Tenerife Island, Spain: Resorts, Weather and Getting There

Tenerife in the Canary Islands is two holidays in one. The south and west coast is where most British travellers stay: purpose-built resort towns such as Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos, with Los Gigantes further up the coast and Golf del Sur and El Médano to the east of the airport. The north is older and more lived-in, with Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Los Realejos and Tacoronte, and the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the north-east coast.

The tenerife places worth knowing go well beyond the beaches. In Santa Cruz you will find the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre, the Castillo de San Juan Bautista and Castillo de San Cristóbal, with Playa de Las Teresitas and the Roques de Anaga protected area beyond. Down the east coast sit the Basilica of Candelaria, a Marian sanctuary, and the Pyramids of Güímar. In Puerto de la Cruz there is Loro Parque, the Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava botanical garden, Lago Martiánez and the Castillo de San Felipe.

Costa Adeje is the resort most British travellers look for first, and with Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos it forms the main southern holiday strip. Playa de las Américas is home to Siam Park, the water park, while Adeje gives access to the Barranco del Infierno protected area. Los Cristianos also has a ferry port, handy if you fancy hopping across to another island.

Los Gigantes, about 30 minutes from Tenerife South, suits travellers who want a smaller base on the west coast, with Guía de Isora and Santiago del Teide nearby. Golf del Sur and El Médano are quieter options on the southern coast.

If you prefer a town with more history and greenery, Puerto de la Cruz in the north puts you close to Loro Parque, the botanical garden and Lago Martiánez, with La Orotava next door. Santa Cruz de Tenerife works best as a city break or a day out for its castles, museum and Las Teresitas beach.

Figures from Adeje in the south show why the island works all year. January brings highs around 21°C and lows of 14°C; the temp in Tenerife in March reaches about 22°C, though March is also the wettest month on record here at around 39 mm. April and May settle at 22°C to 23°C with only two rainy days each.

Summer is warm and dry: July sees around 26°C with no recorded rain, and August is the hottest month at about 28°C. Autumn is a favourite with British travellers, as the temp in Tenerife in October still reaches roughly 26°C, and in November it is around 24°C with lows of 18°C. December returns to about 21°C. February is the one shoulder month, at around 20°C with six rainy days, and it is still mild by UK standards.

Tenerife South (TFS) is the airport with direct flights from the United Kingdom, and it sits close to the main resorts: about 14 minutes by road to Playa de las Américas, 15 minutes to Adeje, 24 minutes to Guía de Isora and 30 minutes to Los Gigantes. That short transfer is a big part of the south coast's appeal after a four-hour flight.

Tenerife North (TFN) does not have direct flights from the UK, but it lies 8 minutes from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 6 minutes from Tacoronte and 18 minutes from La Orotava, so it is useful if you are connecting via mainland Spain. Ferries run from Santa Cruz and Los Cristianos, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is about 56 miles away by sea.

Most British travellers book Tenerife as a package: flight, hotel and transfer together, usually landing at Tenerife South with a short coach or car transfer to the resort. You choose the board basis, from room only to all-inclusive, and prices tend to rise during UK school holidays, so it pays to compare dates if you have flexibility.

On this page you can compare live package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach, check hotel prices, and look at tours and tickets for things to do in Tenerife, from Siam Park and Loro Parque to trips around the island. If you want to reach Santa Cruz, the Anaga mountains or Santiago del Teide under your own steam, you can compare car hire here too.