Arona, with about 88,000 inhabitants, is one of Tenerife's most populous municipalities and one of the main resorts of the Canary Islands. It lies in the island's south, the driest and sunniest part, and includes both the quiet old town inland and the large coastal resorts, home to many foreign residents.
The resorts
- Arona town, at about 600 metres, with its square, the church of San Antonio Abad and traditional Canarian houses.
- Los Cristianos, a former fishing village turned lively resort, with its promenade, the beaches of Los Cristianos and Las Vistas and the port for ferries to La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
- Playa de las Américas, shared with Adeje, the largest and liveliest area, with hotels, nightclubs and surfing.
- Costa del Silencio and Las Galletas, quieter, with a small harbour and the Montaña Amarilla nature reserve, an ochre volcano by the sea.
Things to do
- Whale watching: between Tenerife and La Gomera, pods of pilot whales and dolphins live all year round, seen on boat trips from Los Cristianos and Puerto Colón; choose operators with the Barco Azul certification.
- Hiking: the climb up Roque del Conde, the flat-topped mountain dominating the south, with views of the coast and La Gomera.
- Diving, surfing and paragliding, with take-offs from the hills above the coast.
- The nightlife of Playa de las Américas.
Around Arona
From Arona you can reach Teide National Park, a UNESCO site, in under an hour, the Los Gigantes cliffs, the village of Vilaflor and Siam Park, the big water park in Adeje.
Getting there
Tenerife South airport is about 15 km away, with buses and taxis. Local buses, guaguas, link Arona with Santa Cruz and the rest of the island. See also Santa Cruz de Tenerife.