What can you see in Tenerife and Spain? La Gomera is the island that you see every day if you are staying in the south of Tenerife. The island is much smaller compared to Tenerife, but it hides tremendous beauty, an amazing national park and forest and winding roads that lead to lookout points with modern architecture. From Tenerife South you can book a day tour that includes the ferry ride, transfer on the island in order to see all the best places and lunch at Mirador Abrante (probably the most Instagrammed place on La Gomera). See additional details on Tenerife Forum Community.
Stargazing in Teide National Park is one of the best free things to do in Tenerife. 83 of the 88 officially recognised constellations can be seen from the park. You can go it alone or hire an astronomer to explain the constellations – our guide, José from Star Excursions, was so entertaining and he even arranged for the space station to pass by during our talk (ha). I learned that due to its lack of light pollution around the island’s volcanic peaks, Tenerife is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. In order to protect its status, it’s actually illegal to fly through Tenerife’s airspace between sunset and sunrise. If you’re looking for romantic things to do for couples in Tenerife, just look up!
Tenerife has over 400km of coastline which lends to a great variety of beaches, 17 of which have been awarded the Blue Flag status. Playa de las Teresitas in Santa Cruz is a sheltered manmade beach made with sand imported from the Sahara Desert, popular with both the locals and holidaymakers. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path there are a number of secluded beaches away from the main tourist resorts – these include Playa Bollullo, Playa del Pozo, Playa El Puertito. Those with a keen interest in water sports will be aware of the windy El Medano beach on the south coast of Tenerife. It is considered to be one of the world’s best beaches for windsurfing and kitesurfing having hosted regular windsurfing competitions.
Taganana is another tiny hamlet in Anaga Rural Park that feels a world away from the pristine all-inclusive resorts in Tenerife’s south. This hidden gem of a hamlet was completely cut off from the rest of the island – and subsequently, the world – until the 1950s when a road was established. Even today, getting to Taganana isn’t easy: it involves a stomach-twisting drive on winding roads. Taganana means ‘surrounded by mountains’ in the ancient dialect of the Guanches, Tenerife’s original inhabitants. If you decide to pay Taganana a visit, some points of interest are Nuestra Senora de las Nieves, the fourth oldest church in Tenerife which was built in 1515, and El Bailadero viewpoint. Some of Tenerife’s best beaches are hidden in Taganana’s lower crevices.
Masca Hike is one of the most popular hikes on Tenerife. It begins at the village in the north-west side of the island and goes all the way to the rocky beach below. The length of the trail is about seven kilometers, and is arranged by many local companies, or you can explore the natural sight on your own feet while going downhill from Masca to the beach, where you can take a boat to Los Gigantes. Hikers will be rewarded with some great scenery along the way.