Planning the perfect Tenerife Itinerary can be more tricky than you think. There’s just so much to see and do on this sun-soaked island! From the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Teide National Park to the stunning beaches of Costa Adeje and the charming streets of La Laguna, Tenerife offers something for every kind of traveler. Whether you’re craving adventure, relaxation, or a bit of both, this seven-day itinerary will help you make the most of your time on Spain’s largest Canary Island.
Over a week, you’ll explore hidden gems, taste delicious Canarian cuisine, and soak up the island’s vibrant culture. Picture yourself hiking through volcanic areas and lush forests, swimming in crystal-clear waters, and ending your days with breathtahking sunsets over the Atlantic. Sounds like your kind of trip? Let’s dive into the ultimate week in Tenerife!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TENERIFE
Tenerife, on the Canary Islands in Spain, is visted by millions of people every year in search of Spain’s beautiful beaches and sun. But Tenerife is much more than just tourist resorts and sun. It is a very diverse island that will surprise you in more ways than you would expect.
Here are some interesting facts about Tenerife that you might not know.
- Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and 43% of the islands population live in here.
- If you’re planning a trip to Tenerife, you will most likely visit at least one of its beaches during your trip. Did you know that many of them are not natural beaches but man-made? This is due to the island’s volcanic nature.
- In 2007 Teide National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Teide is the highest peak in Spain with 3.705 meters.
THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GOING TO TENERIFE
Tenerife is an amazing destination with so much variety. From volcanic hikes to chill beach days. But there are definitely a few things worth knowing before you go. Here’s a friendly list of tips to help you make the most of your trip
- Pack for all seasons. Tenerife has microclimates which means you can go from sunny beaches to chilly mountain trails in the same day. Bring layers, especially if you’re planning to hike around Teide or in Anaga!
- Rent a car if you can. Public transport works, but having a car gives you way more freedom to explore remote trails, mountain villages, and less-touristy beaches. Driving is pretty easy and the views are spectacular. If you don’t feel comfortable driving in steep areas, just rent an automatic car.
- Book permits for Teide in advance. If you want to hike to the summit of Mount Teide, you’ll need a free permit, and they book up fast!
- Wear sunscreen (even in the clouds). The UV rays in Tenerife are strong, even when it’s overcast. Sunscreen is your best friend, especially if you’re out hiking or at the beach.
- Try the local food. Don’t miss papas arrugadas with mojo, fresh fish, and goat cheese. The local wine is excellent too, especially around Icod and Tacoronte. My personal favorite was the sweet wine from La Oratava.
TENERIFE ITINERARY - THE PERFECT ONE WEEK ITINERARY
This is my one week itinerary in Tenerife as I had planned it. In reality, we had a few unexpected situations during our trip that forced us to modify our route during our stay in Tenerife. But this doesn’t mean that this itinerary is not feasable, we were just a bit unlucky during this trip.
DAY 1 - FLY TO TENERIFE & PUERTO DE LA CRUZ
Route: Fly to Tenerife South Reina Sofia Airport
Route: From Tenerife South Airport to Puerto de la Cruz (Distance: 89,9km; Time: 1 hour and 6 minutes)
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
The first day of your trip is all about getting to Tenerife Island. In Tenerife there are two different airports, Tenerife South Reina Sofia Airport (TSF) and Tenerife North Airport (TNF). Tenerife North is only used for national flights so you will only be landing here if you are flying from another airport in Spain.
In our case, since we were flying directly from Belgium, we landed at Tenerife South Airport. Our flight landed before noon so our intention was to get our rental car, drive to Puerto de la Cruz where our hotel was located, and spend the afternoon and evening exploring the city.
Unfortunately, we had some issues with the car we got from the rental company and I had a nasty cold that day so we did not really explore Puerto de la Cruz.
If everything goes smoothly for you, after checking in at your hotel, spend the afternoon exploring Puerto de la Cruz. Explore the charming streets in the historic city center, watch the waves crass into the rocks at San Telmo Beach, visit the main church and enjoy some delicious dinner in the center.
DAY 2 - CHINYERO HIKE & SOUTH COAST
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Chinyero Hike, El Medano and back (Distance: 215km; Time: 3 hours and 10 minutes)
Walking: 8,2 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
As mentioned before, we had a lot of unexpected events happening during this trip. On our second day, we had planned a full day of exploring the island but sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Keep this in mind and never let this spoil your vacation!
In reality, we spent our morning by driving back to Tenerife South Airport to get a new rental car. The one we had gotten the previous day had an issue with the gear box, which is not very convenient in an island with so many hills as Tenerife.
