San Andrés, Coastal village in Tenerife, Spain
San Andrés is a small coastal village in the northeast of Tenerife, sitting between the Anaga mountains and the sea. Its narrow streets run between houses built into the hillside, with the coastline visible from many corners of the village.
The village was founded around 1498, shortly after the Spanish conquest of the island, making it one of the oldest settlements in Tenerife. A church was built in the early 1500s, and a coastal fort was later added to defend against pirate raids.
Residents gather at Plaza Las Adelfas, shaded by large ficus trees whose canopies frame the square on all sides. Older people sit on benches while children play nearby, giving the space a natural rhythm that reflects daily village life.
The village is easy to reach from Santa Cruz de Tenerife by bus or car, and the ride is short. Visiting on weekday mornings gives you more space to walk around, as the roads near the beach get busy on weekends.
The sand at nearby Las Teresitas beach was imported from the Sahara Desert in the 1970s, because the original volcanic shoreline was not suitable for swimming. It is one of the only golden sand beaches on the Canary Islands, standing out among the many black and grey volcanic shores across the archipelago.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
