10 Best Beaches in Tenerife

The golden sand beach of Playa de las Teresitas spans around 2 km in length, with palm trees and lounge chairs for hire dotting the soft sand beach. It’s a great place to snorkel and swim due to the concrete barrier just offshore, which creates a protected bay. 

Part of what makes this beach so beautiful is that you can see volcanic mountain peaks in the background. Despite its popularity, Playa de las Teresitas still maintains an authentic atmosphere without the touristy feeling in Tenerife.

Playa La Tejita is the largest natural beach on the island of Tenerife. It has the best features of the Canary Islands with its soft sand beach, turquoise waters, and craggy volcanic rock formations along the shore.

Because it’s on the East Coast, it can get very windy, which can give it more of a wild vibe compared to other beaches on Tenerife. However, this makes it an excellent place to try your hand at windsurfing or kiteboarding. The nearby town of El Medano has a reputation for being a kitesurfing town, with some cool bars and restaurants near the beach.

Playa de los Gigantes is a natural, black-sand beach at the base enormous cliffs in Tenerife. You’ll see why the locals call it as Giant’s Beach when you admire the rock formations which tower 800 metres above sea level. 

It’s one of the most dramatic places on the island for sunbathing. Locals love Playa de los Gigantes because of its west coast location, which protects it from the infamous easterly winds of Tenerife. The bay is calm, the cliffs are soaring, and the scenery is one of a kind.

Playa Bollullo is often described as ‘the real Tenerife’ – most likely because many tourists don’t bother taking on the challenging hike required to access it. But if you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful landscapes in Tenerife. This black sand beach is surrounded by banana plantations at the base of a cliff. 

Playa Bollullo is a great option for those who want to get away from the bustling areas of Tenerife, which are populated with beachside hotels and shopping stalls. Despite its rugged nature, there’s a beachfront cafe serving refreshments and snacks so that you can easily make a full day of it.

Not only is Playa Jardin a beautiful sandy beach, but it also has many outdoor art installations that bring it to the next level. Cesar Manrique, a famous artist from the Canary Islands, designed manicured tropical gardens, a waterfall, and a network of footpaths on this beautiful coastline. He has built many such installations throughout the islands, often incorporating natural elements with artistic features.

Manrique selected Playa Jardin as the location for his manicured beach gardens because of its perfect view to Mount Teide in the background. Enjoy your day at the beach with the 3,718-metre-high conical volcano standing behind you.

For those seeking to experience the high life on the Canary Islands, head to Playa del Duque. This beach is on the western tip of the Costa Adeje, which is known for having a more upmarket feeling in Tenerife.

The beach draws in the luxury crowd for good reason. Its natural beauty is some of the best on the island, with golden sand and turquoise waters, as well as straw umbrellas and striped huts. Playa del Duque is surrounded by chic boutiques and gourmet restaurants. 

Playa de Las Vistas is a great option for families and has become a go-to tourist destination in Tenerife. The beach stretches for 850 metres but can get very crowded despite its large size.

If you don't mind the crowds, you’ll be rewarded with a well-manicured beach with safe swimming in the bay. Behind the sandy beach, there's a nice promenade lined with kiosks, restaurants, and beach shops. The convenience of having everything in one area makes Playa de Las Vistas a favourite among tourists.

Head to Playa de las Americas to find La Izquierda, one of the best surf breaks in Europe. The name of the beach break comes from the fact that the tide rolls in from the left, which introduces a unique challenge compared with other surfing hotspots in the world. The beach has great facilities, like showers, parking, refreshments, and gear rentals. 

Adrenaline junkies, be warned. Surfing can get quite intense, as the waves have a fast break with heights reaching up to 3.5 metres. The best time to surf is from October to February, during which the waves can be crowded. 

If you want an active day full of water sports in Tenerife, we recommend heading to Playa De Fañabé. Here, you’ll find all the typical water activities that make for a great beach holiday. There are multiple rental companies in the vicinity, where you can hire a jet ski, banana boat, or paddleboard. They also offer parasailing and glass-bottom boat rides. Playa De Fañabé lies around 1.6 km north of Costa Adeje.

Troya Beach has a reputation for housing some of the best nightlife spots in Tenerife. The Papagayo Beach Club, in particular, is famous for its DJ nights and themed parties. Head there early to watch the sunset over the nearby island of Gomera, then see where the night takes you.

Even with its reputation as the best nightlife in Tenerife, it is also a great family beach during the day. The waters are shallow and calm and the sand is soft and golden.