Tenerife is the island where a hire car goes from being a comfort to being almost essential. Public transport covers the southern tourist zones and the northern cities well enough, but the island's most spectacular landscapes — Teide, Masca, Anaga, Punta de Teno — are only accessible with your own vehicle. This guide covers everything you need to know before hiring: where to pick up the car, what insurance to take, which vehicle type to choose, and the 10 destinations that justify renting a car in Tenerife on their own.
The number one destination that justifies renting a car in Tenerife: the TF-21 road climbing to Teide is one of the most spectacular in Europe, with views of all the islands on clear days.
Teide National Park receives more than four million visitors a year and the vast majority arrive by car or organised tour. The TF-21 from La Orotava and the TF-38 from Vilaflor are the two main access routes: both are well-surfaced mountain roads but with tight bends, especially on the final stretch. You don't need a 4x4 — any standard car in good mechanical condition is fine.
The car park at the Parador Nacional (at 2,100 m) is free and almost always has spaces. Cable car access requires advance booking in high season. To climb to the Teide crater on foot (3,718 m) you need a free permit requested via the National Park website weeks in advance. Best strategy: book the hiking permit before you book the hire car.
💡Practical tips
Start the ascent before 9:00 am to avoid the car queue on the TF-21 in high season.
Bring warm clothes even if it is hot on the coast — at Teide temperatures can drop 15-20°C compared to sea level.
The Teide Observatory car park (2,390 m) is ideal for stargazing — it is one of the best dark-sky sites in the world.
Fuel: fill up before going up — there are no petrol stations inside the park.
The most photogenic road in Tenerife: impossible bends over 600-metre cliffs with ocean views. Only accessible by car or taxi.
The village of Masca, tucked into a ravine in the Teno massif, is the most famous destination on the western side of Tenerife. The TF-436 road leading to it is an experience in itself: barely 5 km of tarmac with 180-degree bends over vertical drops, with the Atlantic Ocean below and La Gomera on the horizon. Not recommended in a large car or with a trailer.
The village has a paid car park with limited spaces that fills before 10:00 am in high season. From here departs Tenerife's most popular trail: the Masca Gorge, which descends to the beach in 3-4 hours, from where a boat takes you back to Los Gigantes. If you do this trail you need your car in Masca (or in Los Gigantes if you do it in reverse) — plan the logistics in advance.
💡Practical tips
Arrive before 9:00 am to park without problems — by 11:00 am the car park is full in summer.
The road is very narrow — if you meet a coach, one of you will have to reverse. Be patient.
If you do the gorge trail, book the return boat from the beach before you descend.
Combine with Punta de Teno (15 min from Masca) to make the most of the drive to the far west.
Tenerife's westernmost tip: a lighthouse on black cliffs, turquoise waters and views of La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Only accessible by car with an access reservation.
Punta de Teno is one of the wildest corners of Tenerife and one of the few points on the island where car access is managed by the Cabildo (island government). The final stretch of the TF-445 (beyond the tunnel) is closed to free traffic in high season (April-October) and requires advance booking via the Cabildo de Tenerife website, or you can use the shuttle bus from Buenavista del Norte.
The landscape when you arrive rewards any bureaucratic effort: the white lighthouse on the black Teno rocks, the most crystal-clear turquoise waters of northern Tenerife, and on clear days the simultaneous view of three islands (La Gomera, La Palma, El Hierro). The natural rock pools at Teno are perfect for swimming. Free car access is only permitted in low season (November-March).
💡Practical tips
Book car access in advance on the Cabildo de Tenerife website (free but limited spaces).
In low season no booking is required — the best time to visit without crowds.
The natural pools by the lighthouse are the best snorkelling spot on the far west of Tenerife.
Combine in the same day with Masca (25 min by car) and Garachico (30 min to the east).
Europe's oldest laurel forest: winding roads through misty forest, Atlantic viewpoints and black-sand beaches accessible only from the interior.
The Anaga massif in the far northeast of Tenerife is the greenest and most mysterious territory on the island. Its roads — the TF-12 and TF-13 — wind through a 14-million-year-old laurel forest (laurisilva) declared a Biosphere Reserve. The roads are narrow but well surfaced, with viewpoints every few kilometres showing the stunning contrast between green ravines and blue Atlantic.
Without a car it is practically impossible to explore Anaga properly. There are a few buses but the frequency is very limited and they do not reach the best viewpoints or the most remote beaches. Benijo beach (at the end of the TF-134) and Taganana beach are the jewels most accessible by car. Cruz del Carmen viewpoint, Pico del Inglés viewpoint and Cruz de Taborno are essential stops on the ridge road.
