El Médano Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Your Holiday
El Médano is a charming, breezy corner of Tenerife located along the southeastern coast of the island. It’s a short 10–15 minute drive from Tenerife’s largest airport, but feels unplugged from the traffic and movement of the heavily touristed south.
As a destination, El Médano isn´t trying to appeal to everyone. It’s windy, beachy and dry and you’ll struggle to find something green besides a few shrubs. Definitely do not expect trees outside of the few decorating the main plaza. The town’s arid and dry land stands in a striking and almost magnetic contrast, to the expansive Atlantic ocean shoreline.
The town attracts windsurfers and kitesurfers, families with young kids and couples choosing quieter beach walks over dodging the hordes and masses in larger, more developed tourism hubs of the south.
Are you thinking of organizing a coastal holiday in El Médano, Tenerife? This El Médano travel guide covers everything you need to know to plan your most relaxing vacation yet.
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Why Should You Stay in El Médano?
We’ll state the obvious first…if you are into wind or kitesurfing (or want to learn), El Médano is the best place for you in Tenerife. Days are simple and pure: spend time on the water, and when you get tired, chill out at a café and enjoy the good views.
But what if you don’t plan to do any active water sports? Would it still make sense to stay in El Médano? In short, yes! You just need to be clear on what the town has to offer.
You won’t find museums, dance clubs or large green parks in El Médano. The compact coastal town is made for relaxing, swimming and enjoying ocean views over a morning coffee or afternoon cocktail. It’s small enough to feel familiar quickly, but large enough to offer a variety of cafés, restaurants and shops to keep you from getting bored.
The atmosphere is easy-going and relaxed. Main activities outside of water sports involve discovering new lunch spots, spending time at the beach and sitting at a café to watch colorful kitesurf parachutes dart across the sky.
If you are looking to relax, recharge, and base yourself in a more lived-in town rather than a resort complex, El Médano is a solid option in the south of Tenerife.
Wondering where to begin planning for your trip? This travel guide will cover all the bases for your seaside holiday.
Where is El Médano?
El Médano is located on Tenerife’s southeast coast. The town is a short drive from Tenerife’s southern airport and close to large tourism hubs of Las Américas and Costa Adeje.
Despite its proximity to the largest airport in Tenerife, El Médano is tucked away in its own little pocket of the coast. Up the mountain from El Médano you´ll find the residential hub of San Isidro, and smaller local towns of Granadilla de Abona, Cruz de Tea and Vilaflor.
How to Get to El Médano
El Médano is ridiculously close to Tenerife’s southern airport. Getting between the two with a rental car or taxi will only take about 10-15 minutes.
It is possible to use public transport from the south airport to El Médano, but bus connections will almost always require a transfer in San Isidro. Expect the trip to be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the transfer connections.
Arriving to El Médano from the north airport is the same story. Renting a car is the best way to go and will take you about 50 minutes. Taxis are available but can be more than €100 for the trip. Public transport is possible but will require you to make multiple transfers and take almost 2 hours.
At this time, Tenerife does not support any ridesharing apps.
How to Move Around In and Outside of El Médano
The best way to move around within El Médano is on foot. Walking from one edge or town to the other takes around 20 minutes. The town’s seaside boardwalk is the main strip for strolling and is conveniently lined with cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating in prime positions to enjoy views of the Atlantic.
If you plan to spend some of your trip exploring outside of El Médano, a rental car is practically required. Public transport is sufficient for simple journeys to larger resort areas of Las Américas and Los Cristianos, but is much more complicated and time consuming if you’d like to visit a bodega in Vilaflor, visit El Teide or see the Los Gigantes cliffs.
When is the Best Time to Visit El Médano?
El Médano is a year-round destination and especially popular in winter time as a dry and sunny alternative to the cloudier north of the island.
Of course, there is one thing to keep in mind when planning your holidays to El Médano. The wind. Wind gusts vary throughout the year so if you are coming specifically for windsurfing or kitesurfing, it´s important to pay attention to general season trends. If you are coming to lounge in the sun, it’s also worth noting that certain times of the year will have stronger winds than others.
January – March: Winter is a popular time to visit El Médano, especially for travelers looking for a break from colder weather. Wind conditions vary during this period and prices rise around important holidays like New Year, Three Kinds Day (Jan 6th), and Holy Week (Semana Santa) which falls sometime between March and April.
April – June: Winds relax a bit making this a great season for beginner and intermediate windsurfing and kitesurfing. During this shoulder season it’s easier to find deals on accommodation.
July – August: Activity and prices pick up in the busy summer season. Long days and stronger winds make this period more appealing to experienced windsurfers and kitesurfers. The PWA Windsurfing World Cup, the premier windsurf competition event in El Médano, usually takes place in August.
September: Fewer crowds, lower prices, warm temperatures and reliable winds make September another good moment to visit before the winter high season begins. In September El Médano celebrates their patron saint with the festivities culminating in a sea procession of decorated boats.
October – December: Winds are less reliable, but there are still good moments for beginners and intermediate windsurfers. Prices steadily rise with the full blown winter high season hitting hard in December. Average night time temperatures in December are around 15°C – 16°C (59°F – 61°F).
