Christmas in Tenerife 2023: Events & Christmas Day Menus

Published on December 01, 2023
TenerifeEvents in Tenerife
christmas tenerife canary islands
Celebrate Christmas in Tenerife under the warm Canary Islands sun!

Some people dream of a white Christmas... but not the people who are thinking of spending their holidays in Tenerife. They are dreaming of a warm and sunny Christmas and if you're reading this, you're probably one of them as well.

Weather in Tenerife at Christmas

The Canary Islands are blessed with the warmest weather in Europe during the winter months, so if you're wishing for some winter sun the Canaries are the place to go.

Temperatures in December and January in Tenerife South still rise around the 23 - 25 Celsius during the daytime, and at night it gets a bit chilly, but a cardigan will suffice on most evenings. You can see more photos from Tenerife in December, just so you get a better sense of what you can expect if you decide to spend Christmas and New Year's Eve in Tenerife.

Even with the nice weather we still recommend packing a light coat. On most winter nights you will need one, or at least a cardigan, but for the daytime, you should always pack a bathing suit and flip flops.

Playa las teresitas december tenerife
Playa de las Teresitas (in the North) in December

Traditional Christmas in Tenerife

In Spain, Christmas is a bit different from the UK and other countries in Europe.

Kids will receive their gifts on the 6th of January when there's a national holiday known as The Three Kings or Dia de los Reyes Magos.

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So for Spanish people, Christmas is usually a holiday to be spent at home with the family, having a nice dinner together before going to church for the ceremony known as Midnight Mass or La Misa del Gallo.

However, since Tenerife is a tourist destination all year round, most of the restaurants, bars and places will be open on Christmas day just like any other normal day.

Some of the shops will be closed on the 25th of December since this is still a public holiday in all of Spain. So if you need to stock up on something you should do your shopping a day in advance. In the main tourist areas in the South, you will still find some shops open even on Christmas Day, but big hypermarkets like Mercadona will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen on the 26th.

The 26th is not Boxing Day as it's in the UK, instead, the Sale Season in Spain starts on the 7th of January, the day after the children receive their gifts from the Three Wise Men, otherwise known as the Three Kings. 

What to do in Tenerife at Christmas

All the municipalities in Tenerife are usually planning various events during the months of December and January, so take a look at the list below, which we will update continuously, as soon as we have more info about what's going on for Christmas 2022 in Tenerife.

Visit the Belen de Candelaria (Nativity scene)

belen candelaria tenerife nativity scene
Belen de Candelaria, a must see in Tenerife at Christmas

The nativity scene in Candelaria is the most spectacular and amazing nativity scene in Tenerife and each year it draws crowds of people who travel to Candelaria just to see it. 

If you want to witness one of the local Christmas traditions in Tenerife, go and see the Belen in Candelaria!

Teide tenerife 600 250

Christmas in Puerto de la Cruz

Usually, there are several Christmas events in Puerto de la Cruz dedicated to the entire family, like a Christmas market in Plaza Escultor Angel Acosta with artisanal products, concerts with Christmas music and many other events which you can see in the full schedule published by Ayuntamiento de Puerto de la Cruz (as soon as it becomes available). 

On Sunday, December 3rd, at 6:30 p.m. Puerto de la Cruz invites Portuense families and their visitors to inaugurate their Christmas in the Plaza de la Iglesia de la Peña de Francia.

Thus, it's the start of the most special period of the year, culminating with the most magical night of the year with the visit of Their Majesties The Three Wise Men on the evening of January 5. Up to a hundred events, including the traditional Christmas Fair, will delight visitors and residents alike.

Christmas in Adeje

christmas adeje tenerife
Spend Christmas in Costa Adeje, Tenerife

Adeje will switch on their Christmas lights under the slogan ‘Adeje for Peace,' and present their program of events for the season, with family and liturgical activities, all with one unified theme this year - highlighting peaceful coexistence in difficult times.

The program of events means a very busy December indeed, kicking off this Friday, December 1st, with the Christmas lights switch-on and the blessing of the Seniors’ Nativity Scene in Plaza de España at 7 pm.  These nativity scenes, or ‘Belénes’ are typical of Spain, and another that is a regular favourite annually is in the La Viña hermitage, which will be blessed next Monday, December 18th, at 7 pm.