This day, we only managed to do the hike around Chinyero. The photos I show on this blog for the rest of the day are from a different trip I did to Tenerife.
STOP 1: cHINYERO HIKE
We began our second day in the island by hiking around Chinyero Volcano. Chinyero was the site of Tenerife’s last volcanic eruption in 1909 which left a mountain of 1500 m above sea level. This hike feels like stepping into another world. You will be able to explore black lava fields, pine forests, and rugged volcanic terrein, with the presence of Teide in the distance.
This hike is not very challenging (it is only 8 km) and it is a fantastic way to start your first full day in the island. The views over the volcano are just beautiful, with just a few pine trees in the between the lava.
STOP 2: BEACH TIME AT THE SOUTH COAST OF TENERIFE
After the hike, it is time to relax by the beach. You can choose anywhere on the southern part of the island: Costa Adeje, Playa Las Americas, Los Cristianos, El Médano, etc.
We chose El Médano and spent the rest of the day relaxing by the sea.
STOP 3: DINNER AT "EL CORDERO" RESTAURANT
To finish our day, we had dinner at Restaurante El Cordero, a restaurant located within a banana plantation. Not only was the location very nice, but the food was also delicious and with the check we got two bananas and a papaya to take with us!
After dinner, we went back to the coast to have some cocktails while we watched the sunset.
DAY 3 - TEIDE NATIONAL PARK
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Teide National Park and back (Distance: 110km; Time: 2 hours and 38 minutes)
Walking: 6 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
Day 3 of our trip to Tenerife was all about visiting Teide National Park but… again our luck in this trip was not the best… We had booked tickets to go up to Teide with the cable car but our reservation got cancelled due to strong winds. Luckily, we did end up getting a new reservation for our last day of the trip so I can officially say, I have been on the highest peak of Spain!
STOP 1: ROQUES DE GARCIA HIKE
Our first stop of the day was to do Roques de Garcia hike. This is a 4 km long hike around Los Roques rock formations which have some beautiful shapes. The hike is cosidered as moderate because you have to go a steep uphill in the last few hundred meters.
Roques de Garcia was my absolute favorite hike in Tenerife. It was so unique with the rock formations and views of Teide! Since our reservation to go up to Teide had been cancelled, we took it slow, admiring all the rock and even had a small picnic here.
Tip: This hike is very popular so I recommend coming here as early as possible to help finding a parking spot. However, if you do come here later in the day, just be patient and keep driving around. Eventually you will find a spot.
STOP 2: TEIDE
After the hike, it was time to head to Teide’s cable car to go visit the highest point in Spain. The cable car, goes up 1200 meters in under 10 minutes. The cable car will leave you almost at the top of Teide.
From the cable car top station, you have a beautiful panoramic view of Teide National Park. In addition, you can do 3 different short hikes:
- Hike to Pico del Teide (Teide’s Peak). This hike is only accessible if you have a permit. To get this permit you have to make a reservation well in advance your trip as they tend to “sell out” really fast. You can ask for your permit at this website.
- Hike to Pico Viejo Viewpoint (Old Peak Viewpoint). This is a short hike to the viewpoint where you can see the former Teide’s peak.
Tip #2: Even if it is warm at Teide’s bottom Cable Car station, I recommend you bring a jacket to go up. The altitude really makes a difference in the temperature.
STOP 3: MINAS DE SAN JOSE
After Teide, we stopped for another short hike at San Jose Mines. This hike is very easy and takes you around some former open aire pumice stone mining area. Walking around them feels like you are not on Earth anymore.
Trivia: Did you know some movies have been shot in this area due to its unique characteristics?
STOP 4: VIEWPOINTS ALONG TEIDE'S ROAD
After visiting Minas de San Jose, it was time to start driving back to Puerto de la Cruz. While doing so, we stopped at several view points along Cañadas del Teide road where you can see the coast.
- Piedra La Rosa Viewpoint
- La Bermeja Viewpoint
- Mataznos Viewpoint.
DAY 4 - SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE & MASCA VALLEY
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Santiago del Teide, Los Gigantes and return (Distance: 118km; Time: 2 hrs and 38 min)
Walking: 8,9 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
On day 4, we decided to do a hike on Teno Rural Park, located in the northwest part of the island.
STOP 1: HIKE FROM SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE TO mASCA
A new day, another hike! The Santiago del Teide to Masca Valley is a stunning 9 km hike in Teno Rural Park. The hike begins at Santiago del Teide town and you will hike all the way up to Risco Verde peak, where you will get impressive panoramic views over Masca Valley
From there, you will descend into the valley while walking in between laurisilva forests and cactus and aloe vera plants. The hike ends at the cute little village of Masca where you can enjoy the views over the Masca Gorge.
