The Best Beaches in Tenerife: 20 Great Choices

Updated in 2026. Choosing the best beaches in Tenerife is not as simple as ranking attractive photographs. The island has urban beaches with every service, volcanic coves, wild stretches of sand in Anaga, family beaches, surfing areas, black-sand beaches, and places you should visit only when the sea is calm.

This guide is therefore not intended as a rigid ranking. Its purpose is to help you choose well: which beach suits you, which one has services, which is best for children, where to see a sunset, and where you should pay more attention to the swell than to Instagram.

1. Las Teresitas Beach

Las Teresitas in San Andrés is one of the easiest beaches to recommend in Tenerife. It has golden sand, a breakwater, a family atmosphere, palm trees, beach bars, and a large car park. If you are travelling with children or want a calm swim near Santa Cruz, it is a safe choice.

Practical advice: avoid peak times on Sundays if you dislike crowds. If you plan to combine it with Anaga, leave early so you do not lose half the day on winding roads and looking for parking.

2. Benijo Beach

Benijo is the very image of wild Anaga: dark sand, sea stacks, cliffs, and spectacular light at sunset. It is neither the most convenient nor the most family-friendly beach, but it is one of the island’s most striking.

Be careful when swimming. The sea can be rough here, access involves steps, and you should check the tide and swell. If in doubt, enjoy the scenery from the shore and save your swim for a more sheltered beach.

3. El Médano Beach

El Médano has a character of its own: a local atmosphere, wind, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and views of Montaña Roja. It is ideal if you want a lively beach with terraces and water sports.

For families, it works better in more sheltered areas and on less windy days. For walking, linking the promenade with La Tejita and Montaña Roja is wonderful when the heat is not too intense.

4. La Tejita Beach

La Tejita is one of the most beautiful natural beaches in the south. It is large and open, with Montaña Roja beside it and far less development than other tourist beaches. It is perfect for walking, switching off, and enjoying a sense of space.

It is not always the best choice for young children because of the wind and swell. Bring water, sunscreen, and something that will hold your parasol firmly if the day is windy.

5. Playa del Duque

If you are looking for a convenient, elegant beach with services in Costa Adeje, Playa del Duque is a very good fit. It has pale sand, a seafront promenade, restaurants, sun loungers, nearby hotels, and normally gentle swimming conditions.

It is one of the best choices for anyone who wants convenience: arrive, park relatively nearby, swim, eat, and continue walking along the Adeje coast.

6. Las Vistas Beach

Between Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas, Las Vistas is a wide, urban, and highly practical beach. It has a promenade, services, accessibility, restaurants, and a lively atmosphere almost all year round.

It is good for families, people who do not want to walk far, and travellers who prefer a beach with everything close at hand. It is not the wildest, but it is one of the most convenient.

7. Playa Jardín

In Puerto de la Cruz, Playa Jardín combines black sand, gardens, palm trees, and César Manrique’s distinctive landscape design. It is beautiful for a walk and very convenient if you are staying in the north.

Always check notices and the warning flag before swimming. On the Puerto de la Cruz coast, the sea can change and conditions are not the same every day.

8. Playa de La Arena

Playa de La Arena in Puerto Santiago combines black sand, services, restaurants, and sunsets towards La Gomera. WebTenerife describes it as an urban beach with showers, toilets, a lifeguard, sun-lounger hire, and a diving area.

It is one of the best choices for anyone staying in Los Gigantes or Santiago del Teide who wants a convenient beach without sacrificing volcanic character.

9. Los Guíos Beach

Los Guíos lies at the foot of the Los Gigantes cliffs. It does not need to be enormous to make an impression: the sheer rock wall behind it does all the work. It is highly photogenic and fits well into a boat excursion or walk around the harbour.

Go early if you want a space. The area is popular with visitors and parking can become tiresome.

10. El Bollullo Beach

El Bollullo in La Orotava is one of the north’s most beautiful black-sand beaches. It has a more rural approach, lovely scenery, and an appealing wild quality. Do not choose it if you want complete convenience; its charm lies precisely in the fact that it does not feel so urban.

Pay attention to the sea. Many of the north’s black beaches are spectacular, but they are not always suitable for swimming. Check the flag, currents, and conditions that day.

11. El Socorro Beach

El Socorro in Los Realejos is a beach of surfing, black sand, and northern energy. The Los Realejos tourism website notes that surfing and bodyboarding competitions are held there, especially during the summer months.

If you want a relaxed swim, enter the water only when the sea is suitable. For watching surfers, walking, and enjoying the scenery, it is a fantastic plan.

12. Fañabé Beach

Fañabé is a very convenient urban beach in the south, with services, a promenade, places to eat, sun loungers, and easy access. It is good for families and anyone who wants a straightforward beach day.

The advantage of this area is that you can walk between several Costa Adeje beaches: Torviscas, Fañabé, El Duque, and even La Caleta if you feel energetic.

