Playa de las Teresitas
The best swimming beach on Tenerife (most others are black volcanic sand). Go on a weekday. Eat fresh fish in San Andrés after.
Tenerife's only golden-sand beach — 1.5km of Saharan sand shipped in to a sheltered bay near San Andrés, with palm trees and calm water.
At a Glance
- — You're staying in the south of the island
Bright, wind-whipped Saharan sand creates a jarring, beautiful contrast against the dark, jagged volcanic cliffs that loom over this sheltered bay near San Andrés. The water is impossibly turquoise and calm, buffered by an offshore barrier that makes the surf gentle enough for a leisurely, long-distance swim. Tall, rustling palms line the golden expanse, offering a rare, tropical-looking sanctuary on an island otherwise defined by its rugged, black-sand coastline and aggressive, basalt-heavy geology.
How it got here
Development of this stretch of coast began in the 1970s with the intent to provide a primary recreational space for the nearby capital of Santa Cruz. Engineers imported large quantities of golden sand from the Sahara Desert to replace the original dark volcanic stones. This project transformed the bay into a shallow, protected anchorage and altered the local shoreline for public use. The engineering works established a breakwater to prevent heavy Atlantic swells from reaching the shore, a modification that defines the current shape of the bay and allows for year-round swimming in an environment that otherwise lacks natural protected beaches.
Where it sits
The Anaga mountains rise abruptly behind the coast, presenting a terrain of sheer basalt cliffs and deep ravines covered in dense laurel forests. This shoreline sits at the eastern base of the Macizo de Anaga, a geological formation that predates much of the surrounding island. The road from the capital winds along the rugged northern coast, following the edge of the mountains before the topography opens into the bay. Summer heat lingers on the white sand, while winter winds occasionally push clouds against the high ridges above, cooling the air and shifting the light over the water.
What to eat and drink
The nearby village of San Andrés serves local fresh fish caught daily by artisanal boats. Order vieja, a parrotfish known for its delicate white meat, usually prepared with papas arrugadas, small potatoes boiled in heavily salted water until their skins wrinkle. These potatoes arrive with mojo, a vibrant sauce made from garlic, oil, vinegar, and either red picon peppers or green cilantro. Wash these dishes down with a glass of crisp white wine produced from grapes grown in the volcanic soils of the northern slopes of the island.
Canary Islands: the whole region
Eight islands, four of them worth a trip and each one a different landscape: Tenerife with the highest mountain in Spain, Gran Canaria with its green interior and dunes, Lanzarote with lava fields and a landscape designed around them, and…
Minimum 7 days · better 10-12 days · deep 2 weeks
Pair It With
In Canary Islands
In Canary Islands
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Experiences worth booking ahead
- 3-hour Whale and Dolphin Watching and Listening Tour4.9 (944)3 hrsFrom €36
- Tenerife Whale and Dolphin Watching and Swim Stop4.8 (810)2 hrsFrom €28
- Tenerife: Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise & Swim, Los Cristianos4.7 (358)1.8 hrsFrom €25
- Tenerife Ecoyacht Tour for Whale Watching4.6 (1,730)1.8 hrsFrom €30
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