Should I Base Myself in El Médano?
Are you planning to take wind sport classes? If yes, then absolutely hunker down in El Médano.
If you don’t have plans to do any water sports, don’t worry. El Médano is still a worthy spot for visitors looking for a casual and relaxed coastal town base. If your priority is to explore the south of the island from El Médano just make sure you rent a car.
El Médano’s laid-back vibes aren’t a perfect match for everyone however. For starters, anyone who dislikes wind, should pass. The breeze will strengthen and soften throughout the season, but it very rarely disappears. Also, anyone interested in dance clubs and late nights will be disappointed, El Médano is still fairly residential and not a party town. And lastly, anyone planning to use public transport to explore the island would be better off in a larger hub with streamlined transport connections.
How Long to Stay in El Médano
Here is what various trip lengths may look like in El Médano:
For a day trip: you can easily see the basics of El Médano in an afternoon. A visit for the non-water sport folks will likely include exploring downtown shops, walking along the seaside promenade, having a meal, or stopping at a café to watch the windsurfers. If the weather is good, you can also easily fit in some beach time.
During a two day stay you´ll be able to try out more restaurants and take some longer walks, either trekking up to Montaña Roja or making your way to the nearby La Tejita beach.
For stays of three days or longer, you´ll either enjoy some serious downtime, take some wind sport classes, or start to explore outside of El Médano. With a rental car you can combine lazy mornings with afternoon excursions, or vice versa.
Where to Stay in El Médano
There are very few hotels in El Médano so most of the accommodation consists of vacation apartment rentals sprinkled throughout the town. Fortunately, El Médano is compact, so choosing where to stay isn´t overly complicated. The main questions to ask yourself is: do I want to stay in a hotel, or an apartment setting? And, is a sea view important to me?
Keep in mind, if you plan to practice wind sports, you´ll be closer to the action near Hotel Playa Surf where the main schools and equipment rental places are.
Top Things to Do in El Médano
El Médano is a place to relax and do…well, very little.
Outside of windsurfing and kitesurfing, classic activities include leisurely strolling the waterfront promenade, stopping at a terrace for a drink and an ocean view and going for a swim at the beach.
For more in depth information about what to visit in El Médano, check out our extended guide on what to do in town.
Best Things to Do Around El Médano
There is plenty to explore outside of El Médano. Just make sure you rent a car to make your trips easier.
Teide National Park
Head up above the cloud line to visit dramatic volcanic landscapes that feel like Mars in El Teide National Park. If you want to go up the Teide on the cable car, make sure to reserve in advance.
Vilaflor
The highest inhabited town of the Canary Islands, Vilaflor (1449 m, 4754 ft), is a small village surrounded by pine trees and vineyards. Stop by any of the bodegas for an impromptu wine tasting.
Las Américas & Costa Adeje
These are the main holiday hubs for sun-seeking visitors. They’re buzzy, beachy and filled with large hotels, souvenir shops and advertisements for excursions.
Siam Park
Voted as the best waterpark in the world for 10 consecutive years by Trip Advisor, this Thai-themed waterpark is full of rides, pools and slides that delight adults as much as kids.
Los Abrigos´ Natural Swimming Pools
The coastal village of Los Abrigos is a small town often overlooked due to its proximity to the much more popular Golf del Sur. Just outside the residential town you’ll find lava rock formations which have created natural saltwater swimming pools. The spot is hardly a secret anymore but still a fun surprise for those who make the short walk down the coastal path to find them.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
It´s a longer day trip, but you´ll see a completely different side of the island when you visit this historic UNESCO-listed city. Have lunch, stop into a cozy café and check out a museum.
Eat Local
Step away from international menus of hamburgers and pasta to enjoy the catch of the day at one of the many seafood restaurants in the tiny fishing village of Tajao.
Practical Tips for Visiting El Médano
Pack layers. El Médano’s breeze can make it feel cooler than you may expect, especially after sunset. A light summer jacket will be useful even in the summer.
Check the wind forecast. If you´re coming for windsurfing or kitesurfing make sure you pick a season that matches your experience level.
Pack sun protection. Burning on your first day of vacation can really put a damper on the rest of your trip.
Rent a car. Unless you plan to hunker down in El Médano for the entirety of your holiday.
Learn some Spanish. For the most part you’ll be able to move around using English. However, a few words of Spanish go a long way and are always appreciated.
Is El Médano Worth Visiting?
Yes!
If you are looking for somewhere to relax for a day or two, away from heavily touristed areas, El Médano’s small coastal oasis might be exactly what you need. The town’s atmosphere is laid-back with a “life is good” spirit.
If you consider a trip here, but are not planning to do anything water sport related, come with the right expectations and know there will be a breeze. If you are intrigued by the atmosphere, but aren’t sure how you´ll feel about the wind, make sure to rent a car. This allows the flexibility to head to a nearby beach if the wind proves too much.
El Médano is a place to slow down, read a book and do a whole lot of nothing. Or, if you so desire, it can be an excellent laid-back base to come back to after a day or exploring. Whatever your vision for your vacation, El Médano makes for a great day trip or base.
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