Six ways to experience the best nightclubs and beach bars in Tenerife

Tenerife-based DJ Jairo Delli plans an epic night out on the largest Canary island, from sunset dancing at Monkey Beach to chill hangs at Berlin 89 at Carnival or any time of year.

Tenerife's lush green island panorama and year-round sunshine make it a perfect wintertime escape – especially during Carnival season when its palm tree-lined streets throb with parades of colourful floats and masked revellers. But Tenerife is a party isle year-round, in large part thanks to its famously epic nightlife and friendly locals.

"The atmosphere here is warm, tight-knit and very charismatic," said Jairo Delli - a local DJ and electronic music producer whose smooth yet ultra-catchy tech house beats have been a fixture on the Tenerife nightlife circuit since 1997. "And it doesn't matter what musical genre or part of the island you're in; you'll always find Canarians willing to have a good time and good vibes."

We asked Delli for his insider picks for the island's best nightlife. "It's a small island, so you can get around from north to south, easy," he said. "In the southern part of the island we have San Telmo [Beach], where there's lots of small clubs and restaurants. Up north, you've got the Plaza del Charco [square] which has tons of nightclubs, like Azúcar. And in the Metropolitan area of the island, we can go to Anaga Avenue. There's a huge variety of nightclubs and Calle La Noria [street]." The night starts late in Tenerife; Delli encouraged partiers to aim for the magic hours between 00:30 and 04:30 – before the queues get too long, coming or going. "Come ready to have a good time," he said. "Be ready to interact with us."

To get you there, here are DJ Jairo Delli's top six places to enjoy Tenerife's nightlife.

1. Best all-around: Papagayo Beach Club Tenerife 

Delli's top pick for a raging night out in Tenerife is Papagayo Beach Club Tenerife on Playa de las Américas, one of the island's most popular party beaches. The beachfront structure's whitewashed exterior and thatched roofs belie its massive arena-style dance floor, which comes alive each night, lit up in neon hues.

"It's a nightclub where you'll feel comfortable and safe, with a very exclusive atmosphere," said Delli. "The crowd is locals as well as a lot of international tourists. There's a good variety of music from Wednesday to Sunday, and now they have several different theme parties: electronica, urban music… they really mix it up."

The club, which is poised for a grand reopening in March 2024 after a brief hiatus for renovations, has been a Tenerife mainstay since 2012, attracting some of Tenerife's biggest homespun musical talents as well as acts from abroad. When he's at the thumping club, Delli enjoys taking an interlude at its tony seafood restaurant. "You can have drinks or dinner in peace," he said.

Website: https://papagayobeachclub.com/en/home/

Address: Av. Rafael Puig Lluvina, 2, 38650 Playa de la Américas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Phone: +34 922 788 916

Instagram: @papagayoclubtf

Just a short walk down the beach from Papagayo Beach Club, on Playa de Troya, find Delli's number two pick: Monkey Beach Club. "This club is one of my favourites to go to on Sundays until midnight," he said. "I recommend this one 100% without fail. You can see the best sunset at this beach club. It's amazing."

Monkey Beach Club, with its stunning views of La Gomera Island, is a recently renovated complex of four venues, offering guests the opportunities to enjoy cocktails, beach fare and dancing, all against the backdrop of the club's upscale tiki hut décor. "The atmosphere is also very Canarian," said Delli. "Many tourists go there." He noted that during the day, the dress code starts out casual: "shorts and a polo or a button down with comfortable shoes like sneakers – at night things get a little more formal."

Website: https://www.monkeybeachclub.com/en/

Address: Av. Rafael Puig Lluvina, 3, 38660 Arona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Phone: +34922790656

Instagram: @monkeybeachtenerife

3. Best in Tenerife's Metropolitan Area: Tao Tenerife

When planning a night out in Tenerife, many visitors are drawn to its jumping, atmospheric beach scene. But Delli also likes partying in the island's Metropolitan area – home to the Anaga Rural Park and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the nation's capital. His pick? Tao Tenerife. "This nightclub is also one of my favourites," said Delli. "It's located in the Maritime Park area in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the atmosphere is very varied, depending on the day and the musical styles. It's the only nightclub in the Metropolitan area. They always have urban music parties, with international artists and also electronic music."

Tao Tenerife attracts a hip young crowd and hosts popular "After" parties during Carnival week. 

Address: Av. la Constitución, 38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Instagram: @taotenerife

4. Best for Tenerife nightlife regulars: Berlin 89

Further north in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Delli also likes Berlin 89, a retro-style nightclub and casual eatery found on Tenerife's lively seafront Anaga Avenue. "They have a large terrace where you can have a few drinks in peace and comfort and listen to electronic music inside the club," said Delli. "The atmosphere is very local."

Berlin 89's neon-lit, graffiti-streaked interiors channel underground clubs of the 1980s, and the discotheque hosts no cover Game Over nights on Fridays as well as Halloween and Carnival-themed programming. "We can say that it is of a more mature age range, for the most part – people who continue going out to places like this for years and years," said Delli.

Website: https://www.siganbailando.com/

Address: Av. Francisco la Roche, 9, 38002 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Phone: +34922168287

Instagram: @berlin89club

5. Best for salsa dancing: Casablanca Disco Bar 

Burn up some of that nightlife energy with a visit to Casablanca Disco Bar – one of Tenerife's oldest clubs, and a great spot for salsa dancing. "If you want to learn to dance salsa, they give dance classes," said Delli. "It's a place where you'll see a more mature crowd; businesspeople and city officials…. you can enjoy both the terrace and the nightclub, an atmosphere and varied music." Delli added: "The party starts on Wednesdays".

Casablanca Disco Bar – a Tenerife mainstay for over 30 years – is located in the bustling San Telmo district, yet its cocktails are reasonably priced: "Around €4 (£3.40), the cheapest. And in terms of music, we can listen to salsa, merengue, urban music, electronic music, all depending on the programming," said Delli. "And you can dress however you want; you're at the beach."

Website: https://casablancadiscobar.com/en/

Address: C.C. San Telmo, Av. la Habana, 38650 Los Cristianos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Phone: +34 72 250 0201

Instagram: @casablancadiscobar

6. Best for chilling out with a magical city view: Azotea Urban 180°

For those seeking a night out in Tenerife that's lower energy yet still glamorous, Delli likes Azotea Urban 180°, a club located on the seventh floor of the ritzy four-star Urban Anaga Hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. "To have a good night without so many people and to go listen to music, sit and smoke a shisha, interact with people, that would be Urban," said Delli of the sophisticated lounge with its shisha bar and sweeping views of the island. "It's one of my favourite places to go to meet friends, chat, have cocktails and meet people. It's a magical place".

Azotea Urban 180° serves its guests stylish, top-shelf craft cocktails, which they can enjoy in exclusive booths or gazing down at the city panorama below. The hip nightspot is a favourite for celebrations any time of year, and is especially fun during Carnival season when it hosts masked afterparties.  

"I can't tell you much more," said Delli. "You have to come and find out for yourself. You're going to have a great time."

Website: https://azoteaurban180.com/

Address: C. Imeldo Serís, 19, 38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Phone: +34 92 204 8137

Instagram: @urban.180

BBC Travel's The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.

---

Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called "The Essential List". A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.