8-Day Tenerife Self-Drive Review: North & South Road Trip Guide 2025

So, you are thinking about an escape, right? I mean, a real escape where the plan is just a suggestion and the open road is your actual guide. That, to be honest, is exactly what a self-drive trip through Tenerife feels like. It’s arguably more than just a holiday; it’s an experience that puts you right in the driver’s seat, quite literally. You know, you get to see the island’s stunning personality shift from the green, misty corners of the north to the sun-drenched coastlines of the south. We recently did this exact eight-day trip, and frankly, it changed our whole perspective on what this Canary Island has to offer. At the end of the day, it’s about the freedom to pull over whenever a view grabs you, to get lost on a tiny mountain road, or to spend an extra hour at a beach you’ve fallen for. This is pretty much our story and some pointers from that unforgettable drive.

Getting Started: Your Car and First Feelings of the North

Okay, so your plane touches down at Tenerife North Airport (TFN), and the air just feels different, you know? It’s kind of fresher, a little more humid, with a smell of green things growing. Picking up the hire car was, frankly, a pretty smooth process for us. Our tip is to sort your car out well in advance, as a matter of fact, because you definitely get better choices and prices. We picked a slightly smaller car, and honestly, that turned out to be a brilliant move. The streets in the old towns like La Laguna are very narrow, so a compact vehicle just makes life a lot simpler. That first drive away from the airport, with the windows down, is a moment you really should savor. You are almost immediately hit with these amazing views of rolling hills, and the sense of freedom is, like, instant.

For your first couple of nights, basing yourself near San Cristóbal de La Laguna is a great idea. Seriously, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and the whole town feels like a living museum, but in a very cool way. We just spent our first afternoon walking around, checking out the colorful colonial buildings and stopping for coffee in one of the many plazas. You get a real feeling for the island’s history here, completely different from the tourist spots in the south. You can really get a sense of local life; we saw families out for a walk and students from the local university chatting in cafes. You might be surprised to find that the authentic atmosphere here is arguably one of the island’s biggest draws. In that case, it sets a perfect, calm tone for the beginning of your adventure.

Dipping into the Anaga Rural Park

Basically, on day two, you should point your car towards the Anaga Rural Park. The drive itself is an attraction, you know. The road twists and turns, climbing up into the mountains through ancient laurel forests that look like something out of a fairy tale. I mean, the air gets cooler and you’ll find yourself driving through the clouds, literally. It’s incredibly atmospheric. We recommend you stop at the Cruz del Carmen viewpoint; the views from up there are just stunning, and it gives you a real lay of the land. There are a few short walking trails starting from there, so it’s a good spot to stretch your legs. This part of your trip, in a way, feels like finding a secret part of the world.

Frankly, packing a picnic for this day is a top-tier move. There aren’t many places to eat once you get deep into the park, and finding a quiet spot to eat with those views is pretty much unbeatable. We continued on the winding TF-12 road down to the tiny hamlet of Taganana, right on the coast. The dark sand beaches there, like Playa de Roque de las Bodegas, are wild and really beautiful. Honestly, seeing the powerful Atlantic waves crash against the rocks is something else. You should check out some of the local seafood restaurants there for an early dinner; the freshness of the catch is just unbelievable. Then, that drive back up the mountain as the sun starts to set is, well, pretty much a perfect end to the day.

The Heart of the Island: Teide National Park

Naturally, no trip to Tenerife is whole without a visit to Teide National Park. It’s the whole centerpiece of the island. Leaving the green north behind is a really striking change. The landscape slowly morphs from green forests to pine woodlands, and then, almost suddenly, you’re in a completely different world. It’s this wild, volcanic moonscape that is just awe-inspiring. Actually, the drive up from La Orotava on the TF-21 is our recommended route. It’s a fairly gradual climb and the views that open up behind you, looking back over the Orotava Valley and the ocean, are just incredible. You’ll want to stop the car every five minutes for a picture, seriously.

I mean, a small tip from us: bring layers of clothing. Seriously. You can start the day in a t-shirt on the coast and need a proper jacket by the time you reach the base of Teide. The temperature change is no joke, you know.

Spending the night in the park is an experience we can’t recommend enough, honestly. We stayed at the Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide, which is the only hotel inside the national park boundaries. This is because staying there lets you experience the park after all the day-trippers have gone home. The silence is profound, almost total. And the sky… well, at night, it’s just something else. Tenerife is one of the best places in the world for stargazing, and being up there, far from any city lights, is why. You don’t need a telescope, you know; you can just look up and see the Milky Way so clearly. Exploring the cosmos from this vantage point is an experience that stays with you.

Exploring the Volcanic Caldera

Basically, your fourth day should be all about getting up close with the park’s strange geology. Waking up inside the caldera is, frankly, a bit surreal. The first light hits the top of Mount Teide and the colors of the rocks around you seem to change by the minute. It’s pretty magical. We took the cable car up towards the summit of Teide first thing in the morning to beat the crowds. You do need to book your tickets and the summit permit (if you want to go to the very top) way, way in advance, as a matter of fact. The air is pretty thin up there, but the panoramic view of Tenerife and the other Canary Islands on a clear day is a sight you won’t forget. It’s a bit of an effort, but at the end of the day, it’s totally worth it.

After coming back down, we spent the rest of the day driving around and doing a few short hikes. The Roques de García trail is a really popular one, and for good reason. It’s a relatively easy loop walk that takes you right around these bizarre rock formations, including the famous Roque Cinchado. It feels like you’re walking on Mars, honestly. We also drove out to the Samara trail, which is a bit quieter and offers some incredible views towards the coast. You really get a sense of the volcano’s power here. You could spend days exploring this area, and finding your own quiet corner of the park is really special. For example, finding a spot for a picnic with a killer view is just a fantastic part of the self-drive freedom.

