PlanningTenerife
Tenerife, north or south? Sun, rain and the hotel to book, month by month
Everyone says the south of Tenerife is sunnier. We measured by how much, at our own hotels, in every month of the year, and checked it against the weather stations. The answer changes with the season, and so does the hotel we would book.
By The Better Trip Editorial TeamPublished 24 October 2026Last checked: October 20266 min read
The short answer
From November to March, book the south or the west. Costa Adeje has a sunny afternoon on 56% of days and rain on 6%; Puerto de la Cruz, on the north coast, has a sunny afternoon on 31% and rain on 34%, at the same afternoon temperature of about 21°C. In July and August the gap closes, with sun on most afternoons on both coasts, so the north, with its gardens, its old town and Loro Parque, becomes a real choice. Wherever you stay, the south is closer to most of what there is to do: 10 of our 15 Tenerife experiences start within 30 minutes of Bahía del Duque, against 3 from Hotel Botánico.
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What we worked out
We took five years of hourly weather, 2021 to 2025, from ECMWF's 9 km model at the location of each of our ten Tenerife hotels, and counted, month by month, the afternoons (12:00 to 16:00) that were mostly clear, the ones that were grey, and the days with at least 1 mm of rain. Then we checked the model against the Spanish weather service's own records for its two airport stations, north and south. The two agree: from November to January the south gets a quarter to two fifths more sunshine, and three to five times fewer rainy days. What surprised us is how little the temperature changes: on a January afternoon both coasts reach about 21°C.
South against north, month by month
Is the south of Tenerife sunnier than the north?
The south coast, at Bahía del Duque and Royal Hideaway Corales Beach, against the north coast at Puerto de la Cruz, home of Gran Hotel Taoro and Hotel Botánico. A sunny afternoon is one where the cloud averaged under 30% between noon and 4pm; a rainy day has at least 1 mm.
The north catches the trade winds, which push cloud against the mountains from about 600 metres up and leave the south in their shadow. That is why the gap is widest from October to June and almost closes in high summer, when the cloud layer sits lower and thinner.
| Month | Sunny afternoons, Costa Adeje | Sunny afternoons, Puerto de la Cruz | Rainy days, Costa Adeje | Rainy days, Puerto de la Cruz | Afternoon high, south / north |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61% | 32% | 5% | 27% | 21.4°C / 20.8°C |
| Feb | 55% | 33% | 4% | 36% | 21.0°C / 20.1°C |
| Mar | 55% | 28% | 6% | 43% | 21.1°C / 19.9°C |
| Apr | 49% | 29% | 7% | 35% | 21.9°C / 20.9°C |
| May | 60% | 30% | 5% | 30% | 23.1°C / 22.5°C |
| Jun | 72% | 38% | 2% | 27% | 23.8°C / 23.9°C |
| Jul | 88% | 58% | 0% | 7% | 25.4°C / 26.6°C |
| Aug | 85% | 57% | 2% | 12% | 26.9°C / 28.1°C |
| Sep | 63% | 27% | 4% | 32% | 26.3°C / 26.3°C |
| Oct | 55% | 31% | 1% | 31% | 25.7°C / 25.4°C |
| Nov | 57% | 31% | 8% | 31% | 24.1°C / 23.7°C |
| Dec | 53% | 32% | 9% | 32% | 22.3°C / 21.3°C |
Every coast where we have a hotel
Which part of Tenerife has the best weather in winter?
