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Guided tours1.5 hoursFree cancellation up to 24h before

Tenerife: Teide Observatory guided visit

Daytime guided visit to the Teide Observatory at 2,390 metres: solar telescopes, Sun observation through filters and why Tenerife has one of the world's best skies. 4.6/5 with 918 reviews.

4.6918 reviews

Photo credits
  1. Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  2. H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  3. H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  4. Flocci Nivis, CC BY-SA 4.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  5. Kawon Kez Sel, CC0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  6. Bbsferrari, CC BY-SA 3.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  7. AstroAnthony, CC BY 4.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
  8. 3berp, CC BY-SA 4.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
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Practical details

Duration
1.5 hours
Guide languages
Spanish · English
Mobile ticket
No need to print
Instant confirmation
Right after booking
Wheelchair accessible
No
Minimum age
No restriction
Pets
Not allowed
Cancellation
Free up to 24h before

Highlights

  • One of the world's largest solar observatories
  • Live Sun observation through a telescope with filters
  • Entry to a dome and outside view of the night telescopes
  • Astronomer guide from the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics

Our take

A different kind of visit on Teide: frontline science explained by people who work there, and the Sun as you have never seen it. Cheap and an hour and a half; fits with the cable car or sunset at Las Cañadas.

What's included

  • 90-minute guided visit to the Teide Observatory
  • Solar observation through a telescope
  • Entry to one of the domes

Not included

  • Transport (a version with transfer from the south and north exists)
  • Night observation (the observatory is not open to the public at night)

Good to know

What to bring

  • Warm clothes: at 2,400 m it is 15 °C colder than the coast, even in summer
  • Sun protection: radiation is very high
  • Water

Not suitable for

  • Children under 7
  • People with serious heart or respiratory conditions (altitude)

Things to keep in mind

  • This is a DAYTIME visit: you observe the Sun, not the stars
  • The observatory is 40 km from the Teide cable car; combine them on the same day
  • In strong wind or snow the visit is cancelled and refunded

Meeting point

Teide Observatory, Izaña (TF-24 road), Tenerife

The observatory is at Izaña, 2,390 m, on the TF-24 from La Laguna or the TF-21 from El Portillo. Parking at the entrance; show your voucher to the guide at the reserved time. If you book the transfer option, the pickup point is on your voucher.

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The experience

The visit

An hour and a half at the Teide Observatory in Izaña, at 2,390 metres, with a guide from the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics. It is one of the world's largest solar observatories, and Tenerife's sky has been protected by law since 1988.

What you do

  • Observe the Sun through a telescope with filters: sunspots and, if there is activity, prominences on the limb.
  • Enter a dome and learn how a professional telescope works.
  • Outdoor walk past the GREGOR and THEMIS solar telescopes, the night telescopes and the microwave antennas studying the cosmic background.
  • Why here: the guide explains the thermal inversion, the sea of clouds and the atmospheric stability that make the Canaries one of the three best observing sites in the world.

Fitting it into the day

The observatory is on the ridge road (TF-24) between La Laguna and Las Cañadas. The easy plan: visit in the morning, drive down to Las Cañadas, Teide cable car at midday and sunset at the Roques de García.

Who it's for

  • Science enthusiasts and families with children from 7.
  • Anyone who has already been up Teide and wants another side of the park.

Accessibility

Partially accessible; check with the operator.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before with full refund.

Frequently asked questions

Will I see stars?
No. The Teide Observatory opens to the public only by day; the visit focuses on the solar telescopes and observing the Sun through filters (sunspots and prominences). For stars, see the sunset and stargazing tour with telescope.
Which telescopes are there?
Solar telescopes such as GREGOR (the largest in Europe) and THEMIS, plus night and microwave telescopes. You enter one dome and see the rest from outside with the guide's explanation.
How do I get there?
By your own car on the TF-24 (the beautiful ridge road from La Laguna) or by booking the option with transfer from the south or north of the island.

Related reading on our guides

→ Climbing Mount Teide: cable car, summit permit and stargazing

How to go up Mount Teide: the cable car to 3,555 m, the free summit permit, the Altavista refuge, the trails, altitude sickness and stargazing.

→ What to see in Tenerife: Teide, La Laguna, Masca, Garachico and Anaga

Tenerife guide: Teide, La Laguna, La Orotava, Garachico, Masca, Los Gigantes, Anaga and the whales of the south. How many days, where to stay and how to get around.

→ Whale and dolphin watching in Tenerife: how to choose a boat

Guide to whale and dolphin watching in Tenerife: which species live here, where boats leave from, how to choose a responsible operator, when to go and what to bring.

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