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After embarking on a rather stress-inducing European adventure with my close friend, Julia, nothing sounded more appealing than a couple of days lounging by an aqua-blue pool paradise overlooking the Canary Islands Sea.
The Canary Islands, a stunning Spanish archipelago off the coast of North Africa, is an oasis full of diverse landscapes and volcanic wonders. Among these islands, Tenerife stands out as the most popular destination.
With its striking black sand beaches and sparkling blue waters, Tenerife offers something for everyone. Whether you’re like us and crave a relaxing visit lounging by the pool or you’re into volcano trekking and adventure travel, there’s no shortage of things to do.
We made ourselves at home at Tivoli La Caleta Tenerife Resort, a top resort in Adeje, just outside of the vibrant city of Playa de las Américas. The resort is located in the southwestern region of Tenerife, where the weather is pleasant year-round.
How to Get to Tenerife
We arrived in late May after missing our flight out of Lille, France. As you might expect, there aren’t many flights to Tenerife from a small airport – Lille only had one a week.
Julia and I are masters of thinking on our feet when it comes to travel plans falling through, so within an hour, we had formulated the cheapest solution – flying out of Antwerp Airport the following morning.
Thanks to Bla Bla Car, we were able to inexpensively get to the Antwerp Airport in two hours. There, we indulged in a solid three hours of sleep on the back-breaking terrazzo floors under bright fluorescents after we convinced a security guard to let us do so.
Airports in Tenerife
There are two airports on the island of Tenerife: the Tenerife South Airport (TFS) and the Tenerife North Airport (TFN). TFS is better connected and more popular to fly to because the southern part of the island is often warmer and has more resorts.
We flew into TFS and out of TFN, which wasn’t ideal, but it had cheaper airfare for where we were going next. Luck was not on our side during our journey to Tenerife, but since it’s such a popular European destination, it’s very easy to get there. Our direct flight from Antwerp to Tenerife was five hours. I recommend checking Skyscanner and CheapOAir to find the best flights.
Bus or Airport Transfer in Tenerife
If you’re heading to the southern region, there is a bus system that connects the airport to most of the resort spots. We took two buses to Tivoli La Caleta and found it relatively easy and inexpensive to use. It takes about an hour to 1.5 hours, depending on the time of day. From our stop, it was a six-minute walk to the resort, which wasn’t bad at all.
If you’d prefer to reach the resort by taxi, the ride is only 20 minutes from the airport and costs approximately 70 euros. This was out of our price range, so the bus was the best option for us.
Best Tips & Tools to Plan Your Trip
If you prioritize speed and comfort, I recommend the taxi service, which you can schedule directly with the resort in advance.
When we arrived at Tivoli La Caleta, we were greeted with a glass of cava, marking the beginning of a luxurious and soothing experience. After seeing the view from our room, we were relieved to realize that the travel debacles were well worth it.
Read More: Seeing the Canary Islands Under Full Sail
Tivoli La Caleta Tenerife Resort
Tivoli La Caleta is a five-star resort that offers top-tier restaurants and bars, the first Anantara spa on the island, and exclusive black-sand beach access. Laying by such picturesque pools is healing by itself, especially when paired with craft cocktails delivered right to your lounge chair.
Rooms at Tivoli La Caleta
Our room, the Premium Ocean View, was a sunlit haven, offering ample space and a private patio with stunning views of the ocean, the shimmering pools, lush tropical gardens, and the resort’s terracotta architecture.
Guests can choose from a variety of suites and rooms, including the La Caleta Suite with its mesmerizing ocean vista or the Jacuzzi Suite, ideal for sunset watching. Each accommodation option features its own terrace, providing either an ocean view or a serene garden outlook.
Dining at Tivoli La Caleta
Guilty
Shortly after our arrival, we took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh ocean air, and went to get lunch at Guilty, one of the four restaurants on the property. Featuring international comfort cuisine and imaginative cocktails, this restaurant promotes true leisure and a guilt-free dining experience.
