Tenerife Island Travel Guide 2014

Tenerife Island

Tenerife is an island of superlatives. It’s the largest island, attracts the most tourists and boast the highest mountain, not only in the Canaries but also in Spain. For decades the island has been known for its winter sun and bustling resorts offering year-round party action, but in fact those resorts take up a tiny (albeit increasing) corner of the island. 

Tenerife

 

It’s sad that many people fail to get out and explore the island, but try to go against the grain and see what else Tenerife has to offer. In the northeast and northwest there are natural parks offering fine hikes and traditional villages that are a far cry from the garish multi-storey hotels in the south. The north is dotted with charming towns and cities all offering tidy streets lined with architecture spanning a few centuries. There are also some fine museums in the north of the islands and it’s worth remembering that all of Tenerife’s government-run museums offer free admission on Sundays. For those seeking a beach holiday, Tenerife will not disappoint, although most of its golden beaches are actually man made. Beaches in the south can get crowded, but as soon as you stray from the built-up resorts you’ll find quieter stretches of sand.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Tenerife’s capital is the second largest city in the archipelago, though it feels like a much smaller place that its great rival, Las Palmas. It snatched the title of capital from La Laguna in the 19th century and today it’s a fine place to shop, picnic and party. The Canary Islands lack decent city parks but Parque García Sanabria is a wonderful place to wander and enjoy a bocadillo (sandwich). The city’s other park, Parque Marítimo César Manrique, lacks greenery, but it’s still worth visiting for the sculptures and on summer evenings for the open air bars that spring up along the seafront. The striking centrepiece of the park is the Auditorium, opened in 2003 and inspired by sails fluttering in the wind.

As you would expect Santa Cruz has a few decent museums, including the Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum) and the Museo Militar with its 30m² model of the 1797 battle where British Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson lost his arm. The best museum though, and among the finest in all of the islands, is the Museo de Naturaleza y del Hombre. Set aside a full afternoon to explore the huge collection looking at the volcanic origins of the islands and the lifestyle and customs of Tenerife’s pre-Hispanic inhabitants, the Guanches. Entrance is free on Sundays.

The city itself doesn’t have a beach, but the golden sand of Las Teresitas is just 7.5km away in San Andrés. It’s not a natural beach, but that doesn’t stop the citizens of Santa Cruz flocking en masse at the weekend – stick to weekdays if you want to find a spot for your towel.

And if there’s one time to visit Santa Cruz it’s in late February/early March for the carnival celebrations. Thought by many to be second only to Rio, Tenerife’s capital hosts an immense two-week party featuring parades, makeshift bars, lots of costumes and the all-important crowning of the carnival queen.

Tenerife Island, La Laguna

La Laguna (or San Cristobál de La Laguna to give the town its full title) was capital of the island until Santa Cruz stole the crown in 1883. Most agree that it’s a more charming spot than the capital, even though there’s not a great deal to do. Tenerife’s second city does have a couple of good museums. The Museo de Historia is a good place to get some background on Tenerife’s history.  

Just out of the city is the Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, a superb day out for families (or anyone curious about science and space). Kids (big and small) can play with the 100 or so interactive exhibits and participate in a bit of ‘cosmic tourism’ – a taste of what the future holds for adventurous travellers perhaps. Other than the museums, La Laguna’s attractions are low key: taking photographs of the pretty side streets, enjoying coffee and churros (deep fried sticks of dough usually enjoyed for breakfast) in the market and joining students in the hip cafes. La Laguna also boasts a good nightlife scene – there’s a lot more going on here than in Santa Cruz, though it’s not as raucous and in-your-face as the all night party sessions in Playa de las Americas.

