Do you think Tenerife is just a sangria & sand flop for sun-starved Northern Europeans? Think again.
This Canary Island has a rich and proud cultural heritage, colonial towns to match many in Central or South America and dramatic forested landscapes. Furthermore, Tenerife is a great solo travel destination.
It’s one of my favourite places to travel alone in Europe.
Get the lowdown in this Tenerife solo travel guide. Find out why you should add it to your travel bucket list, where to visit, how to get around and where to stay.
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Why I love Tenerife as a solo traveller
Tenerife is one of the best destinations for solo travel in the Canary Islands. It is safe, affordable and has an excellent transport infrastructure and activities to suit every solo traveller.
Tenerife is a safe destination for female solo travellers
Serious crime is rare, and I never felt unsafe out there. However, like many tourist destinations, petty theft, including pickpocketing, can occur, especially in crowded tourist areas.
Don’t make yourself a target.
Keep your belongings safe. Lock away your valuables at your accommodation and use an anti-theft backpack when you are out and about. I use this PacSafe daypack, which has anti-RFID technology and a hidden pocket.
Suggested items for your itinerary
Tenerife has so many awesome places to visit, from the colonial charm of La Laguna to the cultural attractions of Santa Cruz and the peak of Spain’s highest mountain. Here is my pick of the best places to include in your Tenerife solo travel itinerary, which can be visited using public transport or on an inexpensive day tour.
For more detailed information, take a look at my guide to spending a week in Tenerife.
Puerto de la Cruz
I made Puerto de la Cruz my base when I visited Tenerife, though it’s also a superb destination in its own right.
It has more character than the bigger, brasher resorts in the south of the island and has kept its roots as a fishing village. There are two lovely gardens, the Botanical Garden and the Orchid Garden, plus a street art trail and even a small castle.
Mount Teide
Taking the cable car up Mount Teide is one of the most popular things to do in Tenerife.
For a more active solo adventure, take one of the waymarked hiking trails in Parque Nacional del Teide. There are paths to suit all fitness levels but permits are needed for some of these hikes.
As El Teide is very popular, I highly recommend booking a cable car fast-track ticket online before your visit. You can cancel the ticket for a full refund 24 hours in advance if the weather conditions look like the cable car could be cancelled.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of Tenerife and its cultural and administrative heart. It is home to several good museums and some striking architecture, notably the Auditorio de Tenerife.
La Orotava
Day-trippers descend on La Orotava to look at the Casas de Los Balcones, a concentration of the finest traditional wooden balconies on the island. But this gem of a town also has first-rate churches, museums and a small botanical garden.
Icod de Los Vinos
Thanks to Drago Milenario, Icod de Los Vinos is another popular attraction in Tenerife. This dragon tree, the largest of its kind on the island, is thought to be at least 500 years old.
Garachico
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the town was largely rebuilt following a volcanic eruption in 1706. Miraculously, some of its buildings survived unscathed, and today’s Garachico was built on the cooled lava.
One of Tenerife’s prettiest towns, Garachico is known for its historic town centre and its natural rock bathing pools.
Anaga Forest
Follow the Sendero de los Sentidos (Path of the Senses) to miradors overlooking Punta del Hildalgo and the beach at Las Teresitas. Trails are waymarked and it’s an easy hike.
Hiking in this primaeval laurel forest was the highlight of my solo trip to Tenerife.
Plan your visit
Best time to visit
Tenerife has balmy temperatures year-round, but visit in spring or autumn (fall) for milder temperatures, clear skies and less chance of rain. In the height of summer, the higher temperatures are moderated by the trade winds, but these cooling winds also bring cloudy skies.
There is a north-south divide in Tenerife in terms of the weather. It is cooler and wetter in the north of the island with November and February the rainiest months.
I visited Tenerife in January. Although it wasn’t bikini weather, I enjoyed blue skies, sunshine and temperatures in the 20s, perfect for sightseeing and hiking.
