Things To Do In Tenerife

This island of eternal spring is best known for its perfect weather and stunning natural beauty. Many of Tenerife’s attractions include outdoor parks or famous resorts. However, the capital city of Santa Cruz has some historic architecture and a couple of museums. Most people come to Tenerife to simply lie on the beach and soak up the warm sun, and for this activity, the island is perfectly suited.

Cliffs of the Giants

These remarkably sheer cliff walls plunge dramatically into the sea off the west coast of the island. The rock faces are between 500 and 800 metres high. The only way to reach these cliffs is by boat. Across the small bay, lies the resort town of Los Gigantes, which is famous in its own right for the impressive volcanic cliffs which rise up to 1800 feet.

Mount Teide

This spectacular snow-covered volcano can be seen from almost anywhere on the island when the skies are clear. It is also the highest point in Spain, at 3,718 metres. Mount Teide is part of the larger National Park, which has some amazing scenery and cool windy weather. There is a cable car to the top, but it doesn’t run if it’s too windy.

Loro Park

Located near Puerto de la Cruz, this is Tenerife’s most popular wildlife centre, home to the world’s largest collection of parrots and the biggest dolphin habitat in Europe. The park also has tigers, jaguars and gorillas, and a massive aquarium that houses over 20,000 marine animals, which can be viewed through an underwater glass tunnel. Parrot, dolphin and sea-lion shows entertain visitors throughout the day, every day of the year.

Octopus Aquapark

This Octopus Water Theme park is located near Playa Las Americas and is open all year. In addition to the wildlife, dolphin shows and marine exhibitions this water park has a huge area of water slides, tubes, pools and diving boards for family fun.

Las Aguilas Park

Situated on 75,000 square metres of tropical gardens in the hills behind the Los Cristianos resort, this ecological park combines animals with lovely natural gardens. A number of shows entertain visitors throughout the day including parrot shows, eagle flights and a penguin feeding performance.

Natural History Museum

This new museum in downtown Santa Cruz has exhibits representing Tenerife’s history, from the times before the Spanish conquest up to the present day. The museum is housed in a magnificent 16th century building.

Masca

Until recently, this quaint village was inaccessible by road, which helped it to maintain its traditional Canarian atmosphere. Although you can now drive here directly, Masca remains popular for its traditional culture and great views and is a favourite spot with hikers who want to walk from here to the base of the cliffs at Los Gigantes.

Vilaflor

This old Canarian village, located at 4,921 feet, is the highest town in Spain. The beautiful scenery and cool weather make it a popular day-trip destination.

Taganana

One of the most remote villages on Tenerife, Taganana is a botanist’s and walker’s paradise. Famous for its fresh fish meals and rose wine, Taganana is a wonderful place at which to explore the culture and beauty of the island.

Guimar Pyramids

This strange and mysterious structure lies on the east coast of Tenerife. Thor Heyerdahl, the famous ethnographer, investigated this step pyramid, but could come to no conclusive explanation about its origins. Many believe the pyramid was built by a very ancient maritime civilisation that once ruled over the region.

The Church of Our Lady of Conception

Has its origins in a chapel, which was first built in 1516 in the city of Santa Cruz. Earthquakes destroyed it later in the century and it was rebuilt in 1788. This impressive church was designated a National Historic Artistic Monument in 1948 and is the oldest and most important church on Tenerife.

Santa Cruz

As the capital city of Tenerife, Santa Cruz has most of the island’s cultural and historic facilities. Its port is one of the busiest in the world and plays host to annual transatlantic yacht races, firework shows and open-air concerts. The city is probably best known for its shopping, which is tax-free, and it has many famous retailers from around the world lining the seaside from Plaza de Espana to Plaza de Candelaria. The city’s Museum of Natural History has a small exhibition of artefacts from early Tenerife settlements and its art museum contains a decent collection of art from notable Flemish and Canarian artists. Architecture fans will enjoy the stunning 18th century Baroque Church of San Francisco and Palace of Carta, with its outstanding balconies and interior courtyard, which is typical of Canary Island style.