Your complete one week in Tenerife itinerary: what to do & see
Spending one week in Tenerife might just be a dream come true. Whenever I visit a new destination, I’m super excited and can’t help but share everything about the beautiful places I have seen, the things I have learned, and the people I have met.
The island is nice, and there are plenty of things to do in one week or even more in Tenerife. The scenery changes as you drive from one side to the other, so you can visit it year-round.
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Table of Contents
- One week in Tenerife itinerary
- Top things to do in Tenerife in one week
- Day 1 – El Drago, Garachico and the natural pools, Faro de Teno and Los Gigantes
- Day 2 – Siam Park
- Day 3 – Santa Cruz, Playa de las Teresitas, Punta del Hidalgo
- Day 4 – El Teide National Park
- Day 5 – Whale and dolphin watching on a boat and Los Gigantes from the sea
- Day 6 – Spend some time on the beach
- Day 7 – Take a trip to La Gomera island
- More time? Here are some other things to do in Tenerife
One week in Tenerife itinerary
Where to stay in Tenerife
When we booked our stay, we had no idea about the island’s layout. So, we chose a town and hoped for the best:) Luckily, it was a good choice, and we comfortably covered most of the island by car.
To put it simply, there are two sides: the south and the north of the island.
The south is the more popular and touristy part of Tenerife. Here is where Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje are. Stay here if you want more entertainment options.
Remember to book in advance for the best deals. Tenerife is hugely popular, and most of the good hotels are sold out during the season.
Check out hotels in Los Cristianos!
Booking.comAlso, the weather in the south is warmer during winter, so if you plan to visit in the cooler months, staying in the southern part is best.
The North is less touristy but more authentic. The views are also more scenic. However, due to the mountains, the northern part is a bit colder during the winter season.
Choose the best accommodation in Tenerife!
We stayed in Puerto de La Cruz, the northern part of the island. It was June, so the weather was pleasant.
We booked rooms at the Sol Costa Atlantis Hotel for our entire one week in Tenerife.
See more about the hotel here!
I enjoyed seeing Mount Teide from the room and the sun going down into the ocean beyond the volcanic beach right next to the hotel.
Moreover, it has a lively old town by the seaside. It is filled with terraces and live music, so it is a good place to spend the evenings.
How to get around Tenerife
The island isn’t that small. Driving on the highway from one tip to the other takes approximately one hour and a half.
Thus, there are three ways to explore the island: by public transportation, by car, or by guided tour.
Public transportation is cheap; however, it is not practical for longer trips.
Given our thirst for exploration, we booked a car for 5 days (a Seat Ibiza, naturally) so we could easily move about. If you are looking to book, DiscoverCars can help you save up to 70%. Moreover, they have a great cancellation policy in case your travel plans change.
The comfortable and safe option is to book guided tours for the main attractions. You don’t have to worry about driving, parking, gas, and everything else that comes with driving in a foreign country.
Check and book your tours here.
When is the best time to visit Tenerife?
Since Tenerife’s average temperature fluctuates between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius throughout the year, you can imagine why the largest of the Canary Islands is a top destination, no matter the time of the year.
Of course, most people choose to go there from October to March or April, when the weather in the rest of Europe is not so warm and friendly, but I can say that June was also pretty crowded.
Given the differences between the south and the north of the island, both in scenery and in temperatures, you will have to bring summer clothes as well as something thicker (a jacket and a pair of jeans would be fine).
Top things to do in Tenerife in one week
Day 1 – El Drago, Garachico and the natural pools, Faro de Teno and Los Gigantes
Guarachico
After taking the car, we drove west towards Icod de los Vinos, not knowing that Il Drago Mileniario – the mighty tree I saw in many pictures – was actually in the city center.
Thus, we somehow missed it and ended up on the top of the hill, at Gruas El Drago, from where a beautiful belvedere point over Guarachico opened right in front of our eyes.
We took the narrow winding road down toward the sea and Garachico with its natural pools, eager to take a dip in the clear blue water.
Unfortunately, one section was closed, and on the open side, you couldn’t really take a bath because of the high waves and the rocks.
At least we did not risk it. Thus, we settled for a coffee in Garachico’s main square, walked around the small village, and then moved on.
Faro de Teno and Los Gigantes
We couldn’t drive up to the lighthouse because the road was closed to cars except for buses and taxis. Perhaps it was for the best because later we learned that the best way to see Los Gigantes is from the sea; you can do that by booking a whale-watching tour.
Eventually, we decided to look for a beach. After leaving the car in the middle of nowhere, we walked in the scorching sun for a few kilometers to Playa de Los Barqueros. You can imagine our frustration when we realized that the beach wasn’t a good place to swim. Strong waves and high-jagged rocks made bathing impossible.
Luckily, we noticed this incredible infinity pool while we walked back to the car. It belongs to Melia Hacienda del Conde, but they welcomed us even though we weren’t guests of the hotel.
We paid a relatively small entrance fee (~10-15 euros per person; I don’t remember the exact amount), and then we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon, sipping champagne in the pool while admiring the ocean below.
See more about the hotel here!
If you are on a honeymoon or a romantic trip, I strongly recommend staying in this hotel for at least a few nights.
Day 2 – Siam Park
I must admit I’m not a fan of theme parks, water parks, or whatever involves heights and scary things. But Alex is, and we always compromise. On top of that, Siam Park is one of those things to do when traveling to Tenerife.
