Adeje

PLAYAS DE TROYA

El Barranco del Rey is the boundary between the boroughs of Adeje and Arona. There are several golden-sand beaches along this stretch of coast, like Cuevitas and Playas de Troya, which are very popular for their dry, sunny climate.

They have changing rooms and showers. There are many bars, restaurants and terraces along the pedestrian promenade that has been built along this stretch of coast.

Two beaches in this area, officially known as Troya I and Troya II, were awarded the blue flag by the European Environmental Education Foundation (FEE). This is an award given to beaches that comply with Community regulations in matters of cleanliness of coastal waters and other requisites.

Sun beds, pedal boats, pleasure craft and wet bikes can be rented.

Several water sports are practised, like wet biking, parasailing, etc., and there are several diving clubs. There is one stretch of the coast that is suitable for surfing.

Bus Routes:
111 (Santa Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
343 (Puerto Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
473 (Los Gigantes – Las Galletas) to Playa de las Americas
470 (Granadilla – Playa de las Americas)

PLAYA PARAISO AND CALLAO SALVAJE

These small tourist resorts in the borough of Adeje are about 12 Km from Playa de las Americas, toward Los Gigantes. Access is sign-posted from the main coast road.

There is a small cove in Playa Paraíso, next to a large swimming pool that belongs to the tourist complex.

The Callao Salvaje resort has a small pebble beach.

Bus Routes:
473 (Las Galletas – Los Gigantes): see TIMETABLE, buses go to either Playa Paraíso or Callao Salvaje.

LA CALETA AND PLAYA DE LA ENRAMADA

La Caleta is a small coastal enclave in the borough of Adeje, near Playa de las Americas, with a stone beach and some fish restaurants. Access is via a turning off the coast road.

Following a track for about half an hour to the south, you get to some small coves of golden sand.

Playa de Diego Hernández next to La Caleta.

Playa de la Enramada is between La Caleta and Playa de las Americas. It is a quiet cove with a sandy beach. It does not usually get very crowded.

Bus Routes:
441 (Playa de las Americas – La Caleta) only TWO buses a day.

PLAYA DE TORVISCAS

There are complexes in Costa Adeje like Playa del Duque,, Fañabé, Torviscas, San Eugenio and the original nucleus of Playa de las Americas.

Works carried out along the coast have created sandy beaches, like Playa de Torviscas, Playa del Bobo, Playa del Duque and Fañabé.

The Puerto Colón marina is in the San Eugenio complex, from which you can take one of several fishing or leisure trips.

Close by, on the coast of the Jardin Tropical Hotel, there is a lovely terrace, set out on five levels with gardens and a 90 metre-long swimming pool covering an area of 600 square metre, Las Rocas. The pool and terrace belong to the hotel and they charge an entrance fee. There is a comfortable restaurant.

The next beach along is Playa del Bobo, where there is a windsurfing and sailing school. You can hire boards, sailing dinghies and catamarans.

The climate here is dry and very sunny for most of the year. Take care and use protective cream.

Bus Routes:
111 (Santa Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
343 (Puerto Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
473 (Los Gigantes – Las Galleteas) to Playa de las Americas
470 (Granadilla – Playa de las Americas)

Arona

PLAYA DE LAS VISTAS

The coast between Playa de las Americas (Playas de Troya) and the harbour of Los Cristianos has several good golden sand beaches, like Las Caletillas and El Camisón, along the stretch of coast along the back of the apartment complexes of Parque Santiago III and the Sir Anthony Hotel.

Beyond the Camisón point is Playa de las Vistas, which has been refurbished with sand from the sea bed, making it one of the best and longest beaches on the island. On all these beaches, you can hire sun beds, pedal boats and wet bikes. There are also many bars and restaurants in the neighbourhood of Playa de las Vistas.

There is a tourist office in the area (Tel 922 797668), in Avda. del Litoral, next to the City Center shopping centre.

