DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife: 5-Day Slow & Soulful Guide
Feeling a bit worn out? Mind buzzing, shoulders stiff, spirit craving stillness? If so, a DIY El Médano Retreat Tenerife might be exactly what you need. Instead of paying for an all-inclusive resort or lining up for crowded sights, why not create your own gentle escape, full of local life, ocean air, and small soulful moments that remind you to simply be?
This is our third time in Tenerife, so we know what we’re looking for. In the past, we explored Vilaflor, a peaceful pine forest village perfect for hiking but a bit too remote for ocean lovers. We stayed in Santa Rosa del Lima, a lush and green town that lacked the sea breeze. Visited Callao Salvaje, calm and family-friendly but too resort-heavy for our taste. Wandered San Miguel de Abona, rustic and warm, but a place where you need a car for everything. We enjoyed colourful Puerto de la Cruz, full of charm but busier than we’d like when real rest is the goal. And we strolled Santa Cruz de Tenerife, vibrant and cultural, but not the quiet escape we longed for.
Tip: If You’re Renting a Car – Try Pulse Car
If you want the freedom to explore without stress, we really recommend Pulse Car. We’ve used them more than once – always with full insurance – and it’s smooth and worry-free every time.
When we arrived this June, the queues for other airport rental desks were three hours long (!) – the very last thing you want after a flight. Pulse Car skips all that. They meet you outside the airport parking with your car ready to go. Just walk out, sign the papers, grab the keys, and you’re off.
Returning it is just as easy: park, drop the keys in their “key box,” and you’re done. No queues, no hassle – just more time to enjoy your holiday.
Why El Medano? – DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife
This time we came back to El Médano – the laid-back surf town where we spent our last day a few years ago. It felt calm, breezy, and beautifully local – no big resorts, no endless rows of sunbeds – just wind, waves, tiny cafés, and warm people.
If you crave real rest for body, mind, and spirit, this 5-day DIY El Médano Retreat Tenerife is for you. No all-inclusives, no crowds – just air yoga, kitesurfing, soulful shops, local wine, hidden paths, and the quiet magic of Teide and the sea. Take these days for yourself – to slow down, breathe deeply, and come back home lighter than you arrived.
Tip: This guide is here for you to mix and match – you’ll find morning, afternoon, and evening activities that you can weave together however you like. Build your own rhythm, skip what doesn’t fit. Shape each day to work best for your body, mind, and spirit.
Morning & Before Lunch Activities
Start slow at Swell Café Tenerife – morning walk on the beach
Take your coffee to the beach and walk barefoot while the sun rises. See how the town wakes up – runners, early swimmers, someone meditating on the sand. If you’re mindful enough, you’ll spot the delicate sand art that appears every morning. It is different each day, and maybe you can even meet the quiet soul shaping it by hand.
Did you realize that these little plastic-like things on the sand are actually little creatures? Keep an eye out for tiny By-the-wind-sailors washed up on El Médano’s shore – little blue drifters carried by the wind. Delicate and harmless to humans, they remind us that sometimes it’s enough to let the wind decide the way.
Walk up Montaña Roja – DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife
This iconic red volcanic cone stands watch over El Médano. The trail isn’t too steep, but near the top it’s dry and dusty – this place rarely sees rain. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and step with care. Sit at the top of a warm stone and look out at the endless ocean. Stay still long enough and you’ll find tiny lizards creeping closer – curious, gentle, almost climbing right onto your shoes. They’re thirsty neighbors up there in the dry wind. If you have a little water, share it. They’ll be grateful.
Watch or try Kitesurfing
Go back down to the beach. Find a soft spot in the sand and watch the colorful kites swoop, dip, and spin over the ocean. El Médano’s steady wind turns this whole stretch of coast into a playground for kitesurfers, and it’s like watching freedom itself in motion.
This time, we skipped kitesurfing – our budget asked us to keep it simple – but if you feel called to try it, you’ll find plenty of friendly kitesurfing schools right on the shore. A few years ago, we learned to ride the wind during a course in Egypt. It taught us so much more than just how to balance on the board. Kitesurfing is pure fun – but it’s also a lesson in surrender. The more you soften and let the wind carry you, the better you flow. Just like in life, the lighter your grip on what was, the easier it is to move forward. So watch the kites dance – or fly one yourself, if you’re ready to feel that freedom on your own skin.
