Tenerife has more to see than fits into a week, and not all of it is equally good. The list is ordered by what pays off on a first visit: what you can't see on any other island comes first, and what's much like any beach destination comes last. For each one you get the cost, what needs booking and what tends to go wrong.
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15 things to see and do in Tenerife
The essentials
1. Go up Teide. At 3,715 m the volcano is the highest point in Spain, and the national park around it is the most remarkable thing on the island. The cable car climbs from 2,356 to 3,555 m in a few minutes and costs €43 return, online only and by time slot. Up top you get an hour; the summit also requires a Tenerife ON permit (€15 for non-residents of the Canary Islands), which you can book up to 56 days ahead. It's all in our Teide guide.
2. See pilot whales and dolphins. A population of short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins lives off the south-west coast all year round, in a protected marine area. Trips of 1.5–2 hours from Los Cristianos, Puerto Colón or Los Gigantes cost from about €25–33 on each company's own website. The Tenerife tourist board (Turismo de Tenerife) talks of an almost 100% chance of seeing whales or dolphins, but no operator guarantees it in writing. Ports and boats compared in whale watching.
3. The cliffs of Los Gigantes from the sea. Walls of rock up to about 600 m high dropping straight into the water. Boats leaving from the marina at Los Gigantes start right at the foot of the cliffs, whereas from the south you have to sail there first (departures compared in boat trips). Many anchor in Masca Bay for a swim, but landing on Masca beach isn't allowed.
4. Masca. The hamlet clinging to the Teno massif is free to visit, no booking needed. The gorge is another matter: it's downhill only, with entry by time slot (€40.66 for non-residents), the compulsory bus 355 from Santiago del Teide and a boat booked to take you out by sea to Los Gigantes. About 5 km, four hours, hard going, minimum age 8; the booking calendar only offers descents from Wednesday to Saturday. Book the 09:00 slot, which has twice as many places. Details in Masca.
5. The stars from Teide. The national park is a Starlight Tourist Destination and the island's high peaks are a Starlight Reserve. The cheapest way into a professional observatory is the daytime visit to the Teide Observatory: €21 and free for ages 8 to 16, but you need your own car. Night tours watch the sunset above the clouds, and almost all of Volcano Teide's exclude under-8s; avoid the full moon. Options in stargazing.
If you have more days
6. Loro Parque. A zoo in Puerto de la Cruz with more than 400 species, penguins on real snow and dolphin and orca presentations (two orca shows a day, at 11:55 and 15:15). Travel companies such as Thomas Cook stopped selling parks with captive orcas; the park responds with animal-welfare certifications and argues that training stimulates the animals. A €44 ticket that never expires. See Loro Parque.
7. Siam Park. The Costa Adeje water park that has been number one in Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice awards ten times, most recently in 2024 according to the park itself. The Tower of Power is 28 m high and ends in a tube that runs through an aquarium. Tickets €44, a free bus from Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Costa Adeje, and no food allowed in. It's all in Siam Park.
8. La Laguna and La Orotava. La Laguna has been a World Heritage Site since 1999 and keeps its 15th-century street plan; you can get there by tram from Santa Cruz. La Orotava, above Puerto de la Cruz, has the Casa de los Balcones and the Corpus Christi carpets made of flowers and volcanic sand. Take a jacket: La Laguna, at 632 m, is the coolest and wettest stop on any route. See other towns.
9. Anaga. The north-eastern massif is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: laurel forest, ridges and hamlets such as Taganana. Cruz del Carmen has trails that need no permit and a visitor centre; El Pijaral, the famous enchanted forest, requires a free permit booked no more than 14 days ahead and doesn't admit company groups. Details in Anaga.
10. La Gomera in a day. The ferry leaves from Los Cristianos and takes about 50 minutes. The organised excursion (from €110 with lunch and coach) costs about €26–31 more than doing the return ferry yourself, which starts from about €80–84 on the cheapest Fred. Olsen Express or Baleària Canarias fares, and it takes you to the Garajonay forest, a World Heritage Site. See La Gomera.
Depending on what you like
11. Icod de los Vinos and Garachico. The Drago of Icod, the island's famous dragon tree, is at least 800 years old ("thousand-year-old" is its name, not its age): the park costs €5, but you can take the classic photo for free from the square beside the church of San Marcos. Garachico was the island's great port until the 1706 eruption buried it; that lava formed the El Caletón rock pools. Both are included in island tours.
