The non beach lovers guide to Tenerife
This was my first visit to the island, so I was curious to see for myself what it had to offer. I have never been someone that goes on holiday to sit on the beach as I get way too fidgety after about 15 minutes on a sun lounger, so I hired car, plugged in my sat nav and headed off around the island.
Firstly, I headed north-west bound along the TF1, past Los Gigantes (the last resort on the southwest coast) and followed the coast road to a more rugged and greener side of the island. First stop was Icod de los Vinos, to see the famous Dragon Tree. Said to be the oldest tree not only in Tenerife but in all of the Canary Islands. The nearest beach to Icod de los Vinos is Playa de San Marco, a small black beach tucked away at the bottom of the hill with several restaurants nearby and a good place to stop for a coffee and take in the scenery. Next stop was the coastal town of Garachico. With its beautiful blue waters, volcanic rock, and a town with plenty of heritage behind it, it is also known as one of the unluckiest places in Tenerife. Nearly 300 years ago, this town was the toast of the island. It was the gateway to the New World, a major port for the region, plenty of wealthy people living there and even a street made from marble. That was until Mount Negra erupted and lava flowed through the town and straight into the port, thereby stopping its prosperous future in its tracks. As if that wasn’t bad enough it also was also affected by fire and floods, a plague of locusts and outbreaks of diseases. Thankfully, today it is one of the prettier towns in Tenerife and well worth a visit.
Other highlights for me were the pretty mountain village of Masca, the beach area at San Andres which is almost deserted and has a stunning mountain backdrop, the drive from historical San Cristobal de la Laguna to picturesque village of Taganana where the road meanders around multiple bends as you climb higher and higher through the clouds watching the vegetation change as you ascend. Vilaflor, one of the highest villages in Tenerife with a pretty town square and spectacular views and of course the capital Santa Cruz which is well worth spending the day exploring the city.
If like me, you love to get off the beaten track then Tenerife has plenty of places for you to visit.