The most popular of the Canary Islands for English-speaking tourists, Tenerife and its main city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are very popular pretty much all year round. The winter weather is a bit too mild for swimming on the beach, but it’s much nicer than anywhere in Europe itself. The most popular resort towns for sunshine seekers are Los Cristianos and Playa de la Americanos on the southern shore.
The largest and most popular of Spain’s Canary Islands, Tenerife offers great value for those seeking mild or warm weather any time of the year. Hotels are usually quite affordable considering the quality, and food and drinks are rather cheap as well if you follow the signs to the better deals.
| Population | 920,000 |
| Area | 920,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+0 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Tenerife South Airport (TFS), Tenerife North Airport (TFN) |
Tenerife is known as a bargain destination for middle-class Europeans, and particularly with Brits, with great package deals including hotels and airfare. Things here are generally cheaper than on the European continent, and usually a bit cheaper even than Spain’s mainland beach resorts on the Costa del Sol.
Those on the tightest budgets can certainly find bargains in hotels and restaurants if they need to, yet there are plenty of expensive choices mixed in as well. There are many short-term apartments available, with great deals in the quieter months.
Tenerife is a year-round destination, but peak season is the end of December. The resort cities in the south fill up in July and August as well, but room rates don’t change much during the year.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 12.63 - 36.84 |
| 24.21 - 57.89 |
| 31.58 - 89.47 |
| 37.89 - 138.95 |
| 73.68 - 215.79 |
Hotel Marte Doubles from €40/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Tenerife |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 18.95 - 26.32 |
Los Amigos Backpackers Hostel Beds from €14/night | |
There is a volcano called El Tiede that you can visit in the middle of the island with a cable car ride to the top.
Otherwise nearly everyone visits to enjoy the sunny weather and relax by the pool or on the beach.
Hop-on, hop-off tours of the capital city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are available and you can reach the starting point on regular bus service from the south of the island.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos | This science and cosmos museum also has a planetarium attached. | adults students | 5.26 3.16 |
| Teide Cable Car | Most people reach the cable car on a bus tour or hired car, but there is a public bus option as well. | return one-way | 42.11 23.16 |
The dining scene on Tenerife is heavily geared towards tourists and there are hundreds of small places overlooking the water. Prices are generally very modest due to high competition and the fact that menus are posted outside. Look for lunchtime and happy hour specials for even better deals.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | You can find local dishes up to a full English breakfast in most tourist areas. | 3.16 - 6.32 |
| Budget lunch | Plenty of fast-food places are available if you don't want the local favorites. | 5.26 - 8.42 |
| Budget dinner | Restaurants run a huge price range in Tenerife, with Chinese buffets being among the bargains. | 9.47 - 15.79 |
| Beer (.5l) | Daytime happy hours with €1 pints are easy to find. At night prices go up a bit. | 2.11 - 4.21 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from North Airport to south resorts | 78.95 |
| Taxi from South Airport to south resorts | 21.05 |
| Bus from North Airport to south resorts | 13.68 |
| Bus from South Airport to resorts | 3.16 |
| Bus ride in Tenerife | 1.05 |
| 3km taxi ride in Tenerife | 6.32 - 9.47 |
Nearly all visitors will fly into Tenerife, which has two main airports. The Tenerife North Airport serves the capital area and some hotels and resorts nearby, but most of the hotels are in the southern part of the island so Tenerife South Airport is the better option if you have a choice.
If you can save a lot by flying into the farther airport, it’s not a big deal as you can take a bus between them in about an hour.
Most people visiting Tenerife stay in a hotel surrounded by shopping and restaurants, so walking is the easiest way to get around.
Taxi service is available and prices are reasonable.
The island has a good bus service for those wanting to go longer distances.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 69 | 59 | 1.3 |
| February | 70 | 59 | 1.4 |
| March | 71 | 60 | 1.1 |
| April | 72 | 61 | 0.6 |
| May | 75 | 64 | 0.2 |
| June | 78 | 66 | 0.0 |
| July | 83 | 69 | 0.0 |
| August | 84 | 71 | 0.0 |
| September | 82 | 70 | 0.2 |
| October | 79 | 68 | 0.7 |
| November | 75 | 65 | 1.1 |
| December | 71 | 61 | 1.7 |
Tenerife has very pleasant and mild weather all year round, with virtually no threat of rain at any time. Winters are a bit too cool for the beach, and during July and August it can be quite hot during the day and even at night, but overall there isn’t much to fear or complain about.
| 21 Mar | 7:07am | 7:17pm |
| 21 Jun | 7:08pm | 9:05pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:53am | 8:02pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:53am | 6:13pm |