The best time to visit Tenerife
The calendar of one island: southern sun, northern cloud and a carnival in February
- Carnival 2027
- Street carnival 19–28 February
- Cable car
- Hours change with the season
Tenerife has a sunny side and a cloudy side, and the month matters less than which of them you wake up on. The south is drier and brighter, the north is wetter and greener, and the cable car on Teide moves its closing time with the season. Only one date reshapes a whole trip, the Santa Cruz carnival, which in 2027 fills the streets from 19 to 28 February.
Month by month
Through the year
The table gives the temperatures for all twelve months, so the words here go to what a table cannot say. Winter is why most people fly in, since the south keeps its terraces open while northern Europe sits in the dark. The sea is another matter, because it stays around 19–20 °C in winter, which is fine for a quick dip and tight for a long swim.
October is the month this page would pick. In 2026 the cable car closed at 6:00 pm until the 13th and at 5:30 pm from the 14th, there is no carnival to plan around, and the days still run long enough for a beach morning and a volcano afternoon. February is the better pick only if the carnival is the reason for coming.
Check the same room on both sites: price and cancellation terms can differ.
Clouds and rain
The north catches the clouds. Annual rainfall there is roughly 350–550 mm, most of it between October and March, against roughly 100–200 mm in the south. On average the north is 2–3 °C cooler in summer and 4–5 °C cooler in winter, which explains why a day in Puerto de la Cruz can need a jacket while Costa Adeje is in T-shirts.
So the choice follows the kind of trip. For guaranteed sun, sleep in the south and drive north for a day, when the cloud will be part of the scenery in the Anaga mountains. For greenery and cooler evenings, sleep in Puerto de la Cruz and accept that the beach days will be fewer, with the black sand of Playa Jardín as the consolation.
Wind and cable car hours
The cable car runs by the weather, so wind and temperature decide whether a cabin leaves at all. Departures can run late, and the line can stop without notice when the wind picks up. It also offers rides around sunset, outside the regular hours and limited to 90 people. The closing times below are the 2026 schedule, and the hours for 2027 have not been published, so nothing on this page promises them. For 25 October to 31 December 2026 the operator gives: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, last ascent 4:00 pm, last descent 4:50 pm.
Always from 9:00. Hours for 2027 have not been published.
The 2027 carnival
The carnival in Santa Cruz has dates that moved for 2027. The opening gala was shifted from 8 to 22 January, the murga finals fall on 6 February and the Queen's gala on 17 February. The street carnival itself runs from 19 to 28 February, with the 2027 theme, Roma Eterna, set by the organisers.
Tuesday 23 February, Martes de Carnaval, is a local holiday in Santa Cruz and in La Laguna as well. These dates come from Spanish press reports in 2026, and the groups themselves registered by 20 July 2026. Book a bed in the capital or along the tram line well ahead, since the whole city is on the street.
February or October
The two months suit different travellers, and the data separates them cleanly. February brings the carnival and a south that stays mild. October brings longer cable car days and no crowd to book around.
- Choose February for the carnival: the street party runs 19–28 February 2027, and Santa Cruz is the base.
- Choose October for Teide: in 2026 the cable car closed at 5:30–6:00 pm, against 5:00 pm in winter.
- Choose July to September for the longest cable car day, closing at 6:40 pm in 2026, though the north is then 2–3 °C cooler than the south.
Where to next
Nomadinho scores out of 100, the same ones behind “Where to go”.
If you like Tenerife
Three places with the closest scores, from any country.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Can you swim in Tenerife in winter?
Yes, though the sea sits around 19–20 °C, so short swims suit most people. The south is the safer bet, and the calm beaches there are sheltered from wind.
When is the Santa Cruz carnival?
In 2027 the street carnival runs from 19 to 28 February, with Martes de Carnaval on 23 February. The opening gala is on 22 January and the Queen's gala on 17 February.
Is the north rainy in winter?
Often, yes. The north gets roughly 350–550 mm of rain a year, mostly from October to March, against roughly 100–200 mm in the south, and it is 4–5 °C cooler on average in winter.
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