Cycling Tenerife:
your ultimate guide

Cycling Tenerife: routes

As far as Tenerife road bike routes go, by far the most famous ride is cycling up Mount Teide. The mountain dominates the island and if you’re coming to Tenerife to cycle, it’s unthinkable you’d leave without tackling it.

Tips for an unforgettable Mount Teide cycling experience

There are five major routes up Teide; our post will help you choose which to do – Cycling Mount Teide: which is the best Teide cycling route? Any one of these up and down routes of Teide could easily be a whole ride in itself: even the fittest amateurs will take at least 2.5 hours to climb to the top.

But if you’ve got all day and want a truly special ride, check out our two Teide loops below. On a good day, we reckon either of these could be contenders for being one of the best cycling Tenerife routes, if not the best road bike rides in the world.

Two unmissable rides for once you’ve done Teide…

Yes, you’ve got to tick off the Teide climb by bike. But there are some other awesome Tenerife bike routes too. To really experience the island, ride the road north to Masca where craggy Andes-style mountains are dotted with rustic Spanish villages before they plunge into the turquoise sea. The scenery is epic – but so are the gradients. This is one tough ride.

From Masca it’s not far to the unforgettable Teno lighthouse. The road clings to the cliff and offers draw-dropping Atlantic views before bringing you to the spectacular lighthouse at the end of the peninsula.

We also love our Anaga loop. It’s on one of the island’s most beautiful roads where you’ll find quiet, smooth ribbons of tarmac that wind up into green forests and down narrow lanes to the sea. It’s easier than the Masca loop too…

However, you do need to bear in mind that Masca and Anaga are in the north of the island. This can make accessing these rides a bit tricky unless you have your own transport or book a tour. Something to think about when you decide where to stay: our guide to where to stay in Tenerife for cyclists might help! Also check out our map below, which shows the routes overlaid on each other, so you can see their location on the island.

Guide to our favourite Tenerife routes

Each of the four buttons below are links to in-depth guides to what we think are the best cycling routes on Tenerife. Click through and find out what to expect – you’ll find our firsthand account of the ride, GPX files, photos and lots more.

Anaga rural park loop

92km 3100m

Masca and Teno lighthouse loop

km 3560m

Mount Teide loop via Granadilla and Vilaflor

142km 3360m

Mount Teide loop via La Orotava

136km 3450m

Our Tenerife cycling routes map

Below you can see a map showing Epic Road Rides’ Tenerife routes overlaid on top of one another. If they don’t all appear on your screen, make sure the “show all” button is clicked at the bottom righthand side of the map.

Easy cycling in Tenerife

If you hate climbing, cycling holidays in Tenerife are not for you!

Most of the roads either go up or down, there’s very little in the way of flat cycle routes on Tenerife. What there is is not that exciting.

But while most of the roads go up or down, at least the main roads (like those up Teide) are generally at decent gradients (just avoid some of the extremely steep side roads). Cycling in Tenerife is more about endurance than extreme fitness: you don’t need to be a Contador or Quintana, you “just” need to be able to keep going for kilometre after kilometre!

If you’re looking for a rest day ride that avoids some of the major climbs you should be able to put together a moderate route with a bit of planning. Here are some ideas for bike routes in Tenerife that take in a little less climbing.

• A loop around La Orotava via Palo Blanco, Benijos and La Perdoma, along the TF-326, TF-21 and TF-324: around 24km with 700m of climbing. 
• Granadilla de Abona to Arafo along the TF-28 and TF-525: roughly 54km and 1,000m of climbing each way. Our Teide via Vilaflor loop includes this section. 
• La Orotava to Tejina on the northwest coast, along the TF-21, TF-217, TF-1224 and TF-16: around 32km with 600m of climbing.  

And finally…

Before you leave home, don’t forget to check out our tips for cycling on Tenerife!

Cycling Tenerife: where to stay

If you’re deciding where’s best to stay in Tenerife for cyclists, start with our in-depth article on the pros and cons of each resort: Best places to stay in Tenerife (for cyclists). This article also includes hotel suggestions for cyclists.

