Places guide · The capital's benchmark beach
A golden-sand beach created on purpose on an island of black beaches, with the Anaga massif as a backdrop and the sea tamed by a breakwater — the home beach of anyone living in Santa Cruz or La Laguna.
Why it is worth the visit
Tenerife is a volcanic island: almost all its natural beaches have black sand. Las Teresitas is the exception — and not by accident. In the 1970s, around 270,000 cubic metres of golden sand were shipped in from the Western Sahara to create a light-sand beach next to the capital, something the island's geology did not offer naturally.
The result, almost fifty years later, is one of Tenerife's most recognisable postcards: golden sand, calm water thanks to a protective breakwater, and the Anaga massif falling green right behind.
What to see
Las Teresitas can be covered in a single afternoon, with San Andrés as a must-stop.
Sand brought from the Western Sahara in the 1970s, over a seabed that would be black elsewhere on the island. The contrast with the green of Anaga behind makes it one of Tenerife's most photographed images.
A protective breakwater built parallel to the shore slows the open Atlantic swell, leaving much calmer water than on most of the island's northern beaches — one of the reasons it is so popular with families.
The fishing village next to the beach, with a range of fish and seafood restaurants that remains, in large part, the reason why many people from the capital keep coming back.
How to organise it
From a quick swim to a combination with Anaga.
Before you go
Parking and sand fill up fast at weekends.
As the most accessible beach from Santa Cruz and La Laguna, parking and sand fill up fast at weekends and in summer. Going on a weekday or first thing in the morning is the surest way to find a spot.
Practical information
A quarter of an hour from Santa Cruz, at the foot of the Anaga massif.
About 15–20 minutes along the coast to San Andrés; there are also direct buses from the centre.
There is public parking next to the beach, but it is best to arrive early in high season.
The most reliable way to avoid crowds and find parking.
The protective breakwater keeps the water calm and shallow near the shore — one of the reasons it is the favourite beach of families from the capital.
Enough for the beach and a meal in San Andrés.
Showers, toilets, seasonal lifeguards and sun lounger and parasol hire — one of the best-equipped beaches on the island.
The first trails in the massif are a few minutes away by car.
The two nearest cities, fifteen and twenty-five minutes away respectively.
Before you set off
Frequently asked questions
Because it isn't natural volcanic sand: in the 1970s around 270,000 m³ of Western Saharan sand were shipped in to create a light-sand beach next to the capital.
Yes. A protective breakwater built parallel to the shore slows the open Atlantic swell, leaving much calmer water than on most of the island's northern beaches.
By car along the TF-12 it is about 15–20 minutes to San Andrés; there are also direct buses from the centre of the capital.
Yes, and it is one of the most common combinations: the first trails of the Anaga massif start a few minutes' drive from the beach.
Yes, it is one of the best on the island for families: the protective breakwater keeps the water calm and shallow near the shore.
Yes. It has showers, toilets, seasonal lifeguards and sun lounger and parasol hire — among the best-equipped beaches in Tenerife.
Next stop
The massif that serves as the backdrop in every photo of Las Teresitas has its own trails, viewpoints and villages — Anaga is the natural continuation of the beach inland.
Photo of the beach: M-fotoland, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo of the breakwater: rene boulay, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo of the palm-lined promenade: Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net), Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Aerial photo of San Andrés: dronepicr, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