Our ten hotels fall into five weather zones. The south and west coasts are the sunniest in winter; the golf resorts above Costa Adeje, a little higher up, catch slightly more cloud. Puerto de la Cruz is the cloudiest and wettest. The northwest is the surprise: in the model, the coast towards Buenavista behaves more like the west than like Puerto de la Cruz.
| Zone | Sunny afternoons, Nov to Mar | Rainy days, Nov to Mar | Sunny afternoons, Jul and Aug |
|---|---|---|---|
| South coast: Costa Adeje, La Caleta (Bahía del Duque, Royal Hideaway Corales Beach) | 56% | 6% | 86% |
| West coast: Guía de Isora (The Ritz-Carlton Abama, Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora) | 54% | 10% | 80% |
| South, above the coast: Golf Costa Adeje (Royal River, Royal Garden Villas) | 51% | 16% | 84% |
| Northwest coast: Buenavista and Garachico (Hacienda del Conde, Hotel San Roque) | 49% | 16% | 82% |
| North coast: Puerto de la Cruz (Gran Hotel Taoro, Hotel Botánico) | 31% | 34% | 58% |
What the weather stations say
How many hours of sunshine does Tenerife get?
The Spanish weather service, AEMET, keeps long-term records for its stations at both airports. Tenerife Sur sits on the south coast; Tenerife Norte sits inland at 632 metres, in the cloud belt above La Laguna, so it is greyer than the north coast resorts. Read together with our model, they bracket the difference: the south gets 2,725 hours of sunshine a year, Tenerife Norte 2,409, and in December the south gets 42% more.
| Month | Sunshine, Tenerife Sur | Sunshine, Tenerife Norte | Rainy days, Tenerife Sur | Rainy days, Tenerife Norte |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 193 h | 150 h | 1.8 | 7.7 |
| Feb | 195 h | 168 h | 2.2 | 7.4 |
| Mar | 226 h | 188 h | 1.9 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 219 h | 202 h | 1.1 | 6.2 |
| May | 246 h | 234 h | 0.3 | 3.8 |
| Jun | 259 h | 237 h | 0.0 | 2.4 |
| Jul | 295 h | 262 h | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| Aug | 277 h | 269 h | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Sep | 213 h | 213 h | 0.6 | 2.8 |
| Oct | 214 h | 194 h | 1.6 | 6.5 |
| Nov | 193 h | 155 h | 1.9 | 8.3 |
| Dec | 195 h | 137 h | 3.5 | 8.8 |
The hotel we would book, by season
Where is the best place to stay in Tenerife?
Our pick for each part of the year, from our Tenerife edit. The south and west carry the winter; the north comes into its own in summer, when its afternoons are sunny too and its gardens and old towns are at their best.
| When | Where | Hotel | Why | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November to AprilSee prices | South coast | Bahía del Duque | The sunniest coast in our model, a beach on the doorstep and 10 of our 15 experiences within 30 minutes | See prices |
| November to April, for quietSee prices | West coast | The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama | Nearly as sunny as Costa Adeje in winter, with its own bay and more space | See prices |
| May and JuneSee prices | South coast | Royal Hideaway Corales Beach | Sunny afternoons on 60 to 72% of days, before the summer prices | See prices |
| July and AugustSee prices | North coast | Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden | The north's sunniest months, Loro Parque 7 minutes away, and the gardens at their best | See prices |
| All year, away from the resortsSee prices | Northwest coast | Hotel San Roque | A small hotel in the old port of Garachico, on the less cloudy side of the north | See prices |
| September and OctoberSee prices | South, above the coast | Royal Garden Villas & Spa | Warm afternoons of 25 to 26°C, villas with private pools, and 11 of our experiences within 30 minutes | See prices |
What is close to each coast
Is it better to stay in the north or south of Tenerife for excursions?
Most of the island's boat trips leave from the south, and the Teide tours collect from there. The north has Loro Parque, the Orotava valley and the paragliding. These are the drive times from a hotel on each coast to the start of ten of our Tenerife experiences, with the ones that offer pickup from that hotel marked.