Bus Routes:
111 (Santa Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
343 (Puerto Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
473 (Los Gigantes – Las Galletas) to Playa de las Americas
470 (Granadilla – Playa de las Americas)

LOS CRISTIANOS

Los Cristianos is practically part of Playa de las Americas. It has a broad beach of golden sand opposite the harbour from which the ferries leave for La Gomera and El Hierro. Fishing is still fairly important to the harbour and the town.

There are many trips that leave from the harbour, both leisure trips and fishing excursions. There is a colony of pilot whales that live off this coast.

There are many bars and restaurants near the beach and a pedestrian precinct takes you up to the town centre. A coastal pedestrian promenade takes you to the nearby Guaza mountain.

Bus Routes:
111 (Santa Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
343 (Puerto Cruz – Playa de las Americas)
473 (Los Gigantes – Las Galletas) to Playa de las Americas
470 (Granadilla – Los Cristianos – Playa de las Americas)

LAS GALLETAS. COSTA DEL SILENCIO

Las Galletas is a fishing village in the borough of Arona. There are two exits from the TF-1 motorway, one near Los Cristianos, through Guaza, and the other near Tenerife South Airport.

It has a beach of black sand and pebbles, down by the fishing harbour, next to the sea front promenade. There are good fish restaurants in Las Galletas.

The nearby Palm-Mar complex also has a pebble beach with some black sand, where you will find caravans and tents at weekends and in the summer.

Between Las Galletas and the motorway, in Cañada Blanca, there is a camp site with full facilities (Camping Nauta; Tel +34 922 785118).

TEN-BEL

Near the village of Las Galletas is the complex of Ten-Bel, with an extensive sea water pool for residents. Close to the pool, there is a track that takes you along the beautiful coastal cliffs, with several paths down to the sea for a dip.

Bus Routes:
112 (Santa Cruz – Arona) to Las Galletas (Costa del Silencio)
115 (Santa Cruz – Las Galletas) (Costa del Silencio))
473 (Los Gigantes – Las Galletas (Costa del Silencio))
483 (Playa de las Americas – El Médano) to Las Galletas
467 (Playa de las Americas – Las Galletas)
470 (Playa de las Americas – Granadilla) to Las Galletas
461 (El Médano – Las Galletas)

PLAYA DE MONTAÑA AMARILLA

This beach is by Costa del Silencio, next to Montaña Amarilla point, on the coast of the nature area of the same name.

It is a stony beach used by nudists. Access is from Ten-Bel or the neighbouring complexes, after the Marino and Amarilla Bay apartments.

It is on the same bus routes as Las Galletas and Costa del Silencio.

Garachico

EL CALETON

El Caletón, in Garachico, is next to the San Miguel castle, opposite the sea front promenade. It is a set of natural pools that are ideal for bathing, that have formed in lava flows that have reached the sea.

BE CAREFUL with the waves, as these can sometimes even reach the road.

Bus Routes:
363 (Puerto Cruz – Buenavista) to Garachico
107 (Santa Cruz – Buenavista) to Garachico

Puerto de la Cruz

COSTA MARTIÁNEZ COMPLEX

The municipal complex of Costa Martiánez, the pride of Puerto de la Cruz, is one of the most widely admired examples of coastal transformation anywhere. A prestigious team of experts, led by the famous artist from Lanzarote, Cesar Manrique, carried out this work that blends in perfectly with traditional Canary Island architecture and boasts native plants and original sculptures.

Please click on the links:
Lago Martiánez 1
Lago Martiánez 2

The artificial lake, with some 27,000 cubic metres of sea water, highlights the other four adult pools and three children´s pools. All is beautifully set in an original layout. There is a wide range of bars, restaurants, stalls and a Casino giving the complex a very special vitality and making it one of the most striking attractions of the whole island.

