10 Best Activities in Tenerife

Tenerife is made to be experienced with all five senses; to be devoured bite by bite; to be explored by sea, land and air; to get lost and find yourself; to gaze at the horizon and keep going until the sun goes down.

I think this is the only way I can describe everything that awaits you on a trip to this wonderful Canary Island, although perhaps it is best to let the amazing experiences you can have there speak for themselves: here is a list of the 10 best activities to enjoy on your trip to Tenerife.

The first experience on the list is one to do in the first few days of your trip, to leave all your stress behind and disconnect: you'll have beautiful views of Tenerife rising towards the summit of Mount Teide, feel the sea breeze and the sun shining on your body. Nothing says 'holiday' like this catamaran trip along the Costa Adeje.

But if that weren't enough, part of the trip will take you to the natural habitat of the many and varied marine animals that live in Tenerife. You can see whales and dolphins around the catamaran, and snorkel to see turtles and all kinds of fish.

The island of Tenerife is one of the most impressive places in the world to go paragliding. Its wonderful climate and gentle wind currents make these experiences completely safe.

You can go paragliding over the south of the Canary Islands, which is perfect if it's your first time, as the flight is relatively short (about 20 minutes) and you'll avoid the likelihood of getting dizzy or tired, but you'll still enjoy incredible views and an adrenaline-filled experience as you fly over the entire south-west coast of the island.

If paragliding over Tenerife was like experiencing the freedom of a bird, cutting through the waves on a jet ski is the closest thing to being a dolphin. Speed and adrenaline go hand in hand on a tour where you'll see cliffs, sea caves and the splendid island of Tenerife rising up before you.

On this 1-hour jet ski experience, you'll enjoy an adventure along the coast, discovering the secret places hidden among the cliffs in the company of a guide, while feeling the speed at the wheel of the jet ski.

If you want to add a snorkelling experience to your sea adventure, on this jet ski safari from the port of Las Galletas you will head out at full speed to the open sea where you can dive into the water and discover the impressive marine fauna that inhabits the depths of Tenerife.

And if you just want to ride a jet ski and race with your friends, this jet ski experience will put you at the wheel of the jet ski on a high-speed route to the beaches of Las Américas and La Caleta, splitting the sea in two as you go.

A must in this top 10 list of activities in Tenerife is to book a kayaking and snorkelling tour. This 3-hour excursion will allow you to enjoy two fun water sports, from Los Cristianos beach to the cliffs of Guaza.

With family or friends, you can enjoy watching dolphins and turtles while relaxing with views of El Palmar and its caves. Always accompanied by an instructor guide, you can dive into the Canary Island waters and make the most of this experience.

Few experiences can match watching the sunset from Teide with a glass of champagne and then admiring the night sky and all its constellations. If this sounds good to you, this night excursion to Teide with an expert astronomy guide is the perfect plan to include in your trip to Tenerife, especially if you are travelling as a couple.

The experience begins with a pick-up from your hotel, from where you will travel to Teide National Park. There, you will take a short walk before sunset, when you will sit at a viewpoint to watch the sky turn pink and orange and slowly fade away to make way for night.

At that point, you will head to an elevated spot that will serve as an observatory, and then a spectacular show will begin before your eyes. Thanks to the island's extremely low light pollution, it is possible to see up to 83 different constellations from Teide, and your guide will show you how to find them and tell you the story behind each one.

Whether you are staying in Tenerife for a few days or for a week or two and want to explore the island in depth, I recommend taking this complete tour of the island of Tenerife, which will take you to Mount Teide, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico and Masca, some of the most beautiful spots on the jewel of the Canary Islands.

Starting from Vilaflor, where you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the island, you will head to Teide National Park, where you will climb the volcano along a route full of beautiful landscapes. Once you reach the summit, you will understand why it is one of the most visited protected areas in Spain: you will feel as if you have risen above the Earth.

Next, you will visit Icod de los Vinos, famous for its sweet Malvasia wines and for being the home of the Drago Milenario, an ancient tree and symbol of the island. You will continue the route to Garachico, a village that rose from the ashes after being completely covered in lava during the Trevejos eruption in 1706.

To end the excursion, you will visit Masca, a village at the top of a ravine where you will feel as if you have stepped back in time.

Anaga is a beautiful rural park located in the north-western part of Tenerife. Crowned by the peak of the same name, several mountain and coastal trails run through it, allowing you to discover an area forgotten by most tourists.

That's why I don't want to end this list without recommending a hiking excursion through Anaga Rural Park, where you'll start the day by visiting San Cristóbal de la Laguna and its local market, visit the laurel forest of Mercedes and experience its intense aroma and colour, and cross the Anaga Natural Park to Roque de las Bodegas beach, at the northern tip of the island and one of my favourite places in Tenerife for taking photos.

From there, you will retrace your steps and visit Las Teresitas beach, whose golden sand was transported from the Sahara desert, and stop at some other points on the island on your way back to your hotel, such as Candelaria, whose basilica is a place of pilgrimage to see a black carving of the Virgin Mary.

La Gomera is Tenerife's little sister and one of those places whose beauty overwhelms you without remedy. I recommend a couple of excursions from Tenerife:

On this day trip to La Gomera from Tenerife, you will takethe ferry to the island and head to Garajonay National Park, one of the treasures of the Canary Islands.

Within the National Park itself, in addition to its laurel forest, there are a number of viewpoints from which to enjoy breathtaking views. The Degollada de Peraza viewpoint is perhaps the most famous, offering views of the majestic Barranco de la Laja.

Beyond the park, on the same excursion, you can visit the villages of Las Rosas and Agulo, where you will see how life unfolds in this remote place. You will also pass by some key places in the life of Christopher Columbus, who stopped in La Gomera before setting sail for the Americas.

Another experience full of adventure and thrills, this time on land. On this Jeep excursion to Teide and Masca, you will travel from your hotel to the summit of the volcano, crossing roads, forests and impressive volcanic landscapes.

Once there, you will explore Teide National Park, stopping to admire its whimsical rock formations, its fauna and flora, and the views of the rest of the island.

Crossing the park, you will reach the village of Masca, hidden among the mountains and full of treasures, although only figuratively, as this place used to be a hideout for pirates several centuries ago. You will try the typical coffee of the islands, barraquito, and eat in a restaurant serving pure Canarian cuisine, before heading back through the ravines.

El Hierro is an island of viewpoints with dizzying views, pristine beaches, and landscapes so dramatically eroded by lava that it makes sense that, before Christopher Columbus discovered America, this place was considered the end of the world.

On a full-day excursion to El Hierro from Tenerife, you can explore its beautiful routes, part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which will take you to viewpoints overlooking wild, unspoilt beaches and tropical inland landscapes, passing through charming aloe vera farmland, intense green juniper and laurel forests, and remote cliffs where you will find hermitages, tiny houses, and caves.