Last updated on October 16, 2026
Tenerife is a brilliant holiday destination for all kinds of travellers, with a varied array of attractions to keep everyone happy. It also suits people on all sorts of budgets, thanks to the range of accommodation at different prices.
If you want to make sure that you don’t overspend once you’re on your holiday, don’t worry, as there are lots of great free things to do in Tenerife. So, you can find great deals on hotels here, and then start planning how you’re going to spend your time!
We’ve put together a list of some of the top free activities and attractions on this stunning Canary Island.
Swim at Garachico
Garachico is one of Tenerife’s most picturesque seaside towns that’s best-known for its fantastic rock pools. These are hewn out of solidified lava, which covered the original town and its harbour in the early 18th century.
After this natural disaster, the town was rebuilt and is now a wonderful place for a day trip. As well as the rock pools, there are a selection of craft shops along the promenade that are lovely places to browse – even if you don’t want to spend any money.
Explore Masca
Nestled in Tenerife’s mountainous interior is Masca, another one of the island’s charming towns that is well worth exploring during your holiday. Masca is something of a time capsule, because this small hamlet was cut off from the rest of the island until the 1970s.
It might only be small but it is truly stunning, with the peaks of the Teno Mountains rising up around the plateau on which the hamlet sits. There’s a small museum here, which you do have to pay a small fee to enter, as well as a few restaurants. The best way to get out of Masca is to follow the challenging hike down the steep gorge that leads to Los Gigantes.
Casa del Vino de Tenerife
Casa del Vino de Tenerife – or the Tenerife Wine Museum – is a free attraction that’s definitely worth checking out. Located in the north of the island, this museum will teach you about the strong heritage of viticulture in the Canary Islands and even allow you to sample some of the local tipples.
As well as exhibitions about winemaking in Tenerife, there is an installation about honey production on the island, along with a centre about the agricultural diversity of Tenerife. It’s an interesting day out and best of all, it’s free.
Hit the beach
Tenerife is renowned for the quality of its beaches and rightly so. The island is home to long, sandy bays, as well as stunning secluded coves and you really do need to make the most of these during your break.
What’s really interesting is the variety – there are black, as well as golden, sand beaches, thanks to the island’s volcanic origins. You can choose to head off to find one of the quieter, more peaceful stretches of coastline, like the bay at El Bollullo, or spend your time at one of the busy bays around Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas, where the beach is backed by shops, restaurants, bars and cafes that are open night and day.
With so much choice, you’ll be able to tailor your days at the seaside to suit you, no matter how you like to spend your time. Swimming and snorkelling are both great activities to have a go at while you’re enjoying one of Tenerife’s beaches and, provided you bring your own snorkelling equipment, they’re completely free too.
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