Los Gigantes is named for its defining feature: a wall of basalt sea-cliffs up to 600 metres high that drops vertically into deep Atlantic water on the island's wild west coast. The town that grew around the marina in the 1970s is small, walkable and oriented entirely around that view. The waters at the cliff base are some of the deepest in Tenerife and host year-round resident pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, making this the island's most reliable whale-watching base. Diving is excellent for the same reason. Most accommodation is mid-size four-star hotel or sea-view apartment, with a couple of stand-out boutique options; the local restaurant scene punches above its weight, anchored by El Rincón de Juan Carlos a few minutes up the road in Los Gigantes village. Best for travellers who want dramatic scenery, marine wildlife and a quieter pace than the south, in exchange for fewer beaches and a more limited nightlife.
Dramatic and small-scale. A whitewashed cliff-top town wrapped around a working marina, with one of the most photographed coastlines in Europe.
Couples, mature travellers, whale-watching enthusiasts, photographers, dive holidaymakers.
Mid-size 4-star hotels on the clifftop, sea-view apartments, a few intimate boutique stays.
Honest tapas at El Rincón de Juan Carlos (Michelin-starred just up the road), seafront seafood at La Trastienda, sunset cocktails at Pancho Beach Club.
Skip the busy lunchtime catamarans — book a smaller-boat dolphin trip at 4pm and you'll often have the cliffs to yourself in golden light.