💡Practical tips
Leave Santa Cruz in the morning — Anaga is 20 minutes from the centre and the main road (TF-12) is well signposted.
GPS can be unreliable on the interior roads — download offline maps before leaving.
Roads stay wet and slippery even in summer due to mist — drive slowly.
Pico del Inglés viewpoint (1,001 m) has the best views in the massif — arrive before the mist rises (before 11:00 am).
The most beautiful village in northern Tenerife: a perfectly preserved historic centre with natural lava pools and a completely different atmosphere to the touristy south.
Garachico was Tenerife's most important port in the 17th century until the Trevejo volcano erupted in 1706 and buried much of the village under lava. The paradoxical result: the lava that destroyed the port created the El Caletón natural pools — today one of the most unique bathing spots on the island — and preserved the historic centre from the mass tourist development of the south.
From Los Cristianos, Garachico is 1 hour 20 minutes via the TF-1 and TF-42. Parking in the village can be tricky in high season — there is a free public car park 5 minutes' walk from the centre. The best route from the south combines in one day: La Orotava (morning), Garachico (midday), Punta de Teno (afternoon).
💡Practical tips
El Caletón natural pools are free and open year-round — perfect for a swim before lunch.
The San Francisco Convent (17th century) now houses a cultural centre with free entry.
Restaurants facing the harbour serve fresh fish — cherne and vieja cooked on the plancha are the local specialities.
Avoid arriving in Garachico between noon and 2:00 pm in August — that is when most cars are hunting for parking.
Tenerife's most important historic city: manor houses with carved wooden balconies, Spain's oldest botanical garden and the famous flower carpet of Corpus Christi.
La Orotava is the cultural capital of northern Tenerife and the classic starting point for ascending Teide on the north side (TF-21). The historic centre, declared a Site of Cultural Interest, preserves one of the finest examples of 17th-18th century Canarian architecture: the Casas de los Balcones, the Town Hall and the Church of the Immaculate Conception are the architectural gems not to miss.
Parking in the historic zone is limited and paid. The best option is to leave the car at the municipal market car park and walk down to the old town. From the Humboldt Viewpoint (5 minutes by car from the centre) you get the best view of the Orotava Valley with Teide in the background — one of the most iconic images in all the Canaries.
💡Practical tips
Humboldt Viewpoint (at Jardín Victoria) has the best valley view — arrive early morning to see Teide without clouds.
The Casas de los Balcones have free entry — the 17th-century carved wooden balconies are unique in the world.
Combine La Orotava with the Teide ascent in the same day: the TF-21 from here reaches the National Park in 45 minutes.
The Saturday morning municipal market is the most authentic in northern Tenerife.
Eroded rock formations that look like another planet: the Lunar Landscape is one of the most original hiking excursions in southern Tenerife and requires a car to reach.
The Paisaje Lunar is a volcanic formation of white tuff eroded by water and wind over thousands of years, creating columns and rock spires that resemble an alien landscape. It sits on the edge of Teide National Park, about 30 minutes by car from Vilaflor ascending the TF-21.
You can drive to the La Escalona recreation area (free car park), from where a 12 km return trail begins (about 3-4 hours). The trail is well marked with moderate elevation. Vilaflor itself — Spain's highest village at 1,400 m — is also worth a stop: its centuries-old Canarian pines and quiet mountain village atmosphere are a total contrast to the tourist south.
💡Practical tips
The La Escalona recreation area car park is the trail starting point — free with picnic tables.
Bring water for the whole trail — there are no springs along the route.
The best light for photographing the Lunar Landscape is early morning (before 10:00 am) or at sunset.
Vilaflor is 45 minutes by car from Los Cristianos — perfect to combine with the return to the south.
Tenerife's wildest and most photogenic beach: black sand surrounded by volcanic rocks in the heart of Anaga, only accessible via a narrow mountain road.
Playa de Benijo is the ultimate image of Tenerife's wild north: black volcanic sand, Atlantic waves, basalt rocks emerging from the water and the Anaga laurel forest closing the horizon. There is no public transport — the TF-134 from Taganana is the only route, and only one car at a time fits on the narrowest stretches.
Parking at Benijo is minimal (about 20 spaces at the top) and fills before 11:00 am in summer. The beach has no safety flag or lifeguard — the Atlantic swell can be strong with rip currents. It is more a beach for viewing and photography than for swimming, though there are calm summer days. Sunset over the Benijo rocks is one of the most famous in Tenerife.
