The always popular Playa del Duque beach, in the tourist area of Costa Adeje, in southern Tenerife, is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional tourist holiday: spread your towel on the beach and take a load off with all the services you may need only one step away. And of course, all this in chic surroundings, as this long stretch of golden sand and calm, crystal-clear waters, awarded the much sought-after ‘blue flag’, is right next to an elegant and pleasant promenade full of posh cafés, prestigious restaurants which serve both international and Canarian cuisine, and fashion boutiques. In the surrounding area we can also find various shopping centres and five-star hotels. The historical tone is set by the Castillo del Duque [Duke’s Castle] which overlooks the beach at its eastern end and from whose curious history derives the name of the beach.
A beach with all the comforts and little wind
Playa del Duque is a paradise for visitors who want no surprises on their holidays. As a beach that has been awarded the prestigious ‘blue flag’, it has every service necessary: lifeguards, showers, changing rooms, toilets, sunbed and umbrella hire service, parking and access with ramps and walkways for people with disabilities.
In addition, on the beach the visitor can rent all kinds of water attractions, from classic pedal boats and large beach floats to trending sports to get your adrenaline flowing, such as parascending (paragliding with a boat), flyboarding (water-powered hoverboard) or flyfish riding (a large inflatable platform dragged by a boat).
What’s more, Playa del Duque is located in the southwest of the island, so it’s sheltered from the winds that often hit other parts of the coast, and is protected by a breakwater that slows the Atlantic swell, making swimming and bathing a very pleasant experience.
Bahía del Duque bay and the Castillo del Duque de Abrantes castle
When you’re on the beach, your eyes are immediately drawn to the small cape that closes the area on the east and a hill that is crowned by the castle Castillo del Duque de Abrantes, which gives this spot its name. This beautiful manor house, which has a privileged location overlooking the ocean and the Bahía del Duque bay, was built during the Second Spanish Republic by the Duke of Abrantes, whose intention was for the building to serve as a residence for the exiled King Alfonso XIII, so that he was not forced to travel abroad. However, the monarch would instead spend his exile in luxury hotels in different European cities.
The estate is currently a private home and cannot be visited, although you can circle the cape on foot at it base.
Where to eat on Playa del Duque beach
Next to the beautiful promenade that borders the beach—where you’ll find a viewpoint dedicated to Javier Pérez Ramos, a local hero who died rescuing a tourist from the waves—there are several terraces and restaurants where you can have a drink or meal without leaving the beach area. The most outstanding is La Torre del Mirador, a veritable balcony over the Atlantic Ocean from which you can see the island of La Gomera whilst eating exquisite grilled fish and seafood or creamy rice with lobster. Three other good options—which also boast terraces and sea views—are La Nonna restaurant which specialises in traditional Mediterranean cuisine with Italian, Greek, Spanish and French influences; the Japanese restaurant Sensu, which has a Michelin star and an exclusive sake bar, and the Mexican restaurant La Hacienda. For tapas or a cocktail sitting in the sea breeze, go to El Chiringuito on the beach, and on the oceanfront, head to Café La Bahía or Bar Acanto.
A stone’s throw from shopping centres and luxury hotels
Shopping and accommodation are no problem in Playa del Duque. There are two shopping centres to choose from, and both are very close-by. The open-air El Mirador shopping centre, designed to resemble a traditional Canary Island village, is a pleasant place to stroll around while window-shopping at exclusive fashion and design stores.
And to the east of the beach lies the modern and elegant Plaza del Duque shopping centre, which has everything you may need, including fashion and accessories stores, jewellery stores, perfumeries, cafés, terraces and playgrounds for children.
As for accommodation, there are several five-star hotels in the vicinity of the beach, such as the Bahía del Duque hotel, which recreates a Canary Island Colonial-style village from the nineteenth-century. Only five minutes by car from Playa del Duque beach, you can enjoy a unique experience at the Royal Hideaway Corales Resort, part of the Barceló Group, an avant-garde building designed by the Tenerife architect Leonardo Omar, which establishes a dialogue with the nature surrounding it and is completely open to the ocean.
