise' on a cruiser offering lunch, drinks and watersports to a trip around the island on a sailing boat or catamaran. One of the main attractions is the chance to see whales and dolphins in the wild. Visitors on most trips spot whales, while dolphins are not so much of a certainty but are often seen very close to the boat. Trips go from either Puerto Colon in Playa de las Americas, or from the port at Los Cristianos and most operators offer a free bus service from the larger hotels in the main resorts.

Big Game Fishing around Tenerife
The Canary Islands are one of the best spots in the world for big game fishing and there are a number of companies who offer fishing trips in Tenerife. While blue marlin are the most highly prized trophy fish, there are plenty of other species including white marlin, wahoo, dorado, yellowfin tuna, and mako and hammerhead sharks. Regular catches of blue marlin range from 331 to 496 pounds (150 to 225kg).