Our choice: Landmar, Playa La Arena

We spent five nights at Landmar, Playa La Arena (formerly Be Live, Playa La Arena). It’s a large hotel with lots of facilities and it’s a good option if you’re travelling with children and/or looking for an all-inclusive package.

What we liked

• Good location on the west coast, giving access from the door to Teide (via Chio) and also to Masca in the northwest.
• Large, attractive pool area with three pools surrounded by palm trees, facing the sea. The main pool is in the middle and pool activities are run here (for example water aerobics). The pool closest to the sea does not permit the use of inflatables and so is quieter and has an adult focus. The small children’s pool is furthest from the sea. It is divided into two with half being the drop off zone for the water slide and the other half the shallow pool for toddlers. 
• Our 4 year old loved the waterslide and spent at least an hour just taking himself up and down it.
• Kid-friendly activities in addition to the pool area. The kids club (open 11-12:45 and 3-5, children under 6 have to be accompanied by an adult) is based next to an excellent pirate ship climbing frame. The same area also hosts mini golf, archery, a pétanque court, balance beams course and tennis court. Near the pools there is also table tennis.
• Gym and spa. There is also a program of daytime and evening activities, should you wish to participate.
• Lift access from the hotel down to the black sand beach of Playa La Arena.
• Wide range of food available at each meal and each night has a different theme. A limited range of food is cooked to order (for example eggs or omelettes for breakfast).
• Our superior family room on the 6th floor contained a king sized bed and sofa bed for the children. It was sufficiently spacious for the four of us though the cupboard space was limited (we’d definitely recommend using packing cases so you don’t have to fully unpack). The children enjoyed the blackboard, floor puzzle and play tent in the room, as well as the kids bathroom accessories.
• We enjoyed the views from our room across Playa La Arena to the cliffs of Los Gigantes.

Things to be aware of

• The hotel is used by a number of British, German and French holiday operators. This is no small boutique hotel.
• We would suggest the hotel is more 3 star than 4 star. It’s comfortable, with good facilities, but don’t expect it to be overly smart. 
• The hotel charges for extras you might normally expect to be included. For example, use of the safe deposit box in each room and use of the hotel car park. A 12 euro deposit is also payable for each pool towel.
• Food is served at specific times in the main restaurant. Outside of those times, food is available in the snack bar but the choice is much more limited that the main restaurant and we didn’t find it very appetising.

Conclusion

We enjoyed our stay here. Our 2 and 4 year old kids loved the facilities and we liked the location.

Want more information on where to stay in Tenerife?

Read our in-depth post on Tenerife’s different resorts and hotels.

Bike hire Tenerife

Looking for road bike rental in Tenerife? Below you’ll find all the road bike hire shops we’ve been able to uncover on Tenerife. Missed one? Please let us know! We haven’t used these ourselves but would love to hear your experiences. Please drop us a line!

It’s possible to bike Tenerife from any part of the island but you’ll soon see that most of the cycle hire in Tenerife is clustered where most of the tourists are: in the southwest. If you’re staying somewhere else, don’t despair, some of the bike rental shops will deliver bikes across the island. We’ve made a note of where they offer this.

Most of the Tenerife bike hire and rental shops also offer Tenerife cycling tours and excursions, from half days to multi day cycle training camps. These are great ways to get to know the island from a local’s perspective, and discover the best riding on the island.