12. Kayaking and snorkelling. Kayak trips from Los Cristianos follow the Guaza cliffs towards Palm-Mar, take children from 6 and stop for snorkelling. Turtles are possible but never certain: on the boats sold "with turtles", one seller admits seeing them on one trip in three, so expect rays and fish. Touching or feeding them is banned. See kayaking and snorkelling with turtles.
13. Buggy or quad towards Teide. It works, but know what you're buying: inside the national park you can only drive on tarmac roads. If you want proper dirt tracks, choose the short routes on authorised tracks on the slopes of Adeje and Arona. They're priced per vehicle, not per person. See buggy and quad.
14. Wine and guachinches in the north. The Casa del Vino in El Sauzal is free, and its three-wine tasting costs €16 (closed on Mondays). A real guachinche, a farmhouse eatery, opens four months a year at most, serves three dishes and only its own wine. In the south, the Las Margaritas banana farm only opens four mornings a week. See food and wine.
15. Choosing the right beach. The golden beaches of the south and Las Teresitas, in Santa Cruz, are man-made: breakwaters and imported sand (Las Teresitas's came from the Sahara), which is why the water is calm. For black sand with easy swimming, San Marcos or Playa San Juan; El Médano is for wind, kitesurfing and windsurfing. See beaches.
And if you have time to spare or you're looking for something specific:
−30 m · SeaSubmarinefrom €33
0 m · SeaJet skisfrom €32.49
1,000 m · MidlandsParaglidingfrom €100
600 m · SkyHelicopter ridesfrom €110
10 m · CoastShowsfrom €30
100 m · CoastGo kartingfrom €35What to do in Tenerife by area
South (Costa Adeje, Las Américas, Los Cristianos). Whale-watching boats, Siam Park, Aqualand, kayaking, jet skis, shows and the ferry to La Gomera.
West (Los Gigantes, Santiago del Teide, Teno). Cliffs, boats with a swim in Masca Bay and the way into the gorge. Punta de Teno is closed to cars, walkers and bikes because of roadworks; you can only get there on bus 369 from Buenavista (€1 a journey) or by taxi.
North (Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Icod, Garachico). Loro Parque, Lago Martiánez, old towns, wineries and the Drago. Greener and cloudier: the north has many more rainy days than the south.
North-east (Santa Cruz, La Laguna, Anaga). The capital, the carnival, museums, Las Teresitas and the laurel forest.
The peaks (Teide, Vilaflor). The national park, the cable car, the Roques de García (a 3.5 km loop, free and with no booking for now; more routes in hiking) and the best night skies.
5 m · CoastCosta Adejefrom €31.50
5 m · CoastLos Cristianosfrom €18
5 m · CoastLos Gigantesfrom €28
10 m · CoastPuerto de la Cruzfrom €30
5 m · CoastSanta Cruzfrom €6
300 m · MidlandsOther townsfrom €5Tenerife in 3 days
Based in the south, without changing hotel:
- Day 1, Teide. In the morning, the Roques de García; in the afternoon, the cable car (Volcano Teide asks anyone arriving by car to come after 13:00, because the car park only has 220 spaces). Without a car, bus 342 leaves Costa Adeje at 09:25 and returns from the cable car at 15:40, or book the excursion with transfer.
- Day 2, the sea. A boat from Los Gigantes in the morning (cliffs and a swim in Masca Bay) or a short 1.5-hour trip from Los Cristianos. In the afternoon, the beach or the hamlet of Masca.
- Day 3, a park. Siam Park if you're travelling with teenagers or you're after water slides; Loro Parque if you'd rather see animals, bearing in mind it's just over an hour away in the north. In the evening, if you still have the energy, stars on Teide.
Tenerife in a week
With seven days it's worth spending two or three nights in the north: Puerto de la Cruz is about 70 km from Costa Adeje.
- Days 1–3: the three-day plan in the south.
- Day 4, Masca on foot if you're fit and the trail is open that day; if not, La Gomera.
- Day 5, Puerto de la Cruz and Loro Parque. The free train leaves from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos; arrive early and you can fit in the sea lions, dolphins, orcas and parrots before lunch.