Coastal Contrasts: From Garachico to Los Gigantes

Alright, so day five is for a really spectacular coastal drive. Leaving Teide behind and heading down towards the northwest coast is another one of those dramatic shifts in scenery. The TF-38 and then the TF-82 roads wind their way down from the highlands, and the temperature starts to climb again. Our first major stop was the town of Garachico. Now, this place has a really interesting story. It used to be the island’s main port until a volcanic eruption in 1706 buried a large part of the town in lava. Instead of being a total disaster, though, the lava flows created these amazing natural swimming pools, El Caletón, which are now the town’s main attraction. It’s a pretty cool story of resilience, you know.

We spent a couple of hours just walking around Garachico. It’s a really charming place, with cobbled streets and lovely old buildings that survived the eruption. You can really feel the history. Then, we headed down for a swim in the rock pools. The water is so clear and it feels amazing, especially on a warm day. Frankly, it’s a much more unique experience than just swimming at a normal beach. You might find that these natural attractions are incredibly memorable. Afterwards, we had lunch at a little restaurant overlooking the pools, which was just perfect.

The Majestic Cliffs of the Giants

Anyway, from Garachico, we continued our drive south along the stunning coastline towards Los Gigantes. This stretch of road, especially around the Masca Valley viewpoint, is just incredible. Be warned, the road down to Masca village itself is extremely winding and narrow, so it’s not for the faint of heart, but the views are just spectacular. Honestly, it’s one of the most famous drives on the island for a reason. You are literally clinging to the side of these massive gorges. As a matter of fact, it feels a world away from the busy south.

Eventually, you arrive in the town of Los Gigantes, and you’ll see right away how it gets its name. The cliffs, ‘The Giants’, are absolutely enormous, plunging vertically into the sea from heights of up to 800 meters. It’s a very humbling sight, to be honest. The town itself is a resort, but it’s a bit more laid-back than some of the others in the south. We checked into our hotel here for the night and spent the evening just staring at the cliffs as the sun went down, casting this amazing golden light on them. Many visitors choose to take a boat trip from the marina to really appreciate the scale of the cliffs from the water and maybe spot some dolphins or pilot whales.

Soaking Up the Sun: The Best of Tenerife’s South

Okay, so your last few days are basically about embracing the sunshine of the south. This part of the island is what most people think of when they picture Tenerife: golden beaches, blue skies, and lots of activity. The drive from Los Gigantes along the TF-1 motorway is quick and easy, which is a nice change after all the mountain roads. You can really see the landscape dry out, becoming more arid and desert-like. Our base for these two nights was near Costa Adeje, which is a bit more upmarket than its neighbors, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. It has some really nice beaches, like Playa del Duque, which has golden sand and very calm water. It’s pretty much the perfect spot to just relax and unwind for a bit.

But the south isn’t just about sunbathing, you know. We used our car to explore a bit beyond the main resorts. For example, we took a short drive up to the little town of Adeje itself, away from the coast. It’s a very typical Canarian town and has a great trail called the Barranco del Infierno, or ‘Hell’s Gorge’. You have to book this walk online in advance because they limit the number of people per day to protect the area. It’s a really beautiful walk along a stream, leading to a waterfall at the end. It’s a great way to see a different side of the south. Exploring spots like these shows you that even in the most popular areas, there are still unique adventures to be found if you have a car.

A Touch of Southern Charm and Seaside Fun

Seriously, on day seven, we decided to check out some of the other coastal spots. We drove over to the village of La Caleta, which is right next to Costa Adeje but feels a world away. It’s a sleepy little fishing village with some of the best seafood restaurants on the whole island, you know. We just sat by the harbor, watched the boats, and had an amazing lunch of fresh fish and Canarian potatoes with mojo sauce. It’s that kind of simple pleasure that makes a self-drive trip so special. You can just decide on a whim to go somewhere different. Frankly, these small, authentic places are often the highlights.

In the afternoon, for a bit of fun, we headed over to Siam Park, which is often called the best water park in the world. And honestly, it probably is. The whole place is Thai-themed and the rides are absolutely incredible, from super-fast slides to a lazy river that lets you just float around. It’s a lot of fun, not just for kids, but for adults too. At the end of the day, it was a completely different kind of experience from hiking in Anaga or stargazing on Teide, and it just showed us how much variety this island really has. Whether you want an active day or just want to chill, you’ll find something that fits your mood perfectly.

Winding Down: A Final Day of Discovery

Finally, it’s your last day. It’s almost always a little bit sad, right? Depending on your flight time, you still have some opportunities for a last bit of exploring. Our flight was out of Tenerife South Airport (TFS) in the evening, so we had most of the day. We decided to drive east along the coast to the town of El Médano. It’s a really cool, bohemian kind of place that’s famous for windsurfing and kitesurfing because it’s pretty much always windy there. The vibe is very laid-back and chilled out. We just loved watching all the colorful kites out on the water. It’s a pretty mesmerizing sight.

We had our final Canarian lunch at a beachfront cafe in El Médano, just soaking in the atmosphere. There’s a really lovely wooden boardwalk that goes along the beach, and it’s perfect for a final stroll. It’s not a polished resort town, you know, it feels a bit more rugged and real. It was a really nice, low-key way to end the trip. Finding these authentic little spots is what a road trip is all about, and it’s a perfect example of why having your own car is the best way to see this island. For a final taste of the island, a stop here is arguably the perfect farewell before you have to head to the airport.