Bike hire Costa Adeje
Cycling in Tenerife Av. Ernesto Sarti, 3, 38660 Costa Adeje
Wilier bikes. The Montegrappa aluminium bikes have Shimano Tiaga compact cranks and 12/28 cassettes. The Wilier GTR carbon bikes have Ultegra compact cranks with 11/28 cassettes. Will deliver.	Wilier Montegrappa (prices for the carbon GTR are in brackets) 1 day: 20 Euros (29) 2-5 days: 17 Euros/day (25) 7 days: 115 Euros (170) 8+ days: 15 Euros/day (22)
Free Motion T3 Avenida de los Acantilados, s/n 38679 La Caleta de Adeje
BH, Cannondale, Specialized and Pinarello bikes with compact cranks and 11-28 or 11-32 cassettes. Mostly Ultegra. Disc brakes available.	Prices vary depending on model: 1 day: 24-45 Euros 2-5 days: 20-42 Euros/day 6-12 days: 17-36 Euros/day
Bike hire Las Americas
Bike Experience Tenerife Tenerife Excursions Travel S.L, Avd. V Centenario, 2 Local 5, Playa de Las Americas
Felt and Specialized bikes have aluminium frames, Look and Stevens have carbon frames. Ultegra or 105. Compact cranks, 11-28 or 11-32 cassettes. Stevens bike has disc brakes.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 16-25 euros per day.
Bike Point Tenerife Av. Quinto Centenario s/n, Edificio las Terrazas 38660 Las Américas
Wide range of BMC, Ridley and Focus bikes. Mostly carbon bikes. Disc brakes available. Included:  pump, spare inner tube, levers and a multi-tool set.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 14-44 euros per day. Minimum hire period is 3 days.
Bike hire Los Cristianos
Free Motion Calle Finlandia 10 38650 Los Cristianos
BH, Cannondale, Specialized and Pinarello bikes with compact cranks and 11-28 or 11-32 cassettes. Mostly Ultegra. Disc brakes available.	Prices vary depending on model: 1 day: 24-45 Euros 2-5 days: 20-42 Euros/day 6-12 days: 17-36 Euros/day
Bike hire El Medano
Bike Point Tenerife Calle Villa de la Orotava 10 38612 El Médano
Wide range of BMC, Ridley and Focus bikes. Mostly carbon bikes. Disc brakes available. Included:  pump, spare inner tube, levers and a multi-tool set.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 14-44 euros per day. Minimum hire period is 3 days.
Bike hire Puerto de la Cruz
Bike Spirit Inh. Boris Alvarez Calle Mequínéz 51 38400 Puerto de La Cruz
Merida Scultura 400 aluminium bikes with a Shimano groupset. Included: helmet, repair kit, pump and lock. Optional: Lightset: 1 Euro per day + 20Euro deposit Stages powermeter: 2 Euros per day + 20 Euro deposit.	Merida Scultura 400 Aluminium 1 day: 25 Euros 2-5 days: 22 Euros/day 6-12 days: 20 Euros/day 50 Euro deposit per bike. Identity card required.
Bike hire La Laguna
Kiraya Bike Avenue Milan, 71 38260 San Cristóbal de La Laguna
Limited number of Ridley, Orbea, Scott, BH and Kuota bikes. Will deliver.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 20-27 euros per day.
Other bike rental companies
Bike 4 You Tenerife
Ridley and Kuota carbon bikes with Shimpano Ultegra or SRAM Rival eTap AXS 12-speed. Included: mini tool kit, inner tube, mini pump, two bottle cages. Will deliver anywhere in the Tenerife south area.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 25 to 34 Euros per day.
Club Activo Cycling Carretera General del Sur, 158 San Miguel de Abona
Focus and BMC carbon bikes.	Prices vary depending on model and number of days. From 32 Euros per day.
Tenerife Bike Training
More of a tour company specialist than a bike hire specialist. BMC, Focus and Ridley carbon bikes available.	Prices are given for 6 day blocks only and range from 160 – 220 Euros.

• Book your bike in advance, particularly in peak season.
• Shops sometimes close, move or change their prices/bikes before we have a chance to update this list, so please contact them directly before you visit.
• Remember to bring your own pedals, shoes and helmet. This packing list may help!
• Check which way around your brakes are set before you ride away (i.e. whether the front brakes are on the right hand (as is usual in the UK) or on the left (as is usual elsewhere in Europe)). Also take a look at our list of things to check before hiring a bike.

Undecided on whether to hire a bike or bring your own? Read this now.

When to go

Average temperatures in Tenerife remain a solid 17-24°C throughout the year, making it a good choice for anyone whose main ambition is to cycle Tenerife in the sun. Rainfall is also low – you’re most likely to get rain in December and even then it’s only on average for six days of the month.

