Located on the south east coast of the island, San Miguel de Abona is one of the Tenerife's oldest towns. Boasting narrow streets, classic Canarian achitecture and a beautiful eighteenth-century church, the resort makes for superb, relaxed sightseeing holidays.
For more vigorous exploration, the region is also home to stunning mountains and pine forests that can be enjoyed with a variety of excursions including hiking trails and horseriding.
The closest airport to San Miguel is Tenerife South Airport, which lies around 7km south of the resort.
There are public buses available from the airport that will transfer you to the resort, but given the short distance, it may be more convenient to jump in a taxi.
San Miguel enjoys a similarly near-perfect climate to the rest of Tenerife – and in fact being located in the south of the island it actually experiences warmer weather than its northern counterparts.
As a consequence, the resort can be enjoyed at any time of year, and the differences between seasons are minimal. Sunshine is virtually ever present, though is unsurprisingly at its hottest during the summer months which see average daytime temperatures of 25C, often climbing above 30C during the peak months of July and August.
Winter enjoys an extremely pleasant average of 18C, with rainfall a rare occurrence, though evenings can get chilly.
The only other major considerations are the crowds and the prices. Summer and Easter holidays are inevitably the busiest months, though the harsh winter months experienced in northern Europe also draw visitors looking to escape the chill. Your best bet may well be to come a little out of these peak times, when the beaches are less busy, and travel and accommodation prices come down.
The picturesque town of San Miguel can best be enjoyed on foot, with its narrow cobbled streets and classic Canarian architecture making for splendid daytime walks. The town also boasts a parish church, which is well worth a visit, not least for its impressive painting of Christ.
San Miguel’s predominantly rural setting means that many of the activities and attractions are centred around the region’s mountains, which can be explored on foot or on horseback. Nearby Mount Teide is Spain's highest peak, although even closer to San Miguel is the Mirador de la Centinela which offers equally spectacular views.
There are a also a number of important archaeological sites in the area, ranging from prehistoric cave dwellings to burial grounds, in La Aldea, Barranco Orchilla, Barranco de la Tafetana and Barranco del Pilón. A pre-historic coastal settlement can also be found at Guargacho.
Another popular attraction is the house-barn at nearby Aldea Blanca farm, the last of its type still found on Tenerife, and a remnant from the days when the area was the main provider of food for the southern part of the island.
Shopping in San Miguel is fairly limited, and if you require anything beyond necessities then you may want to make the 20 minute taxi or bus journey to the neighbouring resorts of Los Cristianos and Playa Las Americas, which offer high-end clothes shopping as well as traditional markets. Also excellent for shopping opportunities is the Tenerife capital of Santa Cruz, which is a 45 minute drive from San Miguel.
Eating out in San Miguel offers plenty of choice, with the area renowned for excellent international restaurants, plus local eateries that specialise in traditional Canarian dishes.
Nightlife in San Miguel revolves around dining out, with little in the way of bars or anything that could be described as “lively”. But fear not, a short drive away is Playa de las Americas which boasts a vibrant nightlife, with late night bars and clubs aplenty.