Entrance to the pools is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone 922 385 955

Bus Routes: 381 (Local Bus: Punta Brava – Avda. Generalísimo)
382 (Local Bus: San Antonio – Avda. Generalísimo)
102 and 103 (Santa Cruz – Puerto Cruz)
325 (Los Gigantes – Puerto Cruz)
343 (Playa de las Americas – Los Cristianos – Puerto Cruz)

PLAYA JARDÍN (GARDEN BEACH)

A kilometre of the coastline of Puerto de la Cruz has been refurbished, from San Felipe Castle to the district of Punta Brava. 200,000 cubic metres of sand from the sea bed have been used for this.
The beach is protected by a semi-submerged breakwater and has some 17,000 square metres of gardens.
The project was designed by Cesar Manrique.
The beach is divided into three different stretches:
Playa del Castillo: the first part.
Playa del Charcón: with natural breakwaters.
Playa de Punta Brava: the stretch of finest sand.
Facilities include: bars, a restaurant, buffet, promenade with pergolas and benches, band stand for musical events and solariums.
It is a good beach for surfing and body surfing.
Be careful when the sea is rough.

Bus Routes:
381 (Town centre bus route: Avda. Generalísimo – Punta Brava)
102 or 103(Santa Cruz – Puerto de la Cruz)
325 (Los Gigantes – Puerto de la Cruz)
343 Playa de las Americas – Los Cristianos – Puerto Cruz)

PLAYA DE MARTIÁNEZ

This beach is between the Martiánez cliffs and the Costa Martiánez complex. Part of this small, black-sand beach is open to the sea, with excellent conditions for surfing and body surfing. Another stretch of the beach, next to Lago Martiánez, is protected by a breakwater.
Bus Routes:
381 (Local Bus: Punta Brava – Avda. Generalísimo)
382 (Local Bus: San Antonio – Avda. Generalísimo)
102 and 103 (Santa Cruz – Puerto Cruz)
325 (Los Gigantes – Puerto Cruz)
343 (Playa de las Americas – Los Cristianos – Puerto Cruz)

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

PLAYA DE LAS TERESITAS

The beach was extended and improved in 1973, with golden sand brought from the former province of Spanish Sahara. It is protected by a breakwater. This extensive beach, one and a half kilometres long, has been planted with Canary Island palms, coconut palms and Canary Island bean caper.

It is near the fishing village of San Andrés, with many fish and sea-food restaurants, just seven kilometres north of Santa Cruz. It attracts fairly large numbers of people, especially in summer. It has large car parking areas, free showers, kiosks, toilets, telephone boxes, restaurant and Red Cross post. There are sun beds and rowing boats for hire.

Bus Routes:
910 (Santa Cruz – San Andrés – Playa de las Teresitas): every 10 mins.
102 and 103 (Puerto Cruz – Santa Cruz) change to 910
111 (Playa de las Americas – Santa Cruz) change to 910

PLAYA DE LAS GAVIOTAS:

The beach is beyond Las Teresitas, and you get there along a narrow turn off along the road between San Andrés and Igueste de San Andrés, past Los Organos look out. It is a small, black-sand cove with several kiosks. where nudists go. Further inland, you can walk to playa Chica, next to a block of apartments.

Bus Routes:
945 (Santa Cruz – Igueste de San Andrés) to Las Gaviotas cross-roads
111 (Playa de las Americas – Santa Cruz) change to 945
102 and 103 (Puerto Cruz – Santa Cruz) change to 945.

PLAYA DE ANTEQUERA

This part of the coast has an excellent, fine sand beach, Antequera, which is north of the above mentioned beaches, by Roque de Antequera.

From Antequera, you can see El Roquete, a promontory of Igueste de San Andrés, a village that is relatively close.

The beach has no road access and it is difficult on foot. People generally go by boat from San Andrés or Santa Cruz.

PLAYAS DE EL ROQUE, ALMÁCIGA AND BENIJOS

Along the road, after the hamlet of Taganana, first you come to Playa del Roque de las Bodegas, with its beautifully clean waters. From here, you can see Roques de Anaga.

