As you might have read in one of my previous posts, the first island we traveled to when visiting the Canary Islands was Fuerteventura. We were so into it that we decided to go back to the Canary Islands, but this time to Tenerife. Before going we made our research and found that Tenerife is the largest and most populated among the Canary Islands and it is considered appropriate if you are looking for popular tourist destinations and nightlife. If we compare it to Fuerteventura I would agree with that, but after exploring Tenerife we found that there is so much more about this island than just the resorts. Since there is a bunch to share, I will split the recommendations into two posts: Tenerife North and Tenerife South.
Getting there
We took a flight from Lisbon to Tenerife South Airport. There are two airports on the island, one is on the North and the other on the South. The flight takes 2.5 hours, there are direct flights from a lot of cities in Europe with prices as low as 12 euros (can you believe that?). I highly recommend you to rent a car so you can easily explore, and besides, the rates are not expensive compared to other cities. We used Cicar Rental Car company and we were extremely satisfied since it was an easy process, no deposit required, great rates, and amazing customer service.
Where to stay
We stayed at Tenerife for three weeks, the first week at Puerto de la Cruz (North), the second at Callao Salvaje (South), and the third week at Mesa Del Mar (North).
The Airbnb at Puerto De la Cruz was a perfect example of a thoughtful host. We arrived late that night, starving, and kind of worried about not finding anything open at that time. We self checked-in and a wow moment occurred. A pair of croissants and fresh juice were waiting for us. Those delightful small details exceeded our expectations and created a positive impact on our overall experience as guests.
The accommodation was like a dollhouse, a cozy studio facing the ocean, with a fully equipped kitchen, high-quality utensils, high-speed internet (300mbps), and a comfortable bed with plenty of soft and firm pillows plus good quality linens. I can highly recommend this place for two.
The third week we stayed at Mesa Del Mar. The apartment was on the third floor, on a building from the 1950s that used to be a hotel. The experience was very unique at this Airbnb. The host welcomed us personally and had the fridge and a basket full of food. So much food that we almost didn’t even need to go to the supermarket. My immediate reaction was how caring is this host, looking for ways to accommodate her guests.
About the place, we were basically on top of a cliff, with the ocean below. We could hear the waves crashing all day and night, finding ourselves in constant meditation, thanks to the calming effect in our minds.
The wifi speed was perfect (300mbps). Besides the washing machine, there was a dryer, an absolute luxury that is not seen very often in the nomadic world.
What to do and where to eat
We explored the island during the weekends. I highly recommend you rent a car to do this. Here are the spots we stopped by and the things we recommend based on our experience in Tenerife North.
Puerto de la Cruz
A 20-minute walk from our first Airbnb. It is a charming town where you can take a walk, watch the ocean, hang out at the beach, eat something casual or have a nice dinner.
Compostelana Club Cafe - Apparently it is one of the most popular places in Puerto de la Cruz, when we went it was packed with local people. But don’t worry, we did not have to wait long to get a table. Of course, you can always reserve. It is famous for its pizzas but you will find all kinds of international dishes.
Cofradía de Pescadores - We were just looking for a place to sit and play Monopoly Deal (A highly recommended game for minimalists since it occupies low space but not recommended for couples nor friends due to its high risk of breaking relationships) while sipping a couple of beers when we found this charming place. On the second floor, it has a nice terrace where you can sit and enjoy your afternoon watching the waves crashing. The food looked really good.
Santa Cruz
Playa de las Teresitas - A golden beach in San Andés town, with calm waves, and lots of restaurants, bars, and all services you might need to spend a warm day at the beach. There is even a webcam for you to check the weather and avoid an unnecessary trip. Find it here.
Icod de Los Vinos
Casa del Drago - A must. I highly suggest reserving a table for brunch and relax looking at the famous historical tree called The Drago while experiencing top-quality local Canarian food such as cheese, wine, bread, and honey. There is also a small shop where you can take with you your favorite local products.
El Teide
Undoubtfully the place that mostly identifies Tenerife and one of the world’s most impressive volcanoes. You can ascent by foot with the respective permits or by cable car.
Garachico
Here we stopped for about an hour and had a quick snack. We sat at a restaurant in front of the famous Plaza de la Libertad and enjoyed the charming sunny town with narrow streets full of “instagrammable” colorful houses.
Masca
A small village on the mountain with breathtaking views, but keep in mind that driving is tough as there is a very VERY narrow and steep road to get there.
El Sauzal
I absolutely loved this town, it has colorful houses on steep roads. We were looking for a romantic terrace to watch the sunset and found Terrazas del Sauzal which is a pleasant restaurant with stunning views. Perfect for a romantic meal. However, it seemed a little expensive and we were not planning to spend 60 Euro on that dinner so we decided to have a drink and some tapas, enjoy the sunset view, and after that, we headed to Rico Rico, a local restaurant in the center of the town with great reviews and unbelievably cheap. We ordered a homemade hamburger which was pretty good! In conclusion, we had the best from both worlds.
San Cristobal de La Laguna
It is the second-most populous city of Tenerife island and the third of the archipelago. It used to be the ancient capital of the Canary Islands. We had dinner at Bar Benidorm and walked through the streets of this colonial old town.
Long story short...
Historic towns, charming streets, colorful houses, and breathtaking views. After all, I hope I had inspired you to get to the North of Tenerife and experience all those magical places that are waiting for you.
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