Throughout the year it’s worth remembering that the north side of the island is often cooler and wetter than the south. There’s a reason the scenery in the north is greener than the arid rocky south! Also know that the upper part of the island is often shrouded in a thin layer of clouds that forms around Mount Teide at 1,000-1,500htm.

As for the difficult question of exactly how much cooler and wetter the north is than the south, we asked local cyclist Carolyn Gaskell to comment. She lives in the north-east of the island and had this to say:

“Yes, it’s definitely wetter and colder in the north compared to the south. But it’s also much more beautiful! The north side (Los Silos – Puerto De la Cruz get the sunsets and is in the shade of the Teide and therefore cool in the mornings – generally). It’s much busier traffic wise that side, because the motorway stops at Puerto, so all the cars are on the main road. The side roads through the villages are nice, but steep! The Anaga mountains, is my favourite area, they are very often covered in a light mist cloud, and it also rains properly up there too. February-March are usually the worst months for rain. August is commonly the worst month for winds, November to January, usually have the calmest weather, but it’s not an exact science… and the last few years have been quite unpredictable!”

January	Temperatures on Tenerife remain good for cycling throughout the Northern Hemisphere winter. At sea level, short sleeve jerseys and bib shorts should be fine. However, you may get some rain and in the mountains temperatures can be much colder than at sea level. Frost and ice above 2,000m is possible. Dress accordingly. Average highs: 20-21℃ Rainfall: 38-43mm, 4-5 days per month
February
March
April	Temperatures increase a little and the risk of rain reduces. On most days, the temperature at midday is similar in the mountains as at sea level, assuming it’s not too cloudy in the mountains. It’s still wortth packing a windproof jacket and arm warmers. Average highs: 22-23℃ Rainfall: 8-19 mm, 2-3 days per month
May
June	You can expect warm days and a low risk of rain during this period. Sometimes it can be warmer in the mountains than at sea level. It’s still worth bringing a windproof jacket if you’re planning on mountain descents: they are long and the windchill can be surprising. Average highs: 25-28℃ Rainfall: 2-4 mm, 1 day per month
July
August
September	September remains very warm with barely any risk of rain but as October rolls in, that risk increases. As in April and May, temperatures are often similar in the mountains as at sea level but pack a jacket and arm warmers in case. Average highs: 25-27℃ Rainfall: 9-26 mm, 1-4 days per month
October
November	See comments for January to March. Rainfall in November and December is a bit higher than January to March, with averages at 47 and 56 mm and 5 and 6 days respectively.
December

Tips

Personalised print

Want something to remind you of your cycling trip to Tenerife? How about a personalised map of your rides up Mount Teide?

Books

We used and liked the following two guidebooks during our Tenerife trip:

Maps

If you like physical maps for route planning, it’s worth buying the Globe series map of Tenerife. At 1:75,000 it shows all the roads relevant to cyclists. It is annotated with symbols for things like gas stations and tourist destinations which you may either like or not.

Good to know

Tenerife has two airports, one in the south in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona (this is the larger of the two) and the other in the north in San Cristóbal de La Laguna. Decide where you want to base yourself before booking your flights! You can see the location of the two airports in this article by Sky Scanner.

Before you set out on your bike, don’t miss our article, top tips for cycling Tenerife. It’s full of practical ideas to help make your cycling in Tenerife as good an experience as possible.

What’s next?

Did you enjoy our guide to Tenerife? Let us know in the comments below!

Wondering about other Canary Islands cycling? This overview to cycling the Canary Islands is the place to start. We also have guides to cycling the Canary Islands including Lanzarote cycling and our guide to cycling in Gran Canaria.

Or perhaps, other destinations in Spain? Our article on the best places for cycling in Spain is a must-read.

Alternatively, if Spain isn’t for you, check out our destinations page. There you can search by the cycling destination you want to visit, with new articles and in-depth cycling guides added all the time!

Or check out our other articles on Tenerife, below.