Tenerife Alternative Tour. Arico, Güímar, Fasnia- photos included

This Tenerife Alternative Tour stands out because it mixes big spiritual stop number one with a strange, human history stop number two, then adds beaches and views you can actually enjoy without racing. I especially like the mix of Candelaria’s Basilica and Black Madonna setting by the sea, and the chance to see Arico’s leprosy-era complex up close, including its church and the Cathedral of Lepers.

The one possible drawback is the walking time. You do an easy walk that can be about 3 hours round trip around Arico, so if you prefer a mostly sit-down day, this might feel like more physical effort than you planned.

Key Highlights You’ll Care About

• Black Madonna at Candelaria, plus the sea wall with nine colossal Guanche chief statues
• Arico’s leprosy village, with abandoned buildings in late-Francoism style built for the colony
• Easy walk through a real, eerie place, ending with the Cathedral of Lepers
• Arico el Nuevo route back, longer scenic path with beaches and a lighthouse
• Optional Pyramids of Güímar (ticket not included), plus the ethnographic park and botanical garden
• Theo’s private-guide flexibility, with help choosing what fits your day

A Tenerife Day That Feels Local, Not Formulaic

This is the kind of day trip that makes Tenerife feel specific. You’re not just checking boxes. You’re moving through places that matter to island life, from a pilgrimage town to a former leprosy settlement, then back to the coast for coffee, sand, and ocean time.

Because it’s private (just your group, up to 4 people), your schedule has room to breathe. You can pause for photos, slow down when something looks interesting, and adjust the order a bit based on what you care about. In one of the experiences I read, the guide, Theo, tailored the tour to the group’s interests, which is exactly what you want on a day like this.

The day also makes sense geographically. You start at the coast in Candelaria, head to the Arico area for the walk and the mystery buildings, then keep rolling toward Güímar for the optional pyramids and optional lunch.

Price and Logistics: What You Actually Get for $378.71

The price is $378.71 per group for up to 4 people, for a 7 to 8 hour day. In plain terms, this works out best when you have 2 to 4 people. With fewer people, it can feel pricier, but it still includes a bunch of real extras that add value.

You get:

• Pickup offered (send your pickup location by email, WhatsApp, or Telegram)
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Bottled water
• Photo session
• Mobile ticket
• English-speaking guide
• Private tour, so only your group participates

A key value point here is that several major stops have free admission tickets in the schedule. You still have optional paid items later (like the Pyramids), but the core day is not built around paying entry fees every hour.

One note for your planning: the itinerary starts at 10:00 am, so you get a full day without needing a super-early wake-up.

Candelaria: Black Madonna, Guanche Statues, and Cave Chapel Time

Stop one is Candelaria, one of the island’s biggest pilgrim stops. The main focus is the Basilica and the shrine of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of the Canary Islands. Even if you’re not religious, the place hits a visual and cultural note fast.

Right in front, on the sea edge, you’ll see the Plaza de Patrona de Canarias with nine colossal statues of Guanche chiefs along the sea wall. The statues are striking, and they also carry a heavy historical undertone, since the Guanches were brutally affected by Spanish conquest.

You also get time for the old town vibe. There are bars, shops, wooden balconies typical of Canarian architecture, and a pleasant promenade. A small harbour adds that calm coastal feel.

What I like about the way this stop is structured is the flexibility. You can:

• visit the Basilica
• add the Cave Chapel of San Blas
• grab a coffee or a snack
• wander the waterfront square area before you get back in the car

The schedule gives you 1 hour 30 minutes and lists the admission ticket for this stop as free. In real life, that’s enough time to see the highlights without feeling rushed.

Arico Leprosy Village: The Strange Franco-Era Cathedral of Lepers

Stop two is the reason many people book this tour. You’re going to Arico, and the description is very direct: this area is a leprosy complex, paired with a church and military quarter style that reflects late-Francoism. It’s an eerie mix, but it’s also unforgettable.

Here’s what you can expect. You start from a white hamlet near a golden-sand beach. Then you set off on an easy walk that’s about 3 hours round trip. Along the way, you’re moving toward an abandoned village made of around 40 buildings.

The scale is what gets you first. The buildings weren’t random. They included:

• a crematorium
• an impressive church
• a school
• a hospital
• recreational spaces
• accommodation blocks

Once you reach the complex, you’ll spend time with a guided explanation and have time for photos. The highlight is visiting the Cathedral of Lepers.

A practical heads-up: this is not a museum stop where you mostly stand and look. It’s an outdoors walk plus time inside historic structures. Bring a bit of patience for surfaces and uneven ground, and keep your pace steady. Even if the walk is called easy, your feet will still do the work.

This stop is marked with free admission in the schedule and gets 1 hour 30 minutes. Plan for the walk time to dominate your attention here, not just the quick photo moments.

Arico el Nuevo: Beaches, Lighthouse Views, and Optional Ocean Time

Stop three takes the day from heavy history to a more relaxed coastal rhythm. You head to Arico el Nuevo, a quieter village setting where you can regroup with coffee and a sandwich and rest a bit.

Then comes the more scenic return. You go back to the initial area by a different, longer route, and that’s where the coast starts doing the heavy lifting visually. You’ll pass nearby beaches and a picturesque lighthouse.

