Tenerife offers numerous possible sailing itineraries, giving you the chance to enjoy the great sailing conditions, top class marinas and top anchorage spots. The weather conditions are perfectly suited to all sailing skills thanks to the North-Easterly trade winds associated with the anticyclonic Azores.

Arriving in Tenerife

If you are not owning a boat and want to charter one in Tenerife, the easiest way to reach the island is by plane, so the initial destination should be Aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur (Tenerife South Airport) with regular flights from almost any major city in Europe.

In Tenerife there are multiple marinas where you can find good deals to rent a boat. The marinas in Mallorca offer premium amenities and we recommend the following:

• Marina San Miguel (the closest to the airport)
• Marina South

Weather in Tenerife

The weather is perfect, that is why Tenerife has earned the reputation of being one of the best year-round holiday hotspots. The sun shines for more days of the year here than most other places in the world - just one of the reasons tourists visit it from January to December.

The trade winds, together with the refreshing Gulf air currents, are the major weather factors that contribute to the climate. The minimum and maximum annual average temperatures in Tenerife are about 15 °C (59 °F) in winter and 24 °C (75 °F) in summer.

The best time to sail in Tenerife is between June and October, when the prevailing North winds are most reliable. Southwesterlies and calms can be encountered in the spring and late summer. Between December and March, the winds are more variable in direction and strength. In the trade wind belt, the prevailing wind direction is NE all year round, reaching its peak in power in July and August. Currents are around Force 3-4, getting stronger in the wind acceleration zones (WAZ). For those new to sailing, you should always check the WAZ before sailing in new and unfamiliar waters.

The particularity about sailing BETWEEN the Canary Islands are the wind acceleration zones to the SE and the SW of all islands, but especially developing close to the higher islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The idea is that winds can increase from 5kn in lee of the islands to 25kn, or more, once you reach the wind acceleration zone, so you need to be prepared to reef the sails.

Explore Tenerife

Maybe one week is not enough to sail around Tenerife and also visit this amazing island, because circling the island by boat means that you have to sail around 120 nautical miles. Depending on your sailing itinerary, we recommend visiting the following landmarks:

1. Visit Teide National Park
2. Admire Los Gigantes Cliffs from the sea
3. Visit Siam Park
4. Loro Parque
5. Jungle Park
6. Masca, the hidden village
7. Parque Rural de Teno
8. Garachico, the most charming town in Tenerife
9. Visit San Cristobal de la Laguna
10. Explore Santa Cruz de Tenerife

1. Visit Teide National Park

Teide Volcano is a must see while in Tenerife, and if you want to climb the Mount Teide, the best recommendation is to have proper hiking gear, and also a wind jacket, because no matter of the time of the year, it can be windy.

Before starting the hike, don’t remember to buy a permit, in order to visit the Teide national park.

If you prefer, you can also book a guided tour to Mount Teide.

There is also an option to go up by the cable car, which takes you up to 3555 metres, that’s almost to the summit, and you can explore from there. You can book a ticket from here.

2. Admire Los Gigantes Cliffs from the sea

While sailing the Western part of the island, don’t miss the chance to see the cliffs in Los Gigantes.

On the way to the cliffs keep an eye for dolphins and whales, because this area is renowned for watching marine life. Close by, you’ll find Puerto de los Gigantes, a good marina offering good amenities and services, and also good shelter. We strongly recommend to have a spot here and also explore the town.

We know you saw hundreds of sunsets from your boat, but for a memorable sunset you should go to Mirador de Archipenque, the perfect spot to watch the sunset, for the lovely view over La Gomera, the island West to Tenerife.

3. Visit Siam Park

The amazing Siam Park is well known as one of the best water parks in the world. The Park can be visited all year round, because all pools are heated to 24 degrees Celsius, and offers activities for everybody, from relaxing ones, to family activities and up to adrenalin activities. During summer time the park can be really crowded, so we suggest buying tickets in advance.