Before going, and even after that, I had received many good opinions about Siam Park. Everybody was impressed and told us we should try it.
After visiting ourselves, our feelings are mixed about the place.
The big downside was the huge crowds. Even though we both had fast-track tickets—15 EUR/person in addition to the 38 EUR entrance fee—we spent 80% of the time queueing up for something. To put it in perspective, that’s 4 hours standing in line for 1 hour of fun, which is not a good deal in my book.
Another thing I disliked was that they did not have a proper changing room, but they charged an additional 10 euros for a locker.
Also, at the time of our visit, you couldn’t pay with a bracelet or electronically at the shops, cafeterias, restaurants, and souvenir places within the park. Thus, you had to run back to the locker every time you needed money.
On the positive, the rides were fun and well-maintained.
All in all, we paid a 4 euro parking fee, a 10 euro locker fee, a 15 euro fast-track fee, and a 38 euro entrance fee to wait in line for 4 hours and enjoy the place for 1 hour; it wasn’t a good investment. If I were mean, I would say it was a rip-off.
This being said, if you are not discouraged by our experience, please make sure to book online well in advance so you can save some money.
Day 3 – Santa Cruz, Playa de las Teresitas, Punta del Hidalgo
The next morning, we left straight for Santa Cruz, Tenerife’s capital city.
We parked near Plaza de Espana and strolled the pleasant streets, enjoying the very Spanish vibe. Then, we stopped for a good coffee before walking to the Auditorium.
The Auditorium’s building is hard to miss, and it will catch your eye because its architecture resembles Sidney’s Opera House.
Since it was a really hot day, we headed to Playa de las Teresitas next, the only sandy beach on the island. The sand was brought from the Sahara desert.
Admittedly, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Spain.
If you want a superb view of the beach, drive up to Mirador Las Teresitas; most Tenerife postcards are pictured from this spot.
Either way, we still had a lovely view from the top of the hill.
If you are into water sports, at Punta del Hidalgo you can take some surfing lessons.
Day 4 – El Teide National Park
This was maybe one of the best days spent in Tenerife, mainly because the mountain views are simply breathtaking.
Starting in Puerto de la Cruz, we went through La Orotava, a neighborhood with colorful houses on the edge of the hill.
We slowly negotiated the winding road, climbing slowly toward the top of the highest mountain in Spain.
We literally passed through the clouds.
At some point, we stopped for a stroll in a beautiful evergreen forest, home to a group of chirpy woodpeckers. It was like in a fairytale; we half-expected to run into a wood elf or leprechaun.
Finally, we found ourselves above an altitude above 2000 meters. The scenery couldn’t be more different than the one we experienced not 30 minutes earlier. We switched from fairytales to sci-fi.
Since Teide is a volcano, the landscape was similar to Mars in some places—a land of rust-brown rocks and dust. The patches of wildflowers and vegetation, though, reminded us we were on Earth.
Our old enemy caught up with us, though. There were huge crowds around the Teide Cable Car, so even after an hour of cruising, we couldn’t find a place to park.
Our advice: be smarter than us and book a guided tour. Let them worry about parking and buying cable car tickets and enjoy the beauty of the landscape around you. You can find a few tour options below:
- Mount Teide Summit Guided Hiking Tour
- Tenerife Teide National Park Stargazing
- Teide National Park Quad-Bike Tour
Day 5 – Whale and dolphin watching on a boat and Los Gigantes from the sea
Another great experience!
We have been dolphin-watching in Zanzibar and whale-watching in Sri Lanka, but in Tenerife, these amazing sea creatures were the friendliest.
It is true that the whales weren’t the huge blue whales of Sri Lanka; they were pilot whales, which are related to dolphins.
But man, I loved sailing with the breeze in my hair and dolphins jumping around us.
During the 6-hour trip, we also stopped at Los Gigantes and took a bath in the ocean.
By the way, the name of Los Gigantes is not related to the large stones jutting from the water, as I thought. Instead, when the conquering Spaniards arrived on the island, they thought giants were hiding in the caves.
Book your whale-watching cruise in advance here!
Day 6 – Spend some time on the beach
Apart from Las Teresitats, we visited fewer beaches than we were hoping for, but there are options.
Beaches in Tenerife
- Playa Jardin is in Puerto de la Cruz.
- Playa del Bollullo it is near Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava.
- La Caleta, in the Adeje area, is a good option if you stay in the south.
You can find more info regarding the beaches of Tenerife here.
Day 7 – Take a trip to La Gomera island
While not on Tenerife island, if you love nature, take a boat trip and spend a full day on one of the other Canary Islands: La Gomera.
Go on a VIP Gomera tour and explore Garajonay Park and traditional villages. See more about the tour here!
More time? Here are some other things to do in Tenerife
If you want to replace some of my suggested activities or you have more time on your hands, here are a few other things worth seeing:
- Masca village. Akin to the South American Machu Picchu, Masca is an old Guanche settlement. Check out this tour, including Teide volcano, Masca, Garachico, and Los Gigantes!
- Loro Park is an animal-themed park. Book a ticket here!
- Los Cristianos, Las Vistas, and Las Americas on the Adeje coast. There are plenty of available activities, such as a Tandem Paragliding Flight, scuba diving, professional fishing experiences, and much more.
- Anaga Nature Park is recommended for hiking and nature lovers.
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