Tenerife in 5 Days: everything you need to know

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and also the most populated in Spain. That's why you'll find a wide variety of things to see and do , and you'll need several days to properly explore its main attractions. But don't worry, if you plan well, in 5 days you can see all the most popular places and enjoy it to the fullest.

If when you think of Tenerife, all that comes to mind is the sea, sand and idyllic beaches, let me dispel the first myth: on the island you can find that and much, much more. Tenerife's cultural and historical heritage is as amazing as all its natural landscapes. Here's what to see and do in 5 days in Tenerife. Take note of this itinerary and organise your trip so you don't miss a thing.

The first day of your trip will begin with a discovery of part of the amazing north-west of Tenerife, home to popular and unmissable natural beauties that you must include in your itinerary, such as San Cristóbal de la Laguna and Anaga Park.

San Cristóbal de la Laguna

The first stop on your 5-day trip around Tenerife will be in the oldest city on the island: San Cristóbal de la Laguna. It is the second most populated city in Tenerife and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 for being the only unfortified colonial city.

As you walk through its picturesque old streets, you will breathe in part of the island's history, as it is home to unique monuments such as the Casa Lercaro, which houses the Museum of History and Anthropology of Tenerife, the Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena, and the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción.

In addition, in the heart of the city you will find the emblematic Plaza del Adelantado, which is the most central and important square, named after the island's conqueror, Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo. It should be noted that this square gained importance between the 16th and 20th centuries as it was the main venue for important public events, as it was surrounded by the city's main buildings.

Anaga Rural Park

About 13 kilometres from San Cristóbal de la Laguna, and about 20 minutes along the TF-12 road, you will find your second destination of the day: the Anaga Rural Park. This site is home to impressive natural beauty, for which it was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2015 and has been exceptionally well preserved over the years.

Let me tell you that this is one of the most popular destinations in Tenerife, which is why it is included in the 10 best activities to do on the island. Without a doubt, the mountainous landscape will dazzle you, although you can also explore its numerous trails until you reach one of the black sand coves that will take your breath away.

If I may give you some advice, a good way to explore this amazing park is with a guided tour where you will learn a lot from an expert guide, without having to worry about a thing.

The second day on the island will include two of its most classic and unmissable places, each with its own particular importance, one for being its capital city and the other because it could be defined as its spiritual capital. I am talking about Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Candelaria.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

There's nothing like starting your second day on this unique island in the city that has been its capital since the 17th century, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This city offers unique tourist attractions that you can easily reach on foot or, if you prefer, by renting a bicycle to make your trip more dynamic. The choice is yours!

Among its main attractions, you will find:

• The Adán Martín Auditorium: an imposing building designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.
• The Castle of San Juan Bautista: a coastal tower considered the second most important defensive fortress in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
• Some of Tenerife's main museums, such as the Archaeological Nature Museum or the Military History Museum.
• The Palmetum, a botanical garden with the largest palm trees in Europe.
• García Sanabria Park, with its fountains and unique architectural features.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is also a great place to stop for a bite to eat, try some local dishes and take the opportunity to rest and recharge your batteries for the rest of the day.

La Candelaria

About 19 kilometres from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you will find the small town of La Candelaria, where you will spend the second part of the day. Exploring its historic streets is a perfect plan that cannot be missed on your itinerary, as it involves reliving the legacy of the Guanches, the aboriginal people of Tenerife.

Among the most important sites you will find in this town, here are the ones you cannot miss:

• El Camino Viejo de Candelaria, which is the road you will take when travelling from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to La Candelaria and which still preserves original sections built centuries ago.
• The famous Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, which is the largest and most impressive temple in the city, has been declared a Site of Cultural Interestand occupies the entire square of the same name. In addition, in this square, you will find nine bronze statues in honour of the nine kings of the Guanche people.
• Ermita de San Blas, which is the natural cave where the Guanches found the image of the Virgin Mary, now houses a replica.
• The Casa Cabildo, the site of the town's former town hall.
• Pottery Centre called "La Casa de las Miquelas", which is an old house where pottery is exhibited.

The third day on the island is pure adventure. In Teide National Park, you can climb to the highest point and enjoy the imposing cliffs known as Los Gigantes, which are usually best appreciated while sailing on the Atlantic waters. I'll tell you more about it below.

Teide National Park

Teide National Park was declared a national park in 1954 and is one of the most visited in Spain. It is one of the main places to visit in Tenerife, and my recommendation is that, in order to enjoy it to the fullest, you plan your visit on a guided tour of Teide.

There, you can climb to the highest point in Spain on the El Teide volcano and enjoy other places of interest within the National Park, such as:

• Los Roques de García, which are ideal for hiking.
• Visiting the telescopes at the Astronomical Observatory.
• Visiting the Telesforo Bravo and El Portillo Visitor Centres.
• Visiting the Juan Évora Ethnographic Museum.

Los Gigantes Cliffs

Within the municipality of Santiago del Teide, you will find one of Tenerife's most impressive natural wonders, Los Gigantes. You can get there via the TF-38 route from El Teide National Park, which is approximately 30 kilometres away.

Let me tell you that the best way to appreciate the enormous volcanic walls of up to 600 metres high that this site is home to is on board a boat, sailing the waters of the Atlantic. This unique and unforgettable experience will also allow you to enjoy the enormous variety of dolphins and whales that appear in the area. It's well worth it!

