There are a wide range of shore excursions available in the port of Tenerife, that show off the Spanish culture, gastronomy, and the volcanic landscapes that make up this beautiful island.
These cruise experiences are available on the new Fly-Canaries cruises starting in October 2022, the No-Fly cruises from Southampton and the maiden cruise of the new Arvia ship in December 2022.
Before deciding which shore experiences to do, make sure you check out this post on what you need to know before booking Tenerife cruise excursions with P&O Cruises.
Now onto a lowdown of the best P&O Cruises shore experiences in Tenerife that I’ve experienced first hand.
Disclaimer: My trip was sponsored by P&O Cruises. As always, all words and opinions are my own.
Whilst in Tenerife, you might also like to check out:
Best Tenerife Cruise Excursions
The cruise excursions can be split by type of traveller so it’s easy to find something that suits your tastes.
For Adventurers
Tenerife is known for its dramatic landscapes and miles of coastline, which provide a playground for nature lovers.
Explore Mount Teide National Park
First up is my favourite excursion!
Tenerife is home to Spain’s highest point, Mount Teide, standing at 3715m. It is an active volcano, and the surrounding National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This half day shore excursion includes stops at several viewpoints above the clouds that really let you experience the Mars-like landscapes of this volcano, alongside the 8 minute cable car ride to the peak.
Note: If there are high winds (over 55 km per hour) the cable car will close, but the viewpoints along the way are incredible on their own so I would still suggest booking it.
For me it was the highlight of my 4 days in Tenerife.
he volcano reminded me of the week I spent in Atacama desert in Chile, the otherworldly landscapes are so similar, but Tenerife is so much closer to home and I can see myself visiting again, to do the overnight hike to the peak.
Masca Valley, Quad Biking & Rustic Lunch
Perfect for adrenaline seekers, this three part excursion includes a scenic drive up to the Masca Valley viewpoint, a quad biking tour and a traditional lunch.
We only experienced the first part of this tour but the viewpoint (over a thousand metres high) was absolutely stunning, and a great place to capture just how beautiful the island is.
From the top you’ll be surrounded by cacti and see the winding roads that help you navigate this part of the island.
It is one of the best photo spots on the island so make sure your phone and camera battery is charged!
Stargazing at Mount Teide
With the new Fly-Canaries cruises, you’ll be able to spend a night docked in Tenerife meaning you can experience stargazing as an evening shore excursion.
You may not know this but Tenerife is the best place to stargaze in Europe due to it’s low light pollution and high altitude.
It is one of the reasons why Mount Teide is home to a number of international telescopes.
In this unmissable tour, you’ll have an expert guide share their knowledge of astronomy, and you’ll be able to observe the Milky Way, stars and the constellations in all their glory.
We even got lucky enough to see the Hubble Space Telescope whizz past us in the sky!
This cruise excursion is really special and reminded me of the Northern Lights tour I did with P&O Cruises in Norway a few years back.
Remember to dress up warm and bring gloves, the mountain does get cold at night and you’ll be outside for the duration of this magical experience.
For Culture Vultures
Tenerife has so much history, from colonial cities to pristine gardens, the cultural shore excursions cover so much.
Wind Cave & Garachico Village
This interesting excursion visits the wind cave (Cueva del Viento), the largest volcanic tube in the EU.
It is 18km long, and to explore the cave you must have suitable footwear and long trousers.
After the wind cave, you’ll head over to Garachico Village, in the northwest of Tenerife.
This tiny colonial village dates back to the 15th Century is one of the Canary Island’s oldest villages, and is surrounded by natural pools which are a tourist favourite!
The village itself is characterised by cobbled streets, colourful buildings and a quaint plaza, and you can see why it used to be a popular trading port between Europe and the Americas.
UNESCO Forest Walk & La Laguna World Heritage
This half day heritage tour visits the beautiful and UNESCO World Heritage site of San Cristobal de La Laguna.
This charming city located in the north of the island (close to the cruise terminal) was once the capital of the island.
There are plenty of pretty buildings and colonial architecture and interestingly the layout of the city was used a blueprint for a number of South American cities, that’s why it felt so familiar to me!
Make sure you visit the cathedral and step inside the buildings to explore the courtyards – they will surprise you!
After visiting La Laguna, you’ll head to Anaga Rural Park, where you can experience the Mirador Cruz del Carmen viewpoint and a walk through the laurel forests (these were a favourite of mine in Madeira!).
Gardens & Puerto De la Cruz
This shore experience visits the city of Puerto de la Cruz in the north of the island, followed by a visit to the unique botanical gardens of Sitio Litre.
It is the oldest garden in Tenerife, over 220 years, and has plenty of exotic plants from Africa and the Americas, including the largest collection of orchids on the island and the oldest dragon tree in Puerto de la Cruz.
There have been many famous visitors in the past including Agatha Christie, the Beatles, and William Wilde, and there is a cute cafe which is the perfect place to relax and take in the stunning scenery.
For Foodies
There are several food and drink shore experiences with P&O cruises, including wine tasting at Monje, lunch at Abaco Mansion, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, fresh mojitos on the beach and a cooking demo with the Torres brothers.
Wine & Food Canary Style
Tenerife’s culinary traditions are best experienced with this half day Wine & Food Canary Style tour.
Firstly you will visit El Calderito de la Abuela, a local restaurant in the north of the island, run by two brothers, Mario and Fabian.
Here you will first experience an interactive cooking show, where you will see the brothers make a traditional Canarian “mojo verde” sauce.
At the same time you will learn about the history of the cuisine and the story of their family.
