Let’s be honest. You didn’t book a week in the south of Tenerife expecting rain. Nobody does. But every now and then, particularly between November and February, the sky goes grey, the wind picks up off the Atlantic, and suddenly the beach towel stays in the room.
The good news is that south Tenerife handles a rainy day far better than most people expect. The south around Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, and Playa de las Américas is shielded by the mountains and dries out quickly. Most rainy days here last a few hours, not a full day. Here are 15 genuinely good options for when the weather turns.
Indoors with kids: Megabowl, Karting Club, Aqua Club Termal (10am to 12pm), escape rooms, Siam Mall.
Adults only: Aqua Club Termal (after 12pm), hotel spa day, submarine safari, El Corte Inglés.
Free or low cost: Los Cristianos harbour, local markets, local café.
Worth the drive: Teide National Park (check webcam first), El Corte Inglés.
Contents
- 1. Spend a Morning at Aqua Club Termal, Costa Adeje
- 2. Go Bowling at Megabowl, Costa Adeje
- 3. Explore Siam Mall
- 4. Take a Submarine Ride from Amarilla Marina
- 5. Try an Escape Room in the South
- 6. Head to El Corte Inglés in San Isidro
- 7. Watch a Film at Multicines Gran Sur, Costa Adeje
- 8. Book a Spa Day at One of the Resort Hotels
- 9. Go Karting at Karting Club Tenerife
- 10. Wander Around Los Cristianos Harbour
- 11. Try a Cooking Class or Food Tour
- 12. Visit a Local Market
- 13. Book a Massage or Beauty Treatment
- 14. Drive Up to Teide (Sometimes)
- 15. Just Settle Into a Café and Take It Slowly
- A Quick Word on Weather in the South
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Spend a Morning at Aqua Club Termal, Costa Adeje
If there is one silver lining to a rainy day in Tenerife, it is that a spa suddenly becomes an excellent idea. Aqua Club Termal in Torviscas Alto is one of the best wellness centres on the island: over 6,000 square metres of pools, thermal circuits, Turkish baths, saunas, flotarium, and relaxation areas across 18 different zones. The water is warm, the facilities are genuinely impressive, and on grey days it is often quieter than usual.
Children under 13 are only admitted between 10am and 12pm. After midday it becomes adults-only, making the afternoon sessions particularly peaceful for couples and solo travellers.
Aqua Club Termal
| Address | Calle Galicia 6, 38660 Torviscas Alto, Costa Adeje. Free parking on site |
| Phone | +34 922 716 555 |
| Opening Hours | Daily 10am to 9pm. Children under 13 admitted 10am to 12pm only |
| Price | Adults €40, children 6 to 17 years €24, babies 0 to 5 years €13. VIP option with bathrobe, towel and slippers available at a higher rate |
| Getting There | Short taxi from most Costa Adeje hotels, approximately 5 to 10 minutes |
| Booking | Book in advance online to secure your preferred time slot, particularly at weekends |
| Website | aquaclubtermal.com |
2. Go Bowling at Megabowl, Costa Adeje
Megabowl is one of those places that sounds unremarkable until you are actually there with children who are completely absorbed in it. A large bowling centre inside CC Playa Fañabé 1 with multiple lanes, a bar, food, pool tables, air hockey, arcade games, complimentary popcorn, and enough atmosphere that it feels lively rather than empty. It works well for families, couples, and groups. In the heart of Costa Adeje, walkable from most Fañabé area hotels.
Megabowl, Costa Adeje
| Address | Calle Londres 5, CC Playa Fañabé 1, Planta Baja, 38660 Costa Adeje. Lower level of the Fañabé 1 shopping centre. Walkable from most Costa Adeje hotels |
| Phone | +34 922 713 040 |
| Opening Hours | Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun 2pm to midnight. Wed/Sat 2pm to 2am. Closed Monday. Check directly as days can vary |
| Price | 1 game adults €5.50, children €4.50. 2 games adults €9.50, children €6.50. 3 games adults €10.00, children €7.50. Shoe hire additional |
| Booking | Book lanes online in advance during school holidays and when weather turns |
3. Explore Siam Mall
Siam Mall in Adeje is a large open-air shopping complex built around Thai-inspired architecture, with over 80 stores on two floors, restaurants, cafés, a cinema, a large HiperDino supermarket, and a kids’ entertainment area. Directly next to Siam Park.
