New Year's Eve in Tenerife: 12 Grapes at Midnight

Nochevieja — New Year's Eve — lands on Tenerife at around 20°C. Instead of hats and gloves, the island's countdown happens under an open sky, with a bag of grapes in one hand and a glass of cava in the other. Here is how Tenerife celebrates 31 December, and how the fiestas roll straight on into January.

The Nochevieja tradition

The rules are simple and nationwide. As the clock strikes midnight on 31 December you eat one grape for each chime — twelve grapes, twelve months of luck. Meticulous islanders peel them earlier in the day, and the truly superstitious wear red underwear, which is meant to bring luck (and love) in the year ahead. It is all washed down with sparkling cava, exactly as in the rest of Spain.

Where the island celebrates

The biggest open-air countdown is in Santa Cruz, where our city guide leads you to Plaza de España — the square fills with families, confetti and a proper fireworks display at midnight. Across the island, Puerto de la Cruz turns its Plaza del Charco into a street party that runs until the early hours, and the south — around Los Cristianos and the harbour — keeps the night going with beach-side bars and restaurant terraces.

Gala dinners and rooftop parties

For a dressed-up evening, the island's classic hotels host their own Nochevieja galas. In the capital, the grand five-star Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey (from €200) is the traditional venue for Carnival galas and puts on an elegant New Year's dinner. On the north coast, the garden-set Hotel Botánico in Puerto de la Cruz (from €280) pairs its five-star gala with a subtropical garden lit by fireworks. If party-hopping suits you better, our nightlife guide maps the clubs that stay open longest.

Weather: a beach night in December

December nights on Tenerife hover around 17–20°C — cold enough for a light jacket, warm enough to celebrate outdoors. That mildness is the whole point of a winter-sun holiday here: you can toast the new year on a terrace, not behind double glazing. Check our Christmas in Tenerife guide to plan the whole festive stretch.

Three Kings: Reyes on 6 January

The celebrations do not stop on 1 January. On the night of 5 January the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos — the Three Kings' parade — winds through Santa Cruz, Puerto de la Cruz and most towns, with floats, sweets thrown to children and the Kings on horseback. Presents arrive the next morning, 6 January, which is why January on Tenerife is a family favourite. For couples it is an unexpectedly romantic way to extend the holiday — more ideas in our romantic Tenerife guide.

Celebrating with kids

New Year's Eve is a big deal for Tenerife families too: dinner at home or in a hotel, fireworks at midnight, and the whole Reyes celebration a few days later. The family holiday guide helps you pick a base where children can join the street fiestas safely.

A note for photographers

Fireworks, crowds and holiday lights make New Year's Eve one of the most photogenic nights of the year. Bring a tripod, find a high spot near the coast, and read our photography guide for the settings that capture the bursts cleanly.

Countdown to 2027 with grapes in hand — the island knows how to start a year.