Here's Why Tenerife Should Be on Your Bucket List
From its desert-landscapes to lush green mountains and stunning seascapes, Tenerife is an island filled with a variety of geographical options. The largest and most populated island of the Canary Islands, it’s a place where you can image yourself in thousands of locations around the globe, without traveling anywhere else. The Canary Islands is a chain in the eastern Atlantic Ocean that is part of Spain and located off the Western Coast of Africa.
If you’re an adventure seeker or just a culturally curious traveler, here’s why you need Tenerife on your bucket list:
1). Known as the Island of Eternal Spring, the average year-round temperature is 75 degrees. Start your day exploring the UNESCO World Heritage city of La Laguna in the north or bike though spectacular landscapes, rock climb volcanic cliffs and paraglide off Mt. Teide. The stunning blue ocean is great for water-sports from scuba, wind surfing to deep-sea fishing. Tenerife’s waters are even home to permanent colonies of pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins making it one of the world’s most spectacular places for viewing. Then at sunset be mesmerized by the stunning coastline of Los Gigantes in the south.
2). One of Tenerife’s treasures is Mt. Teide, the islands crown jewel. The volcano’s summit is over 12,000 feet above sea level and has stunning views over the lunar like terrain below and the other Canary Islands. With its unadulterated skies at night, some consider it the second best place in the world to stargaze. Enrich your experience by stargazing with a NASA and European Space Agency trained astronomer.
3). With its geographic location and historical importance, Tenerife’s food is known as being a fusion of Latin American and North African cultures with a Spanish twist. One can choose to dine in one of the four Michelin star restaurants or at a seaside “guanchinces”, small family run eateries serving up the daily catch. Accompanying the great food are the islands impressive wines, internationally recognized for its unique colors, flavors and aromas due to natural heritage, climate and volcanic roots. The “wine routes” around the island offer visitors the opportunity to uncover the history of towns marked by wines with a true volcanic spirit.
4). The mixture of cultures is also represented in the local customs and their celebrations. Carnival transforms Tenerife’s towns and its people every February. Thousands in fancy dress, wigs and face paint fill Santa Cruz with sequins, feathers, music and non-stop fun. During the summer you’re encouraged to dress up in traditional Canarian clothing and participate in the villages “Romeria” festivities.
5). Tenerife offers something for everyone, including those seeking the most exclusive vacation. The island boasts more five star hotels than Madrid or Barcelona. Some recognizable hotel chains include, The Ritz Carlton Abama Resort and Spa, the Grand Melia Palacio de Isora and the Barceloa Royal Hideaway. In addition to the well-known hotels you can choose from a variety of boutique hotels in charming villages such as the Hotel San Roque in the town of Garachico or arrange for an ocean front luxury villa just for you. Most of the resorts offer their guests the chance to renew their body and mind with treatments at their world-class spas. The Ritz Carlton even has its own golf course, one of the 8 scattered around the island, and the near perfect climate makes Tenerife a year-round golfers paradise.
