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Tenerife
Playa de las Americas, Tenerife © canaryforum
If there is any spot on the globe that enjoys a perfect climate, Tenerife in the Canary Islands is it. There is markedly little variation in the average temperatures between summer and winter, which hover between 59ºF and 75ºF (15-24ºC), and there is only very occasional rain. Throw this in to a mix of verdant forests in the northern part of the island as well as mountains, deserts, volcanoes, exotic plant and animal life, and spectacular beaches (with black volcanic sand) - and you have a true holiday paradise.

Tenerife offers the unique experience of swimming and sunbathing on a beautiful beach while just a few miles away snow sparkles on the crest of Mount Teide. The island's central mountain stands at 12,200 feet (3,719m), the highest in Spain, and a cable-car ride to the summit offers unrivalled views of the lunar-like landscape of the volcanic slopes.

The island's capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is an upbeat town geared for tourism. Its port, where once the first shots of the Spanish Civil War were fired, is today a morass of ferries, jetfoils and freighters.



Resorts

See our separate guides to the following Tenerife holiday resorts: Golf del Sur, Playa de las Americas, Costa del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Las Caletillas, Playa la Arena, Puerto Santiago, Los Gigantes and Puerto de la Cruz


Attractions

Garachio view

Garachico

The town of Garachico offers a very different experience of Tenerife for those visitors wanting to see a more traditional and historical side to the island's character. Once a prosperous port town, Garachico suffered a weeks-long volcanic eruption in 1706 that destroyed the port...  see full details



La Orotava © oatsy @ Flickr

La Orotava

The beautiful town of La Orotava is firm proof that there is much more to Tenerife than beaches and nightlife. Known for its aristocratic heritage and exceptional architecture, La Orotava is famous for its ornate balconies, many of which are concentrated on Casa de...  see full details



Loro Parque dolphin show

Loro Parque

This amazing animal park in the north of the island is Tenerife's top attraction. The entrance fee is not cheap but considering you get a a full day out, the ticket is good value. The dolphin and orca show is particularly thrilling and...  see full details



Masca

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



Monkey Town

Monkey Park

This park is a sure-fire hit with kids, allowing them to feed and interact with a variety of monkeys, parrots, iguanas and other curious, furry creatures. Get there early and bring fresh fruit with you to feed. The park is off the bus...  see full details



Pirámides de Güímar

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



Pueblo Chico minitown

Pueblo Chico

This high-quality mini-town reproduces the Canary Islands' main attractions in perfect detail. The surprisingly large grounds leads visitors from the islands' beginnings, showing how the towns were built and how the modern face of the Canaries evolved. It's educational but in a fun and...  see full details



Siam Water Park

Siam Park

This new water park provides both excitement and respite from the heat with its Thai-village themed rides. Lazily float down the Mai-Thai river or take the challenge of the Tower of Power with has a 28-metre vertical drop. A free bus runs from...  see full details



Teide National Park

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



Playa de las Americas, Tenerife

Tenerife Beaches

The volcanic nature of the island of Tenerife means that the land has few natural beaches. Those that exist are characterised by black shingle stretches created from the island's volcanic rock foundations. The demand for tourist sun-bathing space, however, has led to the creation...  see full details



Events

Tenerife carnival

Tenerife Carnival

Held each year in February in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, this carnival is the second biggest in the world - after Rio's effort - and the most important occasion on the Tenerife annual calendar. The carnival consists of an extravagant procession through the streets...  see full details


Spain travel Forum
Tenerife Holidays
A popular destination amongst hikers with a range a walking trips and chances to explore volcanic terrain, deep ravines, populated forests, and yellow sand beaches. If walking isn't your cup-of-tea, there are plenty of tourist activities including surfing, sun-bathing, shopping, jet skiing and many more. To book your holidays to Tenerife simply visit Jet2holidays.com and start planning your vacation.
Intrepid Travel, one of the world's leading suppliers of small group adventures focused on getting off the beaten track, interacting with the locals and having real life experiences throughout Spain.