Rent a car in Tenerife
Our Tenerife car rental desks can be found at both Reina Sofia (Tenerife South) and Tenerife North Airport, as well as at the beach resort of Playa de las Américas and in the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. Our teams await your arrival on the sunny island, assuring an efficient check-in so you can get on with enjoying your trip.
Whether it’s flopping on the island’s endless sprawling beaches, dancing the night away in Tenerife’s buzzing bars and clubs, scaling the slopes of Spain’s tallest peak or spotting whales off its shores, Tenerife has a tempo to suit all tastes. And with five million visitors a year, it’s the most popular of the Canary Islands.
Each of our Tenerife car hire offices offers a 24-hour drop-off service, ensuring your departure is as quick and seamless as your arrival. We offer flexible, one-way options, so you can pick up your car rental from one location and return it elsewhere at the end of your stay.
Popular car hire locations in Tenerife
Plan your trip in Tenerife
Avis car hire has rental stations at several convenient locations across the island, pick up your car and enjoy the sights the island has to offerSanta Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the island. It’s full of culture and home to Playa de las Teresitas, a stunningly beautiful sandy and family friendly beach. Santa Cruz hosts the annual carnival which is full of colour, music and a parade and is one of the largest in the world.
Playa de las Américas is great if you’re looking to party. Verónicas is a stretch of bars, clubs, shops, restaurants and live music venues that comes alive at night. The area is also great for golf lovers. Golf Las Américas is a challenging 18 hole golf course with amazing views. Golf del Sur is another top golfing resort with an impressive 27 hole course.
Puerto de la Cruz is a busy and vibrant resort with a very pretty Old Town boasting boutiques, cafes and restaurants. The Loro Parque animal adventure park is a perfect for family day out. There are over 300 species of animals and you’ll get to see dolphin and orca performance, an area created to look like Antartica (Planet Penguin), and exotic birds flying overhead. Lago Martiánez is a water park and great on a hot day.
Los Cristianos offers stunning beaches and a busy harbour where you can go for fishing and diving trips, and catch boats to other islands. It’s a great place for shopping, you’ll find unique boutiques and lots of cafes where you can rest before more shopping.
La Laguna (San Cristóbal de La Laguna) is known as the religious capital of Tenerife. Check out Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (La Laguna Cathedral), which has been recently restored and Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (Church of Our Lady of Conception), which boasts an impressive carved wooden ceiling and a grand clock tower.
Parque Nacional de las Cañadas del Teide (Teide National Park) has an enormous volcanic crater where you'll find Mount Teide, a volcano and the highest peak in the whole of Spain. You can grab a cable car up to the highest point and then with a pre-arranged permit, hike up to the mouth of the volcano. You’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views.
One of the most scenic Tenerife drives is the route from La Laguna to El Portillo. This beautiful, snaking road offers views of both sides of the island. The winding track passes through the La Tarta rock formation, an incredible geological wonder.
Plan your trip in Tenerife
The largest and most populated of the seven Canary Islands has a fascinating history that dates back to 200BC. Its earliest inhabitants were the Guanches, the rather macabre mummified bodies of which are now enshrined at Santa Cruz’s fascinating Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre. The last of the Canaries to be conquered by the Spanish, the colonists took root in the 15th century.
With clement weather throughout the year—it’s rare that the sun isn’t shining, even in winter—Tenerife has certainly earned its nickname of “Island of Eternal Spring”. July and August are Tenerife’s peak season, while September is just as hot but a little quieter. Winter is Tenerife’s second high season, as the island is blessed with the warmest temperatures in Europe.
If it’s culture you’re looking for, you’ll find it in Tenerife’s cosmopolitan capital, Santa Cruz. But while its museums, galleries and Plaza de España, cooled by the glacier-blue artificial lake at its centre, are certainly absorbing, many locals would rather bask on the sun-baked Playa de Las Teresitas, a 10-minute drive from the city. The man-made beach (its sand was imported from the Sahara) is lined with kiosks selling refreshments, making it a compelling choice for a laid-back afternoon.
Playa de las Américas is another man-made beach and comes as supersized as its name might suggest. Sunbeds, umbrellas and ice-cream kiosks are all in ready supply for an easy family day out. Quieter seaside options include the basalt beaches around Los Gigantes, a stretch of raw sand reclining at the base of cliffs in the northwest that soar up over 500m.
Had your fill of lazing on the beach? Scale the dizzy heights of dormant volcano Mount Teide at Tenerife’s navel. It’s a tough six-hour hike from the base to the summit, but the views are ample reward. Alternatively, drive through its surrounding Teide National Park to explore its lunar landscapes pocked with craters and traversed by rivers of petrified lava.
Hire a car in Tenerife with Avis to traverse its varied landscapes, discover private coves and beaches and access its many charming towns and villages.
Driving rules in Spain
Which side of the road?In Spain, please drive on the right side of the road.
Country driving laws
- Mobile phones may not be used at all whilst driving
- Do not use headphones when driving (except hearing aids)
- Dipped headlights must be used in poor daylight visibility
- Always use indicators, you will be fined for not using indicators when needed
- Cyclists have right of way, at all times
Speed limits
All speed signs will be in km/h.
For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailers:
- Urban areas: 50 km/h (31 mph)
- Rural areas: 90 km/h (55 mph)
- Motorways: 120km/h (74mph)
Child safety / Seatbelt laws
- It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt
- Children aged under 12 and less than 135cm tall must be seated in an appropriate child restraint for their size
- Children aged under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat
This road rules information is for provided for general guidance only. We endeavour to keep the information up to date and accurate, but any reliance you place on this information is at your own risk.
Why choose Avis for your Tenerife car hire?
- Fully flexible
Enjoy fee-free flexible booking with full cash refunds and no vouchers.
- Fully flexible
- Savings on coverage
When you choose Avis Inclusive you can experience total peace of mind with no extras or surprises. Pay one upfront price for free Roadside Assistance Plus and 25% discount on comprehensive zero-excess cover.
- Savings on coverage
- Loyalty benefits
Join our free loyalty programme Avis Preferred, and benefit from priority service, discounts and more.
- Loyalty benefits
- Safety first
From our well-maintained fleet to protecting your data, we take safety seriously. That’s why we’ve partnered with Dettol® to ensure both hygienic rental locations and thoroughly cleaned vehicles.
- Safety first
- Faster collection
Save time at the counter by registering your details in advance with our simple and free QuickPass. You could be on the road sooner than you think.
- Faster collection
- VIP treatment
Get priority counter service on collection with Avis Preferred. At our larger locations you can use our Avis app to go straight to your car where the keys will be waiting for you.
- VIP treatment