Tenerife, the year round island

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the
coast of Africa. Tenerife has an area of 2034.38 square kilometers, and 886,033
inhabitants. It is the most populated island of the Canary Islands and Spain. About
five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, which is also one of the busiest Spanish
resorts. Tenerife also has one of the world's largest carnivals, and the Carnival of
Santa Cruz de Tenerife now aspires to become a World Heritage Site. The island
hosts in its capital the architectural symbol of the Canary Islands, the modern
Auditorio de Tenerife which is also one of the main buildings of Spanish architecture.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the island and the seat of the island council
(cabildo insular). The city is capital of the autonomous community of Canary Islands
(shared with Las Palmas), sharing governmental institutions such as Presidency and
ministries. Between 1833 and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of
the Canary Islands, until in 1927 the current arrangement was introduced by decree.

The island is home to the University of San Fernando de La Laguna, which was
founded in 1792. The University of La Laguna is the oldest university in the Canaries.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna (World Heritage Site) is the second city of the island and
the third one of the archipelago. The city of La Laguna was also capital of the
Canary Islands until Santa Cruz replaced it in 1833[6]. Tenerife also has the highest
elevation of Spain, a World Heritage Site that is the third largest volcano in the world
from its base, El Teide.

Holidays in Tenerife - Things to see

For sightseeing Tenerife holidays have an assortment of sights and attractions.
Any Tenerife holidays are enriched by visiting the fascinating historic sites,
listed below are just a few sites worth visiting during a holiday in Tenerife:-

Medieval Night (San Miguel
Castle) great for families, join
the King, the Queen and
their Knights for this colourful
pageant, exciting sword
fighting, jousting and superb
horsemanship, followed by
the Drifters Show. Banquet
(eat with your hands) and
drinks are included in the
price.

Santa Cruz is the capital of Tenerife. - A bustling city and shipping port (one of the
busiest in Spain and deepest in the world). Shopping is excellent from the Plaza de
España on the seafront to Plaza de Candelaria. The most visited place in Santa Cruz
is "La Plaza de España" by the sea, where the futuristic auditorium stands. The city
also has large landscaped areas, which maintain the calm of the modernist
architecture. There are also lots of tree-lined avenues, parks and squares, which
are ideal for taking a stroll.

Mount Teide – at 12,402 ft Mount Teide is Tenerife’s most famous landmark. You
will notice the climate changes through 4 distinct temperature zones. An Optional
cable car to 12,000 ft is available weather permitting.

Piramides de Guimar rare
and interesting step-
pyramids, constructed like
those in Mexico, Peru, and
ancient Mesopotamia.
Besides the 6 step pyramids,
the park also has a museum,
a life-size replica of the reed
ship RA II, Auditorium/Cinema,
cafeteria and an ecological
souvenir shop.

Los Gigantes - The Cliffs of the Giants massive cliffs drop almost sheer into the
sea from a height 800m. Across the bay lie the towns of Los Gigantes and, Puerto
de Santiago. The only way for you to get closer to these amazing cliffs is by boat.

Pueblo Chico is located
close to Puerto de la Cruz,
this tourist attraction stands
in 20,000 square meters of
land and is home to miniature
models all of which you will
find in the Canary Islands.
A great day out for all the
family.
Open from 09:00 till 18:00

Playa de las Teresitas -
The jewel in the crown of
Tenerife’s beaches and
without doubt the most
spectacular. It’s many
people’s idea of what a
tropical beach should look
like. A crescent shaped,
lagoon-like bay with golden
sand lapped by aquamarine
waters teeming with tropical
fish. Add palm trees and a
dramatic mountain backdrop and you’ve got a perfect setting. There are changing
rooms, toilets, bar restaurants and a large car park discreetly hidden behind the line
of palms at the back of the beach. The man made reef makes the enclosed calm
water ideal for families with young children. The only downside is that, being the
east coast, it can be a tad breezy sometimes. Approx 8 kilometres beyond Santa
Cruz.

Playa del Duque - A man
made beach which has been
developed with panache and
imagination. If a beach could
feel upmarket, it’s this one.
Small enough to feel intimate,
it’s striped beach huts and
palm frond umbrellas give it
an air of St Tropez meets the
Caribbean. It is located at the
very western end of Playa de
las Américas.

Playa de las Américas’ one
developed beach is Playa del
Camisón in front of the smart
Sir Anthony hotel. It’s a
relaxing golden sand beach
backed by palm trees which
slopes gently into aquamarine
waters. There are plenty of
sun loungers and thatched
umbrellas, but it can get quite
busy.

Key Facts

Capital :Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Population :886,003 (approx.)

Language :Spanish

Currency :Euro

Religion :Catholic

Dialling Code :00 34

Time Difference :0 GMT

Things to do on a Holiday in Tenerife

Loro Parque














(Puerto de la Cruz) as well as seeing the magnificent
Orcas brought to Tenerife from Sea World in Florida you will also
see Sea-Lion, Dolphin, and Parrot Shows, Gorillas, Chimpanzees,
Tigers, and the worlds largest Penguin house where 12 tons of
snow falls each day. All of the attractions are in beautifully
landscaped gardens. You can do a behind the scenes ‘Discovery
Tour’ which makes sure you miss nothing.


Parque las Aguilas

A fantastic zoo and botanical park with over 500 birds and animals
and acres of jungle. Take part in the Jungle Raid where you can
walk across suspension bridges, waterfalls, lagoons, and caves, or
take a ride on the jungle toboggan. Great fun but you must be fit!
There are also exotic birds and birds of prey shows where you can
get up close. You can buy a reduced price ticket if bought in
conjunction with entrance to the Aquapark. Free bus service from
many locations, just pick up a leaflet for times and places.

Monkey Zoo Park

(Just off the TF1) only 5 minutes from Los Cristianos and Las
Americas you will find the most wonderful animal park in Tenerife.
As they say, ‘their animals don’t do tricks’ but what their animals do
is let you walk through their environment and feed them, stroke them
and they will climb all over you. You will not find any gift shops, but
do make sure you buy lots and lots of monkey food. This is probably
one of the cheapest attractions in Tenerife and you will want to
return again and again. Only €10 for an adult and €3 for a child over
4 years.

Scuba Diving

Tenerife is an incredible destination for diving and what a wonderful
way to explore the underwater world with visibility up to 60mtrs.
Learn to snorkel in the morning and scuba dive in the afternoon. All
equipment provided. Lots of diving takes place in Abades Cove as it
has the best underwater viewing in the south. There are also
'P.A.D.I' courses for advanced divers.


Sport Fishing



The costal waters of Tenerife in the Canary Islands is one of the
world's best venues for big game fishing. Tenerife offers a wide
variety of sea fishing opportunities and, with all year round sun, it's
an ideal destination for a family with a fishing enthusiast. There are
a number of charter companies that operate from Puerto Colon, Los
Cristianos and los Gigantes that provide a range of options and
prices to suite your needs.

Golf



Golf in the Canary Islands is becoming the first choice for golfing
holidays, with Tenerife being one of the most popular golfing
destinations, due to its warm climate, accessibility & the majority of
its courses are within close proximity of the major holiday resorts