Playa de las Americas

Playa de Las Americas is undoubtedly the most popular resort in Tenerife. It faces the south coast and was built from nothing in the 1960s alongside Los Cristianos, within the municipality of Arona. Today, Playa de Las Americas, together with Los Cristianos itself and Costa Adeje, represents a single urban agglomeration, encircling the entire south-west coast of the island and welcoming the vast majority of tourists, thanks to the presence of bars, discos, night clubs, restaurants, attractions and, of course, beaches. The centre of nightlife in Tenerife, the nightlife areas of Playa de Las Americas can be roughly divided into three areas: the Las Veronicas shopping centre, the Starco shopping centre and the Patch.

But if you think that Playa de Las Americas is only a destination for young people who like to experience Canarian nights, you are mistaken. In fact, there is a beautiful golf course here, the 18-hole Golf Las Americas, which occupies a large part of the area of the resort to the north. Around this area, the atmosphere is totally different, thanks also to the presence of luxury resorts and hotels that give the area a feeling of exclusivity.

Beaches of Playa de las Americas

Despite what it may seem, Playa de las Americas is not the name of a beach. And at the same time, there is not just one! On the contrary, there are three beaches in Playa de Las Americas, and they are spread all along its coastline, which has a singular shape as it faces the sea on both the south and west sides. The beaches are all sandy, but beware! The golden sand you see is not indigenous but comes from the Sahara Desert, ‘imported’ to the Canaries to mask the black volcanic sand that originally covered the entire coastline.

On the southern side of Playa de Las Americas are two sandy beaches: they are Playa de Las Vistas and Playa del Camisón. Of these, Playa de Las Vistas is by far the largest: almost 800 metres in length and about 30 in width, vaguely semicircular in shape and entirely enclosed behind it by a beautiful pedestrian promenade, the Paseo Las Vistas, with numerous bars, restaurants and shops of all kinds, many of them gathered within the Vistasur shopping centre. Playa de Las Vistas is for the most part equipped, but there is no shortage of completely free areas where you can plant your umbrella or lay out your towel. The beach consists of fine sand, has been awarded the blue flag and there are services such as public toilets, showers, recycling points and SOS and sea rescue points manned by lifeguards.

Staying on the south side, a few dozen metres from Playa Las Vistas is Playa del Camison, a miniature version of it. About 350 metres long and about 20 metres deep, it has in its favour the possibility of some natural shade thanks to the palm trees that have been planted at its back, almost as if they were umbrellas in the last row. The beach has a beach club at its western end, while behind it are three large hotels, although there is a pedestrian promenade along its entire length. Playa del Camison, like Playa de Las Vistas, is also largely equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, and partly completely free.

Moving to the west side of Playa de Las Americas, in the C.C Veronicas area, is Las Palmeras beach, so called because it is behind a prestigious hotel of that name. Excellent for admiring Tenerife’s sunsets, the beach behind has a beautiful pedestrian promenade, Paseo Francisco Andrade Fumero, with numerous opportunities for shopping, entertainment and, of course, endless bars and restaurants. Like the other two beaches, Playa Las Palmeras is both free and equipped, accessible for the disabled or handicapped and equipped with services such as rescue and recycling points.

Where to stay in Playa de las Americas

Considering that Playa de Las Americas is practically an urbanisation in which the facilities are exclusively hotels, residences, holiday homes and tourist villages, it goes without saying that sleeping here is only a matter of budget and the type of holiday you want to take. Consider that on average you will find 4- or 5-star all-inclusive hotels alongside small residences made up of equally small flats. You can choose to stay more or less close to the sea, more or less close to the nightlife areas, more or less close to the shopping areas and so on.

If, on the other hand, you want to dedicate your holiday in Tenerife to golf, head without hesitation to the northern part of Playa de Las Americas, where the prestigious Golf Club Las Americas is located. Here you will find truly elegant and refined resorts, hotels and residences, set in a lush landscape and far from the hustle and bustle of Las Americas.

Recommended hotels in Playa de las Americas

We offer a selection of hotels at Playa de las Americas to suit all categories of travellers. The most booked by tourists are the sea-facing hotels, often right on the beach. If you want to play it safe, choose one of the following: they are among the most booked hotels in Playa de las Americas, sorted by number of reviews.

Apartments and vacation homes in Playa de las Americas

If you prefer space, privacy and the ability to prepare your own meals to a hotel holiday, book a holiday home at Playa de las Americas. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at Playa de las Americas are in high demand.

