Car Hire Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport

If you are heading to Tenerife, one of the 7 Canary Islands and among Europe’s most popular destinations, there are two airports providing a gateway to this island of chilled, sunny days and party nights.

Tenerife South in Granadilla de Abona is the largest of the two airports handling around 11 million arrivals a year. At the opposite end of the island close to the town of San Cristóbal de La Laguna lies Tenerife North. Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport was once a regional airport but today welcomes around 6million passengers a year. Flights to Tenerife North are mainly from Spanish airports but a growing number of international airlines fly direct.

Although it’s renowned as a beautiful destination to soak up the sun by day and dance by night, for travellers interested in the culture and nature of the island, there is so much to see on Tenerife and a hire car gives you the chance to get to know another side of the island.

Our friendly Avis car rental team at Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport are experts on the island and ready to welcome you with the perfect rental vehicle for your trip.

You’ll find our Avis counter inside the arrivals hall at Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport – just follow signs after the baggage reclaim. You’ll be collecting your hire car from the long stay car park a short shuttle ride from the terminal entrance.

Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport is located 11 km from Santa Cruz, the capital city of the island of Tenerife which lies on the north-east coast of the island.

The airport is inland close to the town of San Cristóbal de La Laguna and right by the TF-5 Motorway (Autopista) which crosses the north of the island connecting Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz.

From the Avis car park at Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport, you’ll turn right and head east on the TF-5 motorway for the drive of around 20min (13.7km) following signs for Tres de Mayo/Benito Perez Armas which takes you into the centre of the city.

Located on the island’s northeast coast and as the second largest city in the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz has a lively feel but is subtly different from many of the tourist resort towns and villages.

With its stunning backdrop of mountains and big ocean skies, the city is an attractive destination to spend a few days.

Santa Cruz offers visitors a flavour of authentic local culture – its more local bars and tapas restaurants than pubs and clubs - and in parts, you might imagine you are in a mini-Madrid.

While its vast commercial port daily delivers tourists from cruise ships, the small marina right by the main shopping district is interesting to explore and spend some time admiring the super-yachts.

There is plenty of public art on display in the city, especially in the local parks where you will see work by world-famous sculptors like Henry Moore.

If you want to explore the city’s historic centre, stop off at La Concepción church and if you’ve time to take in a museum, the Nature and Archeology (MUNA) is home to the Guanche mummies which date back beyond the 15th century.

For some relaxation, head for the city’s palm-fringed beach, Las Teresitas, a 10min drive away in San Andrés.

To immerse yourself in the food culture of the island, don’t miss the Nuestra Señora de África Market, which is the destination for residents and restauranteurs alike. You can eat here in one of the many fish restaurants surrounding the market or pick up local ingredients, freshly baked pastries and breads, cheeses, cold meats and tapas, for the perfect Canary Islands picnic.

If you are planning a road trip around the north of Tenerife you’ll find this is the quieter part of the island with relatively empty roads and beaches to explore.

The landscape is lush and green with a mountainous interior and beautiful black sandy beaches. As you drive around the coast, you’ll discover pretty, white-washed fishing villages with small family-run restaurants offering local delicacies and you’ll also discover a slice of culture and history that is a far cry from the beach and club scene in the south.

On your way from the airport, its worth stopping off in the city of San Cristobal de la Laguna. With its richly painted houses and shady squares the city has a Latin American feel and was used as the inspiration for city design in the Americas.  

If you want to tackle the summit of Mount Teide, the highest volcano on the island, you can drive to the foothills and take a cable car to the top. The best route from the north of the island is to take the TF-24 and climb to the car park via the small town of La Esperanza.

If you want to spend the afternoon doing a spot of people watching, head for the pretty village of Garachico, a 50min drive from the airport via the TF-5. You’ll find yourself in arguably the most beautiful town on the island filled with palm trees and endless views of the ocean.

Hiring a car at Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport is the best way to get around the island. While there are taxis and bus services connecting the airport with Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz, a hire car gives you the freedom to explore the landscape and go off the beaten track to get to know the real Tenerife at your own pace.

The Avis team at Tenerife Norte La Laguna Airport is ready to offer advice on the best places to go and to help make your car rental run smoothly from the moment you land.

The road network on Tenerife is generally good and if you are planning on touring the island you’ll find it easy to navigate with some open, quiet roads. In the cities parking can be tight and there are narrow streets in many villages.

As in Spain and the rest of mainland Europe, you’ll be driving on the right-hand side of the road as you leave Tenerife Norte La Laguna airport.

If you have not driven in this part of the world before, we’d advise checking the road rules for driving in Spain before you set off.