5 Tenerife Hidden Gems for a Second Visit

A second visit to Tenerife gives you room for smaller places: the lava tube at Cueva del Viento, the palms of Rambla de Castro or Chinamada’s cave-house exteriors. Their appeal lies in a particular feature you can spend time with, rather than another sweep of the island’s headline sights.

Choose these as separate outings, not a five-stop circuit. The cave needs advance planning, while the outdoor visits depend on daylight, footing and, at Jover, the sea. None requires you to base yourself in Santa Cruz.

Five places to choose from

Independent visits. Outdoor visit times are planning allowances; distances end at the cave visitor centre, Mirador de San Pedro for Rambla de Castro, Chinamada, Jover pool and the Tajao arch respectively.

Criterion	Cueva del Viento	Rambla de Castro	Chinamada	Jover natural pool	Arco de Tajao
Time at the place	2.5 hours, complete guided visit	Allow 1–2 hours	Allow 45–90 minutes, with optional viewpoint	Allow 30–60 minutes, longer for swimming	Allow 15–30 minutes
Drive from Plaza de España, Santa Cruz	about 58 km	about 42 km	about 29 km	about 25 km	about 49 km

Cueva del Viento offers underground volcanic geology, while Rambla de Castro combines coastal palms with historic buildings. Chinamada brings cave-house exteriors and a viewpoint, Jover a rocky pool setting, and Arco de Tajao a brief look at a small natural arch.

Choose clear daylight for Chinamada and cooler, dry daylight for the coastal walk and arch. Plaza de España is simply a common distance reference, not your assumed starting point. For landmark visits alongside these smaller outings, Tenerife’s main sights and activities offers a broader selection.

Cueva del Viento

Cueva del Viento lets you see Tenerife’s volcanic geology from inside a lava tube. The guided tour enters about 250 m through a natural entrance, with a helmet and headlamp for the exploration on foot. Attention shifts from the island’s surface scenery to the passage formed by flowing lava.

Choose the cave for an underground walk rather than another viewpoint stop. Unlike the outdoor entries, this is a group visit with a reserved start, so keep the rest of your day flexible around it.

Reserve and purchase your ticket online in advance. The complete visit includes more than the underground section, so leave room for the group’s activities rather than treating it as a quick cave entrance. Payment is by card only.

Resident children aged 5–12 pay €5. Report to the Cueva del Viento visitor centre at the address above, where the visit starts before the group travels to the cave entrance. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour.

Season	Days	Tour operating window
April–September	Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday	09:00–19:00
April–September	Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday	09:00–16:30
October–March	Every day except Thursday	09:00–17:00
October–March	Thursday	09:00–18:00

Choose an outdoor entry if enclosed spaces make you uncomfortable. The natural entrance and walking underground are part of the experience, not an optional addition. Rambla de Castro offers a coastal landscape instead, though its descent and steps also demand sound footing. Jover can be a land-based coastal stop without a swim.

Rambla de Castro

Rambla de Castro is a north-coast landscape walk with more to look at than the sea. The palm grove, Hacienda de Castro mansion and small San Fernando fort give the area its character: a combination of coastal vegetation and historic structures you can appreciate on a short exploration rather than a long hike.

Start at Mirador de San Pedro, where a public path descends into the area. You can explore below the viewpoint and turn back rather than following the coast onwards. Keep enough energy for the return climb. The descent does not lead to a flat promenade: cobbled or stony stretches, uneven ground, stairs and short steep changes of level are part of the walk.

Wear sturdy shoes and choose cooler, dry daylight for the descent. With limited mobility, the steps and climb may make another outing more comfortable. If wet stones make your footing uncertain, stay at San Pedro for the coastal view rather than committing to the path below. Leave room to pause by the palms and look at the buildings, as covering more of the coastal trail is not necessary to enjoy what makes this place distinctive.

Chinamada

Chinamada offers a focused visit to an inhabited Anaga settlement rather than a full forest hike. Look at the cave-house exteriors, where domestic façades meet the rock, and how the homes fit into the mountainside. These are private homes: enjoy their exteriors from public space, without entering doorways or treating residents’ terraces as viewpoints.

Mountain roads lead to a small parking area near Chinamada. Spaces are very limited, so arrive early, especially at weekends. The settlement itself is the main reason to come, while Mirador de Aguaide is an optional addition when the weather gives you a worthwhile view.

From the village square, follow the marked path to Mirador de Aguaide, roughly 8–15 minutes each way. The path has uneven rocky ground and some steps, with exposed sections above steep drops. Take particular care near the viewpoint edge. Its outlook extends beyond the immediate slopes, with Mount Teide visible in clear conditions.

Keep Aguaide secondary when cloud, wind or wet footing spoils the walk. Clear daylight suits both the settlement and the viewpoint, but slippery rock or gusts are good reasons to remain in the village rather than press on for a view.

Jover natural pool

Jover natural pool offers a small-scale coastal visit near Tejina, with rocky shallows and a neighbouring pebble beach. You can look at the pool’s relationship with the open coast without making swimming the purpose of the outing. It is an alternative to returning to Garachico’s more familiar sightseeing circuit.

Parking is available nearby, and the pool has steps for water entry. Decide whether to swim only after looking at the conditions, not because you have brought swimwear. A visit on land still gives you time to appreciate the rocky setting.

• June–September: municipal lifeguard and rescue coverage, 10:00–19:00, with three lifeguards.
• The 12 weekends before 1 June and Easter: coverage, 10:00–17:00, with two lifeguards.
• October–May, outside those spring exceptions: do not expect lifeguard coverage. If swimming is unsuitable, enjoy the coast from land or choose Chinamada for a mountain visit.

Arco de Tajao

Arco de Tajao rewards a close look at a small geological feature: the rock’s span and the opening beneath it, rather than a sweeping panorama. Choose it when you are already nearby, not as the sole reason for a long detour.

The short roadside approach descends into a ravine over loose gravel and irregular rocky ground. The climb back out can be awkward, so wear closed shoes with good grip. Cooler, dry daylight makes the stop more comfortable. Take sun protection.

Do not walk on or climb onto the arch: it is fragile. Look at its shape from the ground instead. If the descent feels slippery or uncertain, turn back rather than scrambling down for a photograph.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, opening hours, and services.

• Organismo Autónomo de Museos y Centros (OAMC), Cabildo Insular de Tenerife — fares and charges
• Cueva del Viento — opening hours
• Cueva del Viento — service
• Servicio Canario de la Salud; Ayuntamiento de San Cristóbal de La Laguna — service
• San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council — service
• Ayuntamiento de Arico — service