Las Nieves Beach

The ferry terminal stands right in front of the beach, so a swim here comes with the catamarans to Tenerife coming and going across the view. Behind the dark stones is a working fishing port: white houses, fish restaurants along the front and a slower pace than the resorts of the busy south.

Look south along the coast and the cliffs drop straight into the Atlantic, with the slender rock of the Dedo de Dios standing at their foot. The water is good for swimming, from the stones or down the ladders off the rocks, and the beach is kept clean.

• Parasols are not allowed here because of the wind, and the beach staff enforce it. There is no shade, so bring sunscreen.
• The beach is black sand and stones. Bring shoes for the water's edge; ladders lead into the sea off the rocks.
• No toilets or changing rooms on the beach. Free public toilets stand about 280 m away.
• No drinking fountain near the beach — bring water or buy it in the village.
• There is no beach club; food and drink come from the harbour restaurants.

Puerto de las Nieves sits on the coast a few kilometres from Agaete town. Two car parks lie about 150 m from the beach, one free and one paid, and from either it is a flat walk along the harbour front to the stones.

By bus, get off at the Puerto de las Nieves stop, about 230 m away. Ferries from Santa Cruz de Tenerife dock at the terminal right beside the beach; the catamaran crossing takes 80 minutes, so the beach works as a first or last swim on a day trip between the islands.

Best: late afternoon into sunset. The shore faces west, so the evening light falls across the water and the harbour, and on clear days Teide on Tenerife shows on the horizon.

Avoid: the middle of a summer day. There is no shade, parasols are not allowed, and the dark stones take the full sun.