Why visit Tenerife? La Gomera is the island that you see every day if you are staying in the south of Tenerife. The island is much smaller compared to Tenerife, but it hides tremendous beauty, an amazing national park and forest and winding roads that lead to lookout points with modern architecture. From Tenerife South you can book a day tour that includes the ferry ride, transfer on the island in order to see all the best places and lunch at Mirador Abrante (probably the most Instagrammed place on La Gomera). Read additional info at Tenerife forum.
Puerto de la Cruz has a lot to keep culture-hungry travellers satiated: the city is like an open-air art museum thanks to the Puerto Street Art Project, which began in 2014 in the historic quarter. The oldest drago plant in Tenerife. Technically a plant rather than a tree, the drago tree is synonymous with Tenerife. The oldest known drago is in Icod de los Vinos, and is known as Drago Milenario. You can see it when you visit the 15th century historical quarter. If you’re looking for more things to do in Icod, try the Museo de Malvasia wine museum or the Mariposario Del Drago, which is a butterfly nature park – a good option if you need alternative things to do with kids in Tenerife.
These natural salt water pools are plenty of fun to cool off in – particularly if you’re coming down from one of the mountain hikes or golf courses nearby. There are also showers and bathrooms to get changed in too. Whilst the golden sands of Médano are ideal for posing and sunbathing with the best of them, you should really try your hand at kitesurfing here. This is a great, safe spot to surf for experienced riders, with Médano and Tejita offering two different spots to ride the waves. Whilst Rio may have the biggest carnevale in South America, the Canary Islands are the place to be for it in Europe. Over the course of a week, festivals, processions and parties flood the streets of Santa Cruz with colour, feathers and glitter. The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival is a fun event to attend with a group, or with the family – you’ll never see anything quite like it.
The island’s volcanic landscape provides ample hiking opportunities for active travellers, and Anaga Rural Park has some of the best hiking trails in Tenerife. The park sprawls over the mountains of La Laguna and Santa Cruz and is easily accessible by car. Bring hiking boots though, because my guide was not impressed by my Converse. Start at Cruz del Carmen Visitors Centre and hike through the enchanted bay leaf scented forest of Laurisilva. Easy short hikes include the Route of the Traditions or the Path of the Senses, while there are also longer multiple day hikes. Keen riders can explore the rural park on horseback, and there’s also a wheelchair accessible route in the park.
The warm waters surrounding Tenerife are home to more than 28 species of whale and dolphin, making it a popular attraction for visitors of all ages. There are daily trips on the boats departing either from Los Cristianos or Los Gigantes. The prices of the boat trips differ according to the service and availability of the drinking buffet and food. Some boats are even decorated like pirate ships. The trip is around three hours in duration, during which you will be able to observe several dolphins and whales in their natural habitat, swimming around.