Tenerife Explored

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 2012 CARNIVAL

2012-01-18T09:35:00.000Z

JANUARY 25TH - FEBRUARY 26TH

  Provisional Time Table

  Carnival Theme 2012

  Official Carnival Web Page

Photo's from http://www.carnavaltenerife.es/

Rural Retreats on the Island of Tenerife

2012-01-06T19:11:00.000Z

In most villages on the Island of Tenerife you will find a 'Rural Retreat' better known on the Island as 'Casas Rurales', where you can get away from the maddening crowd and enjoy the Rural side of Tenerife, the villagers without exception will welcome you, they are a proud of their heritage and history and unlike the coastal resorts, have plenty of time to talk to you about it.

The “casa rural” is an official Spanish category of holiday accommodation that allows private owners to rent out their property, provided it complies with the stipulated standards; the properties are all regularly inspected. There is an incredible range of self catering houses and apartments. They range from the simple and comfortable to the luxurious and are priced accordingly, in line with regional recommendations.

Many of the casas rurales have been in the family for years and the owners take great pride in their houses.
When travelling around the Island look out for the sign directing you to them, don't be put of by the entrances, remember they are not a mass produced holiday accommodation, you might have to go down a path between other houses or pull a string that you see on the gate, go ahead, you will be very surprised what you see behind that gate. In many cases you will find yourselves in beautiful court yards or gardens.

La Guancha, Island Village to Explore

2011-11-20T12:00:00.000Z

La Guancha is in the North West of the Island 500 metres above sea level.

This is a farming town with traditional cultural Traditions. The parish church dates from the 17th century and has a Baroque main altar and some beautiful religious figurines.

The white wines of the area, with the 'Denominacíon de Origen' - Ycoden-Daute-Isora are well known.

Casa Museo Taller de Artesanía - displays traditional Canarian folk dress together with examples of the ceramics. In past years the cereamics of La Guancha were much admired. There are often traditional craftsmen at work, showing their crafts. The wooden door to the building is carved showing aspects of the agricultural life of the area.
Opening times: Mon-Fri 9am-1pm and 4-7pm.
There are many Forest Trails wgich have some fantastic views of Mt.Teide, also to be found is the recreation area of El Lagar which has barbecue facilities.

Official Web Site of La Guancha Ayuntamiento - http://www.aytolaguancha.com/

Walking Trails - Camino Real de Fasnia, Tenerife

2011-10-06T20:37:00.000+01:00

This is one of the many walks on the Island of Tenerife, which takes you through some of the fantastic countryside , at the same time pointing out historical facts of which Tenerife has plenty.

The track starts in the centre of Fasnia, by the cemetery area, just at Carretera Los Roques Nº 1.

You can do the route in two different ways, south or northbound, along the old Royal road. The north track follows an unpaved road among some old houses, of great interest (traditional architecture), until it meets another unpaved road. You go on along this road amid terraced fields, some of which are abandoned; others have potatoes growing in them. You get to a crossing with a paved road. Here you find a little hamlet, Camino Real on the right of the track. Once on the paved road, you go on for some 150 m. at which point you turn left into a path leading us to the bed of the Herques ravine, where you see the original cobblestones. The ravine is an area of a great interest as regarding the flora. We find all sorts of local species, such as spurges, and Peripocla Alcurnico etc. The presence of the Caves of Herques add an archaeological interest; they used to be one of the dwellings of the Guanches, the ancient indigenous people of the island.

The south track takes a diversion, on the left, towards Fasnia Mountain (Montaña de Fasnia). This volcanic cone is 403 m. high and the flora you can find there is mainly cactus spurges. The summit of this volcanic mount is a natural view-point where you can enjoy very interesting views of the whole town of Fasnia. At this point, the old and the new chapel of La Virgen de los Dolores is to be found.

Once at the base of Fasnia Mountain, the track follows along the Royal Road again until it meets San Joaquín ravine, where the ruins of the ancient San Joaquín´s Hermitage can be appreciated. This hermitage was built in the XVII Century. The track follows along the bed of the ravine where caves of a great archaeological interest can be found, then, it crosses the Bridge of The Three Eyes (Los Tres Ojos). The C-822 road goes over the bridge and follows until a water gallery, which is the end of the track.

Photo and article taken from Walking the Island need a place on the south for the night:-

Introducing Tenerife

2011-09-24T17:05:00.001+01:00

Introduction.Tenerife is the largest of the Canary islands, of which there are 7 major and 6 Smaller islands.
The westerns Islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro form the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, whilst the eastern Islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura form the province of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Canary Islands lie between 96 and 304 km (60 -90) Miles off the North West Coast of Africa, but they are a part of Spain.

The island of Tenerife covers an area of 2057 sq km (794 sq miles) and is shaped like an Isosceles triangle with Mount Teide, The Volcano in the centre rising to 3718 m (12,199 ft) with The Caldera de las Canadas,,a gigantic collapsed crater,surrounding the peak.

Population
The population currently stands at approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants, this obviously is not counting the tourists.

Climate
Tenerife is fortunate to have warm temperatures all year round, rarely falling below 18 degrees C in the coastal areas, the norm being in the mid 20s, rising to the 30s in the summer months.
Temperatures are on average around three degrees cooler when going in land away from the coast.
The north side of the Island is cooler than the south.
Rain fall is generally confined to the winter months October through to March, there is very little and even less on the South Coast, but when it rains it tends to be heavy, it very rarely lasts long and all is normally back to the normal sun the day after, again the north coast getting more rain than the south.

Language
Spanish is the main language on all the Canary Islands, although if you ask a Canarian, they will tell you they speak 'Canarian', which is a version of Spanish.
In the tourist areas you will be understood speaking English or German along with a few other languages.