- Day 6, La Orotava, El Sauzal and La Laguna. The old town in the morning, a tasting at the Casa del Vino (open until 20:00 from Wednesday to Saturday) and the afternoon in La Laguna.
- Day 7, Anaga. Cruz del Carmen without a permit, or El Pijaral if you managed to get yours; then head down to Taganana or Las Teresitas.
If you're travelling with children, as a couple or with reduced mobility, see also with kids, for couples and accessible Tenerife.
What isn't quite as advertised
What the basics cost
| What | Official price | Where to buy it |
|---|---|---|
| Teide cable car, return | €43 adult | only on volcanoteide.com |
| Teide summit permit | €15 (non-residents of the Canary Islands) | on tenerifeon.es (included in guided ascents) |
| Teide excursion with cable car and transfer | €92 | same on the official website and the platforms |
| Siam Park or Loro Parque, one day | €44 (children 3 to 11, €32) | same everywhere |
| Masca gorge trail | €40.66 (ages 8–17, €20.33) | only on caminobarrancodemasca.com |
| Teide Observatory, daytime visit | €21 (ages 8–16, free) | same everywhere |
At the parks and on Volcano Teide's excursions the price is identical everywhere; what changes is cancellation. Tiqets doesn't refund Siam Park or Loro Parque tickets, GetYourGuide lets you cancel up to 24 hours before and Headout up to 48 hours before.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer | 4.3 (6,095) | €92 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Mount Teide: Tour with Cable Car | 4.2 (48) | €92 | See on Tiqets |
| Headout | Mount Teide Guided Tour with Transfers & Cable Car Tickets | — | €92 | See on Headout |
| Official site | Volcano Teide, tour with cable car and transfer | — | €92 | Official website ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.5 (18,886) | €44 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Siam Park: Entry Ticket | 4.5 (3,687) | €44 | See on Tiqets |
| Headout | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.7 (1,183) | €44 | See on Headout |
| Official site | Siam Park official online shop | — | €44 | Official website ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Tenerife: Loro Parque Entry Ticket | 4.8 (14,786) | €44 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Loro Parque: Entry Ticket | 4.7 (5,603) | €44 | See on Tiqets |
| Headout | Loro Parque Entry Tickets | 4.7 (352) | €44 | See on Headout |
| Official site | Loro Parque official online shop | — | €44 | Official website ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
If you're going to both parks, the Twin Ticket (€78) saves €10 per adult and is valid for 15 days from your first visit. The rest of the tables are in compare prices.
Excursions and tickets to book
GetYourGuide7 hours
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
4.3 (6,095 reviews)
from €92Check availability
GetYourGuide9 hours
Tenerife: Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour
4.6 (3,035 reviews)
from €58Check availability
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim
4.7 (19,421 reviews)
from €29.90Check availability
Tiqets06:00
Mount Teide: Guided Tour, Summit Hike + Cable Car
4.3 (31 reviews)
from €178Check availability
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Tenerife: Eco No-Chase Respectful Whale & Dolphin Encounter
4.6 (15,400 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide3 - 5 hours
Tenerife: Sunset and Stargazing at Teide National Park
4.7 (3,665 reviews)
from €35Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →
Frequently asked questions
What shouldn't I miss in Tenerife?
Teide (with the cable car or, better still, with a summit permit), a boat trip to see pilot whales and the cliffs of Los Gigantes. With more days, Masca, Anaga and La Laguna.
How many days do you need to see Tenerife?
Three days are enough for Teide, the sea and a park from a single base in the south. To add the north (La Orotava, La Laguna, Anaga and Loro Parque) you need a week, and it's worth spending a few nights in Puerto de la Cruz.
Can you see Tenerife without a car?
Yes, with organised excursions and buses. The 342 goes up to Teide from Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos and the 348 from Puerto de la Cruz, once a day each, and for the Masca gorge bus 355 is compulsory.
What is there to do in the south of Tenerife?
Whale-watching boats from Los Cristianos and Puerto Colón, Siam Park, kayaking towards Palm-Mar, the cliffs of Los Gigantes and, an hour away, Teide. The ferry to La Gomera also leaves from Los Cristianos.
Is Loro Parque worth it?
If you want to see a lot of species in one day, yes: more than 400, and the ticket never expires. Bear in mind that it keeps orcas and dolphins in daily presentations, something several tour operators no longer sell.
