History · Tenerife · Spain
7 historic sites to see in Tenerife
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Start with San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town, La Orotava old town and Garachico and El Caletón. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 12–16 hours across 7 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 12–16 hours
- Areas
- San Cristóbal de La Laguna, La Orotava and Garachico
Historic sites in Tenerife
Neighbourhood · San Cristóbal de La Laguna
1.San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town
Highlights include the Iglesia de la Concepción and its bell tower, the rebuilt cathedral, Plaza del Adelantado and Calle San Agustín. The tram connects it with central Santa Cruz in about 35–40 minutes.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · La Orotava
2.La Orotava old town
The Hijuela del Botánico and the terraced Victoria gardens are close by, and for Corpus Christi the town lays out carpets of coloured volcanic sand in the main square.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Photo spot
Historic site · Garachico
3.Garachico and El Caletón
The rebuilt centre keeps cobbled streets, the Castillo de San Miguel and old convent buildings, and the cooled lava along the shore formed El Caletón, a set of natural rock pools used for swimming when the sea is calm.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Icod de los Vinos
4.Drago Milenario
It stands in the Parque del Drago, a garden of Canary Island plants below the church of San Marcos, and is also visible from the church square.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- History
- Photo spot
Museum · Santa Cruz de Tenerife
5.Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueología (MUNA)
Its Guanche mummies are the highlight of the collection.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Historic site · Güímar
6.Pirámides de Güímar
The ethnographic park around them has gardens of native plants and exhibits on Heyerdahl's ocean voyages.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Nature
Religious site · Candelaria
7.Basilica of Candelaria
The seafront plaza outside is lined with bronze statues of the nine Guanche kings (menceyes) who ruled Tenerife's districts before the conquest, and pilgrims arrive in large numbers in mid-August.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| San Cristóbal de La Laguna | San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town | Half a day |
| La Orotava | La Orotava old town | 2–3 hours |
| Garachico | Garachico and El Caletón | 2–3 hours |
| Icod de los Vinos | Drago Milenario | 1 hour |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueología (MUNA) | 1.5–2 hours |
| Güímar | Pirámides de Güímar | 1.5–2 hours |
| Candelaria | Basilica of Candelaria | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 4 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (San Cristóbal de La Laguna): San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (La Orotava): La Orotava old town, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Garachico and Icod de los Vinos): Garachico and El Caletón → Drago Milenario, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Güímar and Candelaria): Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueología (MUNA) → Pirámides de Güímar → Basilica of Candelaria, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- May: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 1 rainy days, quiet crowds. One of the best-value months: dry weather, thin crowds and red tajinaste flower spikes in Teide National Park.
- June: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 0 rainy days, moderate crowds. Warm and dry in the south while the north often sits under a layer of low cloud known locally as the 'panza de burro'.
- September: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 1 rainy days, moderate crowds. The sea is at its warmest and summer crowds thin out; a good month for swimming and boat trips.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife — Working island capital with Carnival, a covered market and the Calatrava Auditorio
- San Cristóbal de La Laguna — UNESCO-listed university town with colonial streets and tapas bars
More of Tenerife
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tenerife?
San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town. La Laguna's UNESCO-listed centre is a walkable grid of pastel mansions with carved wooden balconies, convent walls and shady courtyards.
+Which of these are free in Tenerife?
San Cristóbal de La Laguna old town, La Orotava old town, Garachico and El Caletón and Basilica of Candelaria.