Tenerife — Overview

About Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands archipelago, covering an area of 2,034 km² and home to approximately 920,000 inhabitants — roughly 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. The capital city is Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which shares the title of capital of the autonomous community with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The island is dominated by Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak at 3,718 metres above sea level. Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, is the most visited national park in Europe with over 4 million visitors annually. The island features dramatic volcanic landscapes, from the lunar-like terrain of Las Cañadas del Teide to the lush laurel forests of the Anaga Rural Park in the northeast, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2015.

Tenerife offers diverse microclimates: the north is green and humid with frequent rainfall, while the south enjoys warm, dry sunshine year-round. Average temperatures range from 18°C in winter to 28°C in summer, earning it the nickname "Island of Eternal Spring."

The island has two airports: Tenerife South Airport (TFS) in Granadilla de Abona, handling the majority of international flights, and Tenerife North Airport (TFN) in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, mainly serving inter-island and domestic routes.