| Month | Average high / low (°C) | Average temperature (°C) | Rain (mm) | Daylight hours listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 23 / 17 | 19.7 | 12 | 237 |
| May | 24 / 18 | 21.0 | 4 | 282 |
| June | 25 / 19 | 22.9 | 1 | 306 |
Source: the tourist board's climate pages, based on figures from Spain's national weather service (read 7 November 2026). The board labels the last column "average monthly daylight hours".
May events in Puerto de la Cruz
The tourist board lists two May events for Puerto de la Cruz: the MUECA International Street Art Festival and the Exaltation of the Cross. The town's permanent open-air street art exhibition, Puerto Street Art, has run in the La Ranilla fishing district since 2014 with murals by 13 artists, and the full walk takes about an hour and a half. The town also has the Lago Martiánez complex (eight pools, 27,000 cubic metres of seawater) and the Botanical Garden (9:00 to 18:00, 3 euros). The full guide is Puerto de la Cruz. For the next month, see Tenerife in June.
What to do
- Boat trips. May ends the board's best period for Los Gigantes: November to May, 20 to 23 °C, lower humidity and less chance of rain. The sperm whale is seen mostly in spring; pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are there all year. See Los Gigantes, Tenerife boat trips and whale watching in Tenerife.
- Teide. Spring flowers: the red bugloss blooms. Cable car in about 8 minutes to 3,555 m; summit path by permit applied for one to two months ahead. See Teide National Park.
- Beaches. The south is drier and sunnier than the north; see Costa Adeje and Playa de las Américas.
- Walks. The Barranco del Infierno needs online booking; boots required; 300 walkers a day.
- Parks. Siam Park tickets and Loro Parque tickets.
Weather by area
- The north, with the trade winds' cloud, is cooler and greener.
- A blanket of cloud forms between 500 and 1,500 m on the north side; climbers see it from below, walk through it and then see it from above.
- The south has more sun hours and higher temperatures.
Where to stay in May
For a beach week, the south coast; for gardens and festivals, Puerto de la Cruz. The comparison is in where to stay in Tenerife. Compare rates by date in the Booking box.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the sunscreen. With 282 listed sun hours, May has more sun than April.
- Treating May as peak summer. Highs are 24 °C, against 28 °C in August.
- Booking Teide late. The permit is advised one to two months ahead.
FAQ
What is the weather in Tenerife in May?
Average highs of 24 °C and lows of 18 °C, with about 4 mm of rain (tourist board).
Is May good for the beach?
Yes. It is dry and the south coast beaches are in use all year.
What festivals are in May?
Puerto de la Cruz lists the MUECA street art festival and the Exaltation of the Cross.
Can I still see whales?
Yes. Pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are present all year, and the board's best period for Los Gigantes runs to May.
The Tenerife Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.
