What to do in Tenerife by bus
Tenerife offers everything – a giant volcano, local bars, hiking trails, sandy beaches, water park, shopping, historic villages and abandoned towns.
Before visiting Tenerife I asked people for the best sights on the island. And there were plenty of recommendations. But they all followed with, “You’ll have to hire a car”.
I became intrigued with this. Would I need to have my own vehicle? As a big fan of using local public transport in my travels – often the closest I can get to acting like a local when I visit a new place – I didn’t want this.
Spoiler: Yes you can use the public bus network Titsa. It’s very good and it’s possible to see most of the island with it. Read below on where you can go and the limitations.
Reasons for not wanting to hire a car in Tenerife
• The expense. We were quoted by Avis for a day – £60 car hire, £28 extra insurance and £50 petrol if we didn’t want to top it up before return. You might be able to get a better deal but budget at least £100+ a day.
• Don’t have a licence or are not familiar with driving a manual car. There were no automatic cars available when we went during peak season.
• You want to indulge in an alcoholic beverage. If you’re on holiday and enjoying the sun, chances are you’ll want a beer or sangria with your lunch. With the drink driving limit at only 0.5mg per litre of blood (in the UK and US it’s 0.8mg) it’s best not to drink and drive at all.
Where to stay
How you choose to explore the island also depends on where you’re staying. The majority of the tourist resorts are in the south. There’s also two airports on the island, North and South. The South airport is bigger but the North airport has many flights from the UK, Spain and the other Canary Islands.
South
If you’re looking for the typical Tenerife tourist experience you’ll most likely be staying in the south/south west. This area includes Costa Adeje, Playa Paraiso, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. All these resorts have big hotels, bars and beaches which are typically associated with the Canary Islands.
Costa Adeje is the largest resort area on Tenerife with a mix of hotels, including some very high-end ones. Playa Paraiso is known for its hard Rock Hotel and Playa de las Américas has the nightlife, while Los Cristianos has white sand beaches. Further up the coast is Callao Salvaje and Los Gigiantes. We stayed at Callao Salvaje because this area is a little off the beaten track and we wanted to avoid the partying tourists. This worked really well for us and the few restaurants and local bars kept us entertained. We could also walk to a small beach (Playa de Ajabo) from our hotel MYND Adeje, which served up a great breakfast.
Below is a recap of the other areas on the island:
East
Resorts along the southeast coast of Tenerife, close to the the South airport, such as El Médano, might be attractive to those wishing to do windsurfing due to the strong winds here. Also located nearby is Golf del Sur, which as the name implies is surrounded by golf courses. As well as smaller fishing villages Los Abrigos and Las Galletas. Great if you want to avoid seeing other tourists. Further up towards the north of the east coast is an area called Candelaria where many festivals take place, and San Andrés recognisable by its photogenic beach.
North
In the north is Buenavista del North, a town offering a more traditional feel and known for its craft shops and local seafood restaurants. Meanwhile, El Sauzal nestling in the cliffs of the north west, offers history and tradition but no beach. Just like Garachico, also very historic with no beach. However, it does have rock pools. Perhaps the most tourist friendly town in the north is Puerto de la Cruz, which has a harbour, numerous restaurants and black sand beaches.
As Tenerife has lots of resorts, booking your hotel and flight as a package might be cheaper than booking individually. Airport transfer is also usually included. Be aware that not everyone getting the transfer will be coming off your flight and most people will then wait for their luggage etc. It can involve a lot of waiting for the coach to fill up. What’s more, the hotel drop offs are done beginning at the closest to the airport, so if you’ve got a hotel on the other side of the island it might take a few hours to drop off everyone off before you. Keep this in mind when booking your package deal.
Public Transport
The bus network in Tenerife is called Titsa. The buses are all fairly new and have aircon. Some even have free wifi!
I found google maps was very accurate with Titsa bus times.
Beware that on the weekends there are significantly less buses running – many don’t run on a Saturday.
I paid for single journeys via contactless on my card, most tickets were €2.50 to €5.50 depending on the distance. However, long bus rides such as Puerto de la Cruz to Costa Adeje can cost over €15. The driver also takes cash (only notes up to 10 euro). However, the most economical option is to get a Tenmas card which gives you discount on all fares (up to 30%). These aren’t available from the driver. You can either use the app or buy one at the airport (Lycamobile shop or vending machine), bus stations or various signed outlets (with the Titsa sticker) for €2. You can also top up your Tenmas card online. This will then allow you to use the options below:
Tourist attractions in Tenerife:
NOTE: These bus times were correct at the time of posting (May 2023) but as always, can be changed by the bus company. Please double check using google maps or the Titsa website before departing.
Mount Teide
Teide National Park is the top tourist attraction in Tenerife. The large active volcano is located at the centre of the island at an altitude of 3,718m, but don’t worry it’s not erupted since 1909. However, the remains of these eruptions, in the form of unusual rock formations and volcanic casts, create a unique landscape. These include the Roques de Garcia formation created over millions of years of erosion. With more than 1,000 species of invertebrates, hundred of different birds and a wealth of plant life, with 58 plant species only existing on the Canary Islands, including the Teide violet, there’s plenty for nature lovers to enjoy. Furthermore, the Teide Observatory houses many of the worlds best solar telescopes and is accessible only by guided tour booked in advance. There is something for everyone in the park.