4. Loro Parque

Founded on the 17th of December 1972, Loro Parque was initially created as a paradise for parrots, and began its exhibitions with only 150 parrots and a space of 13.000 square meters. After a history of many challenges and huge improvements, Loro Parque has become one of the most respected zoological institutions in the world, both for its beauty, the excellence of its facilities and absolute respect for nature.

The excellence, the quality of its facilities and its environmental commitment have led the park into becoming the Best Zoo in the World.

Tickets can also be booked directly from Loro Parque website.

5. Jungle Park

The jungle Park is another animal park in Tenerife, located in the South, in the proximity of Los Cristianos. If you plan to sail in the South of Tenerife, the closest marina is Puerto de Los Cristianos.

The Park will give you the feeling of a jungle in some areas, with its luxurious vegetation and colourful flowers. Some of the top attractions in the park are: the birds of prey, the exotic birds, the sea lions and the penguins. If you prefer to book the tickets online, there are great deals for friends pack and family pack.

6. Masca, the hidden village

Masca is a scenic village, settled deep inland and is well known from ancient times, being the hiding spot for the locals when they were attacked by pirates. To get here, the best way is to rent a car and arrive here as early as possible, because during summer months it gets really crowded. The views from up here are truly breath-taking and the best way to enjoy them is to relax, have a drink and local food at one of the restaurants in this village.

7. Parque Rural de Teno

If you choose to sail on the Western part of Tenerife and go North you should see at some point the Lighthouse at Punta de Teno, located in Parque Rural Teno, one of Tenerife's most beautiful nature areas which has preserved much of its ecological, scenic and cultural wealth, largely thanks to its isolated position. The variety of its landscapes has it all, from magnificent cliffs, valleys, islands and laurel forests to amazing pieces of traditional Spanish architecture.

The lighthouse is one of the 7 lighthouses around Tenerife and it’s still in service, however it cannot be visited, but it can be admired both from the land and sea.

8. Garachico, the most charming town in Tenerife

Garachico is a small town on the Northern side of Tenerife, and you can find a berth in Marina Garachico.

The narrow streets, the great ice cream and the natural pools will just delight your stay here in Garachico. The natural pools are a huge Tenerife attraction during summer and they are popular not only for tourists, but for locals as well.

Another attraction in this town is the San Miguel Castle, where you can enter the magical world of knights and the Round Table, enjoy a medieval banquet while witnessing the knights tournaments.

9. Visit San Cristobal de la Laguna

The town of San Cristobal de la Laguna is located in the Northern part of the island and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The starting point for exploring the city should be Plazza del Adelantado, because many of the town’s landmarks and restaurants can be found here.

Close to the plaza, you can find the City Hall, which used to be the headquarters of Cabildo de Tenerife, and also Santa Catalina Monastery, established in 1611 featuring art exhibitions and a museum off the courtyard with historical objects.

For kids will be very interesting to see the Museum of Science and the Cosmos, where they can discover the importance of science, making use of all available means, especially interactivity and experimentation in multidisciplinary environments that enhance the recreational aspects and perception and analysis of reality, with real objects but also with multimedia tools.

10. Explore Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Last but not least, you should also visit the island’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, often overlooked by tourists, but very popular during the carnival. The carnival is the second largest in the world, after the one in Rio de Janeiro, and an explosion of colour and joy. Each year the carnival has a new theme and people dance and party on the streets.

If you are staying in Marina Santa Cruz and want to discover the city, then you should start from the Calle del Castillo, the main pedestrian street, where you can find lots of shops, restaurants and beautiful buildings.

Close to the marina you can also visit for free the Castillo de San Cristobal, a good opportunity to learn more about the island and its history.

Another free to visit place is the Historical Military Museum, where you can discover the exhibitions of arms and uniforms, and learn more about the conquest of Tenerife.

Timetable:

• Address: C / 2 San Isidro, 38001 - Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Visiting hours: Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00

The biggest of the Canary Islands is one of the most important tourist destinations in Europe for those who love warm weather, sailing, hikes, vibrant nightlife, marine life, spectacular volcanic scenery, beaches and mountains. Tenerife has something for everybody and it just makes the perfect destination for your next holiday.