Currency
Being a part of Spain, the currency is the 'Euro' (€).
There are plenty of banks, even away from the tourist areas, all having cash machines, so the normal cards can be used to obtain cash.
Travellers cheques can be used, although they seem to be less popular now.

Driving
In Tenerife you drive on the right .
Cars are readily available for hire, you normally get the best deals by booking online before you leave home.
If you need transport form the airport to your accommodation, it's worth considering booking a car from the airport.
All road signs etc., are the same as any other European Country. Speed limits and Alcohol Levels are very similar as well. It is best not to have a drink when you are going to drive, they are very hot on breathalyzing.
Updated Rules of the Road as of December 2009.

Opening Hours
In the tourist areas shops, restaurants etc. are open all day from 9/10am until late.
Offices, Banks and official places open 8/9 am until 1/2pm.
In some areas they still work the siesta hours this being 8am - 1pm then 5pm - 8pm. It all depends on which area you are staying in, just check on arrival.

Transport
The Titsa bus service is excellent and covers almost all of the Island, even going up to Mount Teide, the fares are reasonable and 'Bono' cards can be purchased if you intend to make use of the service on a regular basis, these offer good discounts.
There are ferries to all the other main Canary Islands as well as inter island flights from the north and south airports.
There is a tram service running from Santa Cruz to La Laguna every 3 minutes or so.
Taxi's are always available.

THE EMERGENCY NUMBER IS 112.
This number will put you in touch with the emergency services, Police, Ambulance and Fire.
There should be someone there who can speak your language.

Hospitals
The health care on the Island is excellent, but you do need insurance, if you qualify for an E111 in your country of residence, you will be able to use it.

Dentist
There are numerous dentists on the Island, you will be able to find one that speaks your language.
They are all private. So check to see if your holiday insurance covers this.

Communication
There are a lot of cafe's and bars even shopping centres with free WiFi connections, some of the cafe's you have to buy a drink and they will give you the password.
There are lots of internet cafe's in all areas.
Mobile phones operators are - Movistar, Vodaphone, Amena.
There are a few phone kiosks with banks of phones in some of the tourist areas, the receptionist puts a line through to a booth and you pay when you have finished the call, they are cheaper and it saves you having to keep feeding change into the payphone.

Airports
There are two airports - Tenerife South Airport -  Reina Sofia (TFS)
   Tenerife North Airport - Los Rodeos (TFN)

Accommodation
There are some very nice 5 Star hotels on the Island for those of you who enjoy a bit of luxury, at certain times of the year they offer some good deals.
All inclusive Hotels are also very popular, plenty of 4,3 and 2 star accommodation is readily available.

Rural Hotels - These tend to be traditional Canarian buildings which have been converted into small hotels, under strict guide lines to keep the character of the buildings and surrounding intact, they are normally found in land away from the coast, ideal for people who want to see the real Tenerife ie. The villages, scenery etc.

Pensions - These can be found all over the Island, normally the cheaper end of the market, basic, but clean, ideal if you want one night in a place and move onto the next.

Beaches
There are 8 Blue Flag beaches on Tenerife along with many more superb beaches.Some of them like El Medano are natural black sand, some like Playa de las Teresitas, Santa Cruz were made with imported sand from Africa and others have been created from the sand on the sea bed.

A few of the beaches have been designated as nudist beaches.

In Puerto De La Cruz and Santa Cruz there are superb Lido's.

Best Time to Visit
It is said, that you can find a Fiesta on any day of the year in Tenerife, I don't think that's far from the truth, they love their fiestas and fireworks and the all year round weather doesn't interrupt them too much.
The main ones being:-

January - 5th/6th Three Kings processions
Feb/Mar - Carnival - The parade falls on Shrove Tuesday, but that is the last Tuesday of Carnival month. It's the second biggest Carnival, the biggest being Brazil.
April - Semaña Santa - Easter Celebrations - Good Friday being the main day when The Easter Story is played out theather style, a famous one being in the town of Adeje.
May - May Celebrations - all kinds of activities in the City of Santa Cruz and other towns, to celebrate the coming of Spring.
June - Corpus Christi - The Famous Sand Carpets of Oratava and other towns on the Island.
July/August - The Main holiday season, all kinds of Fiesta and Events.

All the villages on the Island have their own Fiesta, everyone is always welcome.

Types of Holidays -Tenerife has a lot to offer

You can just crash out and enjoy the beach and the sun or just lie around the pool, .
Explore the Island by car or public transport.
Walking holidays are very popular, with many ancient and historic paths to explore.
Rock climbing and bouldering.
The month of the Carnival.

Main Attractions
Teide National Park

Masca the Hidden Village
Loro Park
Piramides de Guimar
1000 Year Old Dragon Tree in Icod
The Old Town of Oratava- Famous for the Corpus Christi Carpets and Wooden Balconies.
Vilaflor - Highest Village in Spain

HOUSE FOR SALE IN TENERIFE

2011-09-18T11:09:00.003+01:00

245,000 €

Location

The house is situated in the Historic Village of Arico Nuevo, Tenerife.

It is a very quiet village with cobbled streets and green wooden doors, it has a Church, a Restaurant and a very little shop which is sometimes open. The people are very friendly and everyone is made welcome.

A 5 minute walk away there is Arico Viejo, where you will find a super market, bank, chemist,petrol station, restaurants and many local shops.

The infant and junior school is just a 5 minute walk from the house and the senior school is just a 5 minute drive away.

The health centre which has a Helli-pad is just minutes away.

Arico Nuevo is very centrally situated on the south of Tenerife, it is 30 minutes from Santa Cruz and 30 Minutes from Playa De La Americas, it takes just 10 minutes to get to the TF1 which joins these two busy places.

The beaches of Poris de Abona, Abades,Eras and El Medaño are all within 10 - 15 minutes away.

The South Airport is a 20 minute drive and The North Airport , depending on traffic can be reached in 45 to 60 minutes.