| Experience | From Bahía del Duque | From Hotel Botánico |
|---|---|---|
| Whale and dolphin watching, no chasing | 13 min | 75 min |
| Sunset and stargazing above the clouds | 32 min, pickup | 65 min |
| Mount Teide by cable car, with the coach | 55 min, pickup | 47 min, pickup |
| Siam Park | 9 min | 71 min, pickup |
| Loro Parque | 65 min | 7 min, pickup |
| Whale watching from Los Gigantes, with a swim in Masca bay | 28 min | 61 min |
| Kayak and snorkel tour from Los Cristianos | 11 min | 73 min |
| A banana farm in the Orotava valley | 66 min | 5 min |
| Paragliding from the slopes of Teide | 69 min | 3 min |
| Teide and Masca jeep safari, a full day | 6 min, pickup | 69 min |
What we would buy
Whale and dolphin watching, no chasing
From €28 a person (checked September 2026)
Tenerife's best-known day out leaves from Los Cristianos, 13 minutes from Bahía del Duque and 75 from Puerto de la Cruz. This catamaran keeps its distance from the animals and is rated 4.6 on GetYourGuide.
Teide at sunset, with the stars
From €35 a person (checked September 2026)
The night-sky tour we would book: sunset at 1,424 metres, then a 12-inch telescope with certified guides, with pickup on the south coast. Rated 4.7 on GetYourGuide.
Loro Parque
From €44 for an adult (checked September 2026)
The best reason to stay in the north, or to come up for a day: 7 minutes from Hotel Botánico, about an hour from the south. Rated 4.8 on GetYourGuide.
The catch
A model is not a forecast
Our figures are averages from a weather model over five years, at a 9 km grid. A single week can be grey in the south or bright in the north, and the cloud in the north can sit on the hills while the coast below is in sun.
What to do. Use the table to pick the coast; check the forecast before booking day trips.
Sunny is not the same as hot
The two coasts are within about a degree of each other in winter, with afternoons around 21°C. The south is not warmer in January; it is drier and brighter.
What to do. Pack a layer for the evenings on either coast, and more for Teide, which is far colder than both.
Where we would stay in Tenerife
Costa Adeje
Bahía del DuqueThe original Costa Adeje grande dame, still the best beachfront address for a family with taste.
Guía de Isora
The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, AbamaA self-contained citadel on the west coast, with the island's best hotel food and its own beach.
La Caleta, Costa Adeje
Royal Hideaway Corales BeachThe most complete answer to a winter-sun week in Tenerife for two grown-ups.
Puerto de la Cruz
Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa GardenThe north's established five-star, with a serious spa and gardens that justify the cloudier skies.
Garachico
Hotel San RoqueAn 18th-century manor house in Tenerife's prettiest old town, with twenty rooms and no resort in sight.
Puerto de la Cruz
Gran Hotel TaoroThe 1890 grand hotel that started Tenerife tourism, restored and back in business above Puerto de la Cruz.
Questions people ask
Good questions about Tenerife, north or south? Sun, rain and the hotel to book, month by month
Is the north or the south of Tenerife better?
For winter sun, the south: from November to March Costa Adeje has a sunny afternoon on 56% of days and rain on 6%, against 31% and 34% in Puerto de la Cruz. In July and August both coasts are sunny most afternoons, and the north is a good choice for its gardens, old towns and Loro Parque.
Does it rain a lot in Puerto de la Cruz?
In winter, more than in the south: in the five years we modelled, a third of days from November to March had at least 1 mm of rain in Puerto de la Cruz, against 6% in Costa Adeje. Most of it falls as showers, and the afternoon temperature is the same as in the south.
What is the warmest part of Tenerife in winter?
Neither coast is much warmer: on a January afternoon both reach about 21°C. The south and west are sunnier and drier, which is why they feel warmer.
How many hours of sunshine does the south of Tenerife get?
About 2,725 hours a year at Tenerife Sur airport, according to AEMET's 1981 to 2010 normals, from 193 in January to 295 in July. Tenerife Norte, inland at 632 metres, gets 2,409.
Where should I stay in Tenerife in December?
On the south or west coast. In December our model gives Costa Adeje a sunny afternoon on 53% of days against 32% in Puerto de la Cruz, and AEMET's records show 42% more sunshine in the south that month.
Sources we read (4)
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