Areas
Tenerife Sea-View Apartments: Which Areas Face the Ocean
For the most dramatic sea views in Tenerife, look at four places: Los Gigantes on the west coast, the seafront of Playa de las Américas, the hills above Costa Adeje and the north-coast town of Puerto de la Cruz. The first three face west or south-west, so you watch the sun set over the Atlantic;…
Which areas of Tenerife have the best sea views?
The strongest views are in Los Gigantes, Playa de las Américas, the Costa Adeje hills and Puerto de la Cruz, because each has buildings stepped up a slope or lined along the shore facing open ocean. The table compares them.
| Area | Coast faces | What you see | Sunset over the sea? | To TFS km / min | To TFN km / min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Gigantes | West | Sea cliffs up to 600 m, marina, open Atlantic | Yes, all year | 43 / 38 | 79 / 76 |
| Playa de las Américas | South-west | Beaches, promenade, surf breaks | Yes, most of the year | 18 / 17 | 84 / 59 |
| Costa Adeje (hills) | South-west to west | Wide panorama over the coast, often to La Gomera | Yes, all year | 20 / 17 | 87 / 59 |
| Puerto de la Cruz | North | Rocky shore, black-sand beach, Atlantic swell | Only around midsummer, low on the horizon (our estimate) | 95 / 70 | 27 / 26 |
Distances are free-flow driving times by motorway; allow about a quarter longer in daytime traffic.
Los Gigantes
Los Gigantes is a small resort in Santiago del Teide set beneath the Acantilados de Los Gigantes, sea cliffs that rise up to 600 m straight out of the ocean. Apartments climb the hillside above the marina, so many upper floors look over the water towards the cliffs. The streets are steep, with plenty of steps, and the black-sand Playa de la Arena is in neighbouring Puerto de Santiago.
Area
Los Gigantes
1 stay · from €80 per night
Playa de las Américas
Playa de las Américas puts you on the south-west seafront, with a promenade linking beaches such as Playa de Troya and Playa del Camisón. Here "sea view" often means a flat, close view of beaches and surf rather than a high panorama. It is also the liveliest area on the island, which matters for noise (see below).
Area
Playa de las Américas
1 stay · from €165 per night
Costa Adeje hills
The residential slopes above Costa Adeje give you height, and height is what turns a sea view into a panorama. From many terraces you look across the coast to the Atlantic and, on a clear day, to the island of La Gomera. The trade-off is distance: the beaches, including Blue Flag Playa del Duque and Fañabé, are a short drive rather than a stroll.
Area
Costa Adeje
1 stay · from €420 per night
Puerto de la Cruz
Puerto de la Cruz is the north coast's historic resort town, and its seafront faces the open Atlantic to the north. Instead of a long sandy beach you get the Lago Martiánez seawater pools designed by César Manrique and the black-sand Playa Jardín. The north is greener and cloudier than the south, so expect a dramatic, changeable sea rather than a calm blue one.
"Sea view", "side sea view" or "frontline": how do you read a listing?
A listing that says "sea view" only tells you the sea is visible from somewhere in the home, not how much of it or from which room. Before you book, it helps to translate the common labels.
| Listing term | What it usually means | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Frontline / primera línea | The building is on the first row to the sea or promenade | Is a road or promenade between you and the water? |
| Sea view / vistas al mar | The sea is visible from the main living area or terrace | Is it the full width of the window, or a strip between buildings? |
| Side sea view / vista lateral | You see the sea at an angle, often only from one side of the balcony | Which room? Can you see it sitting down? |
| Partial sea view | A slice of sea over rooftops or through a gap | Is anything being built in front? |
| Ocean or panoramic view | A wide, open view, usually from height | Which floor, and which way does it face? |
Three checks save most disappointments:
- Ask for a photo taken from the balcony or terrace, not a drone or pool shot. A photo from a seated position shows what you will actually see at breakfast.
- Check the floor. On a flat seafront such as Las Américas, a ground-floor "sea view" may be a view of the promenade. On a hillside such as Los Gigantes or the Costa Adeje hills, even a low floor can see over the roofs below.
- Check which way it faces. West and south-west give you sunsets; east-facing rooms get the sunrise and cooler afternoons.
Is the sunset side or the sunrise side better?
If you want sunsets over the sea, choose the west or south-west coast: Los Gigantes, Costa Adeje or Playa de las Américas. Because Tenerife sits at about 28° north, the sun sets roughly in the south-west in winter and in the north-west in summer, so a west-facing balcony catches it over the water all year.
| Date | Sunrise (local time) | Sunset (local time) | Sun sets towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 21 December | about 07:50 | about 18:15 | South-west (about 243°) |
| Around 20 March | about 07:10 | about 19:15 | Due west |
| Around 21 June | about 07:10 | about 21:05 | North-west (about 297°) |
Times are approximate for the island and shift by a few minutes between the east and west coasts. They are calculated with the standard NOAA solar formula for 28.1° N, 16.7° W.
