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Iberostar Selection Sábila - Adults Only, Tenerife

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Tenerife

Updated 1 October 2026 · 14 things to do

Pictured: Iberostar Selection Sábila - Adults Only

Most people come to Tenerife for the sunshine, and plenty never leave the sunbed. That's a shame, because this is one of the most varied islands in Europe: a snow-dusted volcano higher than any mountain in mainland Spain, cliffs that plunge straight into the Atlantic, laurel forests dripping with mist, and colonial towns that look as if they've been lifted from Latin America.

The good news is that it is all close together. From the southern resorts you can be on the slopes of Teide in under an hour, and nothing on the island is more than a couple of hours' drive away.

Don't miss

  1. 1Mount Teide
  2. 2Masca
  3. 3Los Gigantes
  4. 4San Cristóbal de La Laguna
  5. 5Siam Park

The big sights

The places that make Tenerife more than a beach holiday.

  1. Mount Teide

    Nature

    Mount Teide rising behind the Roques de García rock formations in Teide National Park
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Spain's highest mountain rises from the middle of the island, ringed by a vast crater of lava fields, rust-coloured rock and strange pinnacles that has its own UNESCO World Heritage listing as Teide National Park. A cable car lifts you most of the way up the cone, and the views across the clouds to the neighbouring islands are unforgettable.

    Come back after dark: the skies here are some of the clearest in Europe, and stargazing tours are a highlight in their own right.

    Tip: Bring layers. It can be warm on the beach and properly cold at the top. Walking to the very summit needs a free permit booked well in advance.

  2. Masca

    Nature

    The hamlet of Masca on a ridge in the Teno mountains
    Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Tucked into the Teno mountains in the north-west, the hamlet of Masca clings to a ridge above a deep, jagged gorge. The road in is a white-knuckle series of hairpins, and the views at every bend are worth it.

    Tip: Drive it early in the day, before the coaches arrive, or go with a tour and let someone else take the bends.

  3. Los Gigantes

    Nature

    The sheer cliffs of Los Gigantes dropping into the Atlantic
    Photo: Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 4.0

    On the west coast, the cliffs of Los Gigantes drop several hundred metres sheer into the sea. They are best seen from the water: boat trips leave the little marina and often meet dolphins and pilot whales, which live in these waters all year.

  4. San Cristóbal de La Laguna

    Neighbourhood

    Colonial buildings on a street in San Cristóbal de La Laguna
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The island's old capital is a UNESCO-listed grid of colonial streets, painted mansions and wooden balconies, laid out in a way that later shaped towns across Latin America. It is also a university town, so the bars and cafés are lively and very local.

Beaches and pools

  1. Playa de las Teresitas

    Beach

    The golden curve of Playa de Las Teresitas below the Anaga mountains
    Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0

    A long crescent of golden sand backed by the mountains of Anaga, a short drive from Santa Cruz. Calm, sheltered and lined with palm trees, it is where locals go at the weekend.

  2. Playa del Duque

    Beach

    Playa del Duque beach in Costa Adeje
    Photo: -wuppertaler, CC BY 4.0

    Costa Adeje's smartest beach: golden sand, clear water and a promenade of upmarket hotels and cafés behind. Arrive early in high season if you want a sunbed.

  3. Lago Martiánez

    Beach

    The seawater pools of Lago Martiánez in Puerto de la Cruz
    Photo: Aisano, CC BY-SA 3.0

    When the Atlantic is too wild for swimming on the north coast, Puerto de la Cruz heads for these seawater lagoons on the seafront, a cluster of pools and sunbathing terraces among the volcanic rocks.

  4. Garachico

    Nature

    Natural rock pools by the sea at Garachico
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A pretty north-coast town rebuilt after a volcanic eruption filled its harbour with lava. The lava now forms natural rock pools by the sea, perfect for a dip on a calm day.

Days out with the family

  1. Siam Park

    Water park

    Pools and Thai-style buildings at Siam Park
    Photo: G.Lanting, CC BY 4.0

    A Thai-themed water park in Costa Adeje with some seriously scary slides, a wave pool and a lazy river. It is one of the most popular days out on the island for families and teenagers.

    Tip: Go on a weekday if you can: weekends and school holidays are the busiest.

  2. Loro Parque

    Wildlife

    A large zoo and animal park in Puerto de la Cruz, famous for its parrots and penguins, and a full day out for families staying in the north.

Eat and drink

  1. Papas arrugadas and mojo

    Food

    Wrinkled potatoes with red mojo sauce
    Photo: Tamorlan, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Tenerife's signature dish: small potatoes boiled in salty water until their skins wrinkle, served with mojo sauces, red and spicy or green and garlicky. You'll find it everywhere, and it's best with fresh grilled fish by the harbour.

  2. Guachinches

    Food

    In the hills of the north, families open simple, often makeshift taverns to sell their own wine with home cooking. Guachinches are cheap, cheerful and as local as Tenerife gets.

Day trips

  1. La Gomera

    Day trip

    The misty laurel forest of Garajonay National Park on La Gomera
    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The ferry from Los Cristianos takes you across to La Gomera, a small, mountainous island of deep ravines and terraced valleys, with an ancient laurel forest at its heart in Garajonay National Park, another UNESCO site.

  2. Anaga Rural Park

    Nature

    Laurel forest in the Anaga mountains
    Photo: Josefir Instantes, CC BY-SA 4.0

    In the island's north-east corner, the Anaga mountains are cloaked in misty laurel forest, laced with walking trails and dotted with tiny villages. It is a different world from the south, and wonderful for walkers.

Where to stay in Tenerife

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Tenerife →

Getting around

A hire car is the best way to see the island: Teide, Masca and the north coast are all easy day trips from the southern resorts. Buses cover the main towns, and organised tours go to all the big sights.

When to go

Tenerife is a year-round destination, with mild winters in the south. Carnival in Santa Cruz, in February, is one of the biggest street parties in the world.

Questions about visiting Tenerife

What is Tenerife best known for?
Year-round sunshine, Mount Teide (Spain's highest mountain) and Teide National Park, the cliffs of Los Gigantes, and the resorts of the south coast.
Is Mount Teide worth visiting?
Yes. The volcanic landscape of Teide National Park is the highlight of most trips to Tenerife, and the cable car takes you close to the summit. Bring warm layers.
What is there to do in Tenerife with kids?
Siam Park and Loro Parque are the big family days out, along with boat trips to see dolphins and whales from Los Gigantes and the calm beaches of Costa Adeje.
Do you need a car in Tenerife?
Not to enjoy the resorts, but a hire car makes it easy to reach Teide, Masca and the north coast. Tours and buses are good alternatives.

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