Top 10 Attractions in Tenerife

1. Teide National Park

No visit to the island is complete without at least a drive through the pine forests to the bizarre lunar landscape of one of Spain's most popular national parks. And of course, once there, you can't miss the big pointy thing jutting into the sky. That's the volcano. Not just any volcano though, Mount Teide is the world's third largest. Take the cable car to the top for a God-like view of the surrounding islands.

2. Siam Park

Not a natural attraction admittedly, but still one that shouldn't be missed. Named as one of the best 10 water parks in the world, if you like your thrills and spills wet, you have just got to go to this Thai-themed water park with loads of scream-inducing rides and slides, a gigantic wave pool complete with gold sand beach, and a mini-aquatic park just for kids. Book the Siam Park now.

3. Masca

Tenerife's very own Shangri-la. This picturesque village cligns precariously to the side of the mountains in the north-west of Tenerife, hidden from the rest of civilisation and looking very much like it did centuries ago. A switchback road corksrews up and down to the the village from Santiago del Teide, so if you're of a nervous disposition you might want to close your eyes (not if you're the driver obviously).

4. Whales and dolphins

The waters between Tenerife and La Gomera are one of the few places in the world where you are pretty much guaranteed to spot the resident population of pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. Hop on a Tenerife whales and dolphins boat excursion or if you want to get really up-close-and-personal go to our Tenerife excursions page where you can book a mind-blowing dolphin encounter at the dolphinarium in Aqualand.

5. The cliffs of Los Gigantes

I dare you to view the cliffs of Los Gigantes and not be gobsmacked. Plunging an impressive 1600 feet into the Atlantic, this curtain of stone lining the northwest corner of Tenerife are absolutely stunning. The best way to see them is by boat, although they're also mighty damned impressive from one of the quayside bars with glass of frosty beer in hand too.

6. Garachico

Officially one of the world's most unlucky places, the picture-postcard-pretty town of Garachico has, in its time, suffered fires, storms, plagues and pestilence. But it was the eruption of 1706 which finally destroyed half the town and its harbour. Like a valient phoenix, Garachico rose from beneath the lava, dusted itself off and carved fabulous rock pools out of the debris – genius. Today it's one of Tenerife's most popular day trip destinations, and deservedly so. The best excursion in our opinion would be the Teide-Masca-Icod-Garachico day trip.
 

7. Pyramids of Güímar

They may not be as impressive as the ones in Egypt, but the Pyramids of Güímar are every bit as mysterious as an episode of Scooby Doo and the Mystery of the Mummy. Are they the missing link between the development of civilizations on either side of the Atlantic? If nothing else, they're an intriguing sight in a park filled with reed ships, ancient artefacts and tranquil grounds.
 

8. Loro Parque

A veritable Noah's Ark of animals, an artificial iceberg complete with snow and penguins and one of the best dolphin shows this side of the Atlantic are to be found amongst the 8,000 palm trees and exotic jungle of Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz. That's not to even mention the bicycle riding parrots, the killer whales and the sharks...or the gorillas, the flamingos and..it's no good, you'll just have to go and see for yourself.
 

9. Anaga Mountains

Travel back in time to a land before the invention of Ryanair and Ambre Solaire where the people live in caves and electricity only arrived in the 1990s. Another theme park? No, the Anaga Mountains. As far removed from the beaches of Playa de Las Américas as its possible to be, these incredible mountains have tiny hamlets clinging to the sides of steep ravines, magical drago tree forests and more than enough scenery to overdose on.
 
 

10. Botanical Gardens

One of Spain's oldest botanical gardens and containing more than 3000 specimens of the world's most unusual plants and trees, the Botanical Gardens in Puerto de la Cruz would have Ant and Dec feeling right at home. There are drunken trees, bread fruit trees, cacti that would have your eye out and strelitzas the size of extras from Lost World. It's a jungle in there.