Sunrise over the coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands
Destinations New to cruising Canary Islands

Uncover Tenerife

Each of the Canary Islands has a distinctive character. Having fallen for their seductive charms, travel writer Yolanda Zappaterra is longing to return. In the meantime, she reveals why she loves their different personalities… Which one you will fall for?

3 min 31 Jul 2021

Editorial Team

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Tenerife coast view

Scale the heights of Teide National Park
 

Visible throughout the island, Mount Teide is the highest point in Spain and one of the biggest volcano craters in the world. You can approach its otherworldly landscape and dizzying heights by cable car or by a six-hour trek (for the hardy only). To peer right into its molten core, however, you need to get a permit from the national park office in nearby Orotava.
 

Shore excursion: Mount Teide National Park; Mount Teide Cable Car.
 

Get your cultural fix at La Laguna

The historic capital of the Canary Islands, La Laguna in the north of the island is a university town with a UNESCO World Heritage Site at its centre, offering an array of Renaissance architecture and ancient churches alongside a buzzing social scene.
 

Shore excursion: Mount Teide National Park
 

Frolic on black-sand beaches
 

One of Tenerife’s most distinctive features is its volcanic, black sand. Only accessible by a narrow footpath, secluded Playa Bollullo is well worth the effort to get to, while the more tourist-orientated resort Playa de la Arena on the southern coast has Blue Flag status.

mountain surrounded by cloud in Tenerife

Plunge into Garachio’s rock pools

The dramatic volcanic eruption in 1706 that buried Garachio – then Tenerife’s most important and prosperous town – also had the effect of creating an unusual landscape of rock pools and sheltered bays where warm waters provide perfect spot for diving and swimming.
 

Feast on the day’s catch at Los Abrigos
 

The charming and colourful fishing village of Los Abrigos offers a selection of dockside restaurants where you can pick from the day’s catch and enjoy the views over the deep blue ocean. El Mirador de Los Abrigos is particularly sought after for its terrace tables.
 

Explore Tenerife’s hidden labyrinth
 

Enjoy a guided tour that takes you along the foothills and pine forests to the entrance of the vast underground complex of volcanic tunnels – the largest in Europe – created by lava flows from Pico Viejo.
 

Try the local tipple
 

Tenerife has a longstanding and intriguing history of wine production, with its volcanic soils and reliable climate allowing vineyards large and small to flourish, including those around Tacoronte, Tegueste, El Sauzal, San Cristóbal de La Laguna and La Orotava. Visit La Baranda, a traditional farmhouse in the north of the island, to discover more about wine production.