Arona

If you book Tenerife for sun and beaches, chances are you'll end up in Arona. The municipality in the island's dry south includes Los Cristianos and a large part of Playa de las Américas, plus a quiet mountain village and hiking trails up ancient volcanic peaks. A vacation in Arona combines reliable weather, lively promenades and a surprising amount of nature.

From Fishing Village to Resort Town

Until the 1960s, Los Cristianos was a small fishing harbor from which tomatoes were shipped. A Swedish entrepreneur discovered the town for spa vacationers, and hotels and apartments soon followed. Today Los Cristianos is a resort town that has kept its harbor: the ferries to La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro depart from here, and fishing boats still land their catch in the morning. The historic main town of Arona, by contrast, sits about 600 meters (nearly 2,000 feet) above sea level in the interior, with a church, cobblestone streets and Canarian calm.

Sights and Beaches in Arona

Playa de Los Cristianos is a sheltered sandy beach with calm water, ideal for families; next to it lies the smaller Playa de las Vistas with light-colored, imported sand. A promenade connects Los Cristianos with Playa de las Américas, where hotels, restaurants and shops stand close together and surfers wait for waves at spots like Las Américas. Towering above it all is Roque del Conde, a flat-topped mountain reached by a demanding hiking trail; on a clear day, the summit offers views as far as Mount Teide and La Gomera. On Montaña de Guaza, an old volcanic cone between Los Cristianos and Palm-Mar, trails run along steep coastal cliffs. If you want to see wildlife, you'll find boat tours nearby for watching pilot whales and dolphins, which live between Tenerife and La Gomera year-round.

Food and Nightlife

International cuisine dominates the promenade, but around the harbor of Los Cristianos and in the villages of the interior, Canarian restaurants are worth seeking out: grilled fish such as cherne or vieja, papas arrugadas with red and green mojo, rabbit in salmorejo marinade, and goat cheese, often smoked or served with palm honey. For dessert, there's bienmesabe made from almonds. Nightlife is concentrated in Playa de las Américas, around the Veronicas strip, which actually lies in the municipality of Adeje, and the Starco center. Los Cristianos is quieter in the evening, with bars along the promenade and live music.

A Side Trip to Old Arona

Just a 20-minute drive above the coast, the town of Arona feels like it belongs to another era: the church of San Antonio Abad, a shady village square with laurel trees, and simple bars where locals play cards. Nearby is Vilaflor, the highest village in the Canary Islands, surrounded by Canary pines, and the road to the moonscape of Paisaje Lunar.

Getting Around and Best Time to Visit

Tenerife South Airport (TFS) is only about 9 miles (15 km) away; buses and taxis take around 15 minutes. TITSA buses connect Arona with Santa Cruz and the mountain villages, and a rental car comes in handy for excursions into Teide National Park. If you like island hopping, the ferry to La Gomera takes about an hour. You hardly need to look for a best time to visit: southern Tenerife is warm and sunny all year, rain is rare, and winter is the high season. Only the calima, a hot, dusty wind from Africa, occasionally reduces visibility.