Siam Mall is primarily open air. On a heavily rainy day it is less suitable than the fully indoor options on this list. On an overcast or lightly drizzly day it works well. It also gets busy when the weather turns. Go early to avoid the crowd.
Siam Mall
| Address | Autovía del Sur TF-1, Parque Comercial Siam Mall, Adeje. By car: exit 28 from the TF-1, follow signs for Siam Park |
| Free Shuttle | From Playa de las Américas and resort areas. Check siammall.es for current shuttle stop locations near your hotel |
| Website | siammall.es |
4. Take a Submarine Ride from Amarilla Marina
This is one of the most underrated things you can do in the south of Tenerife regardless of the weather. Submarine Safaris operates the island’s only real tourist submarine from Amarilla Marina in San Miguel de Abona, taking you 30 metres below the surface to explore the Atlantic seabed. Not a glass-bottomed boat. An actual electric-powered submarine. Fish, rays, shipwrecks, and reef life through large panoramic windows. When you are 30 metres underwater, it genuinely does not matter what is happening above the surface.
The submarine operates daily except Saturday. Always confirm availability before making the trip. A free bus from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos runs when you book in advance and request the pickup.
Submarine Safaris, Amarilla Marina
| Address | Urbanización Amarilla Golf s/n, Torre de Control, Amarilla Marina, 38639 San Miguel de Abona |
| Phone | +34 922 736 629 |
| Not Open | Saturdays |
| Price | Adults €50, children 2 to 14 years €30. Children under 2 cannot dive. Book online for a discount |
| Duration | 50 minutes submerged. Approximately 1 hour total |
| Free Bus | From Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when booked in advance |
| Getting There | Approximately 20 to 25 minutes from Los Cristianos by car or taxi. Take TF-1 to exit 23, follow signs for Amarilla Golf marina |
| Website | submarinesafaris.com |
5. Try an Escape Room in the South
The south of Tenerife has a handful of escape rooms and they are genuinely good fun on a rainy afternoon, particularly for families with older children, groups, and couples who want something requiring actual concentration. A good escape room gives a group 60 minutes of shared problem-solving, and older children often find themselves leading, which makes for a welcome change in the usual holiday dynamic.
Escape Tenerife, Los Cristianos
| Address | Paseo Dulce María Loinaz 16, Local 2, Los Cristianos |
| Price | Approximately €15 to €20 per person. Check directly for current pricing |
| Best For | All ages. English-speaking games masters. Multiple room themes |
| Website | escapetenerife.com |
Island Phobia Escape Room, Las Américas
| Address | Avenida Eugenio Domínguez Alfonso 23, 38660 Playa de las Américas |
| Opening Hours | Daily 10am to 11pm |
| Price | Approximately €15 to €20 per person |
| Best For | Children aged 10 and above, teenagers, groups. Harry Potter room specifically praised in recent reviews |
| Booking | Book in advance as evening slots fill quickly, particularly when the weather turns |
6. Head to El Corte Inglés in San Isidro
El Corte Inglés is the great Spanish department store: multiple floors of fashion, homeware, food, electronics, beauty, and books. The closest one to the south Tenerife resorts is in San Isidro, approximately 15 minutes by car or taxi from Los Cristianos. It is entirely different from the resort promenade shopping experience and gives you a genuine sense of how locals shop. The food hall in the basement is worth a visit on its own: quality Spanish produce, wines, cheeses, and a good deli counter. Easily fills two or three hours.