It is a pitty that the day we did this hike the day was very gloomy and a bit foggy. The photos really don’t do justice to the beauty of this area.
Good to know: From Masca, you will have to get a short bus ride back to Santiago del Teide. Make sure to check the bus time tables and bring some cash to pay the bus tickets.
STOP 2: MASCA
Since the hike ended at Masca and we had to wait for the bus to go back to Santiago del Teide, we took the time to explore a bit the different viewpoints on this village and drink a refreshing cactus lemonade!
Photo by Hasmik Ghazaryan Olson on Unsplash
STOP 3: LOS GIGANTES
After getting back to Santiago del Teide, we drove to Los Gigantes cliffs. These are two massive towering walls that rise up to 600m straight from the Atlantic.
There are many ways to admire these impressive cliffs. For the adventurous, you can rent some kayaks to get a bit closer to them. Alternatively, you can join a boat tour and try to spot some dolphins and whales. Finally, you can just admire them from “Los Gigantes”, the coastal town with the same name. The best place to do so, is Mirador de Archipenque. Next to the viewpoint there is a small café where you can get drinks while you admire the views.
DAY 5 - CHIMANADA MOUNTAIN HIKE & ROQUE DE TABORNO
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Punta Hidalgo and Roque de Taborno and return (Distance: 115km; Time: 2 hrs 29 min)
Walking: 14 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
On Day 5, we did our first attempt to visit Anaga Rural Park. We had planned two hikes for the day but due to the clouds we were only able to do one.
STOP 1: HIKE FROM PUNTA HIDALGO TO CHIMANADA
The hike from Punta Hidalgo to Chimanada is a must do in Anaga Rural Park. This stunning route takes you from the rugged coastline up into the heart of the Anaga mountains,where you will find dramatic ravines, and ancient cave houses. The climp is steady but rewarding, offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic and the jagged green peaks that make this region so special.
After your hike, if you have some time, you can relax in the beach near the beginning of the trail while you watch surfers riding the waves.
STOP 2: ROQUE DE TABORNO HIKE
In the afternoon, we wanted to do a hike around Roque de Taborno, a rock formation that is sometimes called the “Matterhon of Tenerife”. This trail is short but offers jaw-dropping views of the rugged coastline and the Atlantic Ocean.
Unfortunately, as soon as we reached the trail head, some very low cloads arrived and the visibility was non-existant. Since we were a bit tired, we decided to not do the trail.
DAY 6 - RAMBLA DE CASTRO & NORTH COAST OF TENERIFE
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Garachico and return (Distance: 59,8km; Time: 1 hrs 27 min)
Walking: 8 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
On our sixth day, we focused on visiting the northern coast of Tenerife.
STOP 1: RAMBLA DE CASTRO
The first stop of the day was Rambla de Castro, one of Tenerife’s most picturesque coastal walks, combining lush greenery, historic sites, and stunning ocean views. This easy yet breathtaking trail near Los Realejos takes you through a landscape of towering palm trees, banana plantations, and rugged cliffs, all set against the deep blue Atlantic.
Along the way, you’ll pass by the historic Hacienda de Castro, a 16th-century estate, and the striking Fortín de San Fernando, a small fortress once used to defend the coast from pirates. To make it extra special, stop by Playa de Castro beach and relax watching the waves. The day we visited, the ocean was quite unsettled and it was so relaxing to watch the waves break into the coast.
STOP 2: ICOD DE LOS VINOS
Our next stop in the northern coast was Icod de los Vinos, a charming town best known for its legendary Drago Mileranio. The Drago Milenario is a massive, ancient dragon tree that’s said to be over 1000 years old!
But there’s more to Icod than just its famous tree. Wander through its historic streets lined with colorful Canarian houses, stop by a cozy café for a taste of the local vino (the town is famous for its wine, after all!), or try the delicious barraquito coffee (a coffee with Licor 43 and condensed milk).
STOP 3: GARACHICO
We finished the day in Garachico, one of Tenerife’s most charming coastal towns, packed with history, stunning scenery, and some of the island’s best natural swimming spots (or charcos as they are called by the locals). Once the island’s most important port, Garachico was dramatically reshaped by a volcanic eruption in 1706, but today, that same lava flow has created its most famous attraction, the El Caletón natural pools. These lava-formed rock pools are perfect for a refreshing dip while enjoying views of the Atlantic.
Another thing to do in Garachico is to stroll through the town’s cobbled streets, admire the beautifully preserved colonial buildings, and stop for some fresh seafood at a local restaurant. Don’t forget to stop by Mirador de Peralza for some beautiful views over the town.
