Tenerife beaches: The 10 most beautiful beaches on the Canary Island

The dreamlike island of Tenerife, next to Gran Canaria the heart of the Canary Islands, has a multitude of attractions in store for its visitors, but one highlight is clearly the many paradisiacal beaches.

We introduce you to the best!

Tenerife is famous for some of the best beaches in Spain. As the largest island in the Canary Islands, there is a wide range of great beaches, from quiet and secluded to party beaches. Discover the best beaches for your vacation in one of the villas, hotels or resorts in Tenerife, including those with fine golden sand but also those with the pristine black of the volcanic island.

1. Las Teresitas Beach, Santa Cruz

The beach is man-made and it is often windy. So why does Playa de las Teresitas get first place? Quite simply: because it is the most beautiful beach on Tenerife! It’s the kind of beach that makes you want to visit as soon as you see a photo of it. When travel articles in magazines and newspapers print an article about Tenerife, nine times out of ten a photo of Teresitas is printed… even if the article doesn’t mention the place. Golden Saharan sand, a tranquil turquoise lagoon, palm trees, restaurants serving traditional food and delicious cocktails to the rear, plenty of space, a stylish atmosphere of the capital Santa Cruz, a pretty fishing village next door and the imposing Anaga mountain backdrop as a backdrop. No other beach on Tenerife offers this unique mix!

2. Playa Bollullo, La Orotava / Tenerife beaches

The black beauty El Bollullo rivals La Tejita as the most beautiful natural beach in Tenerife. In fact, Playa Bollullo is the locals’ favorite beach in Tenerife. There are no hotels, just a small beachside café, and facilities are relatively primitive. It’s a little tiring to get here and there’s always a good swell. All of these are plus points to visit if you want to enjoy a pristine beach in private and with the locals. Here you can discover the true holiday life of Tenerife. This is a beautiful local beach tucked into the cliffs behind the banana plantations and embodies what can be considered ‘real’ Tenerife. There are also two neighboring beaches that are equally beautiful. As an extra, you can discover the green subtropics on the way here by walking from Puerto de la Cruz to this northern Playa and making your way through the green banana plantations.

3. Playa Jardin, Puerto de la Cruz

This beach was conceived by the landscape architect César Manrique and landscaped with beautiful gardens, hence the name “Garden Beach”. This black-sand beach on the west end of Puerto de la Cruz is very popular as it also bridges the gap between tourists and locals. While it’s a resort beach, much of it feels fairly unspoilt, and locals often come to relax on weekends at this community beach, which sometimes hosts huge and wild fiestas. Mount Teide, Tenerife’s large and still active volcano, towers over the beach. When the mountain is snow-capped, it gives a special touch to a visit to the beach and a unique backdrop that includes every landscape of the island from the warm sea to the cool mountain regions. While the fine black sand is perfect for sunbathing and relaxing, the sea here is often rough and choppy and is only recommended for experienced swimmers.

4. Playa del Duque, Costa Adeje / Tenerife beaches

This is the perfect beach in the area of ​​Tenerife, often referred to as the ‘upscale’ part of Costa Adeje, due to its abundance of star resorts and luxury hotels. The beach is separated from the rest of the southern resorts by a rocky outcrop and a man-made castle, adding to the atmosphere of exclusivity. The sea here is always turquoise, the beach is white, and straw umbrellas, striped beach huts, and a colonial-style restaurant on stilts give it a vibe that’s a mix of southern France and the Caribbean. It is a beautiful picture book beach and a great photo opportunity. In addition, the beach is located in a bay and is protected from the strong waves. Perfect for enjoying a safe day at the beach with children.

5. Playa El Medano, El Medano

There is more than one beach here, stretching from El Médano to Montaña Roja, forming dreamy coves of golden sand between the pumice rocks. El Médano Beach is the highlight in the region, feels natural and unspoiled and is right on the small town’s doorstep. Windsurfers and kite boarders add color to the beach scenery and put on a great show for sunbathers. Hip-style bars and restaurants on the beach offer a pleasant surfing ambience. What makes the beach a surfer’s paradise are the local wind conditions, which lead to uniquely good waves and thus attract professionals from all over the world. However, this can mean that it is sometimes too dangerous to swim.

6. Playa de la Tejita, El Medano

Playa de la Tejita is one of the largest natural beaches on the island and is also close to the laid-back surf haven of El Médano on the east coast. This windswept sandy beach is home to a stunning landmark: Montaña Roja, or Red Mountain, which juts straight out of the aquamarine sea offshore. Popular with nature lovers and sun-seekers alike, this golden-sand beach is virtually deserted during the weekday and is rarely visited by most tourists. With its relatively shallow waters and charming bay, Playa de la Tejita will enchant those looking to escape civilisation. Here you will find kilometers of light golden sand in a unique natural setting and plenty of space, making it the ideal place to tan undisturbed.

7. Playa Abama, Costa Adeje

Tenerife’s most exclusive beach, tucked away in the cliffs beneath one of the island’s finest hotels, the Abama Golf & Spa Resort. Golden sands, its sheltered location and a coastal path to explore make it a very special experience in the area. The beach has the feel of a hotel beach and is secluded and exclusive, but is open to the public, which many visitors don’t know about and are therefore less likely to venture here. As a result, you have the fine sandy beach, protected in a bay surrounded by rocks, often only to be shared with the hotel guests, and you can enjoy peace, sunshine and warm water. The hotel bar also allows non-guests to enjoy delicious cocktails and juices, and on the ascent or descent you can take spectacular photos of the landscape and coast.

8. Playa El Camison, Las Americas

Playa El Camisón is a charming beach lined with greenery and palm trees on the border between Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos. This is one of the best beaches in Tenerife for families with children. The beach is fairly shallow and breakwaters prevent excessive waves from forming, ensuring calm seas and easy swimming and bathing. Palm trees provide some shade from the scorching sun and you can enjoy a picnic in the countryside without getting your toes covered in sand as there are some attractive green areas right on the beach. Here you will also find a nice beach restaurant on the left side of the Playa. Perfect for enjoying a refreshing glass of sangria with a delicious dinner while the sun sets romantically on the horizon.

9. El Muelle, Puerto de la Cruz

The pebbly beach in Puerto de la Cruz may seem strange, but it’s popular with locals and as the focal point of many of the city’s raucous fiestas. If you are looking for a beach with great local character look no further than El Muelle. In June, locals bathe goats and horses in the harbor water as good luck charms. But if you don’t like pebbles and wet goats, drive along the town’s promenade to Lago Martiánez. While this is a man-made spot and not an actual beach, there are shady palm trees, lagoons for swimming, and an exciting sea dragon in a shallow pool for the little ones in the family. The perfect place for a family outing!

10. Playa Las Vistas, Los Cristianos

A real favorite among holidaymakers is Playa Las Vistas, which is almost a kilometer long and a full 80 meters wide and has many popular cafes, restaurants and bars right next to the beach on the promenade. Las Vistas is also a very popular family beach in Tenerife due to its size and shallow waters. In the late evening hours, the area of ​​San Telmo in front of the beach is full of happy holidaymakers and locals who want to party like there’s no tomorrow and the bars and clubs go wild. If you are not in a party mood but just looking for a place to enjoy a delicious cocktail or a uniquely good dinner at sunset, San Telmo and Los Cristianos has this to offer as well. All the places to eat are close to the many hotels along the coast.

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