Welcome to the grand finale! This is officially the last post covering our 7-day road trip across Tenerife, and we are going out with an absolute mega-walk.
If you are just joining the adventure, we have been running an absolute marathon across this island. We kicked things off by braving the hairpins of Masca, Garachico, and Icod de los Vinos, before “speed-dating” Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna. We then survived the volcanic winds of Mount Teide, explored Vilaflor, and tracked down a hidden seaside “chiringuito”. On Day 5 we visited the Island of “La Gomera” and on Day 6 we tackled the massive cliffs of Los Gigantes, historical La Orotava, and Puerto de la Cruz.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog! It’s completely free, and it ensures you will never miss an update from our Tenerife road trip or our future travel adventures around the globe.
Today, we are putting our trusted rental car to rest and closing out this incredible week on foot, tackling a massive 10-kilometre coastal trek all the way from “Los Cristianos” Beach to “La Caleta” Beach entirely via the oceanfront promenade.
Below is a map showing the places we passed while walking via the promenade:
The Road Trip Blueprint: Wheels vs. Tour Guides
As you well know by now, our entire independent itinerary was made possible by a rental car booked through Discover Cars, which gave us the absolute freedom to conquer the island at our own pace.
However, if you want a vacation where you don’t have to lift a finger, let alone navigate foreign roundabouts, you can entirely leave the logistics to the professionals. You can easily book a fully organised excursion through TourRadar.
They offer a fantastic variety of curated itineraries designed to fit every budget and travel style, meaning your only real job is showing up.
Feel free to browse their incredible trips through my exclusive links. Even better, if you book using my special promo code RoseG50 at checkout, you will score a great discount on your next big adventure!
The Morning Launch and the Fairground Sabotage
Our final morning began at a civilised 9:00 AM. We locked up the flat and pointed our bumper toward Los Cristianos Beach. We confidently headed straight back to the exact same residential street where we had effortlessly won the parking lottery before our day trip to La Gomera. We assumed the parking gods would smile on us twice.
Spoiler alert: They absolutely did not.
As it turned out, a massive local fair had completely overtaken the area. The peaceful street we remembered was now a chaotic roadblock packed to the brim with vans, trucks, and a sea of cars. Refusing to admit defeat, we drove further and further out into the surrounding neighbourhoods until we finally secured a lone, empty space along the curb. Consider it an unprompted warm-up for the main event.
Los Cristianos to Playa de las Américas: The Shabby Start
Reunited with the pavement, we marched down to the start of the Los Cristianos promenade and officially began our 10 km coastal trek.
I will be entirely honest with you: the initial stretch of Los Cristianos didn’t exactly sweep us off our feet. The promenade is densely packed with beachfront bars and restaurants, but the vibe leaned heavily into the tacky and shabby side of tourism.
Let’s just say neither the establishments nor the clientele were going to win any glamorous holiday awards, so we kept our heads down and pushed onward.
Before long, we crossed the boundary into Playa de las Américas. Unfortunately, the scenery didn’t get the memo yet; it was pretty much the exact same cluster of loud bars, tourist menus, and crowded beachfront spaces. We kept our brisk pace, keeping our eyes firmly fixed on the horizon.
Costa Adeje: Trading Tacky for Sophisticated
The moment we stepped onto the beaches of Costa Adeje, the entire aesthetic shifted dramatically. It was like walking through an invisible portal into a completely different holiday universe.
The view started improving instantly. The chaotic storefronts melted away, replaced by beautiful, elegant coastal homes, pristine apartment buildings, and luxurious upscale hotels.
The contrast was night and day compared to the busy, low-standard front back at Los Cristianos. It was so incredibly nice that I even found myself thinking, “Yeah, I could definitely see myself staying here.”
Lunch with a View at “La Torre del Mirador”
By the time our coastal hike brought us past the high-end resorts, our stomachs began loudly protesting. Right on cue, we materialised outside a gorgeous restaurant called “La Torre del Mirador”. Famished and ready for a break, we decided to step inside and see if they could accommodate us.
