Free Map: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain - experiences & food

One of my favorite restaurants on the island. Excellent fish and generous portions. Come hungry or plan to bring leftovers home.

A great beach in Puerto de la Cruz to catch some sun, learn how to surf or just enjoy watching the waves.

A great place for an after-dinner drink and some nibbles. When possible, they host live music shows.

Drive slow and steady to reach this beach in the North of Tenerife, the road down is windy and tight. Like all other beach locations on Tenerife, you’re better off either getting there early or visiting on a weekday to secure a good spot for your car and your beach towel.

Simple, down-to-earth Canarian restaurant. Local clientele.

Turns out Tenerife is full of Venezuelans, whom have been emigrating here for over 15 years. You’ll find a number of Venezuelan restaurants and this little place is especially great for Canarian-inspired arepas. Free Wi-Fi available.

A down-to-earth café to enjoy an affordable and hearty breakfast with the locals.

My favorite place for tapas in Puerto. Run by two Canarian brothers.

Stay in Los Cristianos or Playa Las Americas if you crave sandy beaches and the warmest weather you can find on the island. On the downside, it can feel a bit commercial and over-constructed.

Calmest and easiest beach in Tenerife: easier parking, calm water, palm trees and sand that was imported from the Saharan desert. Bring your own food or stroll off to San Andrés for lunch.

“Mount” Teide is actually a volcano, and quite an impressive one too: third tallest in the world and tallest peak in Spain. There are many different ways to explore the volcano, here are some of my recommendations: - you can drive up about halfway (and still end up above the clouds) stopping at the various “miradors” (lookouts) to take in the views and snap a few shots, then either go back where you came from or drive down the other side and make it a whole day outing of exploring the island south and north; - drive about an hour up the volcano and take the cablecar up almost to the peak, hike the rest of the way (do your research before you go, you might need to reserve the cable car and a hike pass - availability is not always guaranteed); - hire a professional guide (I recommend plurilingual Rut of IG @tazirga_wellness_tours) to take care of the paperwork, help you along the way and teach you about the volcano, the flora and fauna of the island, and more. My favorite part of our tour with her was the guided meditation we did on the way down from the peak. *important* - No matter how hot it seemed on the beach, DO TAKE warm clothes with you, especially if you go on a hike (I regretted not bringing gloves). It’s cold up there! - Take it slow: oxygen levels are different up there and you wouldn’t want to suffer from altitude sickness. - Fill up the your car’s tank before you make your way up, because it’s a long ways and there aren’t any gas stations on a volcano!

Tenerife’s historical capital before Santa Cruz. The city center has been a UNESCO world heritage site for over 18 years, now a university town with lots of students. Also one of colder cities on the island, so don’t forget to bring an extra layer.

Lovely town for a stroll. Gorgeous traditional Canarian architecture.

A “Guachinche” is a traditional Canarian kind of restaurant, mostly found in the North of the island of Tenerife. It’s low-key, simple and serves the most delicious foods. This one also has great views over their traditional vineyards! Order the “ropa vieja”, a meat, bean and potato stew, and the french fries with egg and chorizo.

Along with those of Los Gigantes, another set of gorgeous saltwater pools built out of the rocks right on the coastline. Like all other beach locations on Tenerife, you’re better off either getting there early or visiting on a weekday to secure a good spot for your car and beach towel.

A down-to-earth cheap little cafe, great for breakfast. I recommend their bocadillo (sandwich) with ham, egg, cheese, tomato, lettuce and caramelized onions. I loved stopping by to enjoy a breakfast sandwich and crossing paths with Canarian policemen at the end of their night shift.

Neapolitan pizzeria with some crazy but tasty pizza options. Pictured in the cover image is a quadruple-threat Los Cristianos pizza: 1. Mortadella and pistachio cream; 2. Salsiccia and friarielli (like broccoli rabe); 3. Tomato, arugula, prosciutto and Parmigiano; 4. Fried pizza with salame and ricotta.

This place was recommended to me by the gas station operator that refilled my tank on my way down from the Teide volcano, where I had almost run out of gas. Nothing but locals and cats when I popped in for a delicious plate of roast goat and papas arrugadas (“wrinkly potatoes”). Nice view.

My favorite place I swam at. Like an infinity pool, but made out of natural elements. Relax and float around in the salty water as waves crash on the walls behind you. Like all other beach locations on Tenerife, you’re better off either getting there early or visiting on a weekday to secure a good spot for your car and beach towel.

Cute little restaurant in the historical town of Garachico that feels like it was built out of someone’s private home. If you sit upstairs, you might get to peek into the kitchen through a tiny window and take in the view of the mountains. I recommend: - queso a la plancha: grilled cheese with jam and oregano; - goat in salmorejo, which is a typical Canarian sauce; - papas arrugadas (“wrinkly potatoes”) with a paste of the elusive “gofio”, which is a flour made of toasted cereals and grains. Supposedly the most Canarian ingredient you could find, except it’s served in very few restaurants.

Stay in Puerto if you crave cooler weather compared to the South but don’t want to miss out on beach activities at a walking distance. Beaches are either black sand or small black rocks. Lots of cute restaurants and cafes, coworking spaces. Also great street art.

One of my favorite experiences I did in Tenerife: Sunday morning boat ride with marine biologists to see and learn more about dolphins and pilot whales, two of the resident species of Tenerife’s Marine Protected Area.

Here’s something fun to eat: cachopo. Call and reserve it in advance because they sometimes run out, people come from all over the island to eat it because it’s hard to find, since it’s typically from the Asturias. It’s two enormous veal cutlets stuffed with cheese and ham and then fried. Cut into the middle and squish it to get that very instagrammable melty-cheese look and to raise your heartbeat to 11.

