Heading to Tenerife for a beach holiday? We've scoured the island for you and select the best beaches there. Check out our comprehensive guide to the most beautiful beaches in Tenerife.
Canary Islands, a volcanic archipelago, are a real paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, easy to reach from Europe by plane.
Being close to Africa, their climate is great.
These islands are a Spanish autonomous province: Santa Cruz, the capital, is located in Tenerife, the largest island of the archipelago.
Tenerife offers a wide variety of climates, landscapes and beaches for all tastes.
The Teide volcano (3718 m / 12.198 ft), enclosed in a national park (Unesco Heritage), is the third largest in the world. The sea, with crystal clear water, takes different shades of blue. You can find here golden, white or black sandy beaches; pebbly or rocky ones; popular and fully equipped beaches, or more isolated and pristine ones; wide beaches, or small and sheltered ones. Tenerife is perfect to experience a little of everything!
Come and discover the island by yourself!
If you want to explore Tenerife at best, you should rent a car. However, you can also move by public transport (you can check the site www.titsa.com).
You also need to find a place where to sleep. Tenerife provides a wide range of hotels available across the island, from family-run guesthouses to luxury resorts with Spas, fine restaurants and astonishing swimming pools, from economic hostels to apartment rentals. The choice is up to you according to your need and budget. Find the best accommodation among our hotel offers and leave for an unforgettable holiday in what is known as “the island of wonders“, “the island of the eternal spring“.
Tenerife Beaches
If you have planned to spend some days in Tenerife for a proper beach holiday, you will be happy to know that the island is dotted with hundreds of beautiful beaches. We have scoured the island for you and prepare a selection with the most famous and spectacular ones, from north to south.
Best Beaches in the North of Tenerife
Playa de Benijo, on the northern tip of the island, is an uncrowded and windy black sandy beach with volcanic rocks around. You can reach it by walking through a trail, but it is absolutely worth it. It does not offer tourist services, but here you can enjoy a breath-taking natural panorama and a beautiful sunset.
Playa de Las Teresitas, near the capital, is a beautiful beach of golden sand imported from the Sahara desert. It is never too crowded and local people also love it. Here many events related to sailing and water sports take often place. Easily accessible, it is fully equipped with bars and services at good prices.
The natural beach of El Bollullo, in La Orotava valley, presents a pristine landscape with cliffs overlooking the sea, volcanic sand and clear waters. You can reach it only on foot following a trail through banana plantations and palm trees.
The picturesque Playa El Caleton, in the municipality of Garachico, consists of natural pools carved into the black rock of magmatic origin. Be careful when the seas are rough!
Playa Jardin (Puerto de La Cruz area) is a beautiful natural black-sand beach surrounded by a colourful botanical garden.
Best Beaches in the South of Tenerife
If you love natural landscapes, southwest you should not miss the beaches nearby Los Gigantes resort town. Its name is due to the high cliffs (they can be up to 800 m / 2624 ft!) overlooking the sea and the volcanic sand beaches. Playa de Los Gigantes and Playa de Los Guios are the most striking ones.
From the marina you can reach by sea Masca beach, built into the cliffs. This little paradise is also accessible from the homonymous mountain village of Masca, by walking about three hours through a gorge.
In the south you can find the most important tourist centres.
Costa Adeje is one of the most crowded and tourist areas of Tenerife. Its Paseo Maritimo is the longest in Europe: a long promenade (22 km / 14 miles) surrounded by parks, shops, restaurants, clubs and well equipped beaches. Among the most famous you can enjoy Playa del Duque and Playa Fanabe. Both have been awarded the Blue Flag for their clear waters and clean coastline.
The south coast continues with the famous (and crowded) beaches of Las Americas and Los Cristianos. Here summer life is king!
Playa Las Vistas is a popular golden-sand beach ideal for families with children. Thanks to an artificial dam of rocks, the waters are quite calm. A curiosity: here some artists create incredible sand castles!
Playa de La Tejita, is a charming and quiet golden beach, far from the tourist bustle of Las Americas and Los Cristianos.
It is located in the protected area of Montaña Roja, an ancient volcanic hill that offers an almost lunar landscape and forms the boundary with another wonderful beach:
Playa del Medano, of golden sand, stretches for about two miles and is the largest beach in Tenerife. Well ventilated, it is ideal for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Not Only Beaches
Beyond beach life, would you like to experience something different?
The southern coasts are home to a stable colony of pilot whales that can be admired thanks to whale watching trips organized daily in the most famous resorts of the Adeje coast (we signal here, among many, www.atlanticoexperience.com).
Nearby Arona there is the Siam Park, the largest water park in Europe.
In Puerto de La Cruz you can visit the Loro Parque, a huge bio-park that is home to 800 species of parrots and many other animals.