Car Hire Tenerife South Airport

As we have already mentioned, the Canarian archipelago enjoys a mild climate all year round, so any date is good for visiting the island. However, the most important event held here is the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival in February. 

The Carnival is considered among the most important in Spain and second among the international carnivals, behind the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, which is why both cities are twinned.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

A good starting point to visit the capital of the island, located on the northwest coast, is the area of the Señora de África market and the García Sanabria park, following the Plaza España, which leads to the ocean, where you can also find the Island Palace and its collection of the remains of the Canarian aborigines, the Guanches.

Plaza de la Candelaria and the Rambla

An afternoon on the terrace in Plaza de la Candelaria, and while you’re there, see the statue of the Triunfo de la Candelaria and the Palacio de Carta. In the evening, the Rambla del General Franco will allow you to mingle with the islanders.

Fortresses and castles

One of the great attractions of the city are its fortresses, built to defend the island and whose stories of corsairs and pirates are legendary. The castle of San Cristóbal (1570), the castle of San Juan (1648) and the castle of Paso Alto (1782).

Religious monuments

The Catholic legacy of the island is also worth visiting with monuments such as the church of La Concepción (16th century), the church of San Francisco (17th century) and the chapel of Santiago which houses the cross of the conquest, symbol of the island.

Las Teresitas Beach

7 km north of Santa Cruz. After passing through the capital and having crossed the town of San Andrés, you will find the beach of Las Teresitas, with a small fishing port and a large beach of golden sand, bathed by very expensive water. A barrier of rocks allows you to swim in peace. The promenade is surrounded by splendid jacarandas, palm trees with a large bottle trunk, and the mountain in the background is covered with cactus.

Taganana

On leaving San Andrés, another road leads to the other side of Punta de la Anaga, towards the village of Taganana. This itinerary winds its way along several flanks of the volcanic mountains with breathtaking scenery.

After passing through a long tunnel, you can see the village of Taganana at the bottom of the mountain. In the background you can see the volcanic peaks covered with vegetation and the crops on the terraces. In front of you you can hear the immensity of the ocean. This is the northwest coast, perhaps the most moving because of the beauty of its landscape and the low number of tourists.

Mercedes Forest

On the way back from Taganana to La Laguna is the Las Mercedes forest, the largest on the island, which has tree ferns and giant laurels, fleshy plants hanging from the rock walls, and Canary Island pines. It is a mixture of Mediterranean and tropical vegetation. From there it goes to the Cruz del Carmen viewpoint. Hikers usually appreciate this place because it is well indicated.

La Laguna

10 km northwest of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. La Laguna was the first capital of the island. It preserves palaces and houses typical of that time. Today it is a university town, although it is also an Episcopal town with many churches and convents. You have to spend time wandering around this city to be able to appreciate it.

Puerto de la Cruz

36 km southeast of Santa Cruz. It becomes important thanks to the banana plantations and the large English exports. When you arrive, the first thing that catches your eye is Lake Martiánez, the only place where you can swim safely. And the Jardín beach, at the other end of the city, next to the Punta Brava neighbourhood.

Santiago del Teide

From Masca, through a winding road, you can reach this beautiful village surrounded by a mass of volcanoes. A few kilometres from here are the Giants, whose feet sink into the ocean.

National Park of the Cañadas del Teide

38 km south of Puerto de la Cruz The Teide peak dominates the island from its 3718 metres. Its last eruption dates back to 1798. Lava flowed for months from the Teide’s Nose. Today, the volcano is dormant and smokes from the chimneys of the Pilón.

This national park is the meeting place for trekking fans, as there are many paths that indicate the levels. As we approach the peak, we discover an imposing panorama dominated by the indescribable majesty of the Teide; a landscape sculpted from lava with colours ranging from the intense black of the obsidian exteriors to the faint ochre of the sanded stone, passing through whites, reds and greens.

First, the road passes through the rocky arch called El Zapato de la Reina, then through the plain of La Ucanca, a vast region of grey sand speckled with small rocks. A burst of colour unfolds in front of the Azulejos, a green rocky outcrop.

Costa Adeje

11 km north of the Christians, 84 km southwest of Santa Cruz, 112 km south of Puerto de la Cruz.

This village is situated at the foot of the Adeje massif, in the foothills of the Barranco del Infierno. Tomato and banana plantations occupy almost the entire coastline. The tourist development of Playa de las Americas changed the economy of the region.

Barranco del Infierno, the waters run down the ravines, forming a narrow gorge whose walls are covered with reeds and willows. A 3 km trail allows you to walk through it.

Los Cristianos, Playa de la Americas

80 km southwest of Santa Cruz. Huge tourist complex that stretches for miles at the southern tip of the island, with vast sandy beaches.

Unless you prefer to laze around and enjoy the company of the hundreds of tourists who come from all over the world, if you want to discover the real landscape of the island, we recommend renting a car and venturing out on the small roads that lead to the different villages.

Arico

On the motorway, at the airport, exit in the direction of Granadilla. The church of San Antonio de Padua (18th century), is worth a stop, as on its high altar there is an altarpiece with sculptures from the best Canarian schools. The church of San Juan Bautista (18th century) is surrounded by white houses.

Candelaria

20 km south of Santa Cruz, 58 from Los Cristianos. This village is above all a religious centre and a place of pilgrimage. The ceremonies on August 15th are the most important, as they evoke the apparition of Our Lady of the Guanches. This festival is known as “de los naturales” because it was paid for with the town’s alms. A group of young people come, dressed in furs, simulating the traditional appearance of the image, jumping and whistling and carrying it on their back.

At the end of the village there is a huge square, the basilica, surrounded by the old fishermen’s quarter. Between the square and the beach, a sculpture represents the nine Guanche kings who reigned on the island at the time of the apparition.

Teide is a peak that emerges from the centre of the island, and this configures the island and means that to visit from one extreme to the other you have to go around the mountain, and therefore the distances are relatively long. For this reason, if you want to explore the island freely, it is practically obligatory to hire a car in Tenerife.