Distribution

The house is 120 m2 built on a 300 m2 plot, it consists of :-

INSIDE-

3 Double Bedrooms, I full en-suite bathroom and one bathroom with wet room, seperate farmhouse style kitchen which incorporates a dinning area, large lounge, store room/laundry room.

OUTSIDE:-

Lovely Canarian Court Yard, BBQ area with seperate area with table and seating for 10 people,
Summer House which seats 8 comfortably, gardens, private parking for 2 cars.

The house is being sold fully furnished

History

We purchased the house 2003, with the intent of reforming it and selling, because we enjoy reforming houses. This is the 5Th property that we have reformed and the biggest project to date.

When we found it, it had not been lived in for 30 years, only had one cold water tap in the yard and no electricity. We couldn't get into the garden because it was so over grown.

The biggest challenge was the paper work, which started off by presenting a project through to getting a habitation certificate, but fortunately we have a very good legal man and we now have all the legal paper work in order. Which means we have water and electricity.

The house is at the top of the Historic Village of Arico Nuevo and stands apart all on it's own. Many years ago it was the village shop which sold everything. It still has the old bread baking oven in the gardens. Since purchasing we have learnt that it was also the hardware shop including the place you exchanged you gas bottles as well as the petrol station and garage.

It took 3 years to reform the house and have been enjoying the end result since then, but as always we have got itchy fingers and need to move on, so we have decided to sell, hopefully to some one who will enjoy it as much as we have.

To see More Photo's

For more info contact - aptkey@yahoo.com

Walking Tenerife - ARICO EL NUEVO - EL CONTADOR

2011-07-21T12:03:00.003+01:00

In the past few years, the foot paths on the Island of Tenerife have been worked on, improved and well signed posted.

They are a fantastic way of seeing some of the beautiful scenery which the Island is Famous for, this ancient path takes you through historic villages, ancient foot paths and much more.

It can be split into sections, for those of us who can't manage it in one go!!!

FranciscoFariña has written a detailed article on this ancient footpath including photo's showing you the way.on

This is the link - http://franciscofarina.blogspot.com/2010/07/arico-el-nuevo-el-contador.html

It is in Spanish, but it's an excellent translation if you use Google. If you enjoy walking/hiking you will enjoy, take a look.

If you want to a stop over on this walk : -

is situated just by the cross in Arico Nuevo.

Tenerife South

2011-07-05T22:41:00.000+01:00

Tenerife South is drier and warmer than Tenerife North, taken as a average over a year.

Tenerife North is not by any stretch of the imagination cold and it does not rain all the time, it's just damper than the south especially during the winter months, which in Tenerife are from November to March.

The south of the island is a large area, the pictures you see here are more to the South East of the Island looking down from the mountains above Arafo along the south coast, with Gran Canaria being the other Island that you can see

When you think of South Tenerife you automatically think of Playa De Las Americas and Los Cristianos, these being the main tourist areas on the south of the island.

There is much to see and explore away from these tourist areas, please do not fall into the trap of thinking that it's where the youngsters come to drink the night away and then sleep if of on the beach during the day, Yes, they still do it, but it's confined to a very small area of Playa De Las Americas called 'Veronica's', even this area has been regenerated over the last few years and is not the eye sore that it used to be and at night there is a good Police Presence to make sure that there are no problems.

The best way to explore is by car, there are always good Car Hire deals to be had, if you don't like or don't feel confident driving abroad, the Titsa bus service on the Island is excellent and covers most of the Island and it's not expensive. The alternative is to book your self on the Island Tours, which cover all the main attractions.

There are plenty of Rural Hotels (Casa Rurals) on the Island , they can be found in many of the the local towns and villages and offer a good base for exploring, walking or just relaxing. There are also a few Bed & Breakfast places, which can be useful if you just want the odd night away from your main holiday accommodation.

Remember you are never far from the coast on the Island of Tenerife, and you can get there easily by car or bus.

Trekking & Walking in Tenerife

2011-07-04T09:14:00.001+01:00

Video by tenerifetrek

The Island of Tenerife has much to offer for the walker, trekker or hiker.

The all year round warm weather makes it the ideal holiday place any time of the year. There is always something different to see, Mt Teide looks as beautiful covered in snow as it does in the sunshine.

The mountains and forests have well signed routes telling you how far and how long the walks take as well as what grade of difficulty the walk is. So no matter whether you are a stroller or a serious hiker there is something for you in Tenerife.

The above video gives you a good insight of what can be found on the Island.

Güimar a Municiple to be Explored in Tenerife

2011-07-04T09:14:00.000+01:00

The borough of Güimar in Tenerife has traditionally been divided into two similarly-sized areas: El Valle and Agache.

The wealth of the area is mainly due to the fact that it specialises in growing tomatoes for export, as well as exporting potatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes and cut flowers. Avocado and grape vines are now booming crops.

In the Farmer's Market of Guimaras you will find products that are not found in other markets that are healthy, fresh and of a high quality. These products come from the farmers in the valley of Güimar

The Market is open every Sunday from 8 to 13h. It is an outdoor market located in the town hall square of Guimaras.

The diversity of farming activities here is because the borough has a range of climates and altitudes, from sea level; with extremely dry conditions and relatively high average temperatures throughout the year; to the heights of the Badajoz and El Agua Ravines; with high rainfall and average temperatures.

Güimar is an undiscovered area of beauty and contrasts. El Puertillo is the sea-side and tourist district. During the festival of San Pedro Apostol, excellent folklore shows are usually held in Güimar. Apart from two very interesting old churches, Güimar also has an unusual museum of typical local objects.

The now disused Parador (Don Martin look out point) on the TF28 is the best place to view the Güimar Valley. It is an open balcony overlooking the southern countryside.