DAY 7 - ANAGA RURAL PARK
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Anaga Rural Park and return (Distance: 120km; Time: 2 hrs 37 min)
Walking: 6,4 km
Hotel: Hotel Atlantic El Tope
On our last full day in Tenerife we had one last hike to do in Anaga Rural Park and then visit another one of Tenerife’s most iconic beaches.
STOP 1: HIKE FROM EL PIJARAL TO CABEZA DE TEJO VIEWPOINT
In the morning we did a hike in the northern part of Anaga Rural Park, the hike from El Pijaral to the Cabeza de Tejo viewpoint. This hike is absolutely gorgeous! Think misty forests, twisting laurel trees, and a magical, almost prehistoric atmosphere in one of Tenerife’s most beautiful and protected areas, often called the “Enchanted Forest” (Bosque Encantado).
The path is lush, shady, and filled with endemic flora, making it feel like a hidden world far removed from the island’s sun-soaked beaches. The cherry on top of the cake, comes at the Cabeza de Tejo viewpoint, where you’ll be treated to a jaw-dropping panorama of the rugged Anaga coastline, the deep blue Atlantic, and even the neighboring island of La Palma on a clear day.
Important: This area is a protected natural reserve, you’ll need a permit to hike here, but trust me, it’s absolutely worth it!
STOP 2: LAS TERESITAS BEACH
To end our stay in Tenerife, we headed to Playa de Las Teresitas, Tenerife’s most iconic golden-sand beach. Unlike the island’s many black-sand beaches, Las Teresitas is covered in white sand that was brought from the Sahara. Las Teresitas is locates in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and its waters, protected by a breakwater, are perfect to enjoy a relaxing dip.
If you still have any energy left, you can go on one last uphill “hike” to San Andres Bunker to get beautiful views of the beach.
Photo by Luis Gonçalves on Unsplash
DAY 8 - RETURN HOME
Route: Fly home from Tenerife South Reina Sofia Airport
Route: From Puerto de la Cruz to Tenerife South Airport (Distance: 89,9km; Time: 1 hour and 6 minutes)
On Day 8 its all about flying back home. Just drive to Tenerife South Airport, return your rental car and fly back home.
ACCOMMODATION IN TENERIFE
Choosing your accommodation in the island is quite important. It will have quite a big impact on your driving times back every day. I recommend that you choose between one of these two options.
- Choose an accommodation in the northern part of the island and stay there for your whole stay. The most difficult roads in the island (in my opinion) are in Anaga Rural Park so staying closer to the park will make it easier the days you visit the park.
- Spend half of the week in the northern part of Tenerife and the second part in the south.
ACCOMMODATION IN NORTHERN TENERIFE
Here are some options I would recommend in northern Tenerife
La Asomada del Gato
charming and rustic hotel located in the center of San Cristobal de la Laguna, next to Anaga Rural Park. All rooms have a balcony that opens into a central courtyard in Canarian style.
Photos from Booking.com
Hotel Emblematico San Agustín
This hotel is set in a renovated 18th-century Canarian-style house, in the historic center of Icod de los Vinos. The hotel is located in a charming cobbled stone street in the historic center but it offers free parking a few hundred meters away. To make it even better, you will get a welcome glass of wine from the region upon arrival.
Photos from Booking.com
Hotel Atlantic El Tope
This hotel located in Puerto de la Cruz offers both views to Teide and Martianez Natural Pools. The hotel is very well located in Puerto de la Cruz and it is just 10 minutes walking to the city center. You will be welcomed with a free bottle of cava upon arrival.
This is the hotel we stayed at during our stay in Tenerife at we had a fantastic time here. The rooms were spacious and very comfortable and the breakfast buffet was delicious. They only downside we found is that the parking spots are very limited so it is difficult finding a free spot. However, 300 m away from the hotel there is plenty of free parking spots.
Photos from Booking.com
ACCOMMODATION IN SOUTHERN TENERIFE
Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife
The Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife is a luxurious beachfront hotel located in a peaceful residential area of Costa Adeje. The property offers four swimming pools, one of the is a pool lagoon which features saltwater.
Photos from Booking.com
Parque Santiago III Official
Parque Santiago III is a aparthotel area that is located in Playa de las Americas. The complex is located only 500 meters from Camison Beach and it is the perfect place if you want a relaxed holiday in Tenerife.
Photos from Booking.com
MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Click the star next to the map title to add this map to your google maps account. To view it on your phone while traveling, open Google Maps, click on the menu button and go to “Your Places”, click on Maps and you’ll see this map in your list.
And that’s it for this week’s blog. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Happy travels!
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