A cable car can take you most of the way up, with tickets for a return journey in the cable car for €38. But if you’d like the challenge, you can also hike up and down the volcano.
It’s important to note that you need a permit to walk the path from the upper cable car station to Mount Teide’s summit. It’s free and you can get it here. At peak times (Christmas and summer) you will need to apply for this at least 3 months in advance as its very popular. And remember to bring warm clothes as it gets chilly up there.
How to get to Mount Teide:
There is only 1 bus a day from the main bus stations to Mount Teide. These are as follows:
From Costa Adeje bus station (Estacian Costa Adeje) in the south, the number 342 departs at 9:15am and goes to Teide cable car (Teleferico del Teide). The return bus leaves from the cable car at 3:33pm.
From the Puerto de la Cruz in the north, the 348 departs at 9:30am and goes to Teide cable car. The return bus from the cable car leaves at 4:05pm.
Both journeys take around 1h:40 which will give you roughly 4.5 hours at Mount Teide. Please be aware that this gives you plenty of time to take the cable car up, look around and then do the permit summit hike (40min) but nowhere near enough time to hike all the way up or down. It takes at least 5 hours to walk up. Once in the national park the 341 bus runs to its different parts.
A reason for the limited public transport to Mount Teide is likely due to the high number of tours here. If you factor in the price of the bus as €10 with a travelcard, a tour (excluding the €38 cable car) costs €29 which is only €19 more and you get a hotel pick up and a guide. For more information on this option see here: half day tour with cable car.
Los Cristianos
Los Cristianos is a popular resort area located on the southwest coast of Tenerife. It has a harbour, watersports, white sand beach (Playa de Las Vista) and nightlife. If you’re staying in a quieter area of the island, you can take a day trip here and its neighbouring Playa de las Américas to enjoy the lively vibe.
The beach is formed from artificial white sand which is different from the typical black sand beaches formed due to Tenerife’s volcanic island nature. There are also free showers and sun lounges to hire. We found bringing water shoes to Tenerife invaluable (I wore these shoes), especially on the scorching black sand beaches.
From Los Cristianos’s harbour you can go snorkelling, jet skiing, whale and dolphin watching, and scuba diving. While you can sometimes book these online with a hotel pickup, if you go in person you can often get a cheaper price from the sellers at the stalls in Los Cristianos. We went on the Peter Pan Pirate ship for €22 each including 2h of whale watching and unlimited soft drinks. We probably could have haggled this down but time was short. While it’s more aimed at kids, we loved it, saw some dolphins and whales, took a photo with Jack Sparrow and drank €1 beers.
Away from the beach and harbour is a labyrinth of small shops, restaurants and cafes. It’s a good place to experience traditional Canary Island dishes. We tried some at El Ventorillo including the octopus stew (below left).
How to get to Los Cristianos:
From the west side of the island:
Numerous buses go from Costa Adeje bus station, including the 40, 111, 447. Journey time is around 10 minutes.
If coming from further up the west coast then the 473 goes all the way from Los Gigantes to Los Cristianos, stopping by Callao Salvaje, Playa Paraiso and Costa Adeje on the way.
From the east side of the island:
From Santa Cruz de Tenerife there is an express bus 110 which takes 55min and departs from the capital every 30 minutes to Costa Adeje bus station where you can change buses. Alternatively there’s the 111 which goes to Costa Adeje bus station and stops at Los Cristianos. It also stops along the east coast at towns such as Candelaria and Abades.
Siam Water Park
Siam Water Park is often named as one of the best water parks in the world. It has a Thai jungle theme and is very popular with families. This is one attraction I didn’t go to. Adult tickets are €40 (children €28) and I felt it wouldn’t be worth it as I don’t like waterparks, but as a child I would have loved to have gone here.
Some reviews highlight that it can get very busy with long queues for rides but they do offer fast track passes (which can sell out).
Siam Water Park is walking distance from Costa Adeje bus station. So follow the above directions as if you were going to Los Cristianos, these take the same bus routes as to Costa Adeje. There’s also a free shuttle bus service running in the Las Americas – Los Cristianos – Costa Adeje area.
From Puerto de la Cruz you can take the 343 to Costa Adeje. Alternatively if you are coming from the north, Siam water park offers a bus service for €15 an adult and €10 a child. Details are given in the picture below:
Siam Shopping Mall
Next to Siam Water Park is Siam Shopping Mall. Spread over two floors it has over 70 shops, and as with the water park, it’s also Thai themed with open green spaces and plenty of statues. It’s walkable from Costa Adeje bus station and they also have many free buses going to it which can be viewed here. Below are also the routes:
Los Gigantes
Los Gigantes is a resort town located on the west coast of Tenerife. It’s known for Acantilados de Los Gigantes, which are huge cliffs rising from the sea to a height of 500-800m (1,640–2,625 ft) with a black sand beach (Playa de los Guios) below. While they have been called the “Wall of Hell” (Muralla del Infierno) don’t let that put you off, this geological feature and surrounding town are worth a visit for its souvenir shops, local ceramics and cafes.
