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About Tenerife
One mountain, two coasts.
Tenerife is the largest and most visited of the Canary Islands, and it is really two islands in one. The north is green, cooler and often wrapped in cloud, with old towns like La Laguna, Puerto de la Cruz and Garachico. The south is dry and sunny, with the big resorts of Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos. Between them rises Mount Teide, at 3,715 metres the highest peak in Spain, inside a national park of lava fields and craters.
Don't miss
The best of Tenerife.
- Teide National ParkThe cable car, the crater floor of Las Cañadas and the Roques de García. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- AnagaLaurel forest, ridge-top viewpoints like Cruz del Carmen, and black beaches below Taganana.
- Masca & TenoA village at the bottom of a deep gorge, the cliffs of Los Gigantes and the lighthouse at Punta de Teno.
- La LagunaThe old capital, with a grid of colonial streets that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Puerto de la Cruz & GarachicoLago Martiánez, natural sea-water pools and a harbour town rebuilt after the 1706 eruption.
- Whale watchingPilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live off the south-west coast all year. Boats leave from Los Cristianos and Puerto Colón.
Maps
Tenerife on the map.
Practical
Everything you need to know.
Getting there
Most international flights land at Tenerife South (TFS). Tenerife North (TFN), near La Laguna, handles many flights from mainland Spain and the other islands. Ferries from Los Cristianos sail to La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
Getting around
A hire car is the easiest way to see both coasts and Teide. The TITSA bus network links the main towns and the national park.
When to go
Any time of year. The south is the sunniest, the north the greenest. Teide can get snow in winter and is cold at night all year.
Where to stay
Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos for beaches and sun, Puerto de la Cruz or La Laguna for a more local feel, a rural house in Anaga or Teno for walking.
The island guide · Coming soon
Discover Tenerife
Teide, Anaga, Masca, the north coast & the sunny south. Leave your email and we will tell you the day it launches.
