Castillo San Miguel tickets, compared

What the ticket covers

Every option is built around the same evening: a medieval tournament with a banquet served during the show. The base ticket covers entry, the banquet, and wine, water and soft drinks during the show. The castle gives the length as two and a half hours, dinner included. The castle sells tickets without transport and with transport, plus a VIP zone, and the same three choices exist when you book through GetYourGuide. The booking calendar shows the start time for your date. A few things cost extra on the night:

• Beer is not included
• Bar service when you arrive, with snacks and drinks to buy before the show
• Souvenirs, and photos with the Count and Queen

Read next: San Miguel castle show: what to expect

What kind of place it is

Castillo San Miguel is a purpose-built venue in Aldea Blanca, not a medieval fortress. The castle says it was built in 1987 by a businessman, inspired by the Conde Mal show in Palma de Mallorca, around a 50-metre sand arena. Its history page presents the Count, Don Rodrigo, and his daughter the Countess as the hosts who welcome you to the Royal Hall, and invites you to shout, boo or cheer for the knight who represents you. Know that before you buy: this is a loud, playful evening, closer to a stage show than a heritage visit.

With hotel pickup or your own transport?

Hotel pickup is an option you select when booking, not part of every ticket. Pickup from the south of Tenerife runs on all three show nights, and pickup from the north runs on Saturdays only. The castle says it collects guests from numerous pickup points across the island, so your confirmation gives your own pickup details. Choose pickup if you want wine with dinner, or if you would rather not drive unfamiliar roads after the show. Choose your own transport if you have a car and want to leave the moment the evening ends. The booking calendar shows which pickup options your date offers, so check it before you decide.

Standard or VIP seats?

The VIP option adds preferential front-row seating and a welcome glass of cava. The castle describes VIP zones in the first row, and its VIP tickets include dinner and the cava. The castle's pages don't say how standard seats are assigned, so VIP is the only option that promises a better position. The arena is a 50-metre sand track, according to the castle's history page, so a front-row seat puts you at the edge of the sand. Choose VIP for an occasion, or if you want to see the horses and knights up close. Otherwise standard seating covers the same show and banquet.

GetYourGuide or the castle's own site?

The castle sells its own tickets online, with or without transport and with a VIP zone, and also at its ticket office. Its pages advertise a discount for booking on its website. The biggest difference is cancelling. Booked through GetYourGuide, you can cancel up to 24 hours before for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. The castle's own refund policy, written for reserved services, sets a 25 percent penalty for cancelling 48 hours or more before and 50 percent at 24 hours. Book direct if you want to talk to the castle first. Book through GetYourGuide if your plans may change.

Canary Islands residents

If you live in the Canary Islands, go to the castle's own site first. It sorts its tickets into non-resident and resident tickets, with and without transport, and adds a VIP zone for each. It also sells a gift voucher for residents, who can redeem it whenever they like. The GetYourGuide option on this site is the non-resident ticket with the extras described above. Visitors from outside the islands can ignore the resident pages entirely, because the options in this guide are the ones that apply to you.

Getting there on your own

The castle is on Avenida Edelmira Alfonso in Aldea Blanca, in the municipality of San Miguel de Abona, southern Tenerife. Guests who come with their own transport can park for free, and the castle says its private car park is free for guests. The TF-1 motorway serves southern Tenerife and passes through the municipality, so a sat-nav set to the address is enough. The main resort areas are Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas and Costa Adeje. No source gives a public transport route, so if you plan to use one, check timetables and your return options before you book.

Which night, and when to book

The show runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. That leaves a short trip with few dates, so choose your night before you plan the other days. Saturday is the only night with pickup from both the north and the south of the island. The booking calendar shows which dates and options are open. Because cancellation through GetYourGuide is free up to 24 hours before, you can reserve a night while your plans are still taking shape and cancel it later if they change.

Food, drink and diets

The banquet is served during the show, so you eat while the tournament runs. Wine, water and soft drinks come with the ticket, and beer does not. There is a bar and a terrace to use before the show, where snacks and drinks are bought separately. The castle offers vegetarian options and options for allergies, and asks you to say so when you book, not on the night. If anyone in your group has a dietary need, put it in the booking comments or contact the castle straight away.

Read next: Dinner with no knife, no fork, and no spoon

Extras at the castle

The castle lists a souvenir area selling swords, helmets, shields and dresses, free wifi throughout, and a terrace and bar open before the show. It also lists an accessible area for guests with reduced mobility, and the show is marked wheelchair accessible. Photos with the Count and Queen are sold on the night. None of these extras is needed to enjoy the show, so you can decide on the day how much you want to buy. The castle also takes private events, and its team answers questions about them directly.

Who this isn't for

Skip it if you want a quiet dinner: the castle invites guests to shout, boo or cheer for their knight. Skip it if you want a historic site, because the castle was built in 1987 as a venue for this show. If you want to choose from a menu, this is a banquet with set courses. If you have no car and your date has no pickup option, check the calendar before you commit. And if you drink beer, plan to pay for it, because it isn't included.

Read next: Castillo San Miguel with children: what ages it actually suits