There are many walks taking you through the historic countryside of Güimar, they are well marked out with lots of information to guide you along the way , the following will give you more information.

http://tenerifeexplored.blogspot.com/2009/11/walking-in-guimar-valley-of-tenerife.html

http://www.guimar.es/senderos/guia.htm

Some info taken from :- photo by Mataparda

The season of the Romeria Fiesta's has started.

2011-06-11T15:18:00.000+01:00

Romerias in the Canary Isles are popular traditional festivals, they are very colourful and are an important part of village life, they take a lot of planning and organising, not only by the local autorities , but also by the participants.

They are held in honour of the saint of the village and normally the procession wil start from the centre of the village and slowly make it's way around the streets of the village or in some cases to a cross on a hill outside of the village, where they will stop have a feast and return to the village.

The processions will include local villagers dressed in costume and decorated carts, from which they will be distributing local wine , gofio and meats cooked on the bbq's located on the carts. Aslo included in some romerias are the local animals including oxen pulling the carts, horses, sheep etc.

There is also a lot of competition in these events, the local residents decorate their balconies with local flags, earthernware,flowers and local food stuff such as pan (I suppose it's a bit like a harvest festival) and will be jugded who's is the best, the same goes for the animals in the procession as well.

These are fun days for the village people and they really do know how to enjoy themselves, the agenda changes from village to village, some times it is a one day event other times it can be a week long fiesta with a fair and musical bands well into the early hours of the morning.

For more information on where the Romerias are.
More information about Romerias

June the Month of The Jacaranda Tree's in Tenerife

2011-05-15T20:34:00.000+01:00

Photo by alassam

The Jacaranda tree puts on a breathtaking floral display. Its vivid lilac-blue clusters of trumpet shaped blossoms appear in June, later falling to the earth carpeting the ground with a mass of color.

The Jacaranda tree is striking when it’s lilac-blue floral show dominates the landscape, they look fantastic whether they stand on their own or form an avenue.

Just one of the many flowering trees on the Island this time of year.

It is said that if you are walking underneath the Jacaranda tree and one of the trumpet blossoms falls on your head you will be favored by fortune.

Adeje

2011-04-25T09:42:00.000+01:00

"Photo: tenerife-photo.com"

Originally a farming area, traditionally devoted to growing bananas and tomatoes.

In recent times, the coast, known as COSTA ADEJE, has been improved with several different tourist resorts such as San Eugenio, Fañabé, Playas del Duque and El Beril. The success of the area as a tourist resort is based on a mild climate and the quiet of the coast, with its excellent fishing.

Many Guanche burial caves have been discovered in the walls. The Adeje parish church possesses a fine Mudejar moulded ceiling and an interesting collection of Gobelin tapestries.

One of the main tourist municiples on Tenerife, with the famous 'Costa de Adeje Coast' with has it's golden beaches, 5 star hotels and superb golf courses. You can find everything you need to enjoy your holiday in Adeje.

But do not forget to go inland to find the Town of Adeje, with it's quaint tree shaded main street with where you can sit and have a coffee and watch the world go by. It is also famous for it Garlic Chicken which you have to taste to believe.
Not forgetting The Barranco del Infierno (Devil's Ravine) is in the borough. This is an impressively narrow ravine with vertical vegetation-covered walls, where the sunlight hardly penetrates to the bottom.

Adeje is also known for it's telling of the Easter Story on Good Friday, it's like watching a play unfolding in front of your eyes in the main street of the town, depicting the last supper, the betrayal of Judas etc.
It is also one of the towns that celebrate Corpus Christi by making carpets in the street, theirs being made out of coloured sea salts.

Article taken from -

Walking Trails - El Camino Viejo de Candelaria ( The Old Walk Way of Candelaria), Tenerife

2011-03-19T16:21:00.004Z

El Camino Viejo de Candelaria has a wealth of historical and ethnographic, as in some sections corresponds to the old road that connected the city of La Laguna to the coastal village of Candelaria.

Since the conquest it has been an annual pilgrimage route, associated with a phenomenon of religious devotion, linked to the Virgin of Candelaria and her sanctuary that has remained in place.

The route begins at the Convent of Santo Domingo and on its course, Walkers can enjoy views of the Guimar Valley and the southwest coast of the island. It also passes the remains of old traditional buildings such as farmhouses or Pasacola Jimenez Igueste La Candelaria.

The road is paved from La Laguna on the road to San Francisco de Paula and Los Baldíos. You can start in the Plaza de Llano del Moro along the Convent Road running east of the Montaña Talavera (Talavera Mountain). Before the Barranco del Pino (Pine Ravine), you will find yourselves on the route in its traditional form, which passes through the Casa de Amaro Pargo to the chapel of the Rosary,at the end of the Machado Road.

Go past the chapel, and next to the Asomadita threshing floor, go down the path that is paved in parts crossing the Barranco Siete Fuentes (Seven Fountains Ravine) until Barranco Hondo. Continue along the main street and you come to the "campo de fútbol" (football ground), where once again the traditional track can be made out.

Follow this track and cross the ravines of Cueva de la Campana, La Gotera, Las Gambuesas and Chajarche. Near the route there is a pumping station with canals for water. The remains of the houses of Pasacola are not far, a small village that came into existence because of this historical route and the presence of fertile lands and the good view of the coast of the Güímar Valley. Nowadays, there are the remains of buildings in a bad state of repair, one of which has the remains of an oven in. You can also find natural caves, which were used for extra food storage and some corrals.

Continue along a dirt track, and then an asphalt one, which takes you to the neighbourhood known as the Barrio de La Jiménez, another small village but better preserved, it was a place for exchanging agricultural produce and other goods.

After a steep descent, leaving behind Igueste por Ajoreña, cross the Barranco de Afirama, pass by the large aboriginal cave of Añaco and you get to the Cruz Colorada roads. One of which takes you south, and once again crosses and follows the old route until you get to the bridge that crosses the motorway, and finally all the way on to the town of Candelaria.