El Corte Inglés San Isidro
| Address | Calle Compostela s/n, 38611 San Isidro, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Free parking on site. Search El Corte Inglés San Isidro on Google Maps |
| Opening Hours | Monday to Saturday 9am to 9pm. Sunday and public holidays 11am to 8pm. Hours may vary seasonally |
| Getting There | Approximately 15 minutes by taxi from Los Cristianos or Costa Adeje |
| Website | elcorteingles.es |
7. Watch a Film at Multicines Gran Sur, Costa Adeje
Most cinemas in Tenerife screen films in Spanish, but Multicines Gran Sur inside the Gran Sur Shopping Centre in Costa Adeje is one of the largest cinema complexes on the island with 18 screens and regularly shows films in their original language. Look for “VOSE” listings: that means original version with Spanish subtitles. Clean, modern multiplex and a perfectly enjoyable couple of hours on a grey afternoon.
English-language screenings are not every showing of every film and the schedule changes weekly. Check the listings at cinesur.com before you make the trip to confirm there is a VOSE showing at a time that works for you.
Multicines Gran Sur
| Address | Calle Lisboa s/n, CC Gran Sur, 38670 Adeje. Torviscas Alto area of Costa Adeje. Free parking at the shopping centre |
| Getting There | Short taxi from the main resort hotels |
| Website | cinesur.com |
8. Book a Spa Day at One of the Resort Hotels
You do not need to be a guest at a hotel to use its spa. Several of the larger resort hotels in Costa Adeje offer day passes to non-residents covering their pools, thermal suites, and relaxation areas. The Bahía del Duque and the Meliá Jardines del Teide are two of the most impressive options. This is a step up from a standard spa: proper resort facilities with outdoor heated pools, hydrotherapy, and treatments available. Costs more than Aqua Club Termal but for a genuinely luxurious rainy-day experience it is hard to beat.
Contact the hotel spa directly by phone or through their website to enquire about current day pass rates and availability. Advance booking is essential at the top properties, particularly at weekends. Budget approximately €60 to €120 per person for access to spa facilities at the top-tier hotels.
9. Go Karting at Karting Club Tenerife
Karting Club Tenerife operates a 1,250 metre circuit near San Miguel de Abona with a senior circuit for adults and a junior circuit for children aged 6 to 14. Rain actually makes karting more interesting: the track gets slippery and you have to think more carefully about your lines. Covered viewing and waiting areas, a cafeteria, billiards, table football, and Scalextric on site. Free shuttle bus from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. Booking online gives a 15 percent discount plus two free spins.
Karting Club Tenerife
| Address | Carretera Cho a Las Chafiras nº 66, 38640 San Miguel de Abona |
| Junior Circuit | Ages 6 to 14. Pony Karts, Junior Cadets, two-seater karts |
| Senior Circuit | Ages 15 and above. CRG Centurión (400cc) and Super Kart Especial (350cc) |
| Free Shuttle | From Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when booked in advance |
| Getting There | Approximately 20 minutes by car or taxi from Los Cristianos |
| Booking | Book online for 15% discount and 2 free spins |
| Website | kartingtenerife.com |
10. Wander Around Los Cristianos Harbour
This might sound counterintuitive for a rainy day, but light drizzle in the south of Tenerife tends to be warm, and the harbour area in Los Cristianos is a pleasant walk even when the weather is overcast. The fishing boats are interesting to watch, the seafront restaurants have covered terraces, and there is something genuinely atmospheric about the harbour when it is quiet and grey. Pick a restaurant with a good covered terrace, order fresh fish, and take your time over lunch. On a sunny day this area is packed. On a rainy weekday morning it feels like a different place entirely.
For the best restaurant options near Los Cristianos harbour, see our guide to the best restaurants in Los Cristianos.
11. Try a Cooking Class or Food Tour
A rainy day is the perfect excuse to learn something. A handful of operators in the south run Canarian cooking classes covering papas arrugadas, mojo sauces, fresh fish preparation, and local dishes. Typically run in small groups over two to three hours. Search for Canarian cooking experiences in Costa Adeje on GetYourGuide or Viator for current operators and availability. Most run on specific days rather than daily, so booking ahead is essential.