Parque Nacional del Teide Sitting in the centre of Tenerife, its often snow-capped peak visible from all but one of the other islands, Mount Teide is the island’s crowning glory. At 3,718m it’s Spain’s highest mountain and is an absolute must-see for any visitor to Tenerife. Before tackling the mountain, drop in at one or both of the visitor centres – El Portillo in the north eastern part of the park and Cañada Blanca at the southern entrance.. Reaching the top of this dormant volcano isn’t too tough, as long as the cable car is up and running (if the winds are blowing it’ll most likely be out of action). The cable car (known locally as the teleférico) whips visitors up from the main road running through the park to a viewing platform a little shy of the peak at 3,550m. It’s an eight-minute ride, rising just over 1000m in altitude.

Those who want to continue to the peak have to apply in advance for a free permit, as tourist numbers are limited at the delicate summit.

For the more adventurous and the energetic there is an easy-to follow hike to the summit. Leaving from the El Portillo visitor centre, the hike snakes through the badlands before leading trekkers up a steep and unrelenting slope. A six-hour (12km) hike leaves you at the Refugio de Altavista, a mountain hut with very limited resources. After a chilly night’s sleep, hardy hikers arise before the sun to trek the final hour and a half (3km) to the summit, where the pungent aroma of sulphur hangs unmistakeably in the air. Views from both the peak and the refugio are stunning, as long as you can beat the clouds (and the crowds if you’re opting for the cable car). A word of warning though – the Canary Islands are renowned for their temperate climate, but up here all bets are off. Make sure you take warm clothes and if you’re hiking be prepared for a very chilly morning start – gloves, hats and waterproofs are not a bad idea.

An alternative hike is the Siete Cañadas route, a long but flat hike through the badlands, keeping the mountain’s peak in sight throughout. It takes five hours to walk the 15km route and can get seriously hot, so make sure you take plenty of water. The hike starts at the El Portillo visitor centre and snakes its way through a barren backdrop, ending at the Parador – a government run hotel and a good place to revive with a coffee or perhaps something stronger.

Tenerife Island - Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas and Los Gigantes

Once a quiet fishing village, Los Cristianos has long since been consumed by southern Tenerife’s tourist boom. But while huge hotels and bustling bars spring up, the town has not lost all of its charm and retains more of a Spanish feel than its neighbour a little further along the coast. The port, although smaller than in days gone by, still welcomes a number of inter-island ferries and a small fishing fleet, offering possibilities for photographers.  

As you head west you reach the mammoth and perpetually expanding resort of Playa de las Américas. Purpose built in the 1960s for the rapidly expanding tourist population, Las Américas is big, brash, noisy and makes no apology for it. Its beaches are largely fake (the black sand that’s native to this part of the coast was deemed unsuitable for the tourist masses) and its skyline is less than pretty, but if there’s one thing that Las Américas does well it’s nightlife. The party happens every day of the year and centres around the multi-storey Veronica’s Strip. This is also the golfing centre of the island, with five 18-hole courses to choose from.

Those looking for a quieter time would do well to head to the island’s northwest coast and the resort of Los Gigantes. Like Los Cristianos the town had humble origins, but the towering cliffs along the coast proved a popular tourist draw and so the hotels began to spring up. The cliffs, shooting up to 800m from the ocean, gave the town its name (meaning The Giants) and a boat trip along this stretch of the coast is an unmissable part of any Tenerife trip. Once you’re back on dry land, Los Gigantes has some exquisite black sand beaches and more than a handful of good seafood restaurants. Parque Rural de Anaga and Parque Rural de Teno If the beaches, karaoke bars and English pubs of the large tourist resorts are getting too much, it’s easy to escape.

Occupying the north-eastern and north-western points of the island, the parks of Anaga and Teno offer an experience that most people would never expect to find in Tenerife. Both regions are covered with healthy doses of cloud-enshrouded laurel forest that provide delightfully shaded spots for hikers. The ravines of the Parque Rural de Anaga, northeast of Santa Cruz, make for a challenging landscape for walkers, but if you begin your hike in the mountains and head down towards sea level you’ll certainly get the best of the park without too much difficulty. Aim to end your hike in the truly delightful hamlet of Taganana, a tiny settlement of cobbled streets and well-preserved traditions. The restaurants here serve only the most typical of Canarian foodstuffs, washed down with locally produced wine – quite a potent brew!