There is also, this year, a ‘Belén Ruta’ a route for nativity scenes. Each neighbourhood has created a nativity scene that you can visit during the Christmas season.  These will be in parish churches, plazas, cultural centres, and sports pavilions.  

Nearer to the coastal part of Adeje, Plaza Salytien will be the location for the popular Christmas fair 'Costa Adeje Christmas Fair' on December 6th, 7th, and 8th, 4 pm to 10 pm.

Christmas in Santiago del Teide, Los Gigantes & Puerto de Santiago

The Christmas lights will be switched on in Los Gigantes on December 1st in Plaza de Buganvilla.

Check out the full list of Christmas events in Los Gigantes, Santiago del Teide and Puerto de Santiago 2023/2024.

Christmas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa Cruz is usually beautifully decorated for Christmas and becomes a vibrant town, with lots of things to do at this time of the year. The authorities usually organize workshops for wrapping gifts, workshops for recycling old items and transforming them into new decorations, as well as activities for children. 

Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has prepared a program of activities for the Christmas and Three Kings holidays that includes more than 200 events to be celebrated throughout the municipality until January 6th. Different municipal areas participate in the programming, as well as the five districts of the capital.

See the full list of Christmas events in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2023/2024.

Christmas in La Orotava

The town is beautifully decorated during the holiday season and if it's one thing you shouldn't miss this December, it's the Ruta de Belenes in La Orotava. You can see all the details in the official schedule published by the Ayuntamiento Villa De La Orotava. Usually, there are lots of events throughout December, like workshops for kids, markets and concerts.

Check out the full schedule for Christmas 2023 in La Orotava, Tenerife.

Christmas Day menu in Tenerife 2023

playa las americas christmas tenerife
Christmas decorations at Safari Centre on the Golden Mile in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife

Most of the restaurants in Tenerife will prepare a special meal for Christmas day, either with a set menu or a buffet.

Some restaurants get fully booked for next year right after the present year's Christmas dinner has ended, since many visitors are return customers who come here each year to spend their holidays.

Restaurants will usually publish their Christmas menu on their Facebook page or their website at least a few months in advance, some starting in August or September.

If you have a favorite restaurant in Tenerife where you'd like to go for Christmas dinner then you should ask them in advance or check their social media to see if they've announced anything.

Regarding what's on the menu on Christmas day in Tenerife, it pretty much depends on what you'd like to have. You can choose anything from a traditional roast meal to a Chinese buffet or Spanish cuisine. Some restaurants will serve a traditional Christmas menu and others will keep business as usual and serve what they are usually serving. There's plenty of cuisines to choose from, so if you're spending a Christmas in a sunny destination like Tenerife you might as well try something new.

Below you have some examples of typical Christmas menus from restaurants in Tenerife. If you've visited Tenerife before and you already have some favorite restaurants, you can try to contact them directly and ask about their Christmas menus.

The George Family Sports Bar (Puerto de Santiago)

  • Calle Las Rosas, Puerto de Santiago

Team George are very excited to announce our Christmas Extravaganza Party on Friday 22nd December! An amazing afternoon full of Christmas cheer, great food & top quality acts! Some of the best you will see on the Island!

Please contact the restaurant directly to book or enquire about details.

The Players Lounge Tenerife

Cozy Cafe Tenerife (Playa de Las Americas)

Bojangles

  • in Los Cristianos

Indulge in festive flavors with carefully crafted dishes. 

Friends Lounge Bar & Restaurant

24th, Christmas Eve

  • normal daily menu
  • high-quality life music by Sebastian from New York
  • Reservation highly recommended

25th, Christmas day

  • only the special Christmas menu
  • high-quality life music by Ornela and her duo
  • reservations only

Christmas on the beach in Tenerife

If the weather is nice, why not grab something to eat the day before from the supermarkets, a bottle of wine or cava and on Christmas day go to the beach and have a picnic there?

If you're spending Christmas day getting a tan, you might as well take advantage of the sunshine and beautiful weather to get a really unique meal right in front of the ocean. You could always have a Christmas lunch on the beach and then go out for a fancy dinner.

New Year's Eve events in Tenerife - full guide

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