I was especially pleased to see most of the ingredients for their dishes were grown locally in the garden right next to the restaurant, so the food was as fresh as possible!
The restaurant itself, has stunning views of the Tenerife coastline, and after the demo you will get to enjoy the spoils as well as a traditional Canary Island lunch, full of local favourites.
After lunch you’ll head over to Bodegas Monje, a local family winery, where you will tour the wine cellar before tasting a few of their most popular wines on the outdoor terrace overlooking the vineyard and sea.
Beach Yoga & Mojitos at Las Teresitas Beach
This fun excursion is located on Playa de las Teresitas, an incredible 1.5km long crescent-shaped beach with golden coloured sand (due to it being imported from the Sahara desert!).
It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Tenerife and a firm favourite with visitors who want to relax and take in some sun in a wonderful setting.
The excursion starts with beach yoga under the palm trees (yoga is one of my favourite ways to exercise on a cruise, not too impactful but a great way to get moving) before enjoying a tasty mojito at a local beach bar, and soaking up those holiday vibes.
Abaco Mansion Lunch & San Pedro Walk
This historic shore excursion lets you take a stroll back in time at Abaco Mansion before exploring San Pedro.
Firstly you will visit Abaco Mansion, an 18th century building in Puerto de la Cruz that is now a museum and event space.
You’ll get the chance to learn about the history of the building whilst touring the property and grounds (with a Sangria in hand).
After the tour, enjoy a local lunch on the deck infront of the pool.
After the meal, you will burn off some calories on the San Pedro walk (also known as Rambla de Castro).
It is a relatively easy hike and has incredible coastal views along the whole way.
Hard Rock Café Dinner & Show
This is a new offering for the Fly-Canaries cruises that are docking in Tenerife, meaning you have an evening on the island and can enjoy a night out.
Situated on the Golden Mile in the south of the island is Hard Rock Cafe Tenerife.
There is no official cruise shore excursion to this venue but dinner and a show can be booked via Musement, click here to read more about how Musement works.
This is a popular spot for tourists so booking in advance is required, but you’ll be treated to delicious American classics like burgers, ribs, fries and shakes, as well as a live rock show.
For Water Lovers
There are four fabulous excursions that are perfect for those who love the water, from sea kayaking to whale and dolphin watching on a catamaran, to whizzing around on a Jet ski and even getting drenched at the worlds best water park!
Sea Kayaking at Los Gigantes Cliffs
This was the first half day excursion we did in Tenerife, and it was a great way to explore these 600m high cliffs.
We drove to Puerto de Santiago and then paired up at the harbour before spending two hours kayaking up to the rugged cliffs and back.
It was not as strenuous as that sounds, it was actually really good fun, and we had plenty of photo stops and breaks, so we weren’t tired at the end of it, but we did work up an appetite!
We had a guide to show us where the best spots were and we even got to spot some rocks covered in crabs!
If you want to make the most of it, I would suggest bringing sunglasses, water shoes, a waterproof dry bag, waterproof phone case or a Go Pro, so you can capture the experience.
Catamaran Adventure & Whale Watching
The best way to witness the beautiful coastline of Tenerife is from the water.
This half day trip from Puerto Colon Harbour allows you to spend several hours with the wind in your hair, on this luxury catamaran.
We had time to lounge around on the comfy day beds, swim in the sea, enjoy a paella lunch and even spot some whales!
Whale watching is popular all year round in Tenerife as it is possible to see over 20 different whale species across the seasons.
We visited in June and were lucky to see a pod of short finned pilot whales.
Jet Ski Safari and Beach Time
One of the best adrenaline rushes you can have in Tenerife is by jumping on a jet ski!
Having only ever jet skiied once (as a passenger) in Thailand, back in 2008, this was a half day excursion I was both excited and slightly nervous about!
After a safety briefing and an explanation of the controls, we had a choice single or double jetski.
Pairing up felt like the right choice this time round, and my buddy and I, took it in turns to take control and ride the jet ski for a total of two hours, and we both really enjoyed it, by the end we had the confidence to ride alone, so watch this space for next time!
After the jet ski safari, you can relax on the beach and take in the sun.
Siam Park Water Kingdom
Dubbed one of the best water parks in the world, Siam Park is the largest in Europe.
With a Thai theme, there are 4 acres of rides, slides and lazy rivers to enjoy!
This is a great choice for families but we visited as a group of adults and absolutely loved it!
Tickets to Siam Park can be booked via Musement, so you don’t have a certain pickup or drop off time and you can choose how long to spend at the park.
Though I would suggest getting their early so you have the entire day and aren’t rushing to fit in as many rides as possible.
I would also suggest getting the fast pass tickets, as the queue jumps meant we didn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes for a ride.
I would also suggest going in groups of even numbers.
We were a group of 3 and sometimes had to split up, this wasn’t a big issue but groups of 2 or 4 will find it easier.
There are tonnes of rides but my favourites were the adrenaline rides namely, The Dragon, Singha, Mekong Rapids, Kinnaree, Patong Rapids, and the Vulcano.
After these we had lunch at the park and then joined the lazy Mai Thai river to digest our food.
My top tip for this ride is to make sure you choose the route that goes through the shark tank, it is definitely worth the short wait!
If you want to just relax there are plenty of sun loungers found throughout the water park.
For this day trip make sure you bring a towel, change of clothes, and water shoes!
That’s my Lowdown on the Best Tenerife Shore Excursions you have to Book
I hope this list has been helpful, feel free to email me if you have any questions about the shore experiences or visit the P&O cruises website for further details.
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