Getting around
The most flexible way of exploring Tenerife is by car but this can be expensive and is not for everyone.
Hiring a car isn’t for me and I used public transport to explore the island. Thanks to an extensive network and cheap fares, it’s easy to get around Tenerife by bus.
Tours of Tenerife
Although you can visit most places in my Tenerife solo travel itinerary by bus, Mount Teide is tricky to reach on public transport. For this, a day excursion is your best bet.
An organised excursion may also suit you if you want someone else to take care of the arrangements or want to maximise your time on the island. By way of a bonus, day trips are also an excellent way of meeting other people as a solo traveller.
I book my day tours through GetYourGuide. I like the booking interface, there’s an easy-to-use app and their tours usually come with a generous free cancellation window.
Here are a some highly-rated Tenerife day tours that are worth considering:
Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer – Think of this as a visit to Mount Teide made easy. This guided day trip includes a transfer from the north and south of the island and cable car tickets.
Teide National Park Stargazing – Did you know that Teide National Park is the 3rd best place in the world to view stars, so much so that it has been described by NASA as a window to the universe? For an unforgettable Tenerife experience, join this tour that includes an optional transfer from resorts in the south.
Grand Tour of Teide and Northern Tenerife – This tour is perfect if you are short on time and want to hit the highlights of Tenerife in a day. However, it does not include the cable car to Mount Teide.
Full-Day Gastronomy and Wine Tour – Now this is my type of day trip. If you love food and wine you will love this full-day tour that visits bodegas to taste the best that Tenerife has to offer. It includes a stop in La Laguna and a 4-course lunch with pick-ups from southern resorts.
Where to stay
Choosing a hotel and the right base is key to the success of a solo trip. Where you stay in Tenerife will depend on your interests and itinerary.
For a lively vibe and plenty of nightlife, opt for one of the southern resorts: Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje or Los Cristianos. If you plan to take day excursions around the island, there is a greater choice from the south of the island.
I opted to stay in Puerto de la Cruz, the largest tourist town in the north, for a more authentic experience. Quieter and more Canarian in character, this is also an excellent base to explore the island on public transport.
Where to stay in Puerto de la Cruz
The relative abundance of accommodation in Puerto de la Cruz keeps prices affordable. However, as the majority of hotels and apartments are built on a cliffside – a lung-busting climb from the sea and bus station – stay in or near the old town.
Miranda Penthouse AI – I stayed at this apartment in the heart of the old town of Puerto de la Cruz. It’s an excellent option if you are looking for a comfortable and affordable apartment close to some great restaurants, and it has a terrace overlooking the ocean.
Here are a few alternatives that I have found that may suit other tastes and budgets:
4Dreams Hotel Chimisay – If you prefer a comfortable hotel in the heart of the old town, look at this 3-star option. It has a roof terrace with a plunge pool and breakfast is available for a small additional charge.
Hotel Botanico y Oriental Spa Garden – But perhaps you are looking to stay in the swankiest place in town? You can’t go far wrong with this 5-star luxury hotel. Although it is not located in the old town, its three 3 outdoor pools, attractive gardens and extensive spa facilities more than make up for this.
And that’s a wrap!
Choosing a solo travel destination is no mean feat, especially if you are taking your first solo holiday.
As a starting point, you want somewhere that is affordable, fits your interests and has a good transport infrastructure (or inexpensive day excursions). As a female solo traveller, safety is always a priority for me.
Tenerife fulfils this wish list.
Don’t let its popularity as a package tour destination for sun-starved Northern Europeans put you off. It’s easy to escape the big and brash resort towns for a taste of Canary Island life.
If you’ve found this guide helpful, my guide to exploring Tenerife by bus, one week Tenerife itinerary and rundown of things to do in Puerto de la Cruz cover the island in more depth.
For further exploring in the Canary Islands, my guides to Canary Islands solo travel, Gran Canaria solo travel and Lanzarote solo travel are worth a look too.
Happy and safe travels!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.