Stretch Higher – Samkhya Air Yoga El Médano
If you feel like giving your mind and body a gentle shake awake, step into the soft, sunlit studio at Samkhya Air Yoga El Médano. This was my very first time trying air yoga, and honestly, I was a little nervous. Apart from some simple yoga stretches and the occasional pilates class, I had zero experience with floating in hammocks, hanging upside down, or trusting the air to hold me up.
How to prepare for your first Air Yoga class
So before I even arrived, my first question to my teacher, Olinda, was: How do I prepare? I was grateful for her simple advice:
Keep your stomach calm. No eating or drinking for 1–2 hours before class – your body will thank you when you’re twisting and swinging.
Wear the right clothes. Long leggings instead of shorts (I nearly packed mine!), and a t-shirt with sleeves instead of a vest (another good save!). The extra fabric protects your skin and makes you feel comfortable as you move in the sling.
What made it truly special was Olinda herself. From the moment I stepped into the class, she gave me her full attention, gently guiding me through each move. A good teacher is everything when you try something new, not just to keep you safe and injury-free, but to help you stretch past the limits you thought you had.
Olinda does exactly that, with so much kindness and a big dose of fun. One moment you’re carefully leaning back into a hammock, the next you’re swinging, laughing, and somehow, you find yourself hanging upside down, calmly breathing in and out. If you’d told me at the start that I’d do that, I would have shaken my head – but under Olinda’s care, you just do.
If you’re ready to float a little higher – in body, mind, and spirit – Samkhya Air Yoga is a beautiful way to begin. To find out more about Air Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and to book your class with Olinda, click HERE. Don’t be afraid if you do not speak Spanish – Olinda’s English is perfect too!
Afternoon & Evening Activities
Head up to Teide National Park – DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife
When you’re ready for a bigger adventure, pack a day bag and head up to Teide National Park. El Teide is not far from El Médano. There’s so much more than one quick visit can show you – plenty of hikes, hidden spots, and viewpoints worth discovering again and again. During our five-day stay, we found ourselves up there every single day.
Take your time on the drive. Stop at the viewpoints along the way, step out, breathe in the crisp air, and notice how the landscape shifts as you climb higher.
When majestic El Teide finally rises in front of you, it’s easy to focus only on its raw, silent power. But don’t forget to turn around. Behind you, the colors of the sky, the layers of volcanic rock, and the rolling sea of clouds create a beauty just as stunning. Did you notice not only the mighty mountain ahead, but also the quiet colors painted behind you?
Local Wine & Stories at La Revuelta
When the sun dips low, settle into the slow rhythm of El Médano with a glass of local wine at La Revuelta. This place isn’t really a bar – it’s a tiny, soulful wine shop where the magic is in its simplicity. It’s small, real, and full of heart.
Locals and travelers gather close, pulling up chairs around the little counter, swapping stories like old friends. The shelves are stacked with carefully chosen bottles, and the tapas are just as special. Pick what you like straight from the shelf and they’ll prepare it fresh for you, right there.
Good wine, good people, a good pause. The kind that reminds you that rest can be as simple as this: a glass in hand, a warm smile nearby, and nowhere else to be.
A Soulful Massage at Fabiola Balance
If you’re craving deep rest for body and mind, follow a local’s advice – that’s what I did. After my Air Yoga class, I asked my teacher, Olinda, if she could recommend a truly special massage. Not a polished spa with a hotel lobby vibe, but somewhere real, local, and heart-centered. She sent me straight to Fabiola.
No corporate brochures – just Fabiola’s warm energy, skilled hands, and a safe space to fully let go. It’s the kind of massage that feels like a reset from the inside out. You walk in carrying tension; you float out lighter, softer, and so much more present.
I must admit, it was one of the very best massages I’ve ever experienced. It’s a shame I only discovered it on my last afternoon and couldn’t return again during my stay.
