Why visit Tenerife and Spain? The view from Punta de Teno is amazing, as you get to see the cliffs of Los Gigantes from the other side. You can’t visit the lighthouse unfortunately, but the view is enough to worth the drive there.There is also a small and pebbly beach there and when the ocean is calm you can swim here while enjoying the sight of the Acantilados Los Gigantes. If you have a car hire, you must know that only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays you can go all the way to the lighthouse with your own car. During the rest of the week you must park the car and take a public bus, as the access on the road to Teno is closed, because it would get too crowded and there aren’t enough places where to park. See additional info on Tenerife Forum.

Stargazing in Teide National Park is one of the best free things to do in Tenerife. 83 of the 88 officially recognised constellations can be seen from the park. You can go it alone or hire an astronomer to explain the constellations – our guide, José from Star Excursions, was so entertaining and he even arranged for the space station to pass by during our talk (ha). I learned that due to its lack of light pollution around the island’s volcanic peaks, Tenerife is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. In order to protect its status, it’s actually illegal to fly through Tenerife’s airspace between sunset and sunrise. If you’re looking for romantic things to do for couples in Tenerife, just look up!

Mount Teide National Park is a World Heritage Site and home to Mount Teide, a volcano and the highest mountain peak in Spain at 3718m above sea level. You can hike or take a cable car to the base of the final cone summit, where you will enjoy the breathtaking views of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Palma. If you want to head to the top of the summit you will need to get a permit in advance. The Teide Observatory is on Mount Teide at an altitude of 2400m above sea level. It is the world’s largest solar observatory and has an ideal location to observe the sun or night sky. Guided tours of the observatory are available.

If you’re interested in more unusual attractions in Tenerife, I recommend a visit to Chinamada which is a tiny hamlet in the north of Tenerife’s Anaga mountain range. Chinamada is home to a ‘troglodyte community’ who live in a group of around 30 modernised cave houses. Two thirds of these cave homes are underground but they’re not as primitive as they once were. Don’t be surprised to see a satellite TV dish protruding from one or two – the hamlet got its first electricity supply in the 1990s. The surrounding landscape is filled with potato fields, though few of the residents live solely off the land these days.

Tenerife is a great place if extreme and active sports are your thing. A sea kayaking or a canoeing trip is a great alternative to discover the island and its coastal parts. Don’t be scared of embarking on such extreme activities, since all trips are done with the help of a professional canyoning guide, who will guide you through this unique and majestic experience.