Want to leave enough time to discover the island’s most beautiful spots?
Here’s our advice on how many days to spend in Tenerife, according to your expectations.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Content
How many days to spend in Tenerife: quick answers
- Minimum for an overview of either the north or south of the island: 3 days
- Number of days to see all the most famous places: 7 days
- In our opinion, the ideal number of days is 10 to 14.
- In two weeks with beach periods, we don’t think you’ll have time to get bored!
- If you just want to spend some time at the beach… it depends on the number of days you have available and your budget.
There is no universal answer to this question. It depends on a number of criteria. We give you more details in the article to help you make your decision.
This depends, among other things, on the frequency of flights – Book your flight
Number of days to see the highlights
In our opinion, the must-see places are..:
- Teide National Park and its volcano
- The historic town of La Laguna
- Los Gigantes cliffs
- The village of Masca and its hiking trails
- The colonial town of La Orotava
- The gardens of Puerto de la Cruz
- Anaga Rural Park and its forests
- Garachico and its natural pools
- Dolphin and whale watching boat tour
- Amusement parks and zoos, if you like
We think that in 7 days, you can cover the most famous places.
Find out more in our article on Tenerife’s top attractions.
Size and travel time
The island of Tenerife is not very big. If you’re staying at one end of the island, some excursion days will be longer than others, but that’s manageable.
However, if you’d like to enjoy different atmospheres on the island, you can choose accommodation on the north and south coasts.
From Santa Cruz in the north, to Los Gigantes in the south, allow 1h10 driving time on the expressway that goes all the way round.
The longest explorations are:
- climb Teide and cross the national park
- explore the western tip of the island, with its winding, steep roads
- eplore the Anaga Natural Park
OUR TIPS TO RENT A CAR IN Tenerife
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- If you’re planning to explore the mountains, don ‘t take the smallest cars. A more powerful engine will be more comfortable.
- But don’t take too big a car either, as some roads are narrow.
- There’s a lot of demand and it’s an island, so book early.
3, 4, 5, 7 or 10-day itineraries
To get an even better idea of what you can see, take a look at our itinerary suggestions:
- 3-day itineraries in Tenerife (coming soon)
- 4-day itineraries (coming soon)
- 5-day itineraries (coming soon)
- 7-day itineraries (coming soon)
- 10-day itineraries (coming soon)
- 2-week itineraries in Tenerife (coming soon)
A LITTLE MORE patience
All the photos, maps, information and addresses you need to make your stay in the Canaries a success will soon be available in a single ebook!
If you’d like to be notified when our guide to the Canaries is published, please subscribe:
Criteria for deciding how long to stay in Tenerife
Budget
Estimate how much you can afford in total, so you know how many days you can stay.
- Find out more about car hire in Tenerife and see the best deals
- See our article on where to stay in Tenerife for prices (coming soon).
Hotel price ranges vary enormously between hostels, aparthotels, rentals, 5-star hotels, luxury villas… So we can’t give you an exact price, so look up the prices for your type of accommodation.
WHERE TO STAY IN Tenerife
Our independent picks for the accommodation of your dreams:
- Where to stay in Tenerife
- Our favorite: Hotel Corales Beach
Select by hotel type:
- 5-star hotels
- Best boutique-hotels
- Best adults-only hotels (coming soon)
- Best all-inclusive hotels (coming soon)
- Best hotels for families (coming soon)
Select by city:
- Best hotels in Costa Adeje
- Best hotels in Puerto de La Cruz
- Best hotels in Los Gigantes
- Best hotels in Santa Cruz
- Best hotels in Laguna
- Best hotels in Playa de las Americas
- 5-star hotel in Los Cristianos (coming soon)
Your desires, interests and goals
Spending time at the beach? Hiking? Visiting cultural sites?
Your desires have an impact on the time you need to enjoy your destination.
For example, a cultural immersion may require more days than a quick beach getaway.
In Tenerife, the offer includes:
- Number of beautiful beaches: moderate
- Number of different landscapes: high (sandy beaches, cliffs, forests, volcanic desert, mountains, rocky outcrops, villages…)
- Number of cultural sites: high (museums, churches, colonial architecture, Guanche sites…)
- Number of charming villages: moderate, especially in the north of the island
- Number of interesting boat trips: high (whales, dolphins, catamarans, ferry to La Gomera)
- Number of hikes: high, especially in Anaga and Teide
Visa
If your passport is outside the Shengen area, the traditional tourist visa authorizes you to travel within the area, including Spain, and therefore Tenerife, for a maximum of 90 continuous days.
Personal circumstances
Take into account your own schedule, including work commitments and personal responsibilities. This will help you realistically assess how much time you can devote to the trip.
Weather, conditions, events
There are no specific conditions that may affect the duration of your trip.
But if you’re wondering when to go to Tenerife, read our article (coming soon).
HAVE FUN IN TENERIFE: activities
Frequently asked questions
Are 4 days enough in Tenerife?
With 4 days you can see either the north of the island, the south and Teide, or both, but at a much faster pace and with a lot of choice.
Is 5 days enough in Tenerife?
With 5 days, we think you can see a lot of Tenerife’s most famous places, but without a beach break, making excursions every day.
Is 7 days too long in Tenerife?
No, it’s not too long. The island is rich in varied landscapes, charming villages and natural attractions. There are lots of different places to see and visit. With 7 days, you can see all Tenerife’s best-known sights and relax on the beaches.
Is 10 days too long in Tenerife?
No, 10 days is not too long. The island has plenty to keep you busy: beaches, mountains, hiking, museums, historic villages, nature parks… It’s the biggest and most varied island in the Canaries, and you’ll never be bored. You can alternate between cultural, natural and relaxing activities.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO tenerife
- Best of
What to do in Tenerife
Most beautiful towns and villages
Most beautiful beaches
Best natural pools
Most beautiful landscapes
Most beautiful roads
Amusement parks
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Secret places, off the beaten track (coming soon)
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Tenerife
How to get around
How to rent a car in Tenerife
Driving tips
Best excursions (coming soon)
Where to stay in Tenerife
Itineraries: 3 days – 4 days – 5 days – 6 days – 1 week – 10 days
- The must-dos
Dolphin watching in Tenerife (coming soon)
Teide National Park
Anaga Rural Park (coming soon)
La Orotava (coming soon)
Garachico
Village of Masca
Pyramids of Güimar
