Exploring Tenerife with food allergies and keeping it authentic….
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary islands as well as the most visited, which is not surprising as it offers year round warm climates, friendly locals, stunning rugged beauty and spectacular beaches. The last time I came here was 30 years ago and that was a very different holiday. Two weeks in Playa de las Americas back then pretty much consisted of partying all night and sleeping all day on the beach. Playa de las Americas hasn’t changed much, but I have! This trip was polar opposite, where I actually got to see what the island has to offer and it didn’t disappoint, proving that holidaying in Tenerife with food allergies is possible.
La Caleta
We stayed in a small coastal fishing village in the south of the island, called La Caleta. Just a short walk down to the seafront there is a hive of activity with plenty of restaurants and bars, that still manages to keep it’s authentic charm. You won’t find any drunken stag do’s here, which is perfect! The village has a fantastic atmosphere with stunning views of the ocean. The perfect place to sit outside and either people watch or just be entertained by the local fishermen.
A 10 minute walk down the road is the beach. The black sand serves as a constant reminder of Tenerife’s volcanic nature, creating a unique and visually striking coastal landscape. It’s not your typical golden sandy beach, but it is quiet barr the odd paraglider coming in to land.
If you wanted to go hiking or just take a walk in the evening, the path along the coast goes on for miles (all the way to Los Cristianos), taking you past quiet beaches and rock pools, which is great for the kids.
If you follow the path in the other direction, you will find rough trails along the coast to a couple of quiet coves such as Playa de Diego Hernandez, which is used by nudists – not so great with the kids!
Places to stay in Tenerife with food allergies….
The Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
I wanted to find somewhere nice to stay that was self catering, so we could explore the island and have the freedom to eat out if we wanted. The Royal Hideaway Corales Suites was a great find, considered one of the 25 best hotels in Spain according to TripAdvisor and in 2021 was awarded for the best Architecture Design Hotel by the World Luxury Hotel Awards.
On arrival, the resort definitely has the ‘wow’ factor. The building itself is built into the shape of a boat and the interior I’m told is inspired by the islands marine corals. It actually looks like the resort is built into the volcanic rock, which looks incredible, especially when it’s all lit up. There are streams running through the reception and spa which really adds to the effect and is really calming.
We stayed in the two bedroom penthouse suite, which had a huge balcony with a hot tub and sea views…
Eating out in Tenerife with food allergies
In the resort…..
The Royal Hideaway Corale Suites have a few restaurants on site, some of which hold Michelin status. We ate at The Starfish by the pool area a few times, which had a really relaxed, casual vibe. They really showcase the many seafood dishes they offer, with fresh fish on ice and live lobster/crab tanks. Having said that, they do offer a variety of other dishes such as steaks, burgers, salads, paella and tapas.
As my son is highly allergic to all seafood I was initially anxious to eat here, but they really understood the importance of preventing cross contamination. The food was lovely and we felt really safe, hence the repeated visits.
We also ordered room service a couple of times, where the food is delivered to your room and they set the table and serve the food for you. This was lovely as it really was a private ‘in room’ dining experience, with none of the effort!
The room does have an amazing kitchen with ovens, induction hobs, microwaves, toasters, fridge/freezer and pretty much every cooking utensil you could need. We did some food shopping in the local village at the beginning of the week which covered breakfast, lunch and a couple of dinners, which suited us as the kids could just go back to the room and help themselves when ever they wanted to.
In La Caleta….
Just a 10 minute walk from the resort is the main seafront where you will find a myriad of restaurants and bars. It’s a really nice place to stroll around at night and take your pick from the many places if you wanted to eat there. Given that this is a fishing village, the emphasis is definitely on seafood. We did eat here one evening, but not with our son as it would just be impossible to prevent cross contamination even if some of the restaurants could prepare him something appropriate. A great place to eat though if you don’t have a fish allergy.
Some restaurants in the area (I haven’t personally tried all of these but heard they are good):
- La Vieja – Fresh Seafood & Fish
- Rosso Sul Mare – Italian
- Tapitas La Caleta – Tapas
- Char – Steakhouse
- Tasca La Vida – Spanish/Local Cuisine
- Bloom Bar & Brunch – Cocktail Bar and Brunch
Jade Stone – Paella for the first time!
Soon after arriving in La Caleta we decided to check out the local village, San Sabastian, which is a 5 minute drive away. There’s a really nice beach there, some local shops, bars and restaurants. We actually stumbled upon Jade Stone by chance. I really wanted my son to try paella while we were here but wasn’t felling very optimistic as they are typically cooked with seafood. However Jade Stone were able to make him a separate paella free from all his allergens. My son only normally gets to eat these types of dishes if homemade, so it was really nice for him to experience some local cuisine.
Things to do……
Costa Adeje
Costa Adeje is about an hours drive away and is a large tourist destination with a huge beach, promenade, shops, restaurants and bars. Food here is more British/American (fish & chips, Burgers and pizza) as opposed to local cuisine. If you want a night out, this is probably the place, or a few miles further will take you into Playa de las Americas.
Whale Watching in Costa Adeje
I had originally booked an excursion on Tripadvisor for us all to go on a whale watching boat trip, but stupidly got my days mixed up. Not a problem though as we spoke to one of the many trip organisers in Puerto Colon Marina and managed to book ourselves on the next excursion.