Over our two visits to the restaurant, Julia and I indulged in a creative take on mac & cheese (with bolognese!), the Exquisite Encounter Salad rich with fruits and burrata, Mexican-style nachos, and fresh shrimp tacos.
No lunch on vacation would be complete without a couple of craft cocktails (or mocktails). We finished our meal with a Kinder Cheesecake – which, yes – is as incredible as it sounds.
The Guilty pool bar is open throughout the day and you can order directly from your poolside lounge chair, which made us feel spoiled rotten. We sipped on piña coladas as we tanned, periodically taking dips in the pool to cool off.
Gusto
For breakfast, we went to Gusto, a restaurant that boasts an impressive buffet with fresh omelets and frittatas cooked in front of you, cheese and salad bars, and a variety of pastries that we didn’t even try to resist. The smoothie bar was another highlight. We sat on the patio right next to the pool, discussing our day’s plans: pool, ocean, or spa? What a difficult life.
We also had a buffet dinner at Gusto one night, which was wonderful for sampling all the great Spanish foods such as paella, gazpacho and croquettes. There were many unique spreads, meats and cheeses and plenty of desserts to sample.
SEEN Beach Club
On our last night there, we celebrated our glorious respite with one last indulgent meal at SEEN Beach Club.
SEEN Beach Club is Costa Adeje’s newest and most exclusive beach club with stunning ocean views. We watched the sunset as we sipped on our amaretto sours (must-try!) waiting for our fish tacos and wagyu picanha steak to arrive. We finished the evening with a milk caramel souffle with guava sorbet – my mouth waters just thinking about it.
Other Bars & Restaurants at Tivoli La Caleta
Anantara Spa
If you want even more relaxation, I recommend a visit to the Anantara Spa, a luxury spa chain born in Thailand with services that meld Eastern traditions with modern science. I tried out the stress release massage which accomplished exactly what it advertised.
In addition to a variety of services to choose from, there are whirlpool tubs, saunas and a cold pool to experience before or after your service.
Black Sand Beach
The resort is just a short walk from the beach, one of our favorite spots to spend the day. The water was the ideal temperature for swimming, and we loved that it wasn’t too crowded. If you haven’t experienced a black sand beach before, the contrast is absolutely stunning—truly something to see.
Off the Premises
If you’re bold enough to venture off the resort premises (which, believe me, is hard to do once you get settled into relaxation mode), there are plenty of adventurous activities to try in Tenerife.
You can surf a variety of ways (windsurfing, kite surfing or just regular old surfing), hang gliding (a bucket list activity for me), diving and sailing. There are golf clubs, tennis courts and padel (a mix between tennis and squash) courts nearby if that’s your style. You can also try hiking and exploring the nearby volcanoes and mountains.
Read More: Top 3 Tenerife Hiking Trails: Experience the Natural Beauty of the Canary Islands
When to Visit Tenerife
The best time to visit Tenerife is between the months of May and October. This is when the weather is the warmest and rain is less likely.
The shoulder season is May and September-October, so if you’d prefer a quieter experience, I recommend going then.
Or, if you want even fewer people and cheaper prices, visiting in the winter can be nice as well. The temperatures do tend to be cooler and there is more rain.
When we visited in late May, the weather was apparently “not as nice as usual,” but to us, it was perfect. It was on the cloudier side but it was plenty warm to swim and there was enough sun poking through to sunbathe. There was only one afternoon where it rained for a short period of time, so for the most part we were lucky with the weather.
Next time you’re craving a relaxing vacation, I highly recommend visiting Tenerife. If you’re in Europe, it’s an easy destination to reach. For travelers coming from outside the continent, consider adding Tenerife to the end of your itinerary—it’s the perfect way to unwind after exploring all the European sights.
If You Go:
- Book directly through Tivoli La Caleta’s website for the best price
- Top 10 Things to See and Do in Tenerife, Spain
- Check CheapOAir for the best flight deals
- Check GetYourGuide for tours and activities
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