El Médano is a small resort on the southeast coast of Tenerife situated very close to the south airport. El Médano is a very laid back and casual resort popular with Spanish tourists, mature holidaymakers, families and windsurfers. The town is clean and well-kept and is very typically Spanish in its look and feel. It is really a town on the seafront that has turned its self into a resort.
Eating Out In El Medano
Locally caught fresh fish, seafood, tapas and Spanish food is served in the seafront restaurants on the promenade and around the main square, Plaza de Principe de Asturía. More restaurants, crepe and ice-cream parlours are located in the cobblestoned back streets, some on the seafront where you can enjoy lunch, dinner or tapas with a nice glass of wine.
Will I Like El Medano?
El Médano will suit mature holidays makers, couples and families looking for a quiet holiday away from the hustle and bustle of some of the larger resorts on the south of the island. Mainly due to the windsurfers and hippie beach dudes, it has a bohemian feel. It can also be windy at times here, hence its popularity with windsurfers and kite surfers. The World Professional Windsurfing Championships have been held here at the Playa del Cabezo.
Most of the holiday accommodation in El Medano is villa and apartment rentals with only a few hotels. There are no luxury 5-star hotels in El Médano.
Take a look at our photos of El Medano
El Médano Nightlife
The resort nightlife is relaxed and casual but can be very busy and vibrant, especially at the weekends. If you are looking for wild nightlife with karaoke, music bars or night clubs with neon lights, you won’t find it here. There are no karaoke bars, discos, themed pubs, Irish pubs, sports bars, tribute acts or any other bars of that sort. However, if you are looking for a relatively peaceful resort with a café culture, this may suit you.
An evening out in El Médano consists mainly of eating and drinking outside in one of the many available restaurants. The restaurants will be bustling in the evenings, and the promenade is full of strollers milling around.
Street trader’s setup stools selling their bits and bobs, and musicians sit and play their instruments sitting on the wall by the hotel El Médano.
El Médano Beaches
El Médano's stretches of natural sand beaches are some of the best on Tenerife. Playa El Médano is a beautiful sandy beach made of golden sand with shallow water making it safe for families and is Tenerife's longest beach at 2km long. The seafront and beach are very popular and can get very busy, especially at the weekends, when the restaurants are packed even in the winter.
Windsurfers and wind kites congregate at the far western end of the resort, near the Montaña Roja. If you are already a pro, get out into some of the best windsurfing conditions in the world, or have some wind sport lessons. You can hire all the equipment you need in the surf hire shops, and chill out with the surfing crowd in one of the café bars on the beach.
Playa de La Tejita, a 1km stretch of sandy beach with parasols is beyond the Montaña Roja to the west of the resort (the remains of an ancient volcano and protected nature reserve). Explore rock pools, build sandcastles or fly a kite. Playa de La Tejita is not suitable for lilos or other inflatables as there are strong winds and sea currents. Nudism is allowed on this beach.
El Médano Attractions
El Médano is a traditional family resort, it is safe and friendly with families enjoying the beach and restaurants. Spanish families are often out at weekends. Parents can keep an eye on the children while enjoying a drink in the sunshine in Plaza de Principe de Asturía, which has a small children’s playground by the beach. A weekly market is held in the plaza and hosts local fiestas.
Where is El Medano
El Médano is in the sunny south of Tenerife. The high summer temperatures are kept down by the perpetual winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean.
El Médano is located in the municipality of Abona on the south of coast Tenerife, close to Tenerife Sur airport. It is some 20 km from the resorts of Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas and approximately 23 km from Costa Adeje. The golf courses at Golf del Sur and Amarilla Golf are about 11km by road.
You can see the location of El Medano on Tenerife on the map.
El Médano is close to south Tenerife airport, so there is some aircraft noise. The flight path is about 1km north of the beachfront, but the airport is not too busy, just be aware of your accommodation relative to the flight path.
Tenerife South Airport to El Médano Transfer Times
The distance from Tenerife South Airport to El Médano is approximately 8km by road that takes about 10 minutes. The taxi fare should be about €13. There is no direct bus service from Tenerife airport to El Médano. However, you can get to El Medano from the airport by bus if you change bus services.
How To Get To El Medano From Tenerife South Airport >>
El Medano Bus Services
Bus services from El Medano to other parts of Tenerife. Click on this link to Plan Your Bus Journey From El Medano. This map shows all the bus stops in El Medano. Click on the route numbers on the list below for the time tables of buses from El Medano.
Tip: If you are planning to catch a bus to Los Cristianos, it is much quicker to travel on the 483 bus rather than getting the 470 bus, as the 483 bus route is more direct. The 470 bus goes a long way round.
How To Get To El Medano From Tenerife South Airport >>
Places to Stay in El Médano
Frequently Asked Questions About El Medano Tenerife
What is El Medano Tenerife like?
El Médano is a small resort on the southeast coast of Tenerife and is a very laid back and casual resort popular with Spanish tourists, mature holidaymakers, families and windsurfers.
Is the beach nice in El Medano Tenerife?
El Medano has a great sandy beach and is close to bars, cafes and restaurants.
How far is El Medano from Costa Adeje?
The distance by road from El Medano to Costa Adeje is approximately 23km. The quickest way to get from El Médano to Costa Adeje by bus is route 411 and change to bus route 110 at San Isidro ; the journey time is about 40 minutes.
Is El Medano in Tenerife relaxing?
El Medano on Tenerife is the perfect place to relax in the sun and is an excellent place for doing very little apart from walking in the sun and getting a sunbed on the beach, and eating in the many good restaurants and cafes.
Is El Medano Tenerife safe?
El Medano on Tenerife is a really safe and authentic small town and has an excellent feel to it as it has a very Spanish atmosphere.
Is El Medano Tenerife a busy resort?
El Medano Tenerife is quieter than the large popular resorts of south Tenerife. But it can get busy at the weekends as it is very popular with the island's inhabitants.
Is El Medano Beach public?
All the beaches in El Medano Tenerife are open to the public.
What busses go to El Medano?
The following bus service all go to El Medano. Route 116, Route 470 and route 483.
What bus goes from Tenerife airport to El Medano?
There are no direct bus services from Tenerife south airport to El Medano. How To Get To El Medano From Tenerife South Airport >>
