El Médano Beach, also known as Playa de Leocadio Machado, is the town beach of El Médano in Granadilla de Abona, on the south coast of Tenerife. It is about 750 metres long and around 43 metres wide on average, and runs from the town's main square towards the volcanic cone of Montaña Roja. The bay has hosted windsurfing competitions and championships. The beach carries the name of Leocadio Machado, whose 1925 novel El loco de la playa was inspired by it.
El Medano Beach
Wide sandy town beach on a kitesurfing bay, with the red volcanic cone of Montaña Roja beyond.
- Entrance
- Free; it is a public beach.
- Accessibility
- A boardwalk runs from the main square along the beach. Free public toilets stand by the beach, with showers and changing facilities.
- Parking
- Free asphalt car park about 270 m away in a straight line; a second car park about 290 m away.
- Difficulty
- None: the beach begins at the town's main square, and the nearest car park and bus stops are a few hundred metres away.
- Transport
- Bus stops El Médano (about 230 m away) and Ermita de El Médano (about 280 m away).
- Advance booking
- Not needed.
- Hours
- Open at all times.
- Address
- Calle la Gaviota, s/n, 38612 Granadilla, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
What makes it special
On a windy day the sky over the bay fills with kites, and the red cone of Montaña Roja closes the view beyond the sand. El Médano is a sailing town first. The main bay, the Harbour Wall and Cabezo Beach make three separate windsurfing spots, and boards launch from the bay right off the town beach.
Swimmers get their own water. A chain of buoys marks off the swimming area, the sand slopes gently into the sea, and the beach in front of the main square sits sheltered from the bigger waves.
A boardwalk starts at the square and follows the shore out to the kite beach, past rocky dunes cut by wind and sea. The town takes its name from them: médano is Spanish for sand dune. Bars, cafés and shops line the way, and the square hosts fiestas through the summer.
Good to know
- Tenerife South airport lies just north of the town, and aircraft noise is a regular part of the day on the beach.
- Swimming is confined to the buoyed area; the rest of the bay belongs to windsurfers and kitesurfers.
- The wind that brings the sailors also drives sand along the beach on a strong day.
- Free public toilets stand by the beach, along with showers and changing facilities.
- Some stretches of the shore are rock; the sand is widest in front of the main square.
Getting there
El Médano sits on the south coast just south of Tenerife South airport, and a taxi from the airport takes about 15 minutes. The beach begins at the town's main square.
Two bus stops lie close by: El Médano, about 230 m away in a straight line, and Ermita de El Médano, about 280 m. Drivers have an asphalt car park about 270 m away and a second one at about 290 m. Either way, the last few hundred metres are on foot, and from the square the boardwalk carries you along the length of the sand.
Best time to visit
Best: a windy day if you come to watch or to sail, when kites and sails crowd the bay. Weekends add the market, and summer brings fiestas to the square.
Avoid: a strong wind if you came to lie on the sand and swim.
The same wind that makes El Médano a sailing spot picks up the sand and throws it along the beach.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
El Medano Beach on the map
Windsurfers and kitesurfers cross the bay at speed. Swim only inside the buoyed swimming area and keep clear of the sailing zone.
Get directions
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
Is El Médano Beach good for swimming?
Yes, in the right part of it. The sand enters the water gradually, the beach in front of the main square is sheltered from the bigger waves, and a chain of buoys marks off the swimming area from the windsurfers and kitesurfers.Where do windsurfers and kitesurfers go in El Médano?
There are three spots: the main bay, which has flat water and swell, the Harbour Wall, and Cabezo Beach. The boardwalk from the main square runs out to the kite beach.Where can I park for El Médano Beach?
There is a free asphalt car park about 270 m away in a straight line, and a second car park about 290 m away.Can I get to El Médano Beach by bus?
Yes. The El Médano stop is about 230 m from the beach in a straight line, and the Ermita de El Médano stop about 280 m.Are there toilets and showers at El Médano Beach?
Yes. Free public toilets stand by the beach, and there are showers and changing facilities.