Best Things to do in TENERIFE – one week on a microcontinent

As the over-popular south coast of Tenerife is the most neglectable part of the island, I’ll show you in this guide which are the best things to do in one week in the island’s lush north. We’ll visit picturesque villages and lush fields, admire bewitched forests, enjoy black lava beaches and approach the mighty Mount Teide.

Lava Beach in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife a microcontinent
Black lava beaches are just one amazing feature on the island of Tenerife.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

One Day in SANTA CRUZ de TENERIFE

I urgently need to make a correction to this post. No, I didn’t make a typo. Oh no, there are no grammatical or spelling errors – at least, that’s what I hope. I was simply entirely misjudging Santa Cruz when I first created this post.
Was it the bad weather?
Was it the exhaustion after a few weeks on the road?
Whatever it was that drove me to portray Santa Cruz as not worth seeing, I was wrong.
So very wrong!

Street in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
View of the iconic belfry of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción from the picturesque Calle Antonio Domínguez Alfonso.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the city on another trip to Tenerife, and what can I say, I thought it was a great place: Lively and yet not stressful, with lots of shops, excellent restaurants, beautiful squares, and a pleasant promenade along the sea, the city scored highly at second glance. And since I was hunting for the best street art, this time I also went to parts of the city that usually aren’t on the tourist agenda.

Charming alleys, friendly residents, lots of local vibes, and yes, the best street art in Tenerife convinced me: Santa Cruz is not only absolutely worth a day’s visit. The city, which is connected to a comprehensive public transport network, can also be an excellent base and starting point for exploring the entire island.

So again: Sorry, Santa Cruz, I totally stand corrected!

This Way to the Whole Story ->

CANDELARIA, Home of the Canarian Virgin Mary and the Guanches

Candelaria is a town on the eastern coast of Tenerife and for devoted Catholics, mainly a place of adoration of the Canarian patron, the Virgin of Candelaria, but it has already been the cradle of the indigenous Guanches and part of their Kingdom of Güímar thousands of years ago.

View of the city of Candelaria, the home of

You see, this charming town looks back at so much amazing history, and I’m happy to introduce this beautiful yet often overlooked place in this post.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

TAGANANA – Over The Hills And Far Away in Tenerife

Instead of joining the tourist crowds on large beaches, are you looking for small bays to swim’n’sunbathe? Do you prefer to enjoy local cuisine and homemade wine in a small tavern over wild party nights? Would you like to be enchanted by picturesque mountain ridges and dense fairytale-like forests?
Then, I have the perfect place for you: A bit over 20 kilometers north of the capital Santa Cruz, Tenerife keeps one of its greatest treasures, namely the mountain village of Taganana – a place over the hills and far away.

View of Taganana, the other side of Tenerife
Lush vegetation and rugged mountain ridges above blue waters: The secluded village of Taganana consists of pure beauty.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

PUERTO del ROSARIO – Fuerteventura’s Underrated Capital

Puerto del Rosario is Fuerteventura’s capital and totally underrated. No wonder, the competition is powerful: Golden beaches, turquoise waters, gigantic sand dunes, and windy surfing grounds.

Statue in Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura's Capital
Pescador de Viejas – the old fisherman by local sculptor Juan Miguel Cubas from Betancuria is greeting visitors next to Puerto del Rosario’s promenade.

Hence, it’s understandable that hardly any tourist spends time in Puerto del Rosario. If you ask me, that’s a big mistake since the city has enough to offer to spend at least one day there.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

ISLAND HOPPING in the CANARY ISLANDS

When going to the Canaries, you don’t have to limit yourself since island hopping between the various Canary Islands is really fun and so easy.

View of two of the Canary Islands.
Two in one: While the hill on the left is Gran Canaria, the one in the backdrop is Tenerife. This picture proves how close the Canary Islands are to each other.

While most visitors pick just one destination for their beach vacation, you can have it all: Hop on a ferry or go on a plane and travel crisscross between Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote as much as you please.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

EL MEDANO – where not only the wind will blow you away

Since after almost an entire week in Tenerife, I hadn’t been to the beach, I urgently needed to add some lazy hours of sweet nothing. After having explored the island’s northern hinterland, I really didn’t feel like letting the tourist ghettos on the south coast put an ugly stain on the positive’n’pure impression Tenerife had made. Fortunately, the wind blew me to a small surfer town on the east coast, and although I’m not a surfer, El Medano with its beautiful coastline, laid-back atmosphere, and great fish restaurants actually did blow my mind.

El Medano in Tenerife
Not only windsurfers enjoy El Médano’s wild waters.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

MOUNT TEIDE – the Highlight of Tenerife

Whether you get to the top hiking or if you opt for a ride on the cable car: Mount Teide is definitely a highlight of every visit to Tenerife. In this post, I’m introducing various ways how to visit this majestic mountain.

Majestic Mount Teide and the amazing stone formation below.
Majestic Mount Teide and the amazing stone formation below.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

GARACHICO – ICOD DE LOS VINOS – MASCA – Touring Tenerife’s Delightful Northcoast

I know, I know, it’s hot, Tenerife’s beaches are beautiful and the waters turquoise’n’tempting. Yet, spending all your time lazing on a beach would be a big mistake since idyllic townlets like Garachico, Icod de Los Vinos, and Masca are awaiting visitors on the island’s cooler yet very delightful Northcoast.

Village of Masca
Masca, the forecourt to paradise.
This Way to the Whole Story ->