This winter, for the first time, there are seasonal direct flights from Toronto and Montreal to Tenerife South. If you’re one of the first to land, here’s what I’d tell a friend before the trip.
I wasn’t born here either. I arrived from elsewhere, and most of what follows I learned the hard way, on day two or three, after making plans with the logic of home.
None of it is in the guidebooks. All of it will save you a bad afternoon.
Índice
Before you book: south or north?
This is the decision that shapes your whole trip, and most people make it without knowing.
The south is usually sunnier and drier in winter. It’s where most resorts are, around Adeje and Los Cristianos, and the closest area to Tenerife South airport.
The north is greener, a little cooler and cloudier, with more rain in winter. In exchange, you get older towns, local life and landscapes you probably won’t expect. Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava and La Laguna are good bases.
If sunshine is the main goal, go south. If you want to see how the island lives, spend at least a few nights in the north.
Getting from the airport
Your flight lands at Tenerife South. Taxis wait outside the terminal, and TITSA buses connect the airport with the south coast, Santa Cruz and the north. Check the routes and timetables on TITSA’s website before you fly. If you’re heading north, count on well over an hour by road.
Distances: 40 km is nothing in Canada. Here it’s an hour.
You’re used to driving. Two hours to the cottage is a normal Saturday. So when the map says the next town is 40 km away, you’ll think: easy.
It isn’t the distance. It’s the curves. Tenerife is a volcanic island, and most roads outside the motorways climb, twist and slow down through villages. A short line on the map can be a long hour behind the wheel.
My first Sunday here, I planned to see three towns before lunch. I saw one and a half.
So plan by area, not by checklist. The north, with Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava and Garachico, fills a whole day. The south coast around Adeje, another. Anaga, in the far northeast, deserves a day of its own.
No car? You still have options
Public buses, run by TITSA and known locally as guaguas, cover much of the island, and a tram links Santa Cruz and La Laguna. Get a Ten+ card or the Ten+ móvil app: it works on both. Long routes take time and small villages have fewer services, so check the last bus back before you go, not once you’re there.
Packing: leave the parka, bring layers
On the coast, winter is mild. In January, average highs are around 21 °C and lows around 15 °C, both in Santa Cruz and in the south, according to AEMET’s long-term reference values for 1981–2010 (Santa Cruz, Tenerife South).
But here, winter depends less on the month than on the altitude. You can have breakfast by the sea in a T-shirt and, an hour of curves later, be glad you brought a sweater.
I’ve kept a jacket in the trunk of my car since my first winter on the island. I’ve used it more often than I expected.
So pack in layers, keep something warm in your daypack, and check the forecast for the area you’re heading to, not for «Tenerife» as a whole.
And don’t let the mild temperatures fool you: the sun here is strong all year. Wear sunscreen in January as you would in July.
Prices, tipping, meals and Sundays
The price you see is the price you pay. In Spain, the prices shown to consumers normally include tax, whether on a menu or a shelf.
Tipping works differently. There’s no 15 to 20 percent rule. Service is part of what you pay, and nobody will chase you for a tip. Rounding up or leaving some change when you’re happy with the service is a nice gesture, not an obligation.
Lunch is the main meal, and it’s later than you think. Many kitchens start serving lunch around 1:30 or 2 p.m., and in many local restaurants dinner before 8 p.m. can feel early. If you’re hungry at 5 p.m., a café will be easier than a restaurant.
Sundays are slower. Outside the main tourist areas, many smaller shops close. Plan your grocery run for Saturday and use Sunday for a long lunch, a walk or a local market.
The practical bits
- Plugs and voltage. Spain uses round two-pin plugs (types C and F) at 230 V. Bring an adapter, and check that your chargers accept 230 V before plugging them in.
- Money. The currency is the euro. Contactless card payments are common, but keep a little cash for small bars and village markets.
- Your phone. Roaming on a Canadian plan can get expensive. Check your plan before you leave, or set up a European eSIM.
- Language. In the tourist areas of the south, English is widely spoken. In northern villages, much less. A few words of Spanish (hola, gracias, la cuenta, por favor) go a long way.
- The ocean. This is the Atlantic, not the Caribbean. The water is cooler than you might expect, and some beaches have strong waves and currents. Always check the flag before swimming.
- Rental cars. Many are manual. If you need an automatic, book it early. Expect plenty of roundabouts, and read exactly what the insurance includes before you sign.
- Driving licence. Check what you need to drive in Spain on the Government of Canada’s travel advice before you leave.
Paperwork and jet lag
Entry. Tenerife is part of Spain and the Schengen area. Entry rules for Canadians are changing, so check them on the Government of Canada’s travel advice for Spain and the EU Delegation to Canada before you book.
Time difference. From early November to mid-March, Tenerife is five hours ahead of Toronto and Montreal. Whatever time you land, plan an easy first day: a walk by the sea, an early dinner (by local standards, at least) and no long drives.
Teide: same island, different climate
You’ll see it from almost everywhere. At 3,715 metres, Teide is the highest peak in Spain, and the national park around it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.
Everything in the packing section counts double up there. The park sits around 2,000 metres above the coast, and in winter it can be cold, windy and sometimes snowy, even on a T-shirt day by the sea. Bring a proper jacket, sunglasses and sunscreen: the air is thinner and the sun is stronger.
If you want to hike to the summit, you need a permit booked in advance through Tenerife ON, the island’s official platform. Whatever your plan, check the weather and road conditions on the day, before you drive up.
The winter that isn’t on the postcard
Winter here has its own calendar, and very little of it happens on the beach. At the end of November, San Andrés brings chestnuts and new wine to the towns of the north. In February or March, depending on the year, Carnival takes over the streets for weeks.
Ask where you’re staying what’s on nearby that week. There’s almost always something, and it’s usually what you’ll remember most.
Plan by area, pack in layers, and give the island a slower first day than you think you need. The rest you’ll pick up as you go, like all of us who came from somewhere else.