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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nTenerife was never really on my radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When people think of a winter sun escape from the UK, Tenerife in the Canary Islands is usually one of the first destinations that comes up. Cheap flights, year-round sunshine, beaches, resorts. But if I\u2019m honest, I always had this idea in my head that it wasn\u2019t really for me<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I travel, I want to experience different cultures. I want to step outside of my everyday surroundings. I don\u2019t want to go somewhere and feel like I never left home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But just before Christmas, after browsing flight tickets and seeing how affordable it was to fly from the UK, it became a bit of a no-brainer. I needed winter sun. I needed palm trees. I needed warmth after weeks of grey skies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I\u2019m genuinely so grateful that I get to travel and see different places. That alone is always a privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So here\u2019s my honest Tenerife experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n The flight from the UK was about four and a half hours, not glamorous in economy, but manageable. The moment we landed and stepped outside to warm air and palm trees, something shifted. You instantly feel more relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We stayed about 15 minutes from the airport, by the coast, slightly outside the main tourist areas. It wasn\u2019t luxury, but it had a quiet, local village feel, which I really appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were there for around eight to ten days, and what I didn\u2019t expect was how unpredictable the weather would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest surprises of the trip? Snow on Mount Teide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apparently it was the most snowfall in decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can still drive up Mount Teide National Park, but the gondola at the very top was closed for safety reasons. Even so, the drive up was one of the highlights of my entire Tenerife trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you climb higher, the landscape completely transforms. The greenery disappears. Volcanic rock takes over. It starts to feel like you\u2019re driving on another planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then suddenly, you\u2019re above the clouds. The sun comes back out. I honestly can\u2019t fully explain how surreal that moment feels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re visiting Tenerife, driving up Mount Teide is something I would absolutely recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re planning a Tenerife holiday, rent a car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Especially if you want to explore beyond the resorts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mountain roads are narrow, winding and not always easy, especially when the weather changes quickly. But having a car gives you complete freedom to explore Teide, Masca village, Los Gigantes and the rainforest region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just be prepared for sharp turns and dramatic elevation changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenerife is famous for stargazing tours on Mount Teide. We booked an evening experience from 7pm to 10pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important tip: layer up. Even in summer, it gets cold and windy at high altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, our tour didn\u2019t go as planned. Clouds rolled in, and while other groups drove higher above the clouds, our group stayed at the meeting point for quite a while in the rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ended up requesting a refund and driving higher ourselves. And honestly? That turned out to be perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We parked at a public car park above the clouds and watched the stars for free, surrounded by other cars doing the same. It was peaceful, simple, and beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So if you\u2019re confident driving in the mountains, self-driving for stargazing in Tenerife is definitely an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Masca is one of Tenerife\u2019s most famous mountain villages<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we arrived, it was pouring rain. The viewpoint involves steep stes, and visibility was limited. This became a recurring theme during our trip, weather changing constantly depending on altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We left our apartment in sunshine wearing T-shirts. By the time we reached the mountains, even a jumper wasn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But even in the rain, Masca felt special. The dramatic cliffs, the narrow roads, the tiny village atmosphere, it\u2019s worth seeing, just check the forecast first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was originally a Guanche settlement before the Spanish conquest in 1496. The village is now home to around 90 inhabitants. The village lies at an altitude of 650 m in the Macizo de Teno mountains, which extend up to the northwesternmost point of Tenerife.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When we drove to Los Gigantes, it felt like entering a completely different climate zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sun was out. It was warm. People were dressed for summer while we were still layered up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenerife\u2019s microclimates are very real. The weather can shift dramatically depending on where you are on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Los Gigantes is also known for dolphin and whale watching tours. We chose a smaller boat experience, which felt calm and not overcrowded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seeing dolphins in their natural habitat was beautiful. The engine was turned off when we approached them, which I appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, I\u2019ve learned more about marine noise and wildlife impact. I don\u2019t have enough expertise to make strong claims, but I do believe that seeing animals in the wild is far more ethical than visiting a waterpark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s always worth researching and making informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other side of the island, Tenerife has a lush rainforest region often referred to as the \u201cmini Amazon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mist, greenery, winding mountain roads with trees arching overhead, it\u2019s completely different from the volcanic landscapes of Teide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, after the storms, many hiking trails were closed due to fallen branches and damage. So we experienced part of it, but not fully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, the drive through that misty forest was something I won\u2019t forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of my personal highlights was getting back on a surfboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t realise Tenerife was such a strong surf destination. There are schools, rentals and consistent waves, especially in the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re into surfing or water sports, Tenerife absolutely delivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The true highlights of my Tenerife trip weren\u2019t the big attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was sitting in small villages. Those everyday moments, that\u2019s why I travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we drove through areas dominated by large hotel chains and golf resorts, it just didn\u2019t resonate with me personally. That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s wrong. It just depends what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, travelling is about stepping outside my comfort zone. Observing how different generations interact. Appreciating how daily life looks in another culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Tenerife has that side, you just have to look beyond the obvious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it depends on how you travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you stay only in the resort areas, you might experience one version of Tenerife. If you rent a car and explore Mount Teide, Masca, Los Gigantes, the rainforest and small villages, you\u2019ll experience something very different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And above all, I\u2019m incredibly grateful that I get to travel, explore and form my own opinions about places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenerife surprised me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not because it was perfect. And sometimes that\u2019s exactly what makes a destination interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tenerife was never really on my radar. When people think of a winter sun escape from the UK, Tenerife in the Canary Islands is usually…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,61,59,58],"class_list":["post-838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-hiking","tag-island","tag-surfing","tag-tenerife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=838"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1532,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838\/revisions\/1532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laforance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Winter Sun in Tenerife: First Impressions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mount Teide & Snow in Tenerife<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRenting a Car in Tenerife: Is It Worth It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/laforance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/A7306545-1440x962.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStargazing in Tenerife: My Experience at Teide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/laforance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_0934-1440x810.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMasca Village: Beautiful but Weather Dependent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Los Gigantes & The South Coast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/laforance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_0385-1440x810.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTenerife\u2019s \u201cMini Amazon\u201d Rainforest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSurfing in Tenerife<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Side of Tenerife I Loved Most<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Watching parents collect their kids from school.
Seeing local life unfold naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/laforance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/A7306127-1440x2160.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFinal Thoughts: Is Tenerife Worth Visiting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
But because it was layered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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