Are you planning to come to Tenerife but worried about the costs? Depending on how long and where you will be staying on the island, there are plenty of activities to do and places to visit – but that does not mean that you have to spend a fortune to enjoy your time here! Here are 6 tips and tricks that will help you to make your stay as affordable as possible.

Traveling During Off-Season

As with most destinations, many tourists fly to Tenerife during late spring or summer. If you want to cut your expenses, it is however recommended to come here at any time from November to March. Besides lower prices for accommodation and flights, you will also get to enjoy typical touristy and scenic spots more since there will be fewer tourists and crowds around. Plus, Tenerife is known for its mild climate all year round, so you still get to explore everything comfortably.

If you want to come here for an internship or to take part in one of our programs, you don’t have to worry either. Many of our courses have multiple starting dates throughout the year, so they don’t only take place during the summer. When it comes to internships, we will find something fitting for you depending on the sector you would like to work in and your start and end date.

Tip: Plan ahead and try to book your flight and accommodation as early as possible. That way you might be able to get special deals and discounts, which will save you some additional money!

Accommodation

Once your flight dates are set in stone, it’s time to start looking into accommodation options. With Tenerife being the largest of the Canary Islands, you will run into no trouble when trying to find a place to stay – no matter how much or how little you are able to spend.

While we at Careerbridge Europe are always more than happy to help you students with finding accommodation, you won’t have any issue finding something yourself either if you want to stay somewhere else or go for a little trip as you can find everything here:

• Budget-friendly hotels and hostels
• Cozy guest houses
• Convenient Airbnbs
• Shared student housing

Tip: Keep in mind that prices for accommodations around Puerto de la Cruz or La Laguna tend to be lower than in more touristy areas, such as Santa Cruz or Playa de las Américas.

Transportation

When it comes to getting around on the island, you also get to choose between a couple of budget-friendly options:

• Buses: One thing you will notice almost immediately after stepping out of the airport is the number of bright green buses everywhere. Tenerife has its own public bus service called TITSA which operates over 200 routes, making it easy to get from point A to point B.

• Cabs: If you prefer something more comfortable, you can opt for the local taxis. The white cars with blue stripes can mainly be found at taxi stands but you can also hail one off the streets or simply book them online.

• Car Rentals: Renting a car is another popular option for everyone who wants to have total freedom and be able to reach the most remote places. There are various platforms where you can compare companies and their prices to get the best deal possible.

Tip: You can find a more detailed guide on how to get around the island here.

Activities

Besides Mount Teide and endless beaches, Tenerife is also known for its wide range of attractions, for example, the Loro Parque, Siam Park, Parque Las Águilas, or the Monkey Park to name only a few of them. While all of these are definitely worth visiting, they are also rather expensive. Luckily, there are just as many free and low-cost activities to choose from!

Let’s start with our very own activities. We regularly organize a variety of fun afternoon activities for our students after class, like salsa dance classes, painting sessions, surfing lessons, or a fun beach day. For the complete list, check out our detailed blog post “A Guide for Students: Afternoon Activities at our Academy”.

In case you prefer to make your own plans, you can spend a day discovering nearby areas or historic towns like La Laguna, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, or take a hike through parks and around Mount Teide. If you need a break from walking, you can relax at one of the many beaches and soak up some sun – but don’t forget to apply sunscreen and bring enough water with you!

Dining

Part of visiting Tenerife is to also explore the local cuisine. The so-called “guachinches“ are small restaurants that are family-owned and give you an idea of what traditional Canarian food tastes like. Some typical dishes you will find there are “papas arrugadas” (wrinkled potatoes) together with mojo sauce, “gofio” (roasted grain flour) served with honey or milk, Croquetas, “Carne de Cabra” (goat stew), and many more.

It is smart to keep an eye out for restaurants that offer a “menu del día” (menu of the day) as well. Those are set menus that include multiple courses at a cheap, fixed price, so they are ideal if you want to enjoy a good meal without spending much.

Lastly, if you have access to a kitchen, you can also consider going grocery shopping to get all the ingredients to cook your own meals.

Budget Shopping

It doesn’t matter if this is your first time visiting Tenerife or if you’ve been here before: going for a shopping spree or looking for souvenirs to take home with you is on many tourist’s to-do list. For one, local markets like the “Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África” in Santa Cruz are not only a great place for fresh food and artisan products but also unique souvenirs.

For more variety, you should also give small shops in less tourist-filled areas a shot where prices are usually lower and you can find local crafts and delicacies.

Tip: Don’t forget that there is a different tax system on the Canary Islands compared to mainland Spain and Europe. You can find more detailed information about everything here.

Conclusion

With a little bit of research and planning, you can have an amazing time on Tenerife without worrying too much about high costs. From smart flight and accommodation choices, to using low-budget transportation options in order to reach nearby beaches, towns or restaurants easily, you will be able to enjoy your stay here to the fullest – so pack your suitcase and discover how affordable this island really is!