Information
Language: Spanish.
Time Zone: GMT +0
Spanish Tourist Office: 2nd Floor, 79 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XB. Telephone: 020 7486 8077. www.spain.info
Travel money
Euro
Things to do
Set sail in search of whales and dolphins on a sensational catamaran cruise. Enjoy a splashing day out at Tenerife's many waterparks. Come face to face with crocodiles, gorillas and parrots at the Loro Parque animal park. Explore the landscapes of Mount Teide National Park. Take a journey back in time in the mountain villages of Masca and Garachico or take a stroll in the charming old town of Puerto de la Cruz.
Beaches
Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas both have man-made beaches, with sand shipped in from Africa’s Sahara Desert. These beaches are favourites with everyone, from families and couples to youngsters partying in both resorts.
The best beach in Puerto de la Cruz is the Blue Flag awarded, black sand, Playa Jardin beach, which also has pretty gardens surrounding the sand. Playa de las Teresitas near San Andres, is one of the best beaches in Tenerife, with imported sand from the Sahara and seafood restaurants nearby.
Explore your destination
Highlights
- Discovering the island’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the ideal place for getting into the Spanish spirit of things
- Checking out Tenerife’s old capital, La Laguna, which mixes a fun nightlife with beautiful architecture in the stunning north of the island
- Climb to the top of Spain’s biggest mountain, Mount Teide; or get a cable car if you don’t fancy the walk. At 3,718m above sea level, you’ll be rewarded with amazing views from the top
- Seeing Roques de García, uniquely shaped magma rocks just a couple of kilometres from the Mount Teide mountain
- Having a great day out at Loro Parque, in Puerto de la Cruz, with its world of animals, from parrots and chimps to sharks and penguins
- Enjoying a splash-tastic time at Tenerife’s brilliant Siam Park, a waterpark full of adrenaline pumping waterslides, with a wave palace and beach
- Exploring the home of amazing marine life while on holiday in Tenerife, with the island’s best diving facilities at Los Gigantes
- Seeing Los Gigantes’ appropriately named Cliffs of the Giants, massive rock walls that reach skywards from the ocean
- Lazing the day away on golden sands in Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas
- Partying into the night in Playa de las Americas’s neon-lit bars and clubs
- Taking in a round of golf on the island’s fairways, like at Golf Costa Adeje and Golf las Americas in Playa de las Americas
Loro Parque
Come face to face with brightly-coloured parrots, furry gorillas and awe-inspiring wildcats at this exciting park. Don't miss the march of the penguins or the famous killer whale show!
Siam Park
Enjoy the largest waterpark in Europe, filled with adrenaline pumping attractions, diverse animals, a children's play area, a tropical river and golden beaches; plus a surf school and wave pool like no other.
Medieval Night
Try something different with this adventure straight from the Middle Ages, complete with medieval banquet and an amazing show, as knights on horseback fight one another to the end!
Teide Trail
Discover Tenerife's amazing Mount Teide, as you travel through pine forests and above the clouds to see the volcano's dramatic landscape and unusual rock formations. A fun-filled day for everyone.
Food and drink
If you’re looking for fast food outlets, pubs serving food and international favourites, Tenerife’s holiday resorts have your appetite covered.
Meanwhile, Tenerife’s meals usually feature the bread-like staple, Gofio, used in many of the island’s dishes, and plenty of fruit, veg and fish, although meat is imported for the tourist trade. You’re sure to see Papas Arrugadas on the menu on your holiday, a popular side treat of salty potatoes and hot ‘mojo’ sauce.
One of the island’s main exports, bananas are served in all kinds of ways, with liqueur a firm favourite for tourists.
Evening Flavour
Playa de las Americas is the nightlife capital of Tenerife, with its main party zone, Veronicas strip, packed with bars and clubs and a hub for night owls looking for holiday fun.
The southern resort of Los Cristianos is also known for its upbeat after dark scene, but with a less full-on vibe and an excellent choice of bars and restaurants, it’s also a great family choice.
Shopping
Perfume, designer goods and electronic goods can all be picked up in Tenerife for fantastic prices. Shops line the streets in most major resorts and Los Cristianos’s shopping centre, Vistasur, is perfect for some retail therapy.
If you’re after boutique shops and local goods, the north of the island is the best place to go, while the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, mixes well-known brands and traditional goods on the main shopping strip, Calle Castillo.
Dates for the Diary
Santa Cruz’s Carnival takes place throughout February, with a different theme every year, a colourful parade of floats and people dressing up in costumes to celebrate.
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