Forget What You Think You Know About Tenerife

I’ll be honest, Tenerife often gets unfairly boxed into one category.

For some people, it is all about the busy resort areas, bars, package holidays and lying by the pool. And whilst there is absolutely a place for that, it only tells a tiny part of the story.

We hired a car for the day and headed around an hour away from the main tourist strip… and found a completely different Tenerife.

Suddenly the landscape changed. The roads began to wind through mountains, the air felt fresher, and the scenery became dramatic, raw and unexpectedly beautiful. We passed through traditional Spanish villages where life moves at a gentler pace, with little squares, local cafés and views that make you want to stop every five minutes.

This is the side of Tenerife many people never see.

We explored charming places full of character like Vilaflor, one of the highest villages in Spain, where the pine forests and mountain setting feel a world away from the coast. We continued through breathtaking landscapes towards Teide National Park, where the volcanic scenery is so surreal it feels like another planet.

Later in the day, we reached beautiful old towns such as Garachico, filled with history, traditional architecture and sea views, before ending the afternoon in more authentic local corners of the island.

What struck me most was how much variety Tenerife offers in such a small space. Beach resorts, luxury hotels, volcanic landscapes, hiking routes, vineyards, historic towns, incredible viewpoints and proper local culture all on one island.

So if Tenerife has never appealed to you, it may simply be because you have only seen one version of it.

My advice? Stay somewhere lovely, hire a car for a day or two and go exploring.

You might just come home talking about the mountains, villages and scenery far more than the pool.

That is exactly what happened to us.

Thinking of Tenerife?

If you would like help finding the right area, the right hotel, or discovering the Tenerife that suits you, I’d love to help.