About Tenerife »

TENERIFE

The Canary Islands are made up of seven islands, the largest and highest of which is Tenerife. The name is derived from ‘tiner’ (mountain) and ‘ife’ (white).

The island enjoys a temperate climate, with temperatures averaging 20 degrees C in the winter and spring months, to 30 degrees C during the summer. Being a volcanic island – Mount Teide, which last erupted in 1909, and is also the third biggest volcano in the world – formed the dramatic landscape which makes Tenerife so special.

Mount Teide (or Pica del Teide, to give it its Spanish title) lies in the Tenerife National Park, which is a World Heritage Site. The volcano is 3718 meters high. To get almost to the top, take the cable car and enjoy the views, on a clear day, over the surrounding forest and as far as the Atlantic. Breathtaking! Mount Teide is accessible from all resorts on the island and the local TITSA bus will take you there from most of the main holiday resorts.

There is so much to do in Tenerife, you will be spoilt for choice and won't be able to wait to leave your hotel or apartment. So for days out, why not try:

Jardin Tropical Bananera el Guanche, which, as the name suggests, is a visitor friendly banana plantation. It accessible by a free bus from Puerto de la Cruz, but once there, you may have to pay an entrance fee. Watch the video and then try some banana liqueur.

Tenerife’s zoo is Loro Parque (the parrot park). Take the free road train from Puerto de la Cruz, enjoying the scenery on the way, to arrive just outside the gates. This venue is not just for children. It is for everyone! It is the most amazing zoo ever. Apart from the usual enclosures exhibiting animals , birds and mammals from all parts of the globe, the seal, whale, dolphin and parrot shows are NOT to be missed. You will be enthralled! Capture the moments with your camera. Oh, by the way, head first for Planet Penguin. THIS WILL BLOW YOU AWAY! So many breeds of penguins diving in and out of pools, sunning themselves on rocks, or standing in a rocky terrain with snow falling gently on their heads.

The Dragon Tree, which is reputed to be over 1,000 years old, is located in the village of Icod de los Vinos. Also nearby is the Iglesia de San Marcos, a white painted church.

Take a trip to the capital, Santa Cruz. Excellent for shopping and dining. See the harbour which services cruise liners, ferries and container ships. Visit a museum or two, or just photograph the local Canarian architecture.
Situated on the west coast of Tenerife is Los Gigantes. View the cliffs reaching down into the sea from a boat excursion, taking in the dolphin and whale reserves. Next to Los Gigantes is Puerto de Santiago which has a black sand beach. Both are tourist destinations, quiet and more sedate than other resorts.

Possibly the best-known resort in Tenerife is Playa de las Americas. Many of the visitors here won't get up from their hotel bed until late afternoon but they don't realise what they are missing out on! Located between Costa Adeje to the west and Los Cristianos to the east, it is reknown for it’s nightlife. There is a wide promenade with connects all three towns. A most enjoyable walk. Costa Adeje is the quieter end of the strip, with upmarket hotels, restaurants and cafes. Los Cristianos is busier, with a large harbour with plenty of restaurants dotted around it, from where you can people watch. Playa de las Americas is where you can book surfing, diving and paragliding lessons, to name but a few. Maybe the best of all, the cheapest, and the most time consuming , is people watching! Be it surfers, hang-gliders, paddlers, walkers, roller-skaters, cyclists, holidaymakers (or locals) fishing in the rock pools, everyone is there! Relax and enjoy!

Puerto de la Cruz, on the north west coast of Tenerife, is a pleasant resort with black sandy beaches. The older parts of the town are definitely worth a visit. Very pretty with cobbled streets, original houses with Canarian balconies, historical buildings, churches, and museums. So much to explore.

Take your camera with you on your days out. Oh, and just a tip: use the local transport- - the TITSA bus. If you do, buy a ‘bono-bus’ card. You can use it for wherever you go on the island, for any number of guests in your party (providing you have enough credit on it) and it will save you up to 50 % on the normal travel fares. When you board the bus, tell the driver your destination, number of passengers (adults or minors), put your card in the machine and the total amount for the fare will be deducted from your card. The local transport is excellent.

Tenerife – enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!