During the Christmas holidays, we spent a week in the sunshine of Tenerife with the family. We loved it! That said, I was a little apprehensive because we had already been on holiday in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, and the bar was set pretty high! But we weren’t disappointed. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands; Mount Teide is impressive and it’s clearly a perfect destination for hiking lovers — but not only for them! So here’s a glimpse of what we managed to do in one week in Tenerife, bearing in mind that it’s a short time for such a large island, so we’ll definitely be going back to explore more!

What to do in Tenerife with the family?

Hiking, of course! If you’re hesitating between several Canary Islands and you love hiking, then Tenerife is ideal! Whether it’s in Teide National Park or Anaga Rural Park in the north, you’ll find trails for all levels and stunning scenery — some lunar, others very green. Read our detailed article about our 5 family hikes in Tenerife. Whale and dolphin watching trip: Many pilot whale families live off the coast of Tenerife all year round. Since the start of the pandemic, their numbers have even increased and they’re happier with fewer tourists. You should always be careful when choosing a provider for this kind of trip, as there are rules to protect the animals and limits on the number of boats allowed—but sadly, some operators take tourists out without a licence. I recommend Whale Watch Tenerife, with whom we did a two-hour trip at sea. We were on a small boat (max 10 people) with a passionate guide, and we kept a respectful distance from these beautiful marine mammals. So you only see them from afar (my photos are zoomed in), but it’s still magical, I assure you! Ticoeur and Titpuce loved it, and we learnt so much! On the way back, we saw some dolphins (they’re fairly common but apparently not always visible on every outing, unlike pilot whales). A great memory! Visit a lava tube: the Cueva del Viento Just so you know: a tunnel formed by lava flow isn’t as pretty as a cave with stalagmites and stalactites. So this visit isn’t about aesthetics. However, it’s very interesting, educational, and quite impressive when you imagine walking the same path lava once took—thankfully a long time ago. Our guide was fantastic, and we learnt a lot about volcanoes and geology. Plus, it happened to match the geography topic Ticoeur was studying last term, so it was perfect timing! We highly recommend this unusual visit because it’s not every day you get to explore a lava tunnel! (I believe it’s also possible on Réunion Island and in Hawaii.) To book, go to the Cueva del Viento website. One more thing: when we went, the visits were only in English, not French. That didn’t bother us, but I imagine there are more language options during peak season. Explore charming villages, including Masca: There are many lovely and exotic villages. Some may not be particularly quaint or picturesque, but they have a certain authenticity. You can feel that peaceful, local life still goes on there. There’s also Masca, a tiny and very popular village—not so much for the village itself, but for its stunning location and the massive rock nearby that reminded me a bit of Wayna Picchu! It’s a great spot for a short, scenic walk. To really soak up the remote, local village atmosphere, there’s nothing better than stopping for a drink or a meal with locals (in these simple rural restaurants, you’ll mostly find grilled specialities). In terms of towns, we stopped in La Oratava on the way back from Anaga Park: there are beautiful colourful buildings there. Perfect for a coffee in the main square. We didn’t have time to visit San Cristobal de La Laguna or Santa Cruz de Tenerife — so that’ll be for next time! Our trip was more focused on nature than cities. Swimming in natural pools: Another popular activity in Tenerife! There are lots of natural pools that, in theory, allow you to swim safely away from the Atlantic Ocean’s big waves. I say “in theory” because apart from one morning when we could swim, the rest of the time the waves were so big that they even crashed over the rocks of the natural pools — so we didn’t feel quite safe enough! It all depends on the swell. In any case, the coastal landscapes are beautiful and make for lovely seaside walks. We mainly explored the natural pools around Garachico. El Caleton was closed. So we went to the Charco Los Chochos pool, which we loved. Ticoeur and I swam (the water was 19-20°C, too cold for Papa Voyage and Titpuce). Then we visited the natural pools at Charco Las Mujeres (also stunning!). On another day, we checked out Charco del Viento and Charco de la Laja, but the ocean was too rough! All of these pools are located on Tenerife’s north coast. Swimming in the sea? When the natural pools are calm, this is what it looks like: And when the ocean overflows the pools, it looks like this:   So, are there any calm beaches to swim with children? Yes, there are large beaches in the south-west. The ocean is calmer there BUT it’s the most touristy part of Tenerife. As we went off-season, those beaches were empty, but the large hotel complexes spoil the natural setting. Not our cup of tea! The rest of Tenerife has so much more to offer. That said, we did stop at El Duque beach as it was near our whale trip departure point. The kids enjoyed the beach break and building sandcastles. Another day, we visited the black sand beach of Los Gigantes: even if not for swimming, it’s worth it for the stunning cliffs! In any case, the water is cold all year round, which doesn’t bother me — but I prefer to warn those who are sensitive to the cold. All in all, in terms of swimming, we preferred Lanzarote. So, tempted by a family trip to Tenerife?