14 places to see in Tenerife: Teide, Anaga, Masca and the coast

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, and it shows in the planning: you won't do it justice with a tick-list and no map. Teide asks for a day of altitude and stillness, Anaga shifts the rhythm with cloud forest and ravines, the north blends heritage with a volcanic coast, and the south packs in beaches, boats and theme parks. The point isn't to see everything; it's to stop crossing the island for no good reason.

1. 1
   Summit

   Teide, the high mountain that defines Tenerife

   

   Teide National Park is the visit that orders Tenerife from above: Las Cañadas, Roques de García, the Llano de Ucanca plain, lava flows, viewpoints and a high-altitude volcanic landscape that bears no relation to the green north or the resort south. The cable car takes you up to La Rambleta, but that isn't the same as reaching the summit: the final stretch along the Telesforo Bravo trail is regulated and needs a permit booked in advance.

   Tip: Don't treat Teide like a roadside viewpoint. Bring a warm layer, water, sun protection and proper footwear; check the weather, the state of the access roads and your summit permit well ahead. Without authorisation you shouldn't attempt the La Rambleta-to-summit stretch.

2. 2
   North-east massif

   Anaga: laurel forest, ravines and black-sand coast

   

   Anaga is the damp, ancient, broken Tenerife: laurel forest at Cruz del Carmen, narrow roads, viewpoints, hamlets such as Taganana and a black-sand coast where Benijo has become a postcard in its own right. A designated Biosphere Reserve, the park rewards a few well-chosen stops far more than an attempt to cross every ravine in a single morning.

   Tip: Set off early and decide whether you're heading for the forest or the coast. If you drop down to Taganana, Almáciga or Benijo, factor in the hairpins, the parking and getting back in daylight. On Anaga's trails, always stick to the waymarked paths.

3. 3
   North-west massif

   Masca, Teno and the hamlet between the ravines

   

   Masca looks as though it's been set on the very edge of the landscape: small houses, deep walls, terraced plots and a road that forces you to drive without rushing. The hamlet sits within Teno Rural Park, one of the most rugged corners of Tenerife, with deep ravines, a strong rural tradition and viewpoints out towards the island's western tip. The Masca gorge is not a walk to improvise: it's a regulated, fragile undertaking.

   Tip: If you only want to see the hamlet, go early and don't block the road. If you want to tackle the gorge, check the official trail website and the access conditions before you plan it; don't slot it in as just another stop between Los Gigantes and Garachico.

4. 4
   North · metropolitan

   La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage old town

   

   San Cristóbal de La Laguna provides the historic layer that balances out all that nature. Its street grid, the pedestrianised lanes, the grand houses, the churches and the university buzz explain why the old town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a city for walking unhurried, drifting in and out of squares, and reading Tenerife before the map opens up towards Anaga or Santa Cruz.

   Tip: Set aside a full morning or afternoon for it, not half an hour of parking. It pairs well with Anaga, Cruz del Carmen or Las Teresitas, but avoid squeezing it in after a long day on Teide.

5. Rent a car to explore Tenerife
6. 5
   North

   La Orotava: balconies, gardens and a valley view

   

   La Orotava is one of the most elegant old towns in the north: cobbled streets, stately homes, carved wooden balconies, churches, gardens and a direct line of sight up the valley towards Teide. It works beautifully as a hinge between Puerto de la Cruz, Icod and the summit road, shifting the trip from coast to midlands without breaking it.

   Tip: Don't try to drive into every street. Park once and walk. If you visit near Corpus Christi, check the local calendar: the town transforms with its flower carpets and ceremonies, for better or for logistics.

7. 6
   North

   Puerto de la Cruz, the resort town of the green north

   

   Puerto de la Cruz is far more than a hotel base. It has a fishing harbour, an old quarter, the Plaza del Charco, La Ranilla, the San Telmo seafront, the Lago Martiánez with César Manrique's hallmark, and the Botanical Garden as a green breather. It's the north's resort face, damper, more urban and more walkable than the southern resorts.

   Tip: Treat it as a half-day on foot. Lago Martiánez, Plaza del Charco, San Telmo and the Botanical Garden are far less enjoyable if you keep shuffling the car between nearby stops.

8. 7
   South · west

   Whales in the wild, Tenerife's great day out at sea

   

   The south-western coast of Tenerife is one of the best-known places to head out by boat and watch whales and dolphins in the wild. Trips tend to leave from harbours such as Los Cristianos, Puerto Colón and Los Gigantes, with resident populations of bottlenose dolphin and short-finned pilot whale. This is a wildlife encounter, not a scripted show: choose licensed operators and respect the animals' distance, timing and behaviour.

