Visit the magical, diverse island of Tenerife……
….the largest of all The Canary Islands, Tenerife is also the most developed and is incredibly popular as a holiday destination.
The beautiful scenery combined with the Atlantic culture contribute to the pleasures derived from the excellent weather of Tenerife and the beauty of the sea without having to give up nature excursions or cultural visits. Tenerife is an island of amazing contrasts, breathtaking landscapes, and rich traditions, which visitors can enjoy in any of the two large, renowned tourist centres: one in the fertile north, the other in the sunny south. There’s a diverse range of resorts and countless activities and attractions the entire length of the island.
This all makes for the perfect escape and has thousands of British holidaymakers returning year after year.
Culture
Tenerife has a rich historical background, interesting monuments and museums spread along the island will help you to discover the amazing past of this island, which has been a bridge between continents and civilizations.
The beautiful landscape in the valley of La Orotava is dominated by Mount Teide, the sunshine and the greenery of its gardens and allotments. Visitors will be able to explore the historic quarter of La Orotava and take in its artistic and architectural heritage, tuck into some typical Canarian delicacies or admire the work of the craftsmen using the techniques that have been passed down to them from generation to generation. Another interesting point for visitors is the Pueblo Chico theme park with its elaborate miniature models representing the Canary Islands’ architecture, culture and history. Mount Teide National Park is not far from the valley of La Orotava, making it a great starting point for a visit to the park.
Looking towards the coast, you will see Puerto de la Cruz, a municipality that has been winning over the hearts of tourists from all over the world since the 19th century. There, the buildings fade into the beaches before opening out onto the famous salt water swimming pools of Lago Martiánez, which is a great place to take a break in the sunshine by the sea, with the most spectacular view of Mount Teide in the background.
Beaches
Tenerife offers the unique experience of swimming and sunbathing on a beautiful beach while just a few miles away snow sparkles on the crest of Mount Teide. The island’s central mountain stands at 12,200 feet, the highest in Spain, and a cable-car ride to the summit offers amazing views of the moon-like landscape of the vulcano’s slopes.
The volcanic nature of the island of Tenerife meant that the land has few natural beaches. Those that exist are characterised by black sand created from the island’s volcanic rocks. The demand for tourist sun-bathing space, however, has led to the creation of resorts and man-made beaches, with golden sand having been imported in some cases.
Some of the best beaches of Tenerife are Los Gigantes and San Juan in the west and Fañabe, in the South with its soft, golden sand, showers and excellent facilities. Also popular are Torviscas with its marina, Playa las Americas for its grey sandy stretches and los Cristianos’ beach. Candelaria in the east has a small black shingle beach. Up north Puerto de la Cruz has a beach with fine black sand, and at Santa Cruz golden sand has been imported for its Terasitas beach.
Shopping & Attractions
The island’s capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is a lively town geared for tourism. Its port, where once the first shots of the Spanish Civil War were fired, is today full of activity with ferries, jetfoils and freighters. Most of Tenerife’s tourist activity takes place in three areas: the South, with a peculiar contrast between its country villages in the mountains, its magnificent beaches and its range of exclusive accommodation on the coast; the Metropolitan Area, with much of the Island’s shopping and cultural life; and the North, which combines stunning landscapes with Tenerife’s most genuine gastronomy and hidden corners. Nature, sport, relaxation, leisure, beaches… Whatever you are looking for, Tenerife has got it.
With so many great resorts to sample, the best way to do this is by hiring a car. That way you can travel around the island and get a taste of everything it has to offer to its visitors. Aside from the resorts dotted around the coast, there is plenty to see inland too. You can take a drive up through the stunning Masca Gorge where you can get incredible views of Mount Teide and the Atlantic Ocean. Alternatively, make the journey over to the picturesque island of La Gomera and join a guided trek through the lush rainforest.
The Canary Islands are perfect for water sports and Tenerife is no exception to the rule. The breeze that travels over from Africa provides the perfect conditions for windsurfing and kite surfing. You can also take to the seas on a boat trip and witness dolphins and whales in their natural habit, if you’re lucky. Loro Parque is an absolute must for anyone visiting the island too. The exotic paradise is home to hundreds of endangered and tropical species, including colourful parrots and incredible orca whales. And then of course there’s Siam Park; a huge Thai themed waterpark boasting 29 adrenaline-fuelled rides.
Tenerife is the perfect holiday destination when it comes to pleasing all kinds of different tastes. No matter what it is you love to do on a holiday, you’ll be sure to find something to while away your days whilst on holiday in Tenerife. Its fantastic year-round weather makes it nearly impossible to want to leave the beach or poolside, but there’s so much more to see and do around the island. You’d be missing out if you didn’t head off and explore further afield.
There are so many different resorts, town and villages to see and get a taste of the Tenerife way of life. Then away from the resorts you can get closer to nature either by exploring the spectacular Teide National Park, with Mount Teide at its heart, or by making the journey over to the picturesque island of La Gomera.
Tenerife – Weather
The great thing about Tenerife is that it boasts year-round sunshine, so the weather is pretty much guaranteed to be warm and pleasant no matter what time of year you choose to visit. Summers are very hot and dry, so maybe consider visiting around April or September if you prefer things to be hot but not too hot. Winters are still mild and the chances of experiencing any rain on a holiday to Tenerife are very slim.
Most people are unaware of the wonderful weather and climate found in the Canary islands all year round. In Tenerife the difference of temperature between summer and winter is really low, making of the island a perfect destination for winter holidays too. The weather can be occasionally rainy, although there is no specific rainy season, rainfalls can be occasionally strong.