It is a black sand beach, suitable for surfing. Frequent currents and unexpected waves can make it dangerous, even when the sea appears calm. There are several fish restaurants and snack bars next to the beach.

Along the coast road, you get to other similar beaches, like Playa de Almáciga, just below the hamlet of Almáciga. Further on is Playa de Benijos, which is more difficult to get to.

Bus Routes:
946 (Santa Cruz – San Andrés -Taganana – Almáciga)
111 (Playa de las Americas – Santa Cruz) change to 946
102 and 103 (Puerto Cruz – Santa Cruz) change to 946.

CÉSAR MANRIQUE MARITIME PARK

The area of Los Llanos, currently being built up, has a magnificent leisure facility on the coast: the Maritime Park named after its designer, since deceased, Cesar Manrique. The park includes a collection of palms (5,000 of nearly 300 species) and a palm tree museum, currently under construction.

The Marine Park presently has 3 swimming pools, recreation areas, gym, play area, bar, restaurant, cafeteria and a small beach.

Phone  922 22 93 68
http://www.maritimosantacruz.com/
http://www.parquemaritimo.com/
Avda. Constitución, 5
38005 Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Arico

 

EL PORÍS DE ABONA

The Arico coast has several settlements and some interesting beaches, like the stretch of coast called El Porís de Abona, although there is often a wind.

The coastal village of Porís de Abona can be reached from the road from the TF-1 motorway. There is a small harbour where you can have a relatively comfortable dip.

There is a track from Porís that goes south along the coast, which takes you to Playa de la Punta, or Playa Grande, about 1.5 Km away, near a fishing hamlet. It is a sandy beach which is excellent when there is no wind.

From there, you can reach the nearby Abona lighthouse and, following the coastal path, it takes about 20 minutes to get to the sandy beach of Playa de Los Cardones.

A few minute further on, you get to Los Abriguitos beach, also sandy.
Somewhat further south, you find the fishing villages of Los Abades and San Miguel de Tajao.

Bus Routes:
111 (Santa Cruz – Playa de las Americas) to the El Porís de Abona turn-off.

Blue Flag Status

Blue Flag Status

The Blue Flag is a selective eco-label awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to ensure the continued compliance of its criteria. This award requires the beaches and marinas that receive it to comply with a series of specific criteria, based on four main areas:

 

• water quality
• environmental education and information
• environmental management
• safety and servicesThe Blue Flag is managed by the Health Department of the Canary Islands Government through its Directorate General for Public Health.
  The international campaign rewards the efforts made by local authorities and marina management to comply with the high levels of demand required. The reward guarantees environmental quality, caring for the environment, accessibility and services, and a high standard of water quality.
  Technicians from the Environmental Health Service of the Directorate General of Public Health of the Health Department of the Canary Islands Government work to ensure that conditions are met and collaborate with local corporations requesting assistance when submitting applications for this universally acknowledged award. The technicians permanently oversee the health standards of candidate beaches and marinas and provide guidance for local authorities to ensure that their application for the Blue Flag award is successful.

  Blue Flag beaches in Tenerife in 2015

  Granadilla de Abona: El Médano
  Adeje: Troya I y II, Torviscas, Fañabé, El Duque.
  Santiago del Teide: La Arena.
  San Cristóbal de La Laguna: Piscinas de Bajamar.
  Los Realejos: El Socorro.
  Puerto de la Cruz: San Telmo, Playa Jardín
  Guía de Isora: Playa San Juan.

Nudist beaches

The main nudist beaches are the following:

Playa de los Patos (La Orotava)

Playa de Montaña Amarilla (San Miguel)

Playa de Montaña Pelada (Granadilla)

Playa de Montaña Roja (next to la Tejita) (Granadilla)

Playa de Las Gaviotas (Santa Cruz)