Perfect for ending a day filled with sun, wind, and new adventures – or for gifting yourself a pause when you need it most. Even better, the next day, when your body reminds you, after air yoga, of muscles you never knew existed. You can see Fabiola’s offer HERE. Again, no worries if you do not speak Spanish – Fabiola knows English 🙂
Bring a Piece of El Médano’s Calm Home
After hundreds of travels, we’ve learned that the best souvenirs aren’t the ones that gather dust on your shelf. They’re the ones that slip quietly into your everyday life and remind you of how it felt to be somewhere special. In El Médano, two small places help you do just that.
Alkimiart
Alkimiart, a tiny shop on the way to the Air Yoga studio. There’s much more than just tea here. You’ll find shelves of gentle herbal blends, handmade incense, and thoughtful little treasures that help you slow down. Their meditation tea is our favourite – at home, brew a cup and it’s like breathing in the soft morning light all over again.
Chorlito – a shop that is never open
Then there’s Chorlito, better known to locals as the T-shirt shop that’s never open. We found out why after chatting with the owner – his T-shirt printing equipment is tucked in the back, and when he’s deep in his craft, the door stays shut. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch it open and find simple, soft shirts with designs that hold a piece of this surf town’s spirit. Missed it? Don’t worry – you can order online HERE and still carry El Médano’s freedom and sun on your shoulders.
I was browsing through the T-shirts when one quietly stopped me in my tracks: “Las leonas nunca se peinan.” (Lionesses never comb [their hair]). I read it once, then again, and it made me smile. There’s something wild and true in those words. A reminder that we don’t always have to tame ourselves to fit in. It made me pause and reflect. Maybe a little untidiness, a bit of wind in our hair, is exactly what keeps us free? I knew I had to take it home. A simple piece of El Médano’s raw, playful spirit to wear on days when I need to remember that sometimes, the wildest thing you can do is just be yourself.
Forget plastic trinkets and clutter. Bring home something small but alive. A tea to quiet your mind, a shirt to slip on when you need to feel the breeze again. The gentle knowing that calm can always find you, wherever you are.
A summary of DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife
In the end, this little DIY Retreat El Médano Tenerife isn’t really about the sea or the wind or the red mountain rising behind town. It’s about the quiet sparks you gather from those who cross your path.
A Man at dawn with coffee warm in his hands – a moment to stand still and watch the day wake up.
A Teacher who helps you trust the air beneath you – and smile when you find yourself upside down, softer than your fears.
A small place where bottles are opened and strangers lean in close, voices blending like good wine.
A Healer whose hands send you back out lighter than you came in, like something has gently unknotted inside you.
A little shop where herbs and stories share shelves – a way to brew stillness when you’re far from here.
A door that stays closed while someone prints quiet truths onto cloth – words that stick to you like salt on skin.
None of them tries too hard. None of them shouts. They just do what they love, over and over – and somehow, you carry a piece of that home.
If you listen, you’ll hear them again when you need them most, reminding you that calm is a place, but more than that, it’s a way of seeing.
Bonus: If you happen to be in El Médano in June
You might be surprised by the sudden roar of engines echoing through the warm air. The Rallye Villa de Granadilla – Trofeo Repsol Grupo González Canarias turns the quiet roads around Granadilla and El Médano into a playground for rally drivers and devoted fans.
It’s not every day you see racing cars lined up by the ocean, starting from the plaza by Hotel Médano and tearing through mountain curves and local backroads. If you love the thrill of motorsport – or just want to feel the island’s pulse in a new way – find a safe spot along the course and cheer them on.
One more unexpected adventure – right where the wind meets the mountain.
Ready to go? Book your Tenerife holiday HERE.
More Slow & Soulful Destinations
Loved slowing down in Tenerife? Here are more hidden spots and mindful travel ideas to inspire your next escape.
Hidden European Gems to Savor:
- Dubrovnik, Croatia: Ancient Walls & Adriatic Charm
- Split, Croatia: Sun, Sea & Roman Ruins
- Palermo, Italy: Street Food & Slow Streets
- Zalipie, Poland: The Painted Village of Flowers
- Tallinn, Estonia: Storybook Old Town
Sunny Getaways Beyond Europe:
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