car hire Tenerife

The biggest of the seven Canary Islands, Tenerife is situated off the coast of Africa. The island made a name for itself in the early years through the harvesting of sugarcane, bananas, and grapes for wine. Tenerife fended off two major attacks by British forces, which later gave way to far kinder invaders: naturalists, travellers, and tourists from all over the globe.

The island’s various resorts are home to a plethora of shops, where travellers can buy luxury items such as perfume and jewelry. A short drive to one of the larger shopping centres near the city of Santa Cruz (Las Chumberas and Continente are two of them) might be worth the effort if you’re in search of bargains.

The southern part of Tenerife draws the most visitors, due to its consistently warm and dry conditions. Hot spots in the south for tourists include both Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos. The island is more lush and damp in the north, and plenty of tourist-related development has taken place there in recent years. To take in this different microclimate, you might consider a drive north to Puerto de la Cruz. Tenerife’s larger towns are linked by a motorway that loops around the island.

Mount Teide, a volcanic mountain nearly 4,000 metres high (the highest point on Spanish territory), juts out majestically from the centre of the island. It’s surrounded by Las Cañadas, a stunning, barren expanse covered in winding patterns left by former lava flows.

If you’ve logged enough relaxing beach time on your holiday, the waters around Tenerife also offer more active pursuits, such as surfing, diving, and deep-sea fishing. And if you venture into the area’s spectacular mountains, you’ll find terrain ideal for biking, hiking, and climbing. You can also hit the links for a round or two of golf at one of the island’s six courses. The low-key island of La Gomera is another off-the-beaten-path attraction.

You can pick up your rental car at Tenerife South Airport (also known as Reina Sofia), where several car hire companies are conveniently represented.