Tenerife Attractions

The most wonderful sights are gathered on Tenerife so it’s best place to spend your holiday amongst the Canary Islands. Tenerife is the largest of all the islands with the highest population. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean close to the coast of West Africa. The only way to get here is by plane since you have to cross the ocean. The Canary Islands belongs to Spain so European laws and regulations apply. The euro is the official currency. You don’t need to fill any special forms to visit the islands.

Tenerife’s climate is very pleasant and it’s often called the island of eternal spring. The summers are hot with sudden showers refreshing the air. The ocean calms the heat a bit. Most accommodations are well maintained, a 3 star hotel is sure to have everything you need. The beaches, monuments and natural beauty attract more and more visitors every year. Tenerife is popular amongst Spanish people so be prepared for a crowd in the summer.

Things to do in Tenerife

If you decide to spend your holiday on Tenerife the first thing you have to do is choose a city. Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos are huge resort towns where you won’t get bored. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island’s capital but a few people choose this city. Puerto de la Cruz has great beaches but you can’t make a wrong decision. To discover the island a car would come in handy. International rental companies are present and you can find them around hotels. Driving around the island is a remarkable experience!

In the middle of Tenerife lies the Pico del Teide. The huge volcano is surrounded by colorful vegetation that changes by altitude. The island is famous for its mushroom shaped Dracaenas. The landscape has some strange colored rocks because of the regular eruptions. Red, yellow, brown and purple rocks border the road. A cable car takes you up to the crater. Buses and cars need to stop at the parking lot. You can go skiing at the peak.

Puerto de la Cruz is home to the famous Loro Park. The park presents Tenerife’s rich flora and fauna to visitors. You’ll see dolphins and orcas in the park’s aquarium. Spend some time wandering around the park. Sometimes it reminds you of a real jungle. Tenerife has rich forests and there are some banana plantations as well.

Santa Cruz boasts of the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre where you can see the island’s history from the first man to Columbus. The most interesting part is the mummies of the island’s native tribesman. Puerto de la Cruz has an Archaeological Museum, which presents the latest finds from Tenerife. Of course there are marvelous buildings in the city too. The Basílica de la Candelaria is a fine example of religious architecture just as the cathedral. Visit the market in larger cities at weekends to see local and African products on sale.

The local cuisine also has some surprises. The papas arrugadas is something like whole fired potato served with delicious sauce. Locals call every sauce mojo that can be served with some kind of a meal. There are sweet and hot versions of this product. Meat lovers will surely admire the pork taco but hare and beef is also very delicious. The ocean offers a wide range of seafood too.

If you want to see more of the Canary Islands visit Gran Canaria or Lanzarotte. Travel offices organize trips and one day visits to these islands.