12. Visit a Local Market
Several markets run in the south throughout the week, and many are either fully covered or continue through light rain.
| Market | Day | Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Cristianos Sunday Market | Sunday | From ~9am | Near the bus station area, Los Cristianos. Local produce, clothing, crafts, food stalls |
| Costa Adeje Market | Thursday and Saturday | 9am to 2pm | Search Costa Adeje market on Google Maps for current location |
13. Book a Massage or Beauty Treatment
Sometimes a rainy day is the universe telling you to slow down. Most hotels in Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos have in-house massage and treatment options, and there are plenty of independent beauty and wellness centres throughout the resort areas. Prices are generally reasonable by UK standards. Ask your hotel reception for current recommendations, or look for places on Google Maps with recent reviews from 2025 or 2026. Book ahead for a rainy afternoon as these fill up quickly when the weather turns.
14. Drive Up to Teide (Sometimes)
This one comes with a caveat: check the conditions on the mountain before you go. But here is the thing: if it is overcast and grey at sea level, there is a reasonable chance Teide is above the cloud line and bathed in sunshine. It is one of Tenerife’s great quirks. You can drive up through the clouds on a gloomy day and emerge into brilliant blue skies with the cloud layer spread out below you like a white carpet.
Search “Teide webcam” on Google and you can see current conditions at the summit in real time before you commit to the one-hour drive. If the top is clear, go. The drive takes about an hour from the south.
15. Just Settle Into a Café and Take It Slowly
Not every rainy day needs an itinerary. The south of Tenerife has a good number of proper cafés: not just tourist bars, but places where locals sit for hours with a coffee, a pastry, and absolutely no intention of leaving quickly. Find one, order a café con leche and a tostada, and watch the street outside.
The rain in the south of Tenerife rarely lasts all day. By lunchtime the sun is often back, the pavements dry out in minutes, and the afternoon is yours. Sometimes the best thing to do when it rains in Tenerife is simply wait it out in comfort, which is considerably easier to do here than almost anywhere else in Europe.
A Quick Word on Weather in the South
The Teide volcano acts as a natural barrier against trade winds and cloud, meaning the south sees far fewer wet days than northern Tenerife. When it does rain, it is usually a short, warm shower rather than persistent grey drizzle. Even on an overcast day, temperatures rarely drop below 18°C in winter. Check the forecast, keep your plans flexible, and you will often find the afternoon is far better than the morning suggested.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it rain a lot in south Tenerife?
No. The south is one of the driest parts of the island. Most years you could visit in winter and see no rain at all. When it does rain it tends to be short and warm rather than the persistent grey drizzle common in northern Europe.
What is there to do in Costa Adeje on a rainy day?
Aqua Club Termal at Calle Galicia 6 in Torviscas Alto, Megabowl at CC Playa Fañabé 1, Multicines Gran Sur cinema at CC Gran Sur on Calle Lisboa, escape rooms in Las Américas, and hotel spa days are all good options in or near Costa Adeje when the weather turns.
Is the submarine ride in Tenerife suitable for children?
Yes, children aged 2 and over are welcome on the Submarine Safaris tour at Amarilla Marina in San Miguel de Abona. Children under 2 cannot dive. Adults €50, children 2 to 14 years €30. Phone +34 922 736 629. Book at submarinesafaris.com for the online discount and the free shuttle bus from the main resort areas. Not open Saturdays.
Can you visit Teide when it’s raining at the coast?
Sometimes, yes. If it is overcast rather than heavily raining at sea level, there is a good chance Teide is above the cloud line and sunny. Check the Teide webcam on Google before making the drive. The journey from the south takes around an hour.
Is there a free shuttle to Siam Mall?
Yes. Siam Mall operates a free shuttle bus from Playa de las Américas and surrounding resort areas. Check siammall.es for current shuttle stop locations and timings before you visit.
Is the karting at Karting Club Tenerife suitable for children?
Yes. Karting Club Tenerife has a separate junior circuit for children aged 6 to 14 with three types of child-sized karts. The adult senior circuit is for drivers aged 15 and above. A free shuttle bus runs from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. Book online at kartingtenerife.com for a 15 percent discount on door prices.
All venues, prices, and opening times are subject to change. Check directly with each venue before visiting, particularly for seasonal variations in opening hours and current pricing. For the submarine, always confirm it is operating as Saturdays are typically closed.