💡Practical tips
Arrive before 10:00 am to park — afterwards it is very difficult and the descent walk is uncomfortable.
Do not swim if there is a red flag or large waves — the Atlantic swell in Anaga can be treacherous.
Benijo sunset is one of the island's most famous — arrive 1 hour before sundown to choose your spot.
The Anaga road to Benijo is very narrow — drive slowly and give way calmly.
The most authentic corner of southern Tenerife: a local beach town with the best windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions in the Atlantic and the red Montana Roja volcano in the background.
El Médano is the only town in southern Tenerife that has not succumbed to mass resort tourism. Its local character, tapas bars, young vibe and golden sand beaches swept by the wind make it the favourite weekend spot for southern Canarians. Montana Roja, the extinct red volcano dominating the beach, is an easy 45-minute trail with panoramic views over the south of the island.
El Médano is 20 minutes by car from Tenerife South Airport (TFS), making it the perfect first or last stop on a trip. Parking in town is free and plentiful outside high season. The constant strong wind of El Médano has made it a regular venue for world windsurfing and kitesurfing competitions.
💡Practical tips
El Médano is the perfect stop if you fly in or out late at TFS — the airport is only 20 minutes away.
Montana Roja: the circular trail takes 45 minutes with little shade — avoid midday in summer.
Wind can be very strong in El Médano (especially July-September) — bring a layer for evenings.
The Sunday morning market on the square is the liveliest in the south of the island.
The most spectacular viewpoint in western Tenerife: views of the Los Gigantes Cliffs from 600 metres above, on the road connecting Santiago del Teide with Masca.
Mirador de Cherfe sits on the TF-436, the same road that leads to Masca, between Santiago del Teide and the village turn-off. At 600 metres above sea level it offers the most aerial possible view of the Los Gigantes Cliffs: 500-600 metres of vertical wall dropping into the ocean, seen from above — a radically different perspective from the boat or the beach below.
The viewpoint has a small car park and a café terrace where you can have a drink while enjoying the view. On clear days La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro are all visible simultaneously. It is a stop of barely 15-20 minutes but one that stays with any traveller who drives through western Tenerife.
💡Practical tips
The viewpoint has limited parking — if full, there are safe verges 200 metres before and after.
The café is reasonably priced and has one of the best view terraces in western Tenerife.
Always combine with Masca (10 min further along the same road) to make the drive worthwhile.
Afternoon light (4:00-7:00 pm) is the best for photographing the cliffs from the viewpoint.
Do you need a hire car in Tenerife?Do you need a hire car in Tenerife?
It depends on your type of trip. If you stay in the southern resorts (Los Cristianos, Las Américas, Costa Adeje) and just want beach, pool and Siam Park, you can manage without a car. But if you want to visit Teide, Anaga, Masca, Garachico or any village in the north or interior, a hire car becomes essential. Most travellers staying more than 3-4 days in Tenerife end up renting one.
How much does car hire in Tenerife cost?How much does car hire in Tenerife cost?
Prices vary greatly by season and how far in advance you book. In mid-season (autumn-spring), a compact car can cost between €20-35 per day booked in advance. In July and August prices rise to €45-70 per day or more. The best rates are found by booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance on comparison sites like Rentalcars.
Which airport is better for picking up a hire car?Which airport is better for picking up a hire car?
Tenerife South (TFS, Reina Sofía) is the main airport and has more rental companies and better prices. If you are staying in the north, Tenerife North (TFN, Los Rodeos) is more convenient, though it has fewer international flights. Both airports have rental desks in the arrivals area. If you fly into Tenerife South but are heading north, the drive via the TF-1 takes about 50-60 minutes.
What type of car do I need for Teide and the mountain roads?What type of car do I need for Teide and the mountain roads?
You do not need a 4x4 for any main road in Tenerife, including the Teide ascent. All roads are tarmacked. Avoid very large cars (large vans, big SUVs) for the Masca road, which is very narrow. A standard compact car covers 100% of the destinations in this guide perfectly.
What insurance should I take out for a hire car?What insurance should I take out for a hire car?
Basic third-party liability insurance is included by law in all rentals. The tricky point is the excess: in case of damage, companies can charge you up to €1,000-2,000 if you have not taken out full cover (CDW with no excess). Three options: pay the rental company's full cover (~€10-15/day extra), use your credit card cover if it includes car hire, or take out third-party excess insurance before travelling (~€3-5/day).