Lady Luck stepped right back into our corner. Despite it being the height of the lunch rush, they handed us the absolute last available table in the house, and it happened to be right next to a massive open window looking directly out at the sea. It was an absolute triumph of a seating arrangement; we could lazily stare at the blue Atlantic waves and watch the endless parade of tourists strolling past on the promenade below.
To kick things off, we ordered a chilled, refreshing bowl of “gazpacho” to beat the midday warmth. For the main course, we selected a beautiful, fresh-caught whole fish chosen directly from their glittering refrigerated display table, which the kitchen grilled to absolute perfection. The food was beautifully simple, exceptionally fresh, and utterly delicious. It was the ultimate, laid-back culinary reward for our 10 km ambitions.
Finishing the Trek: Live Music and Sunset Dinners
Reaching La Caleta and Finding the Vibe
While our lunch at “La Torre del Mirador” certainly wasn’t cheap, the impeccable service, spectacular food, and front-row ocean views were worth every single euro.
With our energy fully restored, we hit the pavement again and finished the final stretch of our walk up to La Caleta Beach. Arriving in La Caleta felt like hitting the jackpot. The village has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, and we immediately snagged an outdoor table at a fantastic restaurant and bar called “El Caldero”.
We ordered a round of drinks, sat back, and spent a glorious hour people-watching while a brilliant live singer performed right on the promenade. It was an incredibly nice spot; the food passing by looked so good that if we hadn’t already gorged ourselves at lunch, we absolutely would have eaten dinner there.
Once our drinks were finished, we reluctantly stood up and trekked over to the local bus stop to catch a ride back to our car in Los Cristianos.
If you genuinely love walking, this continuous coastal route is an absolute must-do itinerary item when you are in Tenerife. It’s scenic, beautifully paved, and lets you experience the changing personalities of the coast firsthand.
If you are up to a Jet ski Guided tour to discover the coastline in the company of a professional guide book THIS TOUR for a thrilling experience in the waves.
Last-Night Realities: Packing and a Pleasant Surprise
After a quick bus ride and a reunion with our rental car, we made the easy drive back to Playa Paraíso. Because our return flight to the UK was scheduled for early the next morning, we spent the late afternoon in the flat frantically packing, organising our luggage, and ensuring everything was ready for a swift departure.
With the chores sorted, we headed downstairs for our final holiday dinner. This time, we decided to try a spot located directly below our apartment building called the “Roca Negra Sunset Club”.
To be completely honest, we had actively avoided this place all week because their menu focuses heavily on hamburgers, pizzas, and pasta, and we had been fiercely determined to stick to authentic Spanish food. But on our final night, laziness won, and we decided to give it a try.
Spoiler alert: It completely blew us away.
We started with a portion of stuffed olives that were uniquely prepared in a way I had never seen or tried before, and they were absolutely delicious. For the main event, my husband ordered a pizza while I went for a classic hamburger. Both dishes were exceptionally good, making for a surprisingly satisfying final dinner. Full and happy, we headed back up to the flat for an early night to guarantee we were well-rested for the morning flight.
CONCLUSION: Is it Worth Visiting Tenerife in Winter?
As I confessed all the way back in my Day 1 post, I originally arrived on the island carrying quite a bit of prejudice. I foolishly thought Tenerife was strictly an island for the young, rowdy crowd eager to party all night long, or for people who simply wanted to sit around a resort swimming pool for seven days straight. I genuinely believed there was nothing much to do other than stay in a busy, tourist-heavy place with very few options to explore.
But after spending an entire week driving across the island, my opinion has changed drastically. We absolutely loved our base of accommodation, the dramatic mountain visits, the exceptional local food, and the sheer variety of landscapes the island has to offer.
Tenerife is so much more than its party-town stereotypes. Whether you are hunting for ancient colonial architecture, misty prehistoric forests, volcanic craters, or hidden beach bars, this island is a winter paradise that genuinely offers something for everyone. And the weather in January was absolutely fantastic.
To help you plan your own escape, here is my definitive breakdown of the trip’s highs, lows, and ultimate superlatives:
The Pros
- Scenery: The landscapes are absolutely stunning and blew my initial expectations completely out of the water.
