It's not all about bars and karaoke.....Come with me to unveil something just a little different and
When we say Tenerife, you are immediately pointed to the south of the island, with the usual big hotels and all-inclusive brands making their mark but if you venture to the north you will see a totally different side and a plethora of culture, history and spectacular scenery ripe for exploration.
It's time to turn things around!
Two of my favourite two locations are La Laguna and Garachico which add a real dimension to your stay. La Laguna is home to the University, but it is without a doubt the most beautiful town in Tenerife with a colonial style, narrow straight streets, colourful mansion houses, traditional style bars and small artisan shops. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and will overload you with Canarian culture and some incredibly good nightlife - Canarian style!
On to Garachico, or small island in Spanish. This is a tranquil town located in a deep valley with steep forests to either side and a very rocky coastline, and oozes Canarian identity. There are no big hotels, no real beach, but you can swim in the volcanic coves along the rocky coast, but I think you come here for the history, as this was once a commercial port - to look at it today you'd wonder what happened. It's a place of natural disasters with everything from wild storms, floods, fires, epidemics and, in 1706, a major volcanic eruption that destroyed the port and buried over half the town in red hot lava, answering the question why it’s no longer a commercial port! Today, you can hike trails that follow the path of the disastrous lava flow. Whilst here pop down to to Icod de los Vinos for a look with its famous Dragon Tree and a maze of narrow streets.
Onto Santiago del Teide which is a small town northwest of the National Park Boundary. This makes a good base for exploring if you prefer a single location holiday; and is a hiker’s paradise with easy access to Masca and Teno. In spring this town is full of cherry trees in blossom.
Get off the beaten track and put the 4x4 to proper use, explore the road networks leading up and around the National Park to Mount Tiede; take a picnic at one of marked picnic spots and spend time, take your walking boots and follow one of over 30 marked trails. I recommend No 11 Fortaleza, and No 10 Pico Teide. To ascend to the highest point in Spain Volcano Mount Teide at an altitude of 3,270 metres, take the cable car up, be warned it is very steep, and walk down only if you are a keen walker - allow five hours.
The National Park is an impressive landscape of craters, volcanoes and rivers of dried lava surrounding the dominant (but dormant) Teide Volcano that stands at 3,718 m above sea level. There are multiple vantage points to gain a panoramic view of the whole park. If you want to get creative with your stay why not ask me to add in a night’s accommodation in Las Cañadas Parador.
The Guanches, the indigenous inhabitants of these lands were almost wiped out by the Spanish during their conquest in the 15th Century, that's why you see plenty of Catholic shrines for the early Spanish settlers, who built churches and monasteries around Candelaria. I'd give top marks to Candelaria, which gets full religious status on a Sunday as hundreds of Canarians descend to make a tour of the town’s sacred sites. The waterfront is lined by statues of nine half naked men which represent the nine Guanche kings who ruled Tenerife at the time of the Virgin Mary’s appearance. This is a very special place where souvenir shops sell statuettes of Jesus and an array of associated saints. This religious serenity is sharply contrasted by the stormy Atlantic smashing against the sea wall.
A trip to the wild side of Tenerife wouldn't be complete without a ferry crossing to La Gomera; it's 40 minutes from Los Cristianos and one of 7 islands that make up the Canaries. For me it is distinctive because of the whistling language used called El Silbo - I challenge you to learn how to order a beer in a whistle! Here is a place to walk, think and reflect on the silence and beauty of this charming place and how lucky you are to be there. You can get to see whales and dolphins here, in fact its Europe's top whale watching destination. I would highly recommend a few nights here in a traditional Parador for a truly get away from it all experience!
Please do get in touch to see how I can create a perfectly different and authentic Canarian experience for you. Let me show you undiscovered Tenerife.
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