Are you planning your next seaside holiday and want to discover what to see and do in Tenerife to make the most of this beautiful Spanish island?
I can’t wait to tell you about my experience.
I’m sure the first things that come to mind are the beaches or the spots for a night out. But Tenerife is also a favourite of many expats, who decide to drop everything, move to Tenerife and start a new life on the island of eternal spring.
But what is so fascinating about this island?
If you want to discover what to see in Tenerife in a week, below you’ll find my experience and a few curiosities that will make you appreciate it even more.
Off we go!
Curiosities about Tenerife: what to know before you go
Perhaps you didn’t know it, but Tenerife is the largest and most populated island of the Canary archipelago (the others are Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro), off the coast of Morocco, in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Canaries legally belong to Spain and the official language is Spanish, but they’re so visited that you’ll hear every language and accent. The island’s name is said to come from “Tene”, an old word for mountain (the volcano), and “ife”, the white of the snow on the summit.
Let me give you two great reasons to visit Tenerife in a week: the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, a UNESCO site since 1999, and the beautiful Teide National Park, around the island’s volcano.
And the things to do in Tenerife are countless: through the year there are lots of events, including the famous Carnival of Santa Cruz, one of the most important in the world.
Do you think that’s all?
Not at all! This archipelago has been considered a paradise since antiquity: a Greek legend says the Canaries were home to the mythical Garden of the Hesperides, where the Golden Apples grew, guarded by the daughters of Atlas. No Golden Apples ever grew in Tenerife, but the climate is fantastic all year round (always between 15 and 30 degrees): that’s why it’s called the island of eternal spring.
What to see in Tenerife: the Teide!
The Teide isn’t just the highest peak in Spain (3,715 metres), it’s also one of the most imposing volcanic structures in the world, measured from the ocean floor, and it’s deeply tied to the island’s life. As with our Etna, Teide’s eruptions have made Tenerife the most fertile of the Canaries, with incredible biodiversity.
If you feel like climbing the volcano, don’t be daunted: the Teide cable car takes you almost to the top in a few minutes. You can book the cable-car ticket online and skip the long waits.
After climbing Etna, I was thrilled to see another volcano. What I didn’t expect was to go from an alpine landscape to a red desert, from palms to snow, from a tropical climate to freezing cold within a few kilometres!
If you decide to go up to the top of Teide, remember to wrap up well: up there it’s really cold.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Okay, I admit it: in Tenerife there isn’t a huge amount of art. The island’s history didn’t leave us great ancient monuments, and its tourist success is recent (it begins in the 1960s).
But what will fascinate you is its age-old history, made of peoples who met and mingled here.
If you fancy discovering the island’s “city” life, take a walk in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the archipelago’s main city. Artistically there are some interesting contemporary buildings, including the splendid Auditorio de Tenerife, designed by Santiago Calatrava, and the Matriz de la Concepción church, from the 16th century. It’s worth it anyway for its energy and its blend of cultures.
Our Lady of Candelaria
If you stay in Tenerife for a week, don’t skip a visit to Our Lady of Candelaria, the most important place of pilgrimage in all the Canaries.
Don’t expect an ancient building: the basilica is 20th-century and its architecture is nothing special.
So why do thousands of people come here every year?
To venerate the sanctuary of the Black Madonna of Tenerife and visit the striking cave of the miracle.
Here’s its story!
According to legend, the statue of the Virgin of Candelaria was found in a cave by two Guanche shepherds, years before the Spanish conquest. The aborigines thought it represented an evil spirit and tried to damage it, but were hurt themselves: they then understood they were dealing with something supernatural and began to venerate it. When the conquistadors arrived, they recognised a statue of the Virgin and built a hermitage, later replaced by the basilica.
Besides the basilica, you’ll love Candelaria for its beach of typical black volcanic sand.
The statues of the Guanche kings in Candelaria
On the same square you’ll also notice imposing statues that have nothing to do with religious tradition: they’re the Guanche chiefs of Tenerife, the ancient indigenous people of probable Berber origin, subjugated and largely wiped out by the Spanish at the end of the 15th century (the conquest was completed in 1496).
The Guanches lived off fishing and shepherding, and very little of their civilisation remains. The nine statues of the Guanche kings (menceyes) represent the rulers who divided up the island before and during the Spanish invasion: some of them fought fiercely to defend their lands.
What to do in Tenerife: the sea
If you’ve read my blog for a while, you’ll know I’m a great lover of the sea and its creatures. In Tenerife I found lovely beaches, but the most interesting part is what I saw beneath the surface.
Among the things to do in Tenerife I recommend snorkelling or, if you’re up for it, a scuba dive: I swam with turtles, saw a seahorse and stroked a manta ray, unforgettable experiences.
Even if swimming isn’t your thing, don’t miss a boat trip to spot dolphins and whales swimming free off Tenerife: for me it was one of the most beautiful moments, an indescribable emotion. And if you’re after adrenaline, try parasailing: seeing the island’s profile from above, towed by a boat in the middle of the ocean, is a magical experience.
What and where to eat in Tenerife
Tenerife is full of eateries, both north and south. Thanks to tourism you’ll find restaurants of every kind, especially fish: the real challenge is to weave between the “tourist-trap” places and find one with honest prices and good cooking, maybe with a view over the bay and the sunsets.
Among the typical dishes of Tenerife, besides fish, there are:
- goat’s cheeses;
- gofio, a flour of toasted cereals used for sweets and starters;
- the mojo rojo and mojo verde sauces, perfect with the famous papas arrugadas (the wrinkly salt-boiled potatoes);
- the barraquito, the typical drink made of coffee, cinnamon, milk, lemon peel and liqueur: it sounds odd, but I recommend trying it!
And you, are you drawn more to the power of the Teide volcano or to the thrill of swimming among turtles and whales?
