The 10 best alternative leisure activities to do in Tenerife
Over and above its sunny beaches and stunning landscapes, Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands with the best range of leisure options both for whoever comes on holiday or those who live here. In Tenerife, you will find loads of places to visit, things to see and events and local festivities you shouldn’t miss. However, if you are looking for a completely different experience to occupy your time off, it’s not always easy to get to know all the options on the island. But you’re in luck, if you are looking for something to leave you speechless, keep on reading, because we are going to recommend the 10 best alternative leisure activities to do in Tenerife.
1- Escape Room
You can’t miss the game that is now the talk of the town everywhere you go. Enjoy an adventure full of riddles and mystery with your friends or family, enter a realistic setting and immerse yourself in a chilling atmosphere, interact with the environment, solve a series of mind-boggling puzzles and live the and live a terrifyingly fun experience. With this 75 minutes-long activity, you will discover your hidden abilities and you will put your nerves and brains to the test. «The Cabin» is the new adventure by Escapop and is already among the best valued in the Canary Islands by the experts. Book here the adventure which is spurring people to do escape room tourism in Tenerife.
2- Airsoft
If it’s action you’re looking for, this game will make you release a month’s worth of adrenalin. Practising airsoft with your friends in a tactical centre is one of the most intense experiences ever. Become a member of an assault team and arm yourself to the teeth to beat your enemies. Recommended for adults only.
3- Medieval Night
The San Miguel Castle hosts one of the most original shows on the island. Do you like stories about castles, kings and knights? Can you imagine enjoying dinner while watching a joust and sword fights? Well, if you ever imagined it, now you can make it come true.
4- Scary Route
On Tenerife, there’s a place riddled with legends and mystery: Barranco de Badajoz. For centuries, this place has witnessed phenomena of all types, from apparitions of enigmatic beings, UFOs, mysterious disappearances… The story goes that a powerful paranormal energy flows along this ravine. Plus, Barranco de Badajoz is a beautiful spot, with a diversity of vegetation and singular scenery full of caves, galleries and stunning formations set between towering mountains. Along this guided night-time tour you can penetrate the depths of the ravine, get to know the legends of the place and put your mettle to the test.
5- Loro Parque
Perhaps the prospect of visiting a zoo doesn’t sound like the most alternative option of our list, but if you bear in mind that Loro Parque has been ranked as the best zoo in the world and that it has received over 40 million tourists to date, perhaps that will tickle your fancy. Loro Parque, set in 135,000m2 and featuring Thai style architecture, is a true spectacle for the visitor, with attractions that are constantly changing and improved, but always exciting. Here you can see a wide range of animal and plant species, enjoy live shows with parrots, dolphins or sea lions, and even feel you’re swimming among sharks in its famous aquarium. This is an ideal place to spend the whole day with the kids.
6- Siam Park
Loro Parque’s twin venue, Siam Park, has quickly managed to rank as the number 1 theme park in the world for fourth consecutive year. This water park features impressive rides to blow your mind, like the Tower of Power, a plummeting slide where you can reach 80Km/h before ending below an aquarium full of tropical fish. This park also includes the longest and most seesawing lazy river on the planet, a novel water roller-coaster and the biggest artificial wave in the world. This is one of the favourite things to do in Tenerife. It is ideal for a day out with family or friends.
7- La cueva del viento
Without a doubt, one of the most interesting and singular things to do in Tenerife is volcanic potholing. Cueva del Viento is considered the most complex volcanic tube in the world on account of the range of tunnels and conduits on different levels, and is also the fifth largest in the world, behind a series of tubes in Hawaii. Its over 17 kilometres in length are full of fantastic rock formations. Plus, you can discover the mystery of fossils and bone remains of animals from Canary prehistory, or get to know the place where the Guanches, the former inhabitants of the island, lived. Although there are various accesses to the cave, only one is open to the public at large and offers guided visits.
8- Stargazing at Mount Teide
Thanks to its location near the equator and reduced light pollution, the Canaries are one of the best places for stargazing. One of the favourite spots both for amateur and professional astronomers is the Teide National Park. This park, with its magical landscapes and World Heritage listing, hosts the third largest volcano in the world and boasts one of the clearest and most beautiful skies of the planet. From here, you can observe all the constellations of the northern and many of the southern hemispheres. Plus, if your visit coincides with a meteor shower, then the experience can be truly unforgettable. Going up Teide is free, but if you join one of the group outings with expert astronomers as guides, the experience will be much more satisfying. This is 100% recommendable for everyone.
9- Sailing Trips
One of the perks of this island is being able to enjoy our beautiful coastline from the sea. To-do’s in Tenerife include a wide range of outings organised by various specialised companies. These can include meals, cocktails, turtle and dolphin watching, snorkelling… There’s nothing better than sitting on board one of these boats, basking in the sunshine with the sea breeze caressing your faces and feeling on top of the world.
10- Wine Tour
The Canaries have a wide variety of singular food and wines, influenced by their traditions and the unique features of the territory. While in northern Tenerife, for example, there are many red wines with a marked personality, white grapes are more plentiful in the south. During these tours, you can get to know this time-honoured culture, visit traditional wineries and taste some of the best wines of the area. This is an ideal option for foodies.