Tenerife is an island with so much to offer. Generally, it’s known for beaches and year-round sunshine but go slightly beyond the resorts and it’s an adventurous place with a whole range of activities for the discerning traveller.
There’s a rich history and culture, and those with an interest can visit beautifully preserved colonial towns and historic wine estates. There are towering dormant volcanoes and ancient forests giving incredible views over Tenerife and even out to neighbouring islands, and you have your pick of how to explore, be that vigorous gorge hikes, ocean kayaking, or high-altitude stargazing.
If you’re planning what to do in Tenerife, then the following 7-day itinerary is a guide for making the most of your time on this beautiful island; taking in the sights, partaking in adventure activities, learning about the history, and trying the surprisingly incredible local gastronomy.
Day 1:
Morning: San Cristóbal de La Laguna
To get yourself accustomed to the area and its rich past, start your trip with a visit to San Cristóbal de La Laguna. Widely known simply as La Laguna, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved historical cities in the Canary Islands. The city was founded in the late 15th century, and its innovative grid layout actually served as the blueprint for many colonial cities built in the Americas, including Old Havana.
The historical centre is fully pedestrianised, and you can hire guides or go on walking tours if you want to know about the fascinating history in more detail. One of the most impressive things about the city is the traditional Canarian pine balconies jutting out from the historic buildings. to grand stone facades. Make sure to stop by the Cathedral, Casa Lercaro: a magnificent 17th-century manor house with a beautiful traditional courtyard and Palacio de Salazar (Casa Salazar): one of the best examples of Canary Baroque architecture dating back to 1681.
Have lunch at Restaurante el Guadyl – try a selection of small dishes (although they aren’t that small) at this low key restaurant serving innovative takes on local flavours.
Afternoon: La Orotava
After lunch, make the short drive along the northern coast to La Orotava – I think it’s one of the prettiest towns in the Canaries. It is a stunningly picturesque town famous for its steeply sloping streets, botanical gardens, 17th-century mansions and the terracotta roofs.
La Orotava is also a very arty and creative city – it’s known for a number of festivals, probably most famously the Corpus Christie. In May and June outside Ayuntamiento you’ll see artisans working on giant sand carpets, with some made from earth from Teide National Park.
Make sure to stop at the famous Casa de los Balcones. It’s an absolute must if you want to learn about the history of Tenerife’s wealthy merchant class and see traditional island crafts. The interior courtyard is a masterpiece of carved Canarian pine.
You can also visit Molino de gofio – La Máquina. It’s a historic mill that makes gofio, an indigenous flour type ingredient made from roasted and ground grains.
Day 2:
Morning: Kayaking at Los Gigantes
Head to the sunny west coast for some aquatic fun – start your morning with some kayaking! One of the best places to do this is at Los Gigantes. The cliffs of ‘The Giants” are aptly named, rising vertically from the ocean to staggering heights of up to 600 metres. It’s not until you paddle right up to the base of these colossal basalt rock formations that you can see just quite how huge they are.
Dealing with the ocean swells can be tiring, so prepare for a solid upper-body workout. Some of the kayak tours also include a stop in a secluded bay where you can jump out, cool off, and snorkel in the water.
Afternoon: Beach time & whale watching
Just around the coast from Los Gigantes is the small but lovely black sand beach of Los Guios Beach is only 180m long but it doesn’t tend to get too busy. You can rent loungers and there are toilets and cafés nearby.
After you’ve had some time to relax, swap your kayak for a larger, more comfortable vessel and go whale watching. The deep-water channel between Tenerife and the neighbouring island of La Gomera is officially certified as a Whale Heritage Site, making it one of the best places in the world to see cetaceans in their natural habitat.
There are resident pods of short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins here year-round. Whilst you aren’t 100% guaranteed to see whales, I’ve been out on 3 occasions and have seen dozens of pilot whales on every single trip. It’s certainly going to be a highlight of your 7 days in Tenerife itinerary.
Book your whale watching trip here.
Day 3:
Morning: The Journey to Masca
Today is all about the Masca Valley, a dramatic, lush gorge that winds its way from a tiny mountain village down to the sea. Masca village is known as the Machu Picchu of Tenerife due to the large rock the towers above the houses looking like the main peak of the Inca settlement.
There are a number of ways to visit Masca depending on how confident/active you are.
- Take a Tour: The most stress-free option. Book a guided jeep or minibus tour. You get to enjoy the incredible scenery without worrying about the terrifyingly tight hairpin bends, and the guides share fascinating insights about the island’s pirate history.
- Driving: For confident drivers, renting a car and driving the winding TF-436 road is an unforgettable adventure offering spectacular photo opportunities at every turn. Just be prepared for sheer drops and narrow passing points – Hire your car hire.
- Hiking: For the truly active, secure a permit well in advance to hike the Masca Gorge trail. It’s a tough, rugged descent over boulders and steep paths, but the immersive nature experience is unparalleled.
Book a Masca & Tenerife highlights tour here.
Afternoon: Exploring the Village or Conquering the Ravine
Depending on your morning choice, your afternoon will look very different.
If you have only planned a half day in Masca then spend the afternoon looking around the enchanting town of Garachico. Once the island’s most prosperous commercial port, its fortunes were dramatically altered in 1706 when the Trevejo volcano erupted, burying much of the village and its thriving harbour under a blanket of lava.
However, Garachico rose from the ashes stronger than ever, transforming that destructive lava flow into one of its most unique and beloved attractions: the Piscinas Naturales El Caletón, a series of stunning natural swimming pools.