   Tip: Prioritise licensed boats with clear responsible-watching policies. Don't book with anyone who promises to let you touch, feed or swim with the animals: that has no place on a respectful trip.

9. 8
   North-west

   Garachico, lava from 1706 and a swim among the rocks

   

   Garachico packs history and volcanic coast into a tiny footprint. It was one of the island's key ports until the 1706 eruption of the Trevejo volcano changed its fortunes; today people come for the old quarter, the squares, the churches and the natural pools of El Caletón, formed in the lava beside the Atlantic.

   Tip: Don't take the swim for granted. In rock pools and natural pools the sea calls the shots, not the calendar. If there's swell or a closure, walk the old town and admire El Caletón from a safe spot.

10. 9
    North-west

    Icod de los Vinos, the Drago tree and the old quarter

    

    Icod de los Vinos usually makes the route for its thousand-year-old Drago tree, a natural and cultural emblem of the Canaries, but the old quarter deserves some time too: squares, the church of San Marcos, quiet streets and a long history bound up with wine. It's a logical stop between La Orotava, Garachico and the western north.

    Tip: Don't reduce Icod to a photo from afar and a quick exit. If you've come all this way, walk the old town and decide whether to enter the Drago park depending on how the route is actually running.

11. 10
    Capital

    Las Teresitas, the pale-sand beach of Santa Cruz

    

    Las Teresitas is the signature beach of Santa Cruz de Tenerife: pale sand, palm trees, breakwaters that calm the swell, and the village of San Andrés a stone's throw away. It doesn't sum up the whole Tenerife coast, but it makes a very easy stop if you're in the capital, in La Laguna or on the way to Anaga.

    Tip: Pair it with Santa Cruz, La Laguna or Anaga rather than driving up from the south for an hour on the sand. On busy days, arriving early changes the experience entirely.

12. 11
    South-east

    Candelaria, town of the Patron Saint of the Canaries

    

    Candelaria carries a symbolic weight that goes well beyond its seafront promenade. The Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria holds the image of the Canaries' patron saint, and the square opening onto the sea, lined with statues of the Guanche kings, gathers one of the island's most recognisable cultural scenes. It's a brief stop, but heavy with Canarian identity.

    Tip: It slots well into a south-eastern route or as a pause between Santa Cruz and the south. If it coincides with festivals or pilgrimages, check the traffic and access before you head over.

13. 12
    South

    El Médano and Montaña Roja: wind, beach and a less polished south

    

    El Médano offers a different version of the south: more local, windier and more bound up with windsurfing and kitesurfing than with the big-resort image. Montaña Roja and La Tejita round out the scene with a coastal volcanic cone, sand, wind and a protected space. It's a fine counterpoint if you're sleeping in Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos or Playa de las Américas.

    Tip: Check the wind before you plan a swim or watersports. At Montaña Roja and La Tejita, respect the access points, the trails and the protected zones; don't drive across the area or stray off the marked paths.

14. 13
    West

    Los Gigantes, the wall of Teno over the Atlantic

    

    The cliffs of Los Gigantes reveal the sheer scale of the Teno massif from the water: walls that drop abruptly into the Atlantic, a harbour, viewpoints and boat trips that help you read the west of Tenerife. The visit dovetails neatly with a route through Masca, Teno or a whale-watching trip from the same stretch of coast.

    Tip: To see them at their best, choose between a viewpoint and a boat depending on the time and the sea. Don't try to combine Masca, Teno, Los Gigantes and a long wildlife trip in one short afternoon: the road and the ocean call the shots.

15. 14
    Families · leisure

    The big theme parks of Tenerife, for family days

    

    Tenerife also has a serious leisure layer. Siam Park in Costa Adeje and Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz are the two names that come up most when a trip involves children, a break from the road or a full day at a park. They're no substitute for Teide, Anaga or La Laguna, but they can sort out a family day nicely if you choose by area.

    Tip: Pick one, not both on the same day. Siam Park fits better with a southern base; Loro Parque with Puerto de la Cruz and the north. Check tickets, transport and conditions on the official website before you commit.

Beyond what to see in Tenerife under your own steam, the island works very well with guided activities when high mountain, sea, permits or tricky roads come into play. Teide, Anaga, Teno, the green north and the south are far easier to organise with your own wheels.