Nightlife in Playa de Las Americas

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the nightlife areas in Las Americas are the C.C. Veronicas, the C.C. Starco and the Patch.

The historical heart of nightlife in Playa de Las Americas is the Veronicas area. It takes its name from a shopping centre spread over five contiguous buildings numbered 1 to 5, and located along Avenida Rafael Puig Lluvina, almost at the border with Costa Adeje. This street, also known as the ‘Strip’ of Las Americas, reminiscent of its much more famous namesake in Las Vegas, is about 300 metres long and is packed with night clubs, bars and pubs open until dawn. It is a focal point of nightlife in the area and in the whole of Tenerife, although not as fashionable as it was 20-30 years ago, thanks also to the opening of new clubs in other areas. However, the Papagayo Beach Club, at the end of the Strip practically bordering Costa Adeje, is one of the most fashionable and modern clubs.

Beyond the Veronicas shopping centre is the C.C. Starco, located a very short distance away, so much so that for some this area is one huge nightlife area. You can get there simply by crossing the street, or through a small tunnel. Here, too, there are many bars and nightclubs, with the same atmosphere and target group as Veronicas. Since it is frequented almost exclusively by tourists, often from northern Europe, the clubs start to fill up around 9 p.m., but close very late, sometimes as late as 6 a.m. and even later. At C. C. Starco you will also find some restaurants, sandwich bars and fast food outlets, to appease your hunger after (or during) your evening.

Finally, moving on from C.C. Veronicas or from the C.C. Starco eastwards along the coast, you will find the area called The Patch, named after the nightclub of the same name. This is also a popular area for nightlife, although somewhat less energetic than Veronicas or Starco. Nevertheless, you will find dozens of bars, restaurants and a nightclub waiting for you. It is an area for a very diverse clientele, ranging from 20-somethings to more mature couples, but in general the feeling is that it is a slightly more universally appealing hangout, with some bars offering live entertainment, quizzes, karaoke and cabaret.

How the nightlife in Playa de Las Americas works

The nightclubs in Las Americas all work in much the same way. Almost all of them offer free admission, while the more exclusive night clubs and discos charge admission, with the first drink included in the price. Walking around Playa de Las Americas you will encounter numerous PRs on the street, who will try to direct you to clubs offering special packages, such as 2-for-1 drinks or free shots, to attract your attention. PRs in general are very friendly, but be careful as since they work exclusively on commission they tend to be pushy, sometimes even too much so.

The dress code is usually not strict, in fact many times it is completely ignored, so much so that it has become legendary to see British tourists in discos wearing flip-flops and the jersey of their favourite football team.

Things to do in Playa de las Americas

Playa de las Americas is a purely tourist destination that was born from scratch in the late 1960s. For this reason, there is nothing cultural to visit in the city, there are no historical buildings and there are no reminiscences of the past. However, it is definitely worth a visit, especially due to the numerous pedestrian streets where the watchword is shopping! You can buy anything you want in the numerous shops, both local and those of the big international chains. There are also several shopping centres in town, including the Zentral Center, which also has a multiplex and a hotel, and the Vistasur, overlooking the beach.

The most popular shopping street in Playa de las Americas is Avenida Las Americas, located to the south, not far from Playa de las Vistas and Playa del Camisón. This long street, also known as the ‘Golden Mile’ by British tourists, is packed with shops of all kinds, from typical souvenir and trinket shops run mostly by Asians to big international brands. Also along the street is the Safari shopping centre, where there are numerous jewellers and top brand shops, as well as many opportunities for leisure and relaxation.

Siam Park

Siam Park is located between Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas and is recognised as one of the best water parks in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year thanks to its extraordinary attractions and exotic atmosphere. The park is entirely inspired by Thai culture, with buildings, sculptures and gardens that faithfully recreate the environment of Siam, the ancient name for Thailand. This unique theming permeates every corner of the park, mixing the charm of oriental tradition with the excitement of modern water slides and water games. It is a must for anyone visiting Tenerife.

Getting to Playa de las Americas

Getting to Playa de Las Americas from Tenerife South International Airport is a 20-minute drive. Just take the TF-1 road heading west and follow it all the way to exit 73, which is called Playa de Las Americas. Once you have exited, you are practically in the area of the golf course. Just drive along it and follow the signs to the centre, or to your hotel.

Playa de las Americas Weather