Canary Islands – Tenerife

Why Tenerife?

Accommodations

Tenerife’s accommodation choices run the gamut from luxury resorts and hotels to holiday apartments, hostels and guesthouses, historical Canarian homes, and farm stays. Where I stayed: Gran Hotel Bahía del Duque Resort & Spa, Parador de Turismo, Hotel Taburiente, and Hotel Botanico.

Activities

Whale watching, beach and watersports, diving and snorkeling, wine-tasting, golf, hiking, stargazing.

Pilot whales, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Beaches

Tenerife’s coastline is lined with beaches, including many with fine, golden sand and calm seas in the southern Costa Adeje area. Volcanic black sand beaches can be found in the northern parts of the island. Thirteen have been awarded the Blue Flag for the quality of their waters.

Food and Drink

Paella, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Gastronomy is one of Tenerife’s greatest tourist attractions. Enjoy Spanish paella, fish, and tapas, as well as traditional Canarian dishes such as papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes), served with red and green “mojo” sauces, and salted fish in a mojo sauce. Gofio, a sort of flour made from toasted cereals, is often a substitute for bread. Vegetarians should look for potaje de berros, a hot pot of chickpeas. Wine tourism is also flourishing here, with 42 wineries producing a variety of excellent wines. Several offer tastings and tours.

Getting There

Airport code: TFS. There are no direct flights from the U.S. Flights on major airlines usually connect to Tenerife from Madrid, Spain (MAD).

Location

Tenerife, largest of the Canary Islands, is located just off the southwest coast of mainland Morocco (a country on the continent of Africa). It is the the southernmost autonomous community of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean.

Vibe

Warm, friendly, open and willing to share their history, customs, food, and drink, the vibe of Tenerife is a breath of fresh air, like its nearly perfect climate known as the “island of eternal Spring.”

If you go, don’t miss:

Teide National Park, featuring the highest peak in Spain, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take the tram to the top of Mount Teide, walk a rocky path around the mountain for views of other islands, then drive through areas of huge dunes and craggy rock-filled lava landscape, used by filmmakers in several Hollywood blockbusters like Clash of the Titans.

Mount Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Time your visit to coincide with one of Tenerife’s many festivals, held throughout the year, such as the May Fest and the Festival of the Crosses, celebrated on May 2 and 3 with decorated crosses, street parties, and fireworks displays.

May Festival, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

La Orotava, with its cobbled streets and historical town center, located at the base of Mount Teide, is also home to a small botanical garden. Well worth a walking tour; build in time to shop in the 17^th century House of the Balconies.

La Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Loro Parque Zoo, a 33-acre zoological park located on the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz, and Siam Park, a giant water park with beautiful botanical plantings throughout the grounds.

Loro Parque, Orca Show, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Bodegas Monje Winery is one of 42 wineries on Tenerife. Schedule a visit to tour the family owned winery (since 1750), taste its wines, and learn to make the red and green “mojo” sauces, which are served throughout Tenerife with meat, fish and the island’s traditional papas arugadas (“wrinkled potatoes”).

Bodegas Monje Winery, Tenerife, Canary Islands (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

Published article – Tenerife, Canary Islands:

Island of Eternal Spring – Tenerife, Canary Islands

If spring is your favorite season, you may want to travel to Tenerife, the largest of the seven Canary Islands, commonly called the Island of Eternal Spring. Tenerife is known for its near-perfect climate; temperatures range from 68° to highs of around 82° Fahrenheit. With its many microclimates providing varying temperatures in different parts of the island, Tenerife is warmest in the sunny south, cooler in the north, and coldest at elevations on its volcano, Mount Teide…

Read the rest of my article, published in the Summer 2014 issue of Joseph Rosendo’s TravelScope magazine by opening a PDF here: TenerifeArticle-Travelscope-Magazine-Summer-2014