Halfway between a pub and a restaurant in Santa Cruz. My recommendations: - croquetas: ham and potato croquettes; - octopus and potatoes; - the catch of the day with potatoes and garlic; - leche asada Canaria for dessert.

Accommodation near La Laguna. This was my favorite place I stayed at: a gorgeous yurt in the Tenerife mountains with a view over the valley and the ocean. Book a stay here if you’re craving time away from everyone and everything and just want to relax with a good book. Willian and Lindsay of freecanari.com, where you’ll find more info, were the most gracious hosts and also offer retreats, massages, guided meditations, and human design support. No Wi-Fi. Shared bathroom, kitchen and living spaces. You WILL need a car to get here. Better if 4x4 because the road is wild.

Strongly recommend a visit to Tenerife’s history and anthropology museum in La Laguna at the beginning of your trip. It’ll help you understand so much more about the island and its people. Don’t forget to bring your Spanish dictionary because all the plaques are only in Spanish!

Lovely spot in La Laguna for a good cup of carefully curated coffee and a decadent slice of cake. Beans and preground coffee available for purchase.

Cute café in La Laguna with lots of outdoor seating. A great place to grab a beer and something to eat or to whip out your computer and do some work or studying thanks to the complimentary Wi-Fi. To access you have to walk through a building’s ground floor hallway.

Barraquito is a typical Canarian coffee, spiked with Licor 43 (caramel liquor), frothy milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and a tiny sliver of lemon. Order with “nata” (whipped cream) if you’re feeling extra decadent. Café Epoca is a great place for a variety of barraquito options, but you can find it almost everywhere.

Traditional Canarian restaurant in La Laguna. My recommendations: - almogrote (toast with a cheese and chili pepper spread); - churros de pescado (the most delicious fried fish); - mushrooms stuffed with cheese and ham.

Book a visit to Bodegas Monje to learn about how wine is produced in Tenerife. I recommend you book the 4x4 tasting to get the full experience: - guided visit to the vineyards, cellars and production area; - sit down to enjoy a tasting of four wines and four different cheeses.

Delocos was one of my favorite places to hang out and grab a drink and maybe a bite to eat after work. They often set up a big tv to watch soccer matches. Sami, who runs the place, is very kind. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

This cafe has free Wi-Fi and some of the best views over the bay. Bring your computer to do some work, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the view over the kitesurfers and windsurfers. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

TAKE NOTE: it’s very windy here. You might NOT want to stay here if strong winds bother you. Then again, the strong winds are exactly why make this town so special, since it attracts kitesurfers and woe surfers from all over the world and creates a lovely and lively international crowd, especially in the evening on the main drag along the waters. Every Wednesday morning there is a farmers market in the main square across from the beach.

Lovely cafe to enjoy breakfast near the beach or to do some work on the computer thanks to their complimentary Wi-Fi. Come early to find the best seats.

As tasty as the food was, my favorite thing about this place is that I was sat with two complete strangers to enjoy our meals together: fried tostones and camarones skewer + a nice, cold beer (the word for a large beer is “jarra”, while a small beer is a “caña”). This place is simple but has a good heart. Nothing but locals when I visited, which I can’t say for many other places in Él Medano.

This is the one and only place where I found a dish made out of gofio on the whole island. Gofio is a flour of mixed toasted grains that is very traditional to Canarian cuisine, but really hard to find in restaurants. If you’re curious, order the “gofio escaldado” with fish. It’s like a thick paste with fish and freshly chopped onions. I thought it was quite tasty!

Head to La Boqueria in Él Medano if you’re feeling like a nicer meal that won’t break the bank. Pretty decor, lots of dishes of the day to choose from, kind wait staff. Cuisine is more on the European side rather than Canarian.

If you want to see what kitesurfing and windsurfing looks like up close, head to this big beach in Él Medano, from where all the athletes head into the waters.

Cute little restaurant in Él Medano with great views over the bay. Order the steamed camarones (a kind of shrimp) and the lapas (halfway between a clam and a scallop).

To reach Playa del Bolullo you can either drive, or hike from Puerto de la Cruz. The hike is easy, and lovely because you walk through banana plantations and down and back up a “barranco”, which is like a small canyon. There’s a pretty restaurant just before the beach but it could be over budget for some, so bring your own food in case the chiringuito (cafè) on the beach is closed.

Lovely restaurant close to Playa del Bolullo. Stop here for a tasty lunch before or after hitting the beach. Order the “tortilla” (omelette) with potatoes, the croquettes and the shrimp.

Garachico is one of the oldest towns in Tenerife, rich in history because, right after the arrival of the Spanish at the end of the 14hundreds, it became Tenerife’s most important port city, up until the 17hundreds, when it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. The city was rebuilt to be arguably even more beautiful than it had been before. Take a stroll through its windy old roads, visit the churches and explore the natural pools.

If you’re going to have ice cream in Tenerife... you might as well have the best! Voted #1 ice cream parlor in Tenerife and #12 in all of Spain. My favorite flavors: San Marcos cake, and fig and “gofio”, a flour made of toasted cereals and grains, the most Canarian food there is.

Tenerife has a very prominent Italian community, especially in the South, which makes for a number of interesting Italian restaurants. I really enjoyed the pizzas and calzones at Carbone, and even their specialty dessert: fried pizza dough bites covered in Nutella and/or white chocolate.

This is one of the main attractions in La Orotava. Visit to learn what a gorgeous Canarian home used to look like back in the day.

One of my favorite vista points for great photos with the volcano. While you’re here, don’t forget to check out some crazy volcanic rock formations: roques de García and la Catedrál.