Those who want to join this route from Tegueste may do so by the way Los Laureles, Las Peñuelas, road and Calle Las Gavias Obispo Rey Redondo (The Carrera), Avenida La Trinidad, Glorieta de Brasil, Avenida Francisco Sánchez and road Astrophysical San Francisco de Paula.

This route is done twice a year held in early February and mid-August.El Camino Viejo de Candelaria has a wealth of historical and ethnographic, as in some sections corresponds to the old road that connected the city of La Laguna to the coastal village of Candelaria.

Since the conquest it has been an annual pilgrimage route, associated with a phenomenon of religious devotion, linked to the Virgin of Candelaria and her sanctuary that has remained in place.

The route begins at the Convent of Santo Domingo and on its course, Walkers can enjoy views of the Guimar Valley and the southwest coast of the island. It also passes the remains of old traditional buildings such as farmhouses or Pasacola Jimenez Igueste La Candelaria.

The road is paved from La Laguna on the road to San Francisco de Paula and Los Baldíos. You can start in the Plaza de Llano del Moro along the Convent Road running east of the Montaña Talavera (Talavera Mountain). Before the Barranco del Pino (Pine Ravine), you will find yourselves on the route in its traditional form, which passes through the Casa de Amaro Pargo to the chapel of the Rosary,at the end of the Machado Road.

Go past the chapel, and next to the Asomadita threshing floor, go down the path that is paved in parts crossing the Barranco Siete Fuentes (Seven Fountains Ravine) until Barranco Hondo. Continue along the main street and you come to the "campo de fútbol" (football ground), where once again the traditional track can be made out.

Follow this track and cross the ravines of Cueva de la Campana, La Gotera, Las Gambuesas and Chajarche. Near the route there is a pumping station with canals for water. The remains of the houses of Pasacola are not far, a small village that came into existence because of this historical route and the presence of fertile lands and the good view of the coast of the Güímar Valley. Nowadays, there are the remains of buildings in a bad state of repair, one of which has the remains of an oven in. You can also find natural caves, which were used for extra food storage and some corrals.

Continue along a dirt track, and then an asphalt one, which takes you to the neighbourhood known as the Barrio de La Jiménez, another small village but better preserved, it was a place for exchanging agricultural produce and other goods.

After a steep descent, leaving behind Igueste por Ajoreña, cross the Barranco de Afirama, pass by the large aboriginal cave of Añaco and you get to the Cruz Colorada roads. One of which takes you south, and once again crosses and follows the old route until you get to the bridge that crosses the motorway, and finally all the way on to the town of Candelaria.

Those who want to join this route from Tegueste may do so by the way Los Laureles, Las Peñuelas, road and Calle Las Gavias Obispo Rey Redondo (The Carrera), Avenida La Trinidad, Glorieta de Brasil, Avenida Francisco Sánchez and road Astrophysical San Francisco de Paula.

This route is done twice a year held in early February and mid-August.

Full Info and Route Map

Aticle and photo's from - http://www.candelaria.es

Walking the Island need a place to stay for a night:-

The Cueva del Viento - Largest lava tube in the European Union

2011-02-13T11:48:00.003Z

The Cueva del Viento-Sobrado underground complex is the largest lava tube in the European Union. It was created by lava flows from Pico Viejo, next to Mt. Teide.

A visit to Cueva del Viento gives you an insight into the role of lava flows in a volcanic eruption, and offers you the chance to see the whimsical forms sculpted by the lava in the bowels of the earth. Is a fine example of the complexity of geology.

There are three different passage levels in the more than 17 kilometres of tubes, together with beautiful geo-morphological phenomenon like chasms, terraces and other lava formations.

Geological and biological importance
The Cueva del Viento (Cave of the Wind) is a volcanic cavity located in the district of Icod de los Vinos bearing the same name. Formed 27,000 years ago in basaltic lavas from the Pico Viejo volcano during its first eruptive phase, it is located in the foothills of Mount Teide.

This tube is the fourth longest in the world (18 kilometres) and is a true labyrinthine network of underground passages, with many unexplored ramifications, which will permit the future expansion of its length as exploration continues. Apart from its size, the Cueva del Viento is noted for its unique geomorphology. Its network of galleries consists of three superimposed levels, a phenomenon that has not been noted anywhere else in the world. Its name is due to the significant flows of air that occur in its interior.

Biologically the greatest relevance of this tube lies in its subterranean fauna which provides a constant source of new findings. The cave has a total of 190 known species. Of these, forty-eight are troglobites, animals that can live only in the subsurface environment. Among these species doomed to live in the dark, fifteen are new to science such as the eyeless cockroach Loboptera subterránea or the ground beetles or carabids Wolltinerfia martini and Woltinerfia tenerifae.

From a geomorphological perspective, the Cueva del Viento features a wide variety of structures such as lava stalactites, lava cascades, side terraces and lava lakes among others, as well as exogenous concretions of different composition (calcium carbonate, cristobalite, and other silica compounds).

Inside are also lots of vertebrate fossils of extinct animals like the giant rat and the giant lizard, and other skeletal remains of extinct species in Tenerife such as the Rook and the Houbara Bustard.

For guided routes through this tunnel, visit:-
www.cuevadelviento.net
Article and photo by - www.cuevadelviento.net

Poris de Abona - A Tenerife Southern Coastal Village

2011-02-11T10:31:00.002Z

Poris de Abona - a little southern coastal village, missed by most people as
they speed along the Autopista either going to or coming from Santa Cruz.

In years gone past it almost seemed like the village had been forgotten, it had started to look very unloved, but I am glad to say that is not now the case.

Poris has two parts, the original village and to the East the new apartments, with the 'Casa Blanca' residential area at the side of these, fortunately neither of these areas are too visible from the village itself.

The original village consists of a large supermarket (which never seems to be closed) where you can purchase anything from household goods to fresh fruit and veg, a chemist, post office and the normal bars, café's and restaurants.

