Webtenerife, Turismo de Tenerife's official website: what it's good for and what it isn't

Webtenerife is Turismo de Tenerife's official website and it's worth bookmarking, as long as you know what to expect. It's an institutional shop window: it tells you what there is on the island, where it is and which companies are registered, without comparing prices or saying what isn't worth doing. Its strength is information about places; its weakness, the practical details that change (bus passes, fares, awards), which aren't always kept up to date.

Who's behind it

Turismo de Tenerife is the public tourism promotion body run by the Cabildo de Tenerife, the island council. It was set up in 1992 to promote the island, which gets around five million visitors a year, and its main switchboard is 922 237 870. The Spanish website is webtenerife.com and there are versions in other languages, such as webtenerife.co.uk in English. Its sections are What to see, What to do, Plan your trip and Where to stay, plus an events calendar, weather, webcams, brochures and maps.

What it's really useful for

• Guides to beaches, pools and viewpoints. There are 71 beaches, 20 natural pools and 26 viewpoints, each with its size, type of sand, facilities, parking, bus and coordinates. It's the quickest way to find out whether a beach has showers, parking or wheelchair access. You'll find them summarised in our beaches guide.
• The 31 municipalities, with what to see in each, and trail guides that flag the accessible sections.
• Directories of registered companies: activities, guides, car hire, marinas and dive centres. In its whale-watching section it publishes the Sustainability Charter, the industry's only public, voluntary label, with the companies that have signed up (more in whale watching).
• Events calendar and public holidays, handy for knowing what's closed or which fiesta coincides with your trip.
• The tourist office network, with each office's phone number and opening hours.

Tourist offices: opening hours worth knowing

There's also a kiosk at the entrance to the Santa Cruz cruise terminal and offices in El Médano, Santiago del Teide, Los Realejos, Los Silos and Buenavista.

What it doesn't do

It doesn't sell tickets or trips. There's no booking engine and no price comparison: the company listings link to each firm's own website and that's where its role ends. To buy the cable car, a theme park ticket or a day trip, you have to go to the operator or a booking platform. We explain how in compare prices.

Where it's out of date

These are the errors most likely to affect you:

• It describes a €15 or €25 "bono-bus" that no longer exists. Today it's the €2 Ten+ card and the €10 and €50 tourist passes; see our TITSA review.
• It links to the 2013 taxi fares, although intercity fares were updated in March 2023. See airport transfers.
• It says the Canaries are on GMT all year round. They aren't: the clocks change in summer, just as in the UK, so the island is always on the same time as Britain and an hour behind mainland Spain.
• It credits Blue Flags to beaches that no longer have them, such as Fañabé. Check the annual list at banderaazul.org.
• Its distance table contradicts itself from page to page (the south airport is 111 km from Puerto de la Cruz on one and 91 on another).
• The Playa Jardín listing doesn't mention its swimming closures, which have recurred this year.
• It still calls the airport that AENA names Tenerife South "Reina Sofía".

There are minor errors in the activity listings too: the paragliding one places Ifonche in Güímar, when it's above Adeje.

How it differs from this guide

Webtenerife is public and promotes the whole island equally: it can't tell you that a trip isn't worth it or that one platform's cancellation terms are worse than another's. This guide is independent, has no connection with Turismo de Tenerife and earns commission from GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Headout when you book through our links, as we explain in our disclaimer. In return, we compare prices, terms and alternatives and tell you which we'd choose. The sensible thing is to use both: the official site for information on places and offices, and an independent guide to decide what to book.

0 m · CoastBeachesfrom €22.50 0 m · CoastTITSA (buses) 60 m · CoastAirport transfersfrom €58

Who should use it

Use it to plan your trip and check fixed details: what a beach is like, where to park at a viewpoint, which company is registered or when the tourist office near you opens. Don't use it for bus or taxi fares, as a list of Blue Flags or for booking. For that, see things to do in Tenerife and our operator reviews.