Tenerife was once known primarily for its beaches, luxury resorts and year-round perfect weather. And although the high-end hotels, sunny stretches of sand and perpetual spring-like weather are all still big selling points, the largest of Spain's Canary Islands has recently invested heavily in upgrading and promoting sport and adventure options.
Though Tenerife is small (you can drive across it in just a few hours), its diverse landscapes and distinct micro-climates mean that clients can wake up at the beach to go scuba diving or windsurfing, then make their way up the mountains to bike through a laurel (subtropical) forest or hike along volcanic lava fields. Add in ancillary activities such as whale watching and tapas tastings, and curious, well-rounded travelers can fill out an itinerary with a little bit of everything.
Here’s how active clients can make the most of their time on Tenerife, along with some top-notch operators across the island offering group tours and customized itinerary planning.
Cycling
Spain is no stranger to cyclists, but the largest crowds head to Mallorca, leaving many of Tenerife’s roads blissfully quiet. While there is excellent mountain biking, Tenerife’s road-cycling culture is especially strong: Cars tend to be friendly to cyclists, there is excellent biking signage, and impressive cycling infrastructure blankets the country.
Many hotels have bike storage and repair rooms, and several even house bike shops renting high-end pedal and electric-assist bikes. Tenerife is a large volcanic complex (the island’s Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain), and many of the most popular biking routes include significant elevation, so electric bikes are popular here.
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E-bikers explore Tenerife’s steep volcanic routes and scenic mountain trails with ease.
Credit: 2025 Turismo de TenerifeTenerife Bike Tours and Cycling Holidays Tenerife offer group road and gravel cycling tours and can arrange bespoke travel itineraries and accommodations.
Hiking
What sets Tenerife apart as a hiking destination is its hikes and multiday treks for all skill levels across widely different geographic landscapes — everything from challenging cross-country treks up and down back-to-back volcanos to steep half-day hikes through laurel forests and fairly flat walks along volcanic landscapes in Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hiking tour operators such as Touring Canarias and Punta Adventures can help travelers find hikes suitable to their skill levels and personal scenery preferences (coastal, mountain, forest, volcanic). For multiday treks, they can also recommend and book accommodations, as well as handle luggage transfers.
Scuba Diving
On Tenerife, lava-sculpted cliffs plunge into sapphire waters, and sea-eroded caves welcome beginner and seasoned technical divers alike. The island’s south and southwest coasts — Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje and Las Galletas — offer the calmest conditions and excellent visibility, making them ideal for year-round diving. Here, divers may drift alongside green sea turtles and stingrays or explore sandy slopes dotted with garden eels. The north coast — wilder and more exposed — rewards the adventurous with steep walls, arches, cathedral-like caverns and volcanic tunnels teeming with life.
Clients can spot angel sharks in winter months, while migrating species — such as dolphins and pilot whales — pass through surrounding waters during various times of year. Spring and autumn often deliver especially clear seas, though Tenerife’s temperate climate and mild ocean currents mean diving is possible in every season. Tour operators such as Ocean Friends, Atlantik and Scubanana are happy to lead solo and group dives across the island and can recommend the best sites based on the time of year.
All Things Surfing
Tenerife draws wave chasers of all levels from around the world with its consistent breezes and vibrant surf culture. Beginners can glide across sheltered bays, while seasoned pros carve through rolling swells just offshore. Traditional surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and wing foiling (which blends surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding), all thrive in Tenerife, where white sand, black sand, and pebble beaches welcome 300 days of wind each year.
Adventure travelers in Tenerife enjoy scuba diving, surfing and windsurfing along the island’s coast.
Credit: 2025 Turismo de TenerifeThe conditions are so perfect along the southern coast, particularly in the coastal village of El Medano, that the area hosts national and international championships. Rental shops and surf schools like Wind Center Playa Surf, line the beaches, offering gear and guidance for every skill level, meaning travelers don’t have to lug their large, expensive gear on the plane.
Where to Send Clients Planning a Multisport Trip
If clients plan to primarily hike or bike, they’ll find some of the most interesting scenery in the north. Centrally located Teide National Park is a popular place for hiking (in forests and on lava fields) and biking (Tenerife’s biggest ride of the year, Vuelte al Teide passes through here). In Anaga, on the northeastern corner of the island, laurel forests meet pine forests and dense, wooded landscapes.
The southern coast — especially in the southwestern section near El Medano — offers the best kite- and windsurfing on Tenerife. This is a much more arid and desert-like part of the island, so if clients prefer hiking or biking in forests or along volcanoes, they’ll have a longer drive to those areas.
Getting There
Most flights to Tenerife go through Madrid, but there are also flights through other Spanish cities, such as Seville, Barcelona and Mallorca. In winter and spring, there are also increased direct international flights from Ireland, the U.S. and elsewhere.