However, if you prefer not to take a boat trip, I recommend you go up to the Archipenque viewpoint, which has one of the best sunset views you'll ever see.

On your fourth day, you'll simply fall head over heels in love with Tenerife, if you haven't already. The landscapes of the north have a special charm, and in one day you can visit all the main dream locations.

Puerto de la Cruz

The fourth day's tour of Tenerife begins in one of the most popular and touristy places in the north of the island, Puerto de la Cruz. It is also one of the most popular places for tourists to stay during their trip to Tenerife, as it is one of the liveliest and most vibrant cities.

Here you will find many places of interest to visit, and you can do so easily on foot, as everything is relatively close by. To help you get the most out of this small town, let me tell you about the main places of interest that you cannot miss on your tour:

• San Felipe Castle: this is an ancient and imposing fortress in the city.
• The Puerto de la Cruz Pier, one of the most popular on the island
• The Botanical Garden
• The graffiti of Puerto Street Art, a well-known art gallery.

I have a recommendation for you: if you want to get to know Puerto de la Cruz in a different way and add a little adrenaline to your tour of the city, here you have the option of paragliding, a unique experience!

Villa de la Orotava

The second stop on the fourth day is in Villa de la Orotava. I have no doubt that a tour of its historic centre should be included in your travel itinerary, no matter what. It is only about 8 kilometres from Puerto de la Cruz, and I recommend that you take your time to explore it at a leisurely pace, as it is not very big but it is amazing.

This small town has some must-see tourist attractions. Here are the most popular ones so you don't miss them:

• The Town Hall Square.
• The Casa Museo de los Balcones, which is characterised by its beautiful balconies and carved wooden interior courtyards.
• The Church of La Concepción, considered the finest example of Baroque style in the Canary Islands.
• The picturesque Victoria Garden, in my opinion, the most precious jewel of La Orotava, which will make you fall even more in love with this town.

Icod de los Vinos

About 21 kilometres along the TF-5 road, you will reach the third stop on your fourth day in Tenerife, Icod de los Vinos, a small town known for being home to the famous and popular Drago Milenario or Drago Park, named after the enormous dragon tree that was declared a National Monument in 1917 and recognised as the oldest in the Canary Islands.

Without a doubt, the most unique and unforgettable experience you can have in Icod de los Vinos is to enter the volcanic tube of the mythical Cueva del Viento.

But that's not all, because in Icod de los Vinos you can also stroll through the picturesque streets of its historic centre, visit and discover the town's most renowned museums, such as the Guanche Museum and the Casa del Plátano, and even finish your walk by cooling off at San Marcos Beach, which is not the largest beach you will see, but has a very special charm that makes it unique.

Garachico

Just over 6 kilometres from Icod de los Vinos, along the TF-42 road, you will reach the next and final destination of the fourth day in Tenerife, Garachico. The most amazing feature of this village is that it was almost completely devastated after the eruption of the Trevejo volcano in 1706, and was completely rebuilt, becoming even more charming than before, like something out of a fairy tale.

Let me tell you about this small town. There are several emblematic and iconic places to visit, although without a doubt its main tourist attraction is the El Caletón Natural Pools. These pools were created naturally by the volcanic lava that destroyed the old port of Garachico, and I recommend that you take advantage of them to relax at the end of your walk and the day, to refresh yourself with a comforting swim.

But before that, there are some important places I would like to recommend so that you can make the most of Garachico:

• The Castle of San Miguel is the old defensive tower located in this town.
• The Puerta de la Tierra Park, which is unique in that it still preserves the archway of the entrance to the old port from the 16th century.
• El Roque de Garachico is a popular coastal rock formation that forms part of the town's landscape. It is 77 metres high and covers an area of 5 hectares, and is separated from the land by about 300 metres due to marine erosion, providing a habitat for various species of birds.
• El Emigrante viewpoint, where you can enjoy the best panoramic views of the town.

If you prefer, you can visit Icod and Garachico on a guided tour, without having to worry about the organisation and making the most of your time in Tenerife.

For your last day in Tenerife, I have a classic and very entertaining plan for you to have such a good time that you will want to return to the island to explore it again. A unique experience!

Siam Park is a water park, but not just any water park, it is the best, not only in Tenerife but in the world. It has been recognised as such year after year, and I assure you that this is no exaggeration. You just have to visit it to understand why. It is also included in the list of the 10 best parks in Tenerife.

Although it is an activity for the whole family, there is no age limit to enjoy it, and it goes without saying that it is the perfect plan if you are thinking of visiting the island with children. This fantastic and popular park is located in the upper part of Playa de las Américas and is entirely inspired by Thailand.

If you are a lover of adrenaline, speed, heights and adventure in general, you will thoroughly enjoy this plan and thank me for the recommendation. To give you an idea and help you prepare, I can tell you that at Siam Park you will find slides where you can reach speeds of 80 kilometres per hour! There are also other types of games and adventures.

Another important thing to note is that this park is open every day of the year, and you can buy your tickets online on the official website. Bear in mind that it will cost you approximately £28.

Now that you have a complete itinerary, you can organise your 5-day trip to Tenerife in the best possible way and design a unique, tailor-made experience to enjoy so much that these few days are enough, but at the same time, you'll want to come back for more. Now, if you've come this far and think that 5 days won't be enough, here's an itinerary of things to see and do in Tenerife in 7 days, so you can compare it and not miss a thing.