Two practical points follow from this. First, the late-afternoon sun shines straight into west-facing rooms, which is lovely in December but hot in August without air conditioning or shade. Second, on the west coast the high ground behind you blocks the morning sun, so mornings on a west-facing balcony there tend to be shaded and cooler (a rule of thumb, not a measurement).
On the north coast the geometry is different. Puerto de la Cruz faces north, so for most of the year the sun sets over land to the west; our estimate is that you see it drop into the sea only around the summer solstice, and even then low and far to the left. East-facing coasts such as Santa Cruz get sunrises over the sea instead.
What are the noise trade-offs of a seafront apartment?
The closer you are to the water in the busy resorts, the more you hear: traffic on the seafront road, restaurants and, in Playa de las Américas, bars and clubs. The Veronicas strip on the Las Américas seafront is a well-known cluster of bars and clubs and stays loud late into the night.
A few rules of thumb help you keep the view and lose the noise:
- Go higher, not closer. An upper floor one or two streets back often sees more sea than a first-floor frontline flat, and hears less.
- Check what is directly below. A terrace bar or a pool with music under your balcony matters more than the distance to the beach.
- Pick the right area for your evenings. Los Gigantes and the Costa Adeje hills are much quieter after dark than central Las Américas.
- Surf and swell are noise too. On the north coast and on exposed western shores, the sound of the Atlantic is constant. Most people love it; light sleepers may not.
In our own homes, quiet hours run from 22:00 to 08:00 under the house rules, and our homes are not available for parties or events.
Our sea-view homes
We manage three homes where the sea view is the point of staying: a balcony for two in Los Gigantes, an upper-floor apartment near the Las Américas promenade, and a villa with an infinity pool in the Costa Adeje hills. Each card shows photos, live prices and availability.
Risco Azul Apartment, Los Gigantes. A one-bedroom apartment for two adults, with a balcony looking over the ocean and the Los Gigantes cliffs, and a shared pool in the complex. It suits couples who want the sunset side and a quieter base.
Oleaje Sea-View Apartment, Playa de las Américas. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom upper-floor apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining area looking straight out to sea, air conditioning and a lift. Playa de Troya and Playa del Camisón are within walking distance.
Villa Solanera, Costa Adeje. A four-bedroom villa on the slopes above Costa Adeje, with a terrace and heated infinity pool looking over the Atlantic towards La Gomera. It sleeps up to eight adults and two children, and the beaches are a short drive away.
Los Gigantes and the Costa Adeje hills are much easier with a car. You can add one from our own fleet to your stay and collect it at Tenerife South or Tenerife North airport; a small convertible makes the coast road a pleasure.
Car rental
Fiat 500C Cabrio or similar
from €48 per day
Frequently asked questions
Where in Tenerife can I see the sunset from my apartment?
The west and south-west coasts face the sunset: Los Gigantes, Costa Adeje and Playa de las Américas. The sun sets towards the south-west in winter and the north-west in summer, so a west-facing balcony there sees it over the sea all year.
Is Los Gigantes or Costa Adeje better for sea views?
Los Gigantes gives you the cliffs, up to 600 m high, and a small-resort feel, but steep streets and fewer beaches. The Costa Adeje hills give a wider panorama, often to La Gomera, with Blue Flag beaches a short drive away. Choose Los Gigantes for scenery and quiet, Costa Adeje for beaches and facilities.
What does "frontline" mean in a Tenerife listing?
Frontline, or primera línea, means the building is on the first row facing the sea or promenade. It does not guarantee a view from every room, and there is often a road or promenade in between. Ask which rooms face the sea and which floor the apartment is on.
Are seafront apartments in Playa de las Américas noisy?
They can be, especially near the Veronicas nightlife strip and above bars or restaurants. An upper floor, or a building one or two streets back, usually keeps the view and cuts the noise. Ask what is directly below the balcony before you book.
Can I get a sea-view villa with a private pool in Tenerife?
Yes. Villas with private pools and sea views are mostly on the hillsides above the south-west coast, such as the slopes above Costa Adeje, where height gives you the view. Our Villa Solanera is one example, with a heated infinity pool facing the Atlantic.
Do I need a car if I stay in a sea-view apartment?
In Playa de las Américas you can manage on foot and by bus. In Los Gigantes and in the Costa Adeje hills a car makes life much easier, because the hills are steep and the beaches and shops are spread out. We rent cars only together with a stay, with pickup and return at Tenerife South or Tenerife North airport.
Does the north of Tenerife have sea views too?
Yes. Puerto de la Cruz faces the open Atlantic to the north, with a rocky shore, seawater pools and a black-sand beach. The weather is greener and cloudier than in the south, and you get fewer sunsets over the water.
Book a balcony facing the Atlantic.
Facts checked September 27, 2026
