Tavern or volcanic beach?: Greece and Spain’s top islands: Rhodes and Tenerife in comparison
Which island suits me better? Among the most popular islands in Greece and Spain are Rhodes and Tenerife. In the large island comparison, we show which island has what to offer.
What a luxury problem: where should it go next? Vacation walk? Europe has so many beach holiday destinations to offer – each more beautiful than the next. Many Germans are always drawn to islands, this summer especially to Greece and Spain.
The island classics of Rhodes and Tenerife are currently the most popular. We compare the two destinations in the big island check.
Rhodes: Island of the gods steeped in history with dream beaches
In the eastern aegean attracts one of the sunniest regions in Europe: On Rhodes, the sun shines more than 3000 hours a year, from mid-May to mid-October not a single drop of rain falls. This makes the main island of the archipelago called the Dodecanese (“the twelve islands”), which has been one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece for decades, the perfect bathing paradise.
But not only their beaches contribute to the good reputation, but also their millennia-old supremacy, which can still be seen today in the form of impressive buildings.
Beach paradises for everyone
The island administration counts 32 beaches on a length of 80 and width of 35 kilometers. Partly in small bays. Partly with soft sand. Partly with pebbles. Partly with calm bathtub water, partly with waves. Windsurfers and kitesurfers from all over the world make pilgrimages to the south of the island, to the Prasonisi peninsula. Here, in the summer months, a steady, strong wind blows over a huge expanse of sand.
If you like it a little quieter, you will find Anthony Quinn Bay on the east coast, for example, or Tsambika Beach, which is two kilometers long and framed by high rocks. The journey over 20 hairpin bends to Fourni Beach on the cliffs in the southwest is already spectacular. The golden beach for romantics runs flat and gently sloping into the sea, where it mixes with fine pebbles to form a soft bed. A special feature is Elli Beach, which is located in the center of Rhodes Town – beautiful and well-kept.
Grand Master’s Palace, white chapels and sleepy mountain villages
This makes the mandatory visit to the capital even more attractive. Because: The medieval old town lures with a huge Grand Master’s Palace, which the Knights of the Order of St. John had built in the 14th century. A stroll through the Unesco World Heritage Site takes you along winding cobbled streets, along the imposing city wall to squares with cozy cafés.
Another highlight for amateur archaeologists: on the east coast, on a hill above the port town of Lindos (known for its rooftop bars), an acropolis towers into the blue sky. One of the most breathtaking views can be found on the west coast. Around the castle ruins and the white chapel of Monolithos there is a drop of hundreds of meters. The drive there leads through the mountainous hinterland with its sleepy villages between olive groves. Siana, for example, is worth a stop.
You can also go hiking on Rhodes, in the Butterfly Valley. Thousands of “Russian bears” soar in the air here between July and September.
Conclusion: Rhodes has something to offer for every holiday taste: Beach fans and family holidaymakers as well as action and culture lovers will find many possibilities and pretty taverns by the sea. The best-known bathing resort is Faliraki on the east coast, where the nightlife is also pulsating.
Tenerife: Contrasting Canary Island with 3,000 m peaks, black beaches and whales
Seven islands belong to the Canary Islands, Tenerife is the largest (80 kilometers long, 50 kilometers wide). And that applies in many ways: the dormant volcano Pico del Teide is the highest mountain in Spain at 3,718 meters and its lava traces make the Atlantic island with the black beaches so special.
The mountains also contribute to the special climate: it is often cooler and rainier in the north than in the south. But what does cool mean: even in winter they lie temperatures around 20 degrees. In the summer months, the values rarely climb above 30 degrees, at night it is a pleasant 22 degrees. Never too hot, never too cold, that makes Tenerife a year-round travel destination.
Glittering starry skies and dazzling beaches
The island shows how rich in contrast nature can be on its 40 beaches: from rugged cliffs and gorges in the west to a Caribbean beach in the north-east to the coastal deserts in the south-east and black lava beaches in the north-west. Playa Jardin, for example, lures with the unusual combination of grey-black lava sand and palm trees. Windsurfers will find world-class conditions in El Medano. And for Playa de las Teresitas, tons of Saharan sand have been heaped up. The result: a long, golden sandy beach with palm trees, calm sea (the bay is framed by breakwaters), right on the mountains.
Speaking of mountains: A cable car takes you to the Teide up to 3555 meters in a landscape of extinct volcanic cones, cooled lava flows and caves. Even at night there is pure fascination up here: Thanks to the location in the middle of the Atlantic, there are hardly any disturbing light sources and the starry sky is close enough to touch. There is even an observatory with a night telescope. If you don’t want to climb that high, you will find many other hiking routes in the neighboring Teide National Park or in the Höllenschlucht in the south.
Animal culture: whales, parrots, monkeys, carnival
The underwater landscape is also worth seeing, as Neptune’s empire around the volcanic island is one of the best diving areas in Spain. Moray eels and rays, predatory fish such as mackerel, tuna and barracuda cavort between underwater canyons, caves and grottos. Most dives start from shore, which is especially beneficial for beginners. The giants of the sea often emerge from the water. Because between La Gomera and Tenerife, around 400 whales and dolphins such as pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins cavort all year round.
There are also many animals to admire on land, in various parks. Loro Park, with its largest variety of parrots in the world, is one of the most popular attractions. Various species of monkeys live in the Monkey Park – from great apes to lemurs from Madagascar. Siam Park, on the other hand, is not a zoo, but the largest water park in Europe with attractions such as a slide through a shark tank or a three-meter high wave. It’s always spectacular in winter at the carnival. The exotic festival with parades, music, dancing and colorful costumes is considered the second largest in the world, right after Rio de Janeiro.
Conclusion: With its mountains, volcanic beaches and natural adventures, Tenerife is the perfect destination for family holidaymakers, hikers, mountain bikers, windsurfers, divers and animal lovers. Beach fans will find extraordinary beaches here.