To the right of the main street you will find the Church and village plaza, where every Sunday morning they hold a Farmers Market where you can purchase a good variety of local produce.

To the left of the main street is the beach, it's a small sheltered black sand beach where you can take the sun most days of the year. If you don't like the sand, you couldn't find a better place to sunbathe, there are plenty of solarium type areas for the serious sun bather.

People watching is another occupation which can be enjoyed there as there is an abundance of seats and benches.

Many years ago Poris de Abona was an important fishing village on the Island, but alas no more, but there is still a small fishing community there. The area is also well know for ' El Tabaibal', a group of cacti, these cacti all produce a white latex know as 'Tabaiba Milk' which in the past had many uses such as sealing the wine barrels, the wood from the cacti which is porous was also used for making the covers for the barrels. The milk was also thought to have medicinal properties, especially as an analgesic for pain and dermatologist for healing wounds. If you take a walk along the coast towards Las Eras, you will still find many examples of these cacti.

Continuing westward along the coastal road will bring you to Punta de Abona, a little village at the end of the road, which turns into a rough track (passable by car), leading to the light house. The new light house stands next to the original light house, the building itself has been recently restored by stone Masons and their apprentices which will be opened as a restaurant, some time in the future. The original lamp has been retained on the top of the building.

Tenerife Holidays - Casa Rurals

2011-01-20T19:14:00.004Z

The island caters for a wide range of tourists, it is probably better known by most for it's all year round sun, blue flag beaches and the night life, but this is just a small selection of what the island has to offer and if you don't enjoy the hustle and the bustle of the main coastal tourist areas, then there is no need to go any where near.

The other side of Tenerife is RURAL TENERIFE. There are a fast amount of Rural Hotels on the island covering all price brackets, staying in one of these hotels or village pensions gives you the opportunity to explore the island at your leisure, you will be surprised at what you will find.

The scenery on the island is breathtaking, for those of you who enjoy walking the local councils along with the Island Council have been marking out a lot of the ancient foot paths which are well sign posted and full of information, taking you through villages and places of interest.

The Island Bus Service - Titsa is very good, makes getting from place to place very easy, for those of you who don't enjoy driving , it's an ideal opportunity to have a good look around.

There are a good number of Bodegas a lot of them have visitor centres and welcome you to taste their wines and if you are lucky a tour of the bodega.

Along the way you are bound to pass through some of the historic towns such as Arona, Adeje, Granadilla, Garachico, La Laguna to name a few, they are all individual and very interesting, well worth leaving yourself plenty of time to explore them.

There is always a fiesta going on somewhere, it has been said that there is a fiesta every day of the year somewhere on the island, no sure that, that is true, although it does feel like it some times, but they are good fun to go to full of culture, folklore, dancing not forgetting eating and drinking.

The pictures in this article are of the Casa Rural 'Señorío del Valle' in Santiago Del Teide, the gateway from the south of the island to the north as well as the gateway to the hidden village of Masca, an ideal place to base yourselves if you want to explore this side of the Island.

Canary Island Foxglove

2011-01-18T20:03:00.003Z

The Canary Island Foxglove is a woody bush, between one and one and a half metres high, with large, bright leaves with serrated-edges.
It is a species frequently found in laurisilva forests and humid pine forests, such as Las Mercedes, La Esperanza or Los Silos.

The Foxglove flowers in spring producing bunches of red or orangey flowers. Traditionally the leaves were used to make tea to help diabetes and heart problems.

Photo & article from

Route for MOUNTAIN BIKES located in Tenerife North

2011-01-12T20:18:00.000Z

This route, which is flat for most of its length, runs through the Orotava Valley at the border between the laurisilva woodland and the pine forest, at an average height above sea level of 1200 metres. The trip starts at kilometre 16 on the TF-21 road (which runs from La Orotava up to Mount Teide) at the turn for the La Caldera recreational area. Although there are many side tracks, you have to attempt to stay on the main one until you reach the Chanajiga Recreational Area, in the municipal district of Los Realejos .

At kilometre 14.9, there is a lengthy uphill stretch of two and a half kilometres until you reach another track that runs parallel to and higher than the first. Throughout the run there are spectacular views of Mount Teide and the Orotava Valley. The entire run is on dirt tracks until you come to the Mataznos Panoramic Viewing Point (Km. 30.1 of TF-21), from where you have to ride three kilometres down the road until you come back to the La Caldera entrance.

Road Book - Route

Other details

Location: Borough of La Orotava y Los Realejos

Starting point: Cruce de La Caldera (Km.16 TF-21) (a)
Finishing point: Mirador de Mataznos (Km. 30,1 TF-21) (b)
Distance: 33 Km
Dificulty: Medium

Article and Photo from :-

Car Rental Tenerife

2010-12-27T18:52:00.002Z

Car Rental is the most convenient way to see the island, it's obvious, go where you want, when you want.

In the Canary Islands you drive on the left hand side of the road, for those of you who live on main land Europe, this is normal, but for those living in the UK, it's the opposite to what you are used to. Do not worry, you will soon get used to it, a good tip is to remember that the driver should always be in the centre of the road.

If you are really unsure, it's best to head out of town where it's quieter, with less traffic you can concentrate on junctions and keeping to the correct side of the road, you will be surprised how quickly you get the hang of it.

The locals do like blowing their horns, just ignore them and take your time, you need to concentrate on which side of the road you are pulling out on to, not getting flustered by the car behind blowing their horn, they most likely only want to get to the next bar for a coffee anyway, it's just the way they are!!!

Roundabouts can seem a bit strange the first couple of times you navigate them because you are going round them in the wrong direction ( or so it seems), but just follow the traffic flow and you will be OK.

