We tell you where to find the 8 best beaches in Tenerife for a beach-day when studying Spanish
Tenerife offers its visitors a variety of more than 40 beaches on a coastline of almost 400km. You can find many different kinds of beaches, from white and black volcanic sand strips up to stony beaches and impressive rock formations. Especially the southern part, is very popular for its beautiful beaches with views on the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. Every year thousands of locals and tourists enjoy the sunny weather whilst laying in the warm sand and having a cool bath in the sea.
But wait…our school is situated in the south! This means, when you study Spanish with us, some of those mentioned beaches are just a stone’s throw away from your classroom! You can literally study at the beach and enjoy mother nature in its splendid beauty together with new friends speaking Spanish. Lucky you! And if those in the south become boring, hop into your rental car or the public busses and discover other impressive beaches all around the island.
Of course we will not leave you in the dark when searching for the best locations to go to after school! Here are the 8 best beaches in Tenerife you don’t want to miss during your trip:
Playa La Tejita y Playa el Médano – El Médano (Tenerife south)
It is almost impossible to be in the south of Tenerife and skip Montaña Roja. The majestic mountain, who received its name thanks to its reddish colour rises right beside the village of El Médano, easily visible from the Tenerife South airport. This mountain panorama is the reason, why the two beaches right and left next to it are purely beautiful.
On the one side you can find Playa La Tejita, a natural sandy beach. Here you can have a walk along the very long coastline, that leads to Los Abrigos. Beside a Café and a Bar there are no facilities or restaurants at the beach, but that is outweighed by the small number of visitors and tranquility. This natural and quiet surrounding is also one of the reasons, why the outmost end of the beach is frequented by nudist swimmers. Playa La Tejita is only accessible by car, but worth the journey. Parking lots are close by.
On the other side, in the center of el Médano, you can find Playa el Médano. This beach is one of the most beautiful natural beaches in the south of the island and in addition it is a great spot to meet locals. Many people living in El Médano take advantage of the beach being situated literally in the village. If you keep on walking on the beautiful wooden boardwalk, you will see many wind- and kitesurfers along the way, as El Medáno is THE hotspot for those surf sports. You can park in El Médano or hop off the bus at the main station and walk there in few minutes. There are no free facilities, however you can find numerous bars and restaurants along the way. Showers can be found in the beach area close to the city.
Playa Las Vistas – Las Américas (Tenerife south)
Situated in-between Los Cristianos and Las Américas this artificial beach with white sand is one of the most popular ones on the island. With a length of 1 kilometer and a width of about 100m it offers plenty of space to visitors. So, although you can always find many people here, it mostly does not seem too crowded. Thanks to wave-breakers and its gently sloping form, you can enjoy it almost throughout the whole year, days with red flag are very seldom.
You can either relax on one of the hundreds of sunloungers, that are rentable together with parasols, or you can go for thrilling watersports. Right next to it is a promenade with shops and restaurants, kiosk and facilities and showers are there as well. Also it is easy accessible, thanks to many short ways when coming by foot and with numerous parking spots in the area. From the main bus station in Los Cristianos it will take you about 15 minutes walking to Playa Las Vistas.
Playa del Duque – Costa Adeje (Tenerife south)
When people talk about Playa del Duque, they often claim it as the most chic beach in Tenerife south. It is situated in Costa Adeje, right next to some of the most exclusive hotels and restaurants. However it is free accessible for anybody, so that you will be able to enjoy the beauty of crystal clear blue water and white sand next to impressive rock formations.
You can rent sunbeds and parasols or simply make yourself comfortable with your towel on the soft sand. Facilities and showers are charged and there is a small supermarket and nice cafés nearby. You can park either in the car park or up the road for free. If you want to go there by bus, take number 467.