- Food: We enjoyed exceptionally delicious meals in almost every single establishment we stepped into.
- Navigation: It is an incredibly easy island to navigate. The motorways and main roads are impeccably well-maintained, making it a breeze to explore from coast to coast.
If you want to take a tour to watch the dolphins and whales as well, there is an Eco-friendly tour that leaves from Los Cristianos and lasts 1.5 hours. Book this tour HERE.
The Cons
- Parking Wars: Finding a spot close to the historic town centres can be a nightmare. We visited in January when the tourist crowds were relatively low, and it was still a massive struggle to park in certain areas. I can only imagine the psychological thriller that is parking during the height of summer. If you plan to drive as we did, be prepared for a challenge.
The Superlatives: The Best & The Worst
- Best Town: La Orotava
We absolutely fell in love with this place. It was hands-down our favourite town on the entire island, and you absolutely must include it on your itinerary. - Worst Town: Puerto de la Cruz
Even if we look past the legendary parking heist we had to endure, the town simply failed to give us any sparks. Compared to the other vibrant destinations on the island, it just sat on a much lower grade for us. - Best Restaurant: Picamar (Costa Adeje)
While we had a few close contenders, including the spectacular La Torre del Mirador and our trusted Meson Bistro below the flat (where we dined a whopping three times!), Picamar takes the ultimate crown. - Worst Restaurant: Downtown Sushi
To be completely fair, we didn’t have a single genuinely bad dining experience on this entire trip. However, this Japanese spot below our flat left us a bit underwhelmed. The food wasn’t bad; it just didn’t quite hit the spot.
Overall Conclusion: 9 out of 10
- Tenerife confidently earns a 9 out of 10 from me. It was a lovely, eye-opening trip that completely shattered my old perceptions of the island. I would absolutely love to return without a shadow of a doubt. If you choose your home base wisely and plan your daily routes well, you are guaranteed to have a phenomenal time in Tenerife, just like we did!
And with that, our Tenerife road trip series officially draws to a close!
Next week, we are trading the Canary Islands for South American sunshine as I kick off a brand-new series about my trip to Brazil back in April. I’ll be taking you through the hidden gem of Cunha (São Paulo), the historic coastal charm of Paraty (Rio de Janeiro), the island paradise of Ilhabela (São Paulo), and finishing up in the vibrant city of Curitiba (Paraná).
Make sure to subscribe to the blog and keep tuned so you don’t miss a single post from our next big adventure!
I hope this series on Tenerife will help decide where to go in Tenerife and help with your own travel plannings.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in that area of Tenerife. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO
ATTRACTIONS
1 – The 10 km walk from Los Cristianos to La Caleta – ***
2 – Los Cristianos – *
3 – Playa de La Americas – *
4 – Costa Adeje – ***
5 – La Caleta – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION
1 – Mediterranean Palace – Playa de las Americas – 5* -£££
2 – Boutique Hotel H10 Big Sur – Los Cristianos – 4* – £££
3 – H10 Costa Adeje Palace – La Caleta – 4* – £££
4 – Royal Hideaway Corales Villas – Adeje – 5* – £££
5 – Costa Adeje Apartment – Adeje – 3* – ££
6 – Sissy Studio – Adeje – 3* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
I use affiliate links such as the links above for Booking.com, Get your Guide, Viator and others. It means that if you use any of my links to make a booking, I will get a small commission from the partners I’m affiliated with without any additional cost to you. Please, use the links provided when making a booking, this is a way of supporting blogs like this so we can continue writing informative and interesting posts. I’m very thankful for that.
BEST PLACES TO EAT
RESTAURANTS
1 – La Medusa – Arona – ££
2 – Sal Negra – Los Cristianos – ££
3 – Restaurante Garibaldi – Playa de las Americas – £££
4 – Almar Tenerife – Costa Adeje – £££
5 – Bistro Mar & Montaña – Costa Adeje – ££
6 – La Torre del Mirador – Costa Adeje – £££
We only tried the ones in bold , the others are the result of my researches and ones that I would like to try. If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
Leave a Reply