Canarian drivers do not seem to like using the inside lane on roundabouts for some reason, they just go round in the outside lane until they get to the exit they want, this makes it very difficult to exit at the junction you want when you correctly use the inside lane and indicate to move over at the exit you want, they don't want to let you across...........( they are taught how to use a roundabout in the correct way, but forget as soon as they pass their test), in the end you find it far safer doing what the locals do and go round in the outside lane, all the time wondering why they bothered to put the inside lane there.

Traffic lights are the same as the UK with the exception that late at night and in off peaks times you will sometimes find the traffic lights have been turned to just a 'flashing amber'.
When you come to a junction with 'flashing amber', it means that you can proceed with caution, it doesn't mean that you have the right of way. All traffic approaching the junction from the other directions will also be being shown 'flashing amber', so make sure you way is clear.

Speed Camera's, there are at the moment (December 2010) 4 permanent speed cameras, 2 on the North Autpista and 2 on the South Autopista. There are unmarked police cars with speed camera's that patrol the Autopistas and black spots on the island.

Drinking and Driving is as strict here as it is in your own country and the police do do road side checks which can include breathalysers, so it's best not to drink and drive.

Enjoy your time exploring Tenerife, there is so much to see, it's such a diverse Island.

Take Care.

Thoughts of a British Expatriate Living in Tenerife

2010-12-19T21:33:00.002Z

Have you ever thought or dreamt of living in Tenerife? You know what I mean, you come for your two weeks holiday, you lie on the beach, you do the normal Tenerife sightseeing and generally have a good time relaxing and you say " One day I'm (We're) going to live here".

Well, that's exactly what we did, the first holiday we had here in Tenerife was in 1982, we stayed in El Medano, at the time it was a small local coastal town, very sleepy but it was Christmas and that's all there was available at the time, but we had a great time, hired a car (well a Panda with what were no more than deck chairs for seats in the back) and went all over the Island exploring.

We loved it, said that one day we would come and live here, we came on holiday here nearly every year for the next 10 years, then we moved here permanently, that was 18 years ago and have never regretted one minute of it.

We have seen many changes as you would imagine, most for the good, even now after all these years of living here we get asked " Do you like it here? " and " What do you find to do? " " What do you like about living in Tenerife? "

I have already answered the first one, the second one can be answered by browsing through this blog, there is so much to do here, you just need the time.

To answer the the third question, was a little more difficult to put into words, so I made a list of what I consider to be Ten good reasons I like living here:-

Has to be the climate, it does vary, the north side of the island is cooler and damper than the south certain times of the year. Away from the coast you still get the four season -Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. You get the heat without the humidity.
The pace of life has to come in second. I suppose it's the heat, you have to work/move at a slower pace, but it does make for a more relaxed way of life.
The scenery is just fantastic and so diverse, you have the ruggedness of the mountains, the lush green forests, the vineyards, the rock formations formed by the volcano, they all seem to go together somehow and compliment each other.
The culture of the Island, even with technology having found it's way here, the old traditions are still being kept, from family life to village life to Island life. Sunday is still 'Family Day', fiestas are still held in all the villages, waters are still blessed for the fishermen and they love their fireworks.
The people are very friendly and welcoming, they tend to look a bit serious or even glum, but say hello to them and a smile erupts, once they start talking it's hard to stop them.
The food and the way it's cooked, it's delicious, it goes along with the pace of life, it's cooked slowly. Meals are social/family occasions and are not meant to be rushed.
The wines are superb and there is such a wide choice from the five denominations of origin that there are on the island, it's hard to decide which is your favourite.
The history of the Island is so interesting, Christopher Columbus seeing Mt Teide erupting, Nelson loosing his arm in the Battle of Santa Cruz, the Original inhabitants 'The Guanches' and all the different invaders and much more.
The plants and the flowers provide so much colour to the Island, the gardens here are wonderful.
Lastly I like the fact that you can spend so much time outside and there is so much going on all of the time.

Provisional agenda of the Carnival 2012

2010-12-14T11:28:00.002Z

Provisional agenda of the Carnival 2012
This program is indicative and will be modified according to the needs of the organization of different events.