13. Los Cristianos Beach

Classic, central, and practical. It cannot compete with Benijo or La Tejita for wild beauty, but it wins on convenience, sheltered water, services, and its connection to the seafront promenade.

If you are travelling with older people, children, or simply want something easy near your accommodation, Los Cristianos still delivers.

14. Torviscas Beach

Torviscas is another convenient urban beach in Costa Adeje, with plenty of services nearby and a tourist atmosphere. I recommend it if you want a simple day: sun lounger, swim, food nearby, and a walk.

It can become quite busy during high season. For something quieter, try going early or walking towards La Caleta.

15. Diego Hernández Beach

Known as a turquoise-water cove near La Caleta, Diego Hernández is beautiful, but it is not a beach for everyone. Access requires a walk and the setting is more fragile than an urban beach.

Visit respectfully: leave no rubbish, avoid loud music, do not encroach on the surroundings, and always check the state of the sea. The beauty of coves like this depends greatly on how we treat them.

16. Almáciga Beach

In Anaga, Almáciga has black sand, dramatic scenery, and a lower profile than Benijo, although it is equally exposed to the swell. It is a good stop on a route through Taganana, Roque de las Bodegas, and Benijo.

I do not recommend it for carefree swimming. I do recommend it for scenery, photography, and experiencing the wildest side of the north.

17. Roque de las Bodegas Beach

More than a beach on which to lie down, Roque de las Bodegas is a place to eat fish, watch the sea, and understand the Anaga coast. When the sea is rough, enjoy it from the promenade and restaurants.

It combines very well with Taganana, Almáciga, and Benijo, always driving carefully because the road is winding.

18. Abama Beach

Abama is a small and highly photogenic cove in the south-west, with water that can look beautiful on good days. Access and parking may require a walk, so do not arrive carrying half your home.

It is a good choice for couples or anyone looking for something more sheltered than the large urban beaches in the south.

19. Las Gaviotas Beach

Very close to Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas offers black sand and a more local, less convenient atmosphere. Nudism may be practised and access is regulated according to road or safety conditions.

Before visiting, check access and the state of the sea. If you want an easy beach, Las Teresitas is next door and simplifies everything.

20. Antequera Beach

Antequera is one of those beaches that sounds like an adventure: isolated, natural, and accessible by a demanding trail or by boat. It is beautiful, but it is neither an improvised outing nor suitable for everyone.

If you go, prepare properly with water, appropriate footwear, a tide forecast, and respect for Anaga. Otherwise, it is better to choose Benijo or Las Teresitas and enjoy yourself without getting into difficulty.

How to choose a beach according to where you are staying

If you are staying in Costa Adeje: El Duque, Fañabé, Torviscas, Abama, Diego Hernández, and La Tejita are good options.

If you are staying in Los Cristianos or Las Américas: Las Vistas, Los Cristianos, El Médano, La Tejita, and Costa Adeje are all close at hand.

If you are staying in Puerto de la Cruz: Playa Jardín, El Bollullo, El Socorro, and La Arena if you take a route towards the west.

If you are staying in Santa Cruz or La Laguna: Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas, Benijo, Almáciga, and Roque de las Bodegas.

Important advice for Tenerife’s beaches

• Always check the flag: especially in the north and Anaga.
• Do not underestimate black sand: it can become extremely hot at midday.
• Bring water shoes for natural pools or rocks: your feet will thank you.
• Do not park where you obstruct access: at rural beaches, respect begins before you reach the sand.
• Allow flexibility: in Tenerife, the best beaches sometimes involve winding roads, wind, or a change of plan.

Frequently asked questions about the best beaches in Tenerife

What is the most beautiful beach in Tenerife?

It depends on what you want. For wild scenery, Benijo. For family convenience, Las Teresitas. For a southern beach with services, Playa del Duque or Las Vistas. For urban black sand, Playa Jardín or La Arena.

Which beaches are best with children?

Las Teresitas, Las Vistas, Los Cristianos, Playa del Duque, and Fañabé are usually the most convenient options because of their services, access, and more sheltered water.

Where can you see black-sand beaches?

Playa Jardín, El Bollullo, El Socorro, Playa de La Arena, Benijo, and Almáciga are good choices for seeing black volcanic sand.

Which beaches should you avoid in a heavy swell?

When the swell is heavy, take particular care at Benijo, Almáciga, El Bollullo, Los Patos, El Socorro, and other open beaches in the north. If there is a red flag, do not swim.

Sources consulted for this update: WebTenerife, ADEAC Blue Flag, Santiago del Teide Tourism, Los Realejos Tourism, and municipal beach pages.

To complete your day without jumping from one search to another, you can also save our guide to the best beaches in Tenerife and, if you fancy a more volcanic route, our selection of black-sand beaches in Tenerife.