Playa de Abama – Guía de Isora (Tenerife south)
When Playa del Duque is the most chic beach in Tenerife, Playa de Abama is the most luxurious one. It is a hidden gem, right next to the 5 star hotel Abama. It can be reached by car or by the bus numbers 473 or 477. It is a 10 minutes walk from the hotel parking area to the beach area and some more minutes stepping down many stairs – the lift to the beach is exclusively for hotel guests. If you like, there is the possibility to drive down with the car, leave people and beach bags and return to the parking lot.
But the effort is definitely worth it. Playa de Abama is a small bay, surrounded by banana plantations and rocky cliffs. Thanks to wave-breakers the sea is almost throughout the whole year very calm in this area and the clear water is perfect for snorkeling and diving. There are natural pools closeby and the fantastic view on La Gomera will take your breath away. You can use the showers and there is a small café with facilities run by the hotel.
Playa de la Arena – Puerto Santiago (Tenerife south)
You surely heard about the famous black beaches in Tenerife – Playa de la Arena is one of them. It is situated on the southwest coast of the island and can be reached easily by car or by various bus lines.
It is one of the most beautiful beaches with the dark lava sand, which is said to be beneficial for certain health problems. But be warned: this type of sand can get pretty hot for walking, so better bring some shoes to be prepared. If you don’t want to contact the sand too much, you can lie down on one of the sunloungers, that can be rented. Playa de la Arena is perfect for a relaxing day in the sun and in the sea. There is much underwater life in the clear ocean water, so you might bring your camera or get a closer look thanks to a diving school closeby.
On the promenade and directly on the beach there is plenty of opportunities to buy food and drinks. There is facilities and showers and the whole beach is accessible.
Playa Las Teresitas (Tenerife south)
This beach is probably the most famous one of Tenerife, as it appears in many travel catalogues of Tenerife. It was generated in the 70s by tons of sand from the Sahara desert and has a length of 2km. The area of its situation, St. Andrés, is very calm as there are no hotel complexes or similar. Playa Las Teresitas is surrounded by stunning mountains, lined with plenty of palm trees and has azure blue water. It looks like a postcard became reality. You have a better view on it from the lookout point on top of the hill beside it, called “Mirador Las Teresitas”.
You can get there either by public bus or by car, the capital Santa Cruz is just a 5 minutes drive away there is plenty of parking lots. If you get hungry or thirsty, you can choose out of several beach takeaways that offer Tapas, Sandwiches and cold drinks. Also there are lots of showers and facilities, so that there is nothing missing for you to have a great day.
Playa Jardín (Tenerife north)
Playa Jardín is a beach situated in the heart of the touristic center in the north, Puerto de la Cruz. He starts at Castillo de Filippe and is only a stone’s throw away from the famous Loro Park. The three parts of the beach are all covered with black lava sand, exotic plants and there is even a waterfall and a playground for children. Even when there is a cloudy day, the sand will keep you warm. As Puerto de la Cruz is the biggest city in the north of the island with many hotel complexes, there are many people visiting this beach daily. However you do not need to worry, it is so big that you will still be able to enjoy a relaxing day there.
On the promenade you can find restaurants and cafés and along the beach there are plenty of showers and facilities. You can either park close to the beach or take the bus, with a 5 minutes walk from the station to the beach.
Playa de Bollullo (Tenerife north)
Playa de Bollullo is one of the most beautiful natural beaches in the north of the island. It is a bay framed by a stunning cliff line, so getting there requires a little walking down the hill. But the beautiful sight of the wild and blue Atlantic Ocean in contrast to the deep black lava sand is worth it. However you need to be attentive to the beach flag – if it is the red one, do not go into the water! Due to its location on some days there might be strong currents and waves on the beach, so that it is better to enjoy it from the outside.
The beach is situated in a rural area called “El Rincón”, about 5 km from Puerto de la Cruz. You will need to get there by car, driving down a small road through an area of banana plantations and fincas. But be aware, that there are not too many free parking lots at the end, although you might park on a private territory of a local for small money. During the week you will never see much hustle, as the beach is mostly frequented by locals; in the weekend it might be busier. Due to the natural character of the beach, there are no facilities and cafés.
See you soon!
Your SMS Spanish Experience Team
