Where is Tenerife? And where exactly are the Canary Islands in general? Apart from this question, potential holidaymakers typically have plenty more on their minds before setting off. They’re looking for guaranteed sunshine, active holidays and the best beaches. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the island(s) and your holiday in the Canary Islands.
Where is Tenerife?
Tenerife is a volcanic island. It lies in the Atlantic Ocean, around 1,300 kilometres south-west of the Spanish mainland and about 250 kilometres west of the African Sahara. Geographically, the Canary Islands belong to Africa; politically, following their conquest in 1483, they have belonged to Spain and are therefore part of Europe. The archipelago lies considerably closer to the equator than mainland Europe. This means it enjoys a mild climate all year round, making it the perfect destination for sun-seeking tourists.
Map of the Canary Islands
Many of our readers have asked for a map of Tenerife showing the best beaches marked directly on it. You can find it here:
You can find more beaches in the Canary Islands in our travel guide!
What are the best hotels in the Canary Islands?
You can find our regularly updated hotel deals with great travel bargains for Tenerife here.
Are there cheap flights to the Canary Islands and Tenerife?
You can also find cheap flights to Tenerife via the link right here.
Which sea do the Canary Islands lie on?
The Canary Islands – namely Tenerife, Gran Canaria Fuerteventura and others – are situated in the Atlantic Ocean. Just a few hundred kilometres of the Atlantic Ocean separate the Canary Islands from the Sahara Desert in Africa to the west.
What are the best beaches on Tenerife?
Teresitas Beach is undoubtedly the best-known beach on Tenerife. But there are plenty of other beaches too. You can find an overview of the most beautiful beaches on Tenerife here on our site:
What can I do in the Canary Islands?
Among other things, we recommend the following pages here on our site:
- Sights in Tenerife
- Towns on Tenerife
- Excursions in Tenerife
- Amusement parks on Tenerife
- Active holidays in Tenerife
- Hiking on Tenerife
Is there a time difference?
Clocks run differently in Tenerife. This also applies to the time difference. It is one hour earlier in the Canary Islands. The time zone for the Canary Islands – and therefore also for Tenerife – is WEST.
How many people live in Tenerife?
The volcanic island is home to just under a million inhabitants – and the figure is rising. This makes Tenerife the most populous island in Spain. Together with Gran Canaria, Tenerife is one of the most popular islands in the Canary Islands. It is also the main island of the western province of the Canary Islands, named after its capital.
What are the inhabitants called?
The inhabitants of Tenerife are called Tinerfeños. The inhabitants of the Canary Islands are known as Kanarios. They are all descendants of the Guanches, the indigenous people of the Canary Islands. How the Guanches came to the Canary Islands remains a matter of speculation to this day. There is no concrete evidence or reliable information on this subject.
How old are the Canary Islands?
According to geological calculations, Tenerife was formed around twelve million years ago. Volcanic activity gave rise to the Canary Islands archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The fact that volcanic activity continues even after many millions of years is demonstrated by the most recent documented eruptions in 1706, 1798 and 1909. Furthermore, a volcano on the neighbouring island of La Palma recently erupted at Cumbre Vieja.
How big is Tenerife?
Tenerife covers an area of more than 2,000 square kilometres. The island is home to Spain’s highest mountain, the Mount Teide. However, the Anaga and Teno mountain ranges in the north-east and north-west of Tenerife, as well as small parts of the south, are considered to be the geologically older parts of the island.
What is the weather like in the Canary Islands?
In the south of most of the Canary Islands, sunshine is virtually guaranteed. There, the sun literally transforms the landscape into a lunar landscape. In the north, by contrast, Tenerife boasts a particularly diverse range of flora and fauna thanks to a trade wind cloud. You can find more information on this here in our overview of the Tenerife climate and here in the latest Tenerife weather.
How do I get to the Canary Islands?
The Canary Islands can be reached by plane or by boat. The islands have numerous airports; Tenerife even has two: Tenerife North Airport and Tenerife South Airport. The capital is Santa Cruz. The large cruise port is also located there. Santa Cruz is, along with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, one of the two capitals of the entire Canary Islands region.
Find out here what you can and should experience on your holiday!
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