Three weeks in Tenerife, Canary Islands: Everything you need to know
Continuing our tradition of taking three weeks away in November, as the UK enters the big coat weather, we went to Tenerife for the start of November 2024. We often choose the Canary Islands as our destination for these trips as the time zone is the same as the UK, making remote working easy, and the weather is consistently warm (if a bit windy in some places!).
We’ve previously been to Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and The Azores. So Tenerife seemed like the obvious choice this year. And since there’s more to do on the island than some of the quieter Canaries like Fuerteventura, we took a full week off in the middle to explore.
So, why go to the Canary Islands? What are the best things to do in Tenerife? What is Tenerife like for holidays? And is Tenerife a good holiday destination in winter? Read on to find out.
Things you need to know about Tenerife
How do you get to Tenerife?
You can fly directly to Tenerife from most UK airports. We flew from Gatwick with EasyJet, and returned to Luton. In November 2024, these return flights cost around £120 each. However, costs will vary depending on when you travel, where from, and the airline you choose. This wasn’t the cheapest option, but was the most convenient for the timings that we needed.
When is the best time to travel to Tenerife?
The weather is good almost all year round in Tenerife, and while it’s a popular summer holiday spot, it does attract tourists from northern Europe throughout the winter months as well. For that reason, it’s never totally quiet. But with the temperature staying well above 20ºC for the full three weeks we were there, it’s easy to see why people head here for some winter sun.
We were affected by a calima, a haze caused by sand from the Sahara, towards the end of our trip. But otherwise, the weather was warm and dry for the full three weeks in November.
How much time do you need in Tenerife?
If you love to hike and explore historic towns, two weeks is enough to see plenty of the island. If you’re more about relaxing and hitting the beach, then one week in Tenerife would be plenty. We chose three weeks as we wanted to fit in time working abroad in between our days exploring. In total, we had about 12 days to see the island, which was perfect for us (although there are still some hikes I’d love to go back for).
Is Tenerife expensive?
Tenerife and the Canary Islands in general have a reputation as being fairly cheap. But since 2020, the cost of travel has increased significantly and now I’m not sure I would consider Tenerife to be a cheap destination.
The rental properties we stayed in were more expensive than those in the other Canary Islands we’ve visited, and the food and drink was close to UK prices. But overall, it’s still fairly affordable compared to other Spanish destinations. Plus, there are plenty of free activities to enjoy like hiking, exploring the old Spanish towns, and relaxing on the volcanic beaches.
Is Tenerife good for beaches?
Because Tenerife is a volcanic island, many of the beaches are black sand beaches. It takes away some of the aesthetic appeal, but they’re still undeniably beautiful. There are a handful of white sand beaches scattered across the island if you care about that kind of thing. There are also plenty of beaches that offer water sports like surfing and windsurfing, thanks to the waves and wind on the south coast of the island.
Find our favourite beaches in Tenerife here: The best beaches in Tenerife.
Is Tenerife good for food?
The food in Tenerife is hit and miss. And that’s largely due to its ‘Brits abroad’ reputation. If you’re in an old town or by the coast you’ll find plenty of incredible, traditional tapas (or tasca). But if you’re in busy tourist destinations like Playa Las Americas or Costa Adeje, you’ll have to seek out these restaurants among a sea of ‘English’ restaurants, Irish pubs, and Indian and Chinese takeaways.
That said, when you do find a good spot it’s likely to be great, and we revisited some of our favourite restaurants in Tenerife multiple times.
Find out our favourite places to eat and drink here: The best places to eat and drink in Tenerife.
Is Tenerife good for nightlife?
If you’re looking for a big night out then Tenerife is probably the best Canary Island for it. Playa Las Americas has a lot of well-known night clubs, and the west coast in particular has a lot of late night bars and pubs. Whether it’s actually a good night out is a matter of opinion… and you might want to read the reviews of the establishments before you head out as some have a reputation for pickpocketing, drink spiking, and other activities that you might want to avoid if you want to enjoy the rest of your holiday! In Costa Adeje, though, we had no problem finding bars and pubs open until midnight-2am that were perfectly safe and friendly.
Is Tenerife good for family holidays?
Tenerife is a popular destination for family holidays, particularly with British, German, Scandinavian, and Spanish families. It has plenty of fun attractions for people of all ages, including water parks, zoos, hikes, and historical sites. There are a number of holiday resorts and all-inclusive hotels as well as private villas and holiday flats with a range of private and shared swimming pools.
Do you need a car in Tenerife?
We hired a car in Tenerife as it's a fairly large island so having a car was the best way for us to explore. Most attractions do offer tours and coach trips, and the Guagua island bus seems to run frequently, but it does limit your freedom.
We hired a car from Autoreisen for about £450 for three weeks. We’ve always hired from this company in the Canary Islands and never had any issues with collection, drop off, or claims. Being able to collect and drop off the car at the airport with no need for a transfer service also makes the process very easy.
Is it easy to travel around Tenerife?
Tenerife has better public transport services than the other Canary Islands, and you can book coach tours and catch taxis fairly easily. We found hiring a car the easiest option as it takes more than an hour to drive the length of the island, and day trips can be far more flexible if you’re not beholden to a bus timetable.
What is the main thing to do in Tenerife?
Tenerife is primarily known as a beach holiday destination but there are also hundreds (if not thousands) of hikes that attract tourists from across the world. The volcanic landscape is also popular with trail runners and cyclists. For slower days, there are plenty of old colonial towns to explore as well as huge national parks with viewpoints across forest, mountain, and volcanic landscapes that can be seen without the need to set off on an hours-long hike.
Find out more about our favourite things to do in Tenerife here.
What do I need to pack for a holiday in Tenerife?
The weather in Tenerife is warm all year round, but when you venture towards the mountainous centre and away from the coasts it can feel much cooler. Mount Tiede, in the centre of the island, is known to often be shrouded in clouds and, obviously, the higher you go the colder it gets. For hikes, you’ll need layers and possibly rain coats even in the summer months. But if you’re sticking to the coastlines, lighter summer clothing should be fine.
In the height of summer, the weather in Tenerife can exceed 40ºC while winter is still above 15ºC during the day. At night, it does get colder especially due to the wind.
For a full list of what I packed for a month in Tenerife in November, read my blog: What to pack for a holiday in Tenerife.
Where to stay in Tenerife
We split our time in Tenerife between Costa Adeje and Puerto de Santiago close to Los Gigantes. Costa Adeje is very touristy and doesn’t feel particularly authentically Spanish, but there are lots of bars and restaurants, which was what we needed in the evenings after working from our villa. This was about a 20 minute drive from the airport which was very convenient.
Los Gigantes is slightly more remote and feels quieter and more local. There were still plenty of great places to eat and drink as well as stunning beaches and hikes. The west and south west of the island are the most popular tourist areas. But surfers often head to the south coast towns like El Medano for its waves. There are also quiet towns like Puerta de la Cruz on the north coast, surrounded by great beaches.