A popular natural swimming pool, Piscina Natural Acantilado de Los Gigantes also lies below the cliffs. Natural swimming pools are scattered all over the island, formed from the remnants of ancient lava flow or the continuous ocean waves crashing into the rocks. While beautiful, the rock pools are extremely slippery! And surrounded by giant crabs who watch you from the side with their beady eyes. As with all the rock pools, use common sense and don’t go in at high tide as the waves can drag you into the sea.
How to get there:
Along the west coast the 473 and 477 buses run regularly from Los Gigantes to Los Cristianos. On the way back, next to the bus stop in Los Gigantes is the Tipsey Terrace with a chilled out bar area, if you’re looking for a drink while waiting for the bus.
From Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the north, you’ll have to take the express bus 110 to Costa Adeje bus station and catch the connecting 473 or 477. This is a long journey and will take around 1h 50min, so it might be best to combine it with one of the above attractions near Costa Adeje.
If you’re staying on the north part of the island, for example, Puerto de la Cruz, you can get the 325. This is quite a slow bus with many stops on the way. This bus doesn’t run that regularly so please check the timetable here. If you’re looking for a natural swimming pool in the north then Piscinas Naturales de El Caletón and the town of Garachico may be an better choice for a day out as it is closer and on the 363 bus route from Puerto de la Cruz.
Sanatorio de Abona
Following the Spanish civil war in the 1930s, Tenerife was ravaged by leprosy. In 1943 Sanatorio de Abona on the southeast coast was designed as a town where those with leprosy could quarantine. Complete with a church, hospital, a crematorium and houses. However, in 1945 Daspone came into effect as a leprosy cure and the town was no longer needed. But it still stands today overlooking the town of Abades. If you’re looking to do something a bit different then I highly recommend this. It’s incredibly eerie, especially as this part of the island is very windy.
Abades is a nice little town with a fantastic vegan restaurant called Samelo Veg (open 1-5pm Fri to Sunday) and €2 beers at El Canchanchan de Abades. There is also a small golden sand beach and plenty of windsurfing. This town doesn’t give out party vibes so best for a day trip.
How to get there:
Abades in on the the 111 bus route which runs between Costa Adeje bus station to Santa Cruz bus station (Intercambiador Sta.Cruz). It also stops at the South airport. The bus stop for Abades is on the highway. You have to walk down to the town with Sanatorio de Abona looming above it.
On the return, the bus stop has a button to turn on a light which will let the bus driver know you’re at the stop.
Also in the southeast of the island is a town called El Médano which has a laid back surfer vibe. Its accessible using the 408 bus from San Isidro bus station, which is on the 111 bus route.
Masca Valley
Masca Valley is a small beautiful village nestled in the mountains at 659m above sea level. It is home to around 100 inhabitants. While they originally survived off agriculture, tourism is now a large source of income for the small hamlet. It’s a bit more tricky to reach compared to some of the other places mentioned here but there are buses running to it.
How to get there:
From Los Gigantes or Puerto De La Cruz, you can catch the 325 bus and then change at Santiago del Teide for the 355 to Masca (in the direction Buenavista Del Norte). It’s a very windy road and while the bus rides are only 20min each, there is often a long connection between them. However, if you’re short on time, a taxi from Santiago del Teide to Masca should only cost about €13.
If you’re coming from further down the west coast you can get the 473 or 477 running from Costa Adeje bus station to Los Gigantes so factor in another 30mins for this plus connection time. Alternatively there is the 460 bus which goes from Costa Adeje bus station to Icod bus station (Estación Icod) a few time a day which stops at Santiago del Teide and misses out a lot of the smaller coastal towns.
Example
If you leave Costa Adeje on a weekday at 09:45. Catch the 460 bus at 09:50 from Costa Adeje bus station and arrive at Santiago del Teide at 10:55. At 11:00 take the 355 bus from Santiago del Teide and arrive in Masca at to 11:17.
Then on return catch the 355 from Masca at 16:19, arriving in Santiago del Teide at 16:36 and catch the 473 at 16:44, arriving back in Costa Adeje at 17:42.
The Masca Hike is a popular trail going through the gorge of Masca. You must book beforehand if you want to do this. It starts at the village and ends down on the beach. For relatively fit people it takes 3 hours to descend and 4 hours to ascend. It requires hiking boots as it’s rocky. If you choose to walk down, it’s possible to get a boat to Los Gigantes marina where you can catch the bus.
Overall
As you can see, most of the top tourist attractions are reachable by bus. I hope this helps you plan your trip to Tenerife and you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you have any questions, please comment below or DM me on instagram
2 Replies to “What to do in Tenerife by bus”
Your hotel looks great – not too crowded!
It was a great hotel. These photos were taken in the morning. It got busier after breakfast (which ran until 11:30am). Luckily people weren’t reserving sun lounges with their towels 😉 However, I can imagine people doing that at the large resort hotels in Playa Paraiso and Costa Adeje we walked past. It was obvious they were there to just lie by a large pool and I doubt would want to do much of anything on this blog post.