In my head I had this as a relaxing day out with a few drinks, in the hope of spotting the odd pilot whale or bottlenose dolphin. I started to realise that this wasn’t going to be the case when the captain started to run through what to do when you get sea sickness and that he was a bit miffed after having to do a lot of ‘cleaning up’ from his previous trip.
I positioned myself and my son as central as possible as knew we were going to find this difficult. The sea was really rough, but given the circumstances and one lady turning herself inside out with sickness, we managed to keep it together. The boat stopped halfway for anyone that wanted to go snorkelling. I’m a strong swimmer and there was no way I was going in there. A few did though (including my daughter) who only lasted a couple of minutes after being battered by the waves.
We did see a quite few pilot whales which was nice and even a couple of turtles, but have to say at this point I just wanted to be back on dry land. All in all, not the most enjoyable trip, but an experience nonetheless. I would like to say that the sea conditions were a one off, but due to Tenerife being in the middle of the Atlantic, it’s pretty much like this all the time, so unless you have a rock steady stomach, beware!
Mount Teide National Park
Tenerife is the home to the Earth’s third-tallest volcano, Mount Teide. This active volcano (which last erupted in 1909) sits within Teide National Park and is now a World Heritage site and the 8th most visited park in the world.
This trip was a ‘must do’ whilst in Tenerife and as we had hired our own car for the week, we were able drive there at our own leisure. The park is huge and really thought provoking. You can clearly see the vast path of destruction from the last eruption over a century ago. Craters, chimney and remnant lava streams make for a remarkable panorama of colours and shapes.
We had booked our cable car tickets the day before, which takes you to the top of the volcano. It can get pretty chilly up there, so layers are definitely recommended. Once at the top, there are some trails that take you around the crater and to the other side, offering up spectacular views of the park.
The climb up to the summit is not included which I didn’t realise at the time. To do this you require a separate permit issued by the National Park, which book up month’s in advance. If I had known, I would have definitely booked earlier as this is something I would have liked to have done.
The cable car ticket also gives you free access to the “Science and Legend” exhibition at the Visitors’ Centre, which is a 5 minute drive down the road. There are more trails and photo stops here too, with some impressive lava rock formations and views over the barren ‘moon like’ landscape.
To Conclude….
Tenerife is the third island I’ve been to in the Canary Islands (Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria being the other two) and have to say it’s possibly my favourite, just because the island can give so many different variations of holiday experiences. If you are looking to party with your mates, which I did many years ago, then Playa de las Americas is the place to go. If you are looking for an active hiking of surfing holiday then there will be more than enough places to explore in Teide National Park or along the coast. If all you’re looking for is somewhere to relax with your family, to experience the local culture and have some nice days out, then this trip has proved that it certainly delivers. With pretty much guaranteed sunny weather, only four and a half hours flight from London and no time difference, it’s a no brainer.
To help with travel planning, refer to my Travel Tips to help you prepare for your trip and ensure everyone has a great time!
Typical Food & Drink in Tenerife
Mojo – Mojo sauce is the Canary Islands’ unofficial condiment and is paired with just about everything. There are several versions of mojo sauce but the two most common types are mojo rojo (made from red pepper and garlic) and mojo verde (made from coriander and parsley).
Goats Cheese – Very popular and made locally on the island.
Papas Arrugadas (Wrinkled potatoes) – Made from small new potatoes which are cleaned (but not peeled), then boiled in salt water. After cooking, the water is removed and the potatoes are briefly left in the pot on the stove to dry off, until they become shrivelled with a fine salt crust. They are usually accompanied by mojo sauce.
Ropa Vieja Canaria (translated as ‘Canarian old clothes’) – A variant of the Cuban equivalent, this is a national dish comprising shredded/stewed beef with chickpeas and potatoes.
Fish & Sancocho Canaria – Local fish and seafood dishes are abundant in Tenerife. Sancocho Canaria is a local dish of salt fish made with sweet potato/potato and olive oil.
Gofio – A legacy left by the Guanche people (the native inhabitants) and is a type of flour made with toasted grains – most commonly from millio (sweet corn). Gofio can be eaten with milk at breakfast, in a dish known as “escaldón” mixed with fish broth, or with honey and almonds as a tasty sweet or aperitif. It is also often found enhancing stews and soups, which means it is a staple ingredient in most houses in Tenerife.
Arroz a la cubana – A rice dish popular in Spain, made from rice, a fried egg, a fried banana (plaintain or other cooking banana) and tomato sauce.
Local wine – Made from the many grape varieties that are unique to this part of the world.
Allergens Translated
The majority of people in Tenerife speak English, however these are some in the local villages that don’t. Taking an allergy translation card and having Google Translate is always recommended just in case you do need to converse in Spanish.
| English | Translation |
| I am allergic to…. | Soy alérgica a ….. (feminine) Soy alérgico a ….. (masculine) |
| wheat | trigo |
| milk | leche |
| nuts | nueces |
| eggs | huevos |
| fish | pescado |
| shellfish | el marisco |
| soya | soja |
| sesame | sésamo |