In an emergency in Tenerife, call 112 - it is free and English-speaking operators are usually available. For everyday problems, start at a pharmacy. For a prescription, or to continue medication you already take, see a private or online English-speaking doctor. Your GHIC or EHIC covers state care only, not private clinics or a flight home, so keep travel insurance too.
Not sure where to go?
Pick what is happening and we will point you the right way.
Start at the pharmacy
For minor illness, bites, upset stomachs and advice. Pharmacists handle a lot at the counter, and it is free to ask.
See a doctor
For a prescription, or to continue medication you already take, an online English-speaking doctor is the simplest route. The Holiday Doctor can help where it is safe and clinically appropriate.
Call 112
For chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe bleeding, a bad allergic reaction or any life-threatening sign. Do not wait.
What's different about getting ill in Tenerife?
Tenerife is an easy place to be unwell in one sense: care is good and quick to reach. But a few island-specific things catch visitors out, and they matter most for older travellers and anyone with a heart or lung condition.
Calima (Saharan dust)
Hot, dusty air blows in from the Sahara, sometimes for days. It can sharply worsen asthma and COPD, and studies in Santa Cruz link calima days to large rises in respiratory hospital admissions. If you wheeze, keep your inhalers close and stay indoors on bad days.
Strong UV all year
The sun is fierce even in winter. Sunburn, heat exhaustion and dehydration are common. Use high-factor sunscreen, cover up between midday and late afternoon, and drink more than you think you need. Heatstroke (confusion, a very high temperature, collapse) is an emergency: call 112.
Atlantic swell and rip currents
The Atlantic is powerful. Rip currents and shore-break injuries are real risks, and in 2024 the Canaries were the only Spanish region where drownings outnumbered road deaths. Swim at flagged beaches and watch the flags. Jellyfish and Portuguese man o' war can close beaches.
Mount Teide
The summit is 3,718 metres, high enough for altitude to affect some people, especially the cable-car trip to the top. Take it slowly, and think twice if you have a heart or lung condition.
Where do I go in an emergency?
Call 112 for anything urgent or life-threatening. It is free, works from any phone, and operators usually speak English. For serious problems they will send help or direct you to the nearest A&E (urgencias).
The main public hospitals are:
- Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Santa Cruz - the largest hospital in the Canary Islands and the island's main referral centre.
- Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC), La Laguna - the main public hospital for the north.
- Hospital del Sur, Arona - the public hospital serving the southern resort belt, with 24-hour A&E.
How do I see a doctor as a visitor?
For a visitor who is not in the Spanish system, booking a routine public appointment is difficult, so most people use a pharmacy first and then private or online care if they need a prescription. English-speaking doctors are easy to find across the southern resorts around Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos.
- An in-person private consultation typically costs around €60 to €100, paid upfront.
- A doctor coming to your hotel is roughly €120 to €180.
- An online consultation with an e-prescription is usually the quickest option, from about €29 to €39.
If you simply need to continue a medication you already take, an English-speaking online doctor can review a continuation supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate. The Holiday Doctor is built for exactly that.
What about the pharmacy (farmacia)?
Spanish pharmacies are excellent and everywhere, marked by a green cross. Pharmacists are highly trained and handle minor problems directly. There is always one open: look for the farmacia de guardia, the duty pharmacy that covers nights and weekends on a local rota.
No prescription needed
Paracetamol, rehydration salts, antihistamines, bite and sting creams, and the morning-after pill.
Spanish prescription required
Antibiotics, codeine-based painkillers, asthma reliever inhalers and stronger anti-inflammatories. A UK or other foreign paper prescription cannot be dispensed here.
Does my GHIC or EHIC work in Tenerife?
Yes, exactly as on the Spanish mainland. The Canary Islands are part of Spain and the EU for healthcare. The card covers state care only, never private clinics or a flight home, so keep travel insurance as well. Tap a card below to focus it.
UK GHIC
Covers
- State care, same terms as a local
- Emergencies and care that can't wait
- Flare-ups of ongoing conditions
Does not cover
- Private clinics or hospitals
- A flight home (repatriation)
EU EHIC
Covers
- State care for EU/EEA visitors
- Emergencies and necessary care
- Ongoing conditions and maternity
Does not cover
- Private treatment
- Repatriation home
Travel insurance
Covers
- Private care and clinics
- Repatriation home
- Cancellations and extras
Check the policy
- That it covers any pre-existing conditions
I've run out of my medication, what now?
Spain uses an electronic prescription system (the receta electrónica), but it works through a Spanish prescriber, so your home prescription cannot simply be carried over at a pharmacy. If you have run out of something you take regularly, the quickest route is an online English-speaking doctor who can issue a continuation supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate.
The Holiday Doctor is set up for travellers and residents in this position. A prescription is never automatic: a doctor reviews each request, and some medicines or situations need to be seen in person.
Common questions
Does my GHIC work in Tenerife?
Yes. The Canary Islands are part of Spain and the EU for healthcare, so a valid UK GHIC (or EHIC) covers state care in Tenerife on the same terms as a local. It does not cover private clinics or a flight home, so travel insurance is still needed.
What is the emergency number in Tenerife?
Call 112 from any phone, free, for any emergency. Operators usually speak English. The islands also run their own emergency dispatch through 112.
Where is the hospital for the south of Tenerife?
The public hospital for the southern resort belt is Hospital del Sur in Arona, which has a 24-hour A&E. The largest hospitals are in the north-east, in Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
Can I see an English-speaking doctor in Tenerife?
Yes. English-speaking doctors are easy to find across the southern resorts around Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos, and an online English-speaking doctor can help for non-urgent problems and prescriptions.
What if I run out of my medication in Tenerife?
Start at a pharmacy for advice. For a continuation of medication you already take, an online clinical review with a Spanish-registered English-speaking doctor can arrange a supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate. A prescription is not guaranteed.
What is calima and is it dangerous?
Calima is a hot, dusty wind from the Sahara that can last for days and noticeably worsen asthma and COPD. On bad days, keep reliever inhalers to hand and stay indoors where you can.
Check it yourself
Rules and entitlements change, so the official source is the final word.
Registered with the Colegio de Médicos de Madrid (ICOMEM 282889105), the General Medical Council UK (GMC 7078829), the Irish Medical Council (IMC 429282) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC 720470).
Last reviewed: 9 June 2026.