When you return, you’re back at the small white village and you’ll have time by the beach. The schedule says you can even get into the ocean if you want to swim.

This stop is also listed as free for admission tickets and gets 1 hour 30 minutes. That time window is helpful. It’s long enough to enjoy the coastline, but short enough that you don’t lose the rest of the day to beach drifting.

My simple suggestion: if you think you might swim, pack a change of clothes in your day bag. The option is there, and it would be a shame to miss it because you didn’t plan for it.

Optional Pyramids of Güímar: Volcanic Terraces, Heyerdahl, and a Botanical Garden

Then you reach Güímar territory with an optional stop: the Pyramids of Güímar. This part is marked as optional, runs about 1 hour, and lists admission as not included.

What you’ll see are six terraced pyramids made from volcanic rock. People debate what they were for. The tour framing you’ll get includes the idea that they could have been agricultural terraces, ancient observatories, or something tied to celestial alignments.

You’ll also run through exhibits tied to Thor Heyerdahl, including his ideas about transoceanic connections. If you like learning what people guess and why, this is the kind of stop that stays interesting even when you’re not fully convinced by one theory.

The companion ethnographic and botanical elements matter too. You get the Ethnographic Park and Botanical Garden, with unique plants from around the globe. Even if you don’t care about ancient mysteries, the garden component gives you a calm place to slow down for a bit.

Optional Guímar Lunch: How to Keep It Local Without Guesswork

The last part has another optional piece: lunch in Guímar. It’s listed as optional lunch, not included in the price, and the time for this section is 1 hour 30 minutes.

In the area, you can expect restaurants serving:

• chicken
• pork
• rabbit
• fish
• pasta
• local wines

One thing I like about having your guide in charge of lunch selection is that you don’t waste time trying to figure out where to go once you’re already tired. In one experience, the guide recommended a hillside restaurant with a tapas selection that included chickpeas and pork stew, goat cheese with three sauces, roast goat meat described as melt-in-your-mouth, and Canarian potatoes.

You don’t have to copy that exact meal plan, but it’s a good signal of the kind of local food you might get if you ask for a recommendation that matches your group’s tastes.

If you don’t want a sit-down lunch, you can also use the time to snack and keep moving, since the tour still has structure and stops even without a long meal.

The Real Value: Private Pace, Photo Session, and Theo’s Flexibility

The best part of this tour is not just the places. It’s how the day runs.

A private tour lets your guide respond to your energy. When someone in the group was focused on architecture and church details, Theo leaned into that. When others cared about the coastline and beach breaks, he could shift attention to match. That flexibility matters because the day includes both heavy topics and lighter moments.

The photo session is also a practical touch. You’ll have built-in chances to get photos without constantly asking strangers or balancing your phone on a wall. And since you’re visiting multiple distinct settings in one day, those pictures are useful back home.

The vehicle and comfort pieces matter too. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle and bottled water, which you’ll appreciate because Tenerife sun plus walking adds up.

Finally, the tour is in English. That sounds basic, but on an alternative day like this, it’s the difference between a vague explanation and a clear one that helps you connect the dots.

Who This Tour Fits Best (And Who Might Skip It)

This tour fits you if you want:

• a mix of Candelaria culture and Arico mystery history
• real walking time with an easy pace
• beaches and viewpoints as part of the same day
• a private guide who can adjust to your interests

It might not fit you if:

• you strongly prefer minimal walking
• you want only famous, mainstream sights
• you don’t care about optional stops like the pyramids or lunch

If you’re traveling with 2 to 4 people, the group pricing becomes much easier to justify. The private aspect is the value engine here.

Also, the schedule says most travelers can participate, and the walking described is easy. That said, you should still be comfortable walking a few hours total, since your day is structured around that Arico walk.

Should You Book the Tenerife Alternative Tour?

I think you should book if you’re craving Tenerife beyond the standard postcard route. The day has two standout beats: Candelaria’s sea-front spiritual atmosphere with the Black Madonna and Guanche statues, and Arico’s leprosy-era complex, where the Cathedral of Lepers and the former colony buildings create a truly memorable, slightly unsettling story.

You’ll also have payoff moments after that walking, with coffee stops, beaches, a lighthouse, and optional ocean time. And if you add the optional Pyramids of Güímar, you get a strong second layer of culture and nature in a short window.

If you want a mostly seated, ultra-easy day, or if history-heavy places make you uncomfortable, choose a more straightforward coastline-focused tour instead. For everyone else, this one delivers a full, meaningful day with good pacing and strong human details.

FAQ

How much does the Tenerife Alternative Tour cost?

The price is $378.71 per group, up to 4 people.

How long is the tour?

It runs about 7 to 8 hours.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 10:00 am.

Is pickup included?

Yes, pickup is offered. You send your pickup location by email, WhatsApp, or Telegram.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It is a private tour, so only your group participates.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Are entrance tickets included?

Admission is listed as free for Candelaria and the Arico stops. The Pyramids of Güímar are optional, and admission for that stop is not included.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is optional and not included in the price.

What is included in the experience besides the guide?

The tour includes bottled water, a photo session, and an air-conditioned vehicle.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.