Holidays in Tenerife

Many people think of Tenerife as nothing more than a package holiday destination with brash, purpose-built resorts and cheesy nightclubs. But, this is an unfair and definitely misguided view of the largest of the Canary Islands.

For starters the Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Europe. The islands’ northern beaches have some of the best kite surfing and windsurfing in Europe and North Africa and most of the island is actually covered with mountains, forests and lush green moorland. There is definitely much more to Tenerife than meets the eye. But don’t just take our word for it, book yourself a holiday in Tenerife and explore it for yourself. Here are four things you probably didn’t know about this island off the coast of Morocco.

It’s not just the national park around dormant volcano Mounta Teide that’s worth exploring. On the northern peninsular, not far from the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is Parque Rural de Anaga. This is another superb hiking region with peaks up to around 1000 metres. The rugged mountains descend rapidly to the coast and where there are beaches they are comprised of course black volcanic sand.

On the other side of the island you’ll find sheer, towering cliffs just outside Los Gigantes and the stunning mountain village of Masca. It’s located on the north-western tip in the Teno Mountains. The region is full of deep ravines, winding, hairpin-laden roads and a fertile landscape that is breathtaking. The area is popular with cyclists, but if you fancy giving it a go you need to be in peak physical condition because these mountains aren’t for the fainthearted.

There are 17,032km of tunnels carving their way in a chaotic pattern underneath Tenerife. They have been carved by lava and weave under and over each other in three different levels. You can get underground and explore them and many stretch into the sea so you can combine caving with scuba diving.

San Cristobal de la Laguna is a postcard perfect city dating back several hundred years. It sits nestled in the Aguere Valley and the city’s 17th and 18th century architecture is not just well preserved, it’s stunningly beautiful and incredibly colourful. The city is dotted with palm trees and Spanish, African and colonial looking buildings making it a perfect day trip contrast to the resorts of the south.