Book a day tour to Garachico and Masca here.
Day 4:
Morning: Wine Tasting at Casa los Vinos
After yesterday’s mountain adventures, treat your senses to Tenerife’s booming culinary and viticulture scene. Start your late morning with a visit to Casa del Vino located in El Sauzal. Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century traditional Canarian rural estate, this museum and tasting room is the perfect place to learn about the island’s unique volcanic terroir.
Because the Canary Islands were historically isolated, they were never affected by the phylloxera plague that decimated European vineyards in the 19th century. As a result, Tenerife boasts some of the oldest, ungrafted vines in the world. You can sit in the lovely rustic courtyard and sample a flight of crisp volcanic white wines and robust reds, perfectly accompanied by a selection of award-winning local goat & sheep cheeses and honey.
Afternoon: Cooking class
Later in the afternoon, get hands-on with a cooking class of some traditional Canarian cuisine. Mojo is the quintessential Canarian sauce that accompanies almost every local meal. It comes in two main varieties: vibrant green (mojo verde, usually made with coriander or parsley) and fiery red (mojo rojo, crafted with local dried peppers, garlic, and cumin).
Friendly local chefs will show you the traditional pestle-and-mortar techniques to grind the spices and emulsify the oil perfectly. You’ll also learn the secret to preparing papas arrugada, the famous salty, wrinkled Canarian potatoes that you’ll often see served alongside the mojo.
Day 5: What to do in Tenerife for the ultimate adventure
Morning: Scaling Mount Teide
You simply cannot visit Tenerife without dedicating a day to its crowning glory: Mount Teide. At 3,718 metres above sea level, it is Spain’s highest peak and the third-largest volcano in the world from its base on the ocean floor.
Drive up through the fragrant Corona Forestal pine forests until you break through the cloud layer and enter Teide National Park. The landscape here is utterly otherworldly, a vast, sun-drenched caldera filled with twisted lava rock formations, pumice fields, and vibrant oxidized minerals that look more like a Martian landscape than a European island.
There are loads of stopping places and viewpoints to take in the various and ever changing landscapes.
Book your half day Teide tour here.
Afternoon: The Summit and Star Gazing
In the afternoon, take the Mount Teide cable car. In just eight minutes, it whisks you up to 3,555 metres, offering breathtaking, panoramic views over Tenerife and the neighbouring islands.
You can then continue to walk to the summit, be prepared for the high altitude meaning shortness of breath and headaches! Make sure to take warmer clothing for the cold and wind too.
But the adventure doesn’t end when the sun begins to set. Stay in the national park for the evening to experience world-class star gazing. Tenerife is internationally recognized as a “Starlight Destination” because its high altitude, strict low-light-pollution laws, and position above the cloud inversion layer make it one of the top places on Earth to observe the night sky.
Book a guided tour with a professional astronomer. Looking through powerful telescopes at the rings of Saturn, distant nebulas, and the glittering arch of the Milky Way is a brilliant way to end the day.
Book a stargazing evening with dinner here.
Day 6: A day in Tenerife for nature lovers
Morning: Exploring the Anaga Rural Park
Head to the far northeastern tip of the island to explore the Anaga Mountains. This protected biosphere offers a stark, lush contrast to the dry, south of the island – sure to be a favourite thing in your Tenerife itinerary.
Anaga is famous for its ancient laurisilva (laurel) forest, a dense, subtropical type of forest that covered much of Europe millions of years ago but now only survives in a few isolated pockets of the world. Spend the morning hiking one of the many trails.
It’s a hugely detailed and vibrant ecosystem; wandering under the dense, moss-covered tree canopies, surrounded by giant ferns and the sound of rare birds, is incredibly atmospheric. Because of the trade winds, the mountains here are frequently shrouded in mist, it’s quite magical!
Book a highly reviewed hiking tour of Anaga here.
Afternoon: Coastal Views and Taganana
In the afternoon, drive the winding, serpentine roads down the northern slopes of the Anaga mountains towards the remote coastal village of Taganana. The viewpoints (miradores) along this route offer spectacular, sweeping views over jagged, emerald-green peaks that drop precipitously into the roaring Atlantic Ocean.
End your afternoon at one of the wild, black-sand beaches characteristic of this coastline, such as Playa de Benijo. While the currents here are often too strong for safe swimming, it is the perfect spot for a dramatic beach walk and stopping at a rustic local coastal guachinche (tavern) for some local cuisine, (open Autumn.)
Day 7: What to do in Tenerife for a final day out
Morning: Beach Relaxation
Finally, after a busy week in Tenerife itinerary of scaling volcanoes, navigating deep gorges, and kayaking beneath giant cliffs, you deserve a morning of pure relaxation – so plan a final beach day. Tenerife has so many beaches to choose from, but I’ve put a few favourites below.
Playa de Las Teresitas – Located near the capital of Santa Cruz in the northeast, this is perhaps Tenerife’s most famous and picturesque beach. It was artificially created using sand imported from the Sahara Desert, giving it a picture-postcard look.
Playa del Duque – Situated in the upscale Costa Adeje area in the south, this is a Blue Flag beach that caters to those looking for a premium relaxation experience with all the conveniences nearby.
Playa de la Tejita – Located on the southern coast near El Médano, this is Tenerife’s largest natural sand beach and stands out dramatically thanks to the Montaña Roja (Red Mountain), a striking volcanic cone that rises straight out of the ocean at the end of the bay.
This Canarian island has so much to offer and these are just some of the things you can include in your one week Tenerife itinerary.
