So you’re off to Tenerife. Cool.
You’ll want to zoom by cliffs on a speedboat, with dolphins jumping out of the water as if to perform just for you. You’ll want to trek through forests mistier than your grandmother’s old photos. You will want to feel volcanic sand underfoot, while looking up at a mountain that scrapes the very stars.
And I’m serious when I say that the “things to do in Tenerife” are not just “activities” – but experiences that engage the entire body and soul.
And yes, they can be done even if you overpacked your suitcase and forgot your sunscreen (don’t worry, we’ve all been there).
Let’s take a trip through the things worth seeing and doing in Tenerife, the real, human, alive things to do in Tenerife that will remain in your mind long after your tan has faded.
Watch Dolphins Play Like They Own the Ocean
Imagine being on a modern eco-yacht and sailing Los Gigantes cliffs. The water looks photoshopped, it’s that clear. Out of nowhere, swoosh, a pod of bottlenose dolphins is arcing through the wave like they’ve been practicing for your Instagram story.
Not a performance. Such is the everyday life off the coast of Tenerife. In fact, the island is one of the few places on Earth where whales and dolphins can be seen year-round. And no, you don’t have to have a PhD to identify them. Just show up with open eyes and a sense of wonder.
These whale watching tours aren’t just sightseeing – they’re intimate experiences. Little boats. Silent motors. Guides who actually know the difference between a pilot whale and a fin whale – and will tell you, because it matters.
Put this on your to-do list when in Tenerife…because who wouldn’t want to gaze into the eye of a wild dolphin, while it looks back at you? And that’s the stuff that changes lives.
Get Lost (On Purpose) in Anaga Rural Park
Alright, city people – turn your phones on airplane mode. Because when you venture into Anaga Rural Park you are stepping into a Middle-earth setting on a misty Tuesday morning; a 14-million-year-old laurel forest.
This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is not primped. It is muddy and mossy and magical. Trails meander past village where the roosters crow louder than the car horns, and the locals still use wood fired ovens to bake bread. You can walk from Taganana to Afur on coastal paths through scenery so stunning you’ll forget to breathe.
And yes, it’s easy to get lost. Great! Exactly. Bring water, good shoes, and a sense of awe. No expensive equipment required, just you, the fog, and timeworn trees sharing their secrets with the wind.
For anyone seeking the raw side of nature that aren’t simply a photo backdrop and that instead give you a sense of insignificance, this is one of the most impressive things to see and do in Tenerife.
Stand on Top of Spain (Literally)
Enter Mount Teide, a dormant volcano that is not only the most iconic spot on Tenerife but is also the highest mountain in all of Spain.
But how to get to the summit?
You can mostly cable car your way up. But if you’re feeling adventurous and managed to snag the required permit weeks ahead, you might hike the last stretch in the early hours of the morning. The world up here, above the clouds, seems… calmer. Quieter, somehow—as though you’ve broken through to another layer of reality.
But if the idea of summiting sounds too much? No problem. Teide National Park as a whole feels alien. Imagine red Martian rocks, gnarled lava formations, skies alight with sunsets. Take a jacket because it can be cool up there even in summer.
The one thing to be sure to remain for is stargazing. Plus, the island’s high altitude and total absence of light pollution mean that Tenerife is, allegedly, the best place on earth to see the Milky Way with unaided eyes.
Laugh, Splash, and Scream at Siam Park
Spiritual or profound doesn’t have to be the tenor of every single day, let’s get real. On some days? You just want to fall down a dragon shaped water slide with your inner child at the wheel.
Enter Siam Park, regularly voted one of the world’s top waterparks. And it’s not only the slides, either (although the Tower of Power, which drops almost straight down into a shark tank, well, I can only tell you that when I did it, I was questioning pretty much every decision I’ve ever made in my life). It’s the Thai landscaping, lazy rivers with real waves, and secret cabanas to sip cocktails in like a tropical CEO.
Even if you’re “too old” for waterparks (ha!), give yourself permission. Bring your partner, your kids, or just come alone. You’ll finish feeling slightly drained, slightly toasted, and smiling like you’ve just found a dollar under your pillow.
And hey, this absolutely is one of the must-visit places in Tenerife. Pleasure can be a destination as well.
Wander the Cliffside Drama of Masca Gorge
Masca is more than a village—it’s a postcard clinging to the edge of a mountain. Smaller white houses hang off of the sides of steep cliffs, the roads are corkscrewed, and the valley below? There is a reason why it is called the “Lost World”.
You can white-knuckle it down into the gorge or, down hike a 3-4 hour trail to a pretty little pebble beach only accessible by walking or by boat. Pack a lunch. There are no stores. No wi-fi either. Nothing but unadulterated adventure.
En route expect to see a seasonal waterfall or two, wild goats, and scenery that appears to have been designed by someone who really, really loved green and gold.
This is one of those Tenerife experiences that separates tourists from travelers. Because it isn’t easy, and that’s why you carry it.
Soak Up Golden Rays at Playa de Las Teresitas
Had enough of the black volcanic sand? Want something a little softer to walk on? Make your way to Playa de Las Teresitas, the Caribbean alternative on Tenerife.
This beach has golden imported sand, turquoise water, and palm trees that appear to be slouching like they are in a music video – in other words, it’s unlike most other beaches on the island. It is a place where locals come on Sundays. Families construct sandcastles. And you? You’ll probably end up taking a siesta with a book and a cold Estrella under an umbrella.
It’s artificial, yes – but beautiful. And sometimes paradise isn’t, and doesn’t have to be, “natural” in order to be real.
And don’t miss the seafood shacks nearby. Grilled sardines + sea breeze = idyllic.
Put this beach in your plans of things to do in Tenerife if your idea of having fun is doing… almost nothing. Happily.
Eat, Drink, and Feel Like a Local in La Orotava
Located in a valley just north of Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava is Tenerife’s “old-world” town.
They have cobblestone streets, balconies bursting with flowers, and plazas where under fig trees abuelos play dominoes.
Stroll around the old town. Stop into the Casa de los Balcones for handmade lace. Then, make your way to a hillside mirador for sweeping views that can reach all the way to the sea.
Have an appetite? Get papas arrugadas, or wrinkled potatoes, with spicy mojo rojo sauce. Pair it with a local Malvasía wine. Too simple? Certainly. Soul-filling? For sure.
This town shows that not everything in Tenerife is adrenaline—sometimes it’s about slowing down and enjoying.
Final Thoughts
Perhaps you will spend your days climbing volcanoes. Perhaps you’ll nap on beaches and drink mojitos. Perhaps you’ll end up doing both of those things – perhaps on the same day!
And that’s the beauty of this island… It is dramatic and gentle, wild and welcoming.