Wednesday January 25
21:30 h. Presentation of Candidates
Guimerá Theatre
Thursday January 26
19:00 pm First phase of Children Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Friday January 27
19:00 pm Second Phase of Children Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Saturday January 28
19:00 pm Phase III Children Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Wednesday February 1
17:30 h. Choice Gala Queen and Cluster Fesival of the Third Age
International Trade Fair and Congress
Friday February 3
21:00 pm The Song of Laughter
Guimerá Theatre
Saturday February 4
20:00 pm Musical Group Competition
International Trade Fair and Congress
Sunday February 5
18:00 pm Choice Gala Queen of the Queen Children
International Trade Fair and Congress
Monday February 6
21:00 pm First Phase of Adult Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Tuesday February 7
21:00 pm Phase II Adult Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Wednesday February 8
21:00 pm Third Phase of Adult Murgas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Friday February 10
20:30 pm Final Adult Murgas Contest
Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez Stadium
Saturday February 11
20:00 pm Comparsas Contest
International Trade Fair and Congress
Sunday February 12
11:00 am Costume Contest for Children and Adults
International Trade Fair and Congress
17:00 pm Rondallas Contest
Auditorio de Tenerife
Then the Rondallas parade along Avenida de Anaga
18:00 pm Choreography Festival
International Trade Fair and Congress
Tuesday February 14
20:30 pm Lyric Concert Band Music The Fregolina
Guimerá Theatre
Wednesday February 15
21:00 pm Choice Gala Carnival Queen 2012
International Trade Fair and Congress
Thursday February 16
20:30 pm Concert of The Friendship Circle Zarzuela January XII
Guimerá Theatre
Friday February 17
19:00 pm 2012 Carnival Parade Ringmaiden
Starting from the Avenue of Belgium, the Dominican Republic Square, Avenida de la Asuncion, Ramon y Cajal, Galceran, Plaza Weyler, Mendez Nunez, Pilar, Villalba Hervas, and ending in La Marina Avenue Francisco La Roche
After the fireworks display Launches Cavalcade
20:00 pm Competition decorated floats and cars
22:30 h. Dance performances by major orchestras
Plaza de La Candelaria
Saturday February 18
17:30 h. Shows the different scenarios
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
20:00 pm Comparsas Contest Rhythm and Harmony. With the participation of all the groups
Francisco Avenue La Roche
20:00 pm Mini Ride
Starting from the Plaza de Weyler and walking the streets Castillo, San Francisco, Villalba Hervas, La Marina and ending at the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena
22:30 h. Dance performances by major orchestras
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
Sunday February 19
11:00 am Performance Afilarmónica Ni Fu - Ni Fa
Prince Square
12:00 h. Performance of Musical Lyric The Fregolina Group
Prince Square
Starting at 13.00 h. Carnival Day
17:30 h. Shows the different scenarios
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
20:00 pm Mini Ride
Starting from the Plaza de Weyler and walking the streets Castillo, San Francisco, Villalba Hervas, La Marina and ending at the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena
22:30 h. Dance performances by major orchestras
Prince places in Europe and La Candelaria
Monday February 20
17:30 h. Shows the different scenarios
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
20:00 pm Mini Ride
Starting from the Plaza de Weyler and walking the streets Castillo, San Francisco, Villalba Hervas, La Marina and ending at the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena
22:30 h. Dance performances by major orchestras
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
Tuesday February 21
11:00 am Performance Afilarmónica Ni Fu - Ni Fa
Prince ours tour starts the following streets: Antonio Domínguez Alfonso, Charco de la Casona, Bravo Murillo, San Sebastián, Puente Serrador, Valentín Sanz, Angel Guimerá, Plaza de Weyler, Mendez Nunez, Pilar, Plaza del Príncipe, Villalba Hervas, La Marina, Avenida de Anaga, Rambla del General Franco to the Hotel Mencey
11:00 am Performance Afilarmónica Ni Fu - Ni Fa
Prince Square
12:00 h. Performance of the Association Lyric The Friendship Circle Zarzuela January XII
Prince Square
17:00 pm Great End Festival Carnival 2012
Circle of Friends XII January
17:30 h. Shows the different scenarios
Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
22:00 h. Dance performances by major orchestras
Plaza de La Candelaria
21:30 h. Pyrotechnics Great Exhibition
Plaza of Spain

Wednesday February 22
21:00 pm Burial of the Sardine
Starting from John Paul II Street, Mendez Nunez, Pilar, Villalba Hervas, Navy and
ending at the Plaza de Europa. Great fireworks display, the burning of the
Sardine in Plaza de España 22:30 h. Dance performances by great
orchestras en Plaza de La Candelaria
Thursday February 23
20:00 pm La Zarzuela Festival Circle Friendship XII January
Guimerá Theatre
Friday February 24
22:30 h. Dance performances by great orchestras Prince Square, Europe and La Candelaria
Saturday February 25
From 13:00 hours - Carnival Day
18.00 h. Coso Child Francis La Roche Avenue and Maritime
ending at the height of the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena
21:30 h. Dance performances by great orchestras Plazas del Príncipe, Europa y La Candelaria
Sunday February 26
10:00 am Quiz XLI Vintage Cars in Plaza de la Iglesia, Calle La Noria
From 12:00 hours the journey begins the following streets:
Antonio Dominguez Alfonso, Charco de la Casona, Bravo Murillo, SanSebastián, Puente Serrador, Valentín Sanz, Angel Guimerá, Plaza de Weyler, Mendez Nunez, Pilar, Plaza del Príncipe, Villalba Hervas, La Marina, Avenida de Anaga, Rambla del General Franco to the Hotel Mencey
11:00 am Performance Afilarmónica Ni Fu - Ni Fa en Plaza del Príncipe
12:00 h. Performance of the Association's Lyric
Friendship Circle Zarzuela January XII en Plaza del Príncipe
17:00 pm Great End Festival Carnival 2012
Circle of Friends XII January
17:30 h. Shows the different scenarios - Plazas del Príncipe, de Europa y de La Candelaria
22:00 h. Dance performances by great orchestras Plaza de La Candelaria
21:30 h. Pyrotechnics Great Exhibition - Plaza of España

2010-12-14T10:55:00.002Z

The prodigious 60 years:
'Flower Power' is the theme of Carnival 2012 in Santa Cruz

The City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has chosen the prodigious 60 years to the era of 'Flower Power' and background of the hippie movement as the theme of Carnival 2012.

After considering many proposals, it has chosen to recreate an era of freedom, color, creativity and music from the perspective of simplicity and at the same time, being a source consistent with the current economic crisis and easily adapted to all budgets. Similarly, the hippie philosophy also conforms to the spirit of transgression that has always characterized the Carnival so both are quite complementary.

The Mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez said, after congratulating the artistic director of the Carnival Gala, Juan Carlos Armas, and the manager of the carnival poster design, Alfonso Bravo, that the theme of the next edition of the Carnival, "gives a lot of scope, because it refers to a time when a lot of events occured, not only because with the hippie movement, but also other historical events such as the arrival of man on the moon, the Cuban Revolution or the French May. We aim to awaken the imagination of people and I am convinced it will be a success. "

The 'Flower Power' was characterized by rebellion against the system and the rejection of consumerism. This generation, which released worldwide a bohemian lifestyle, the defense of environmentalism and a new way of life based on peace and love, took up their grievances through the psychedelic rock and folk rebellion. Creativity and the colorful accompanying the artistic expressions of this counterculture, defined the 60's as one of the brightest decades of last century.

The mayor in charge of the Fiestas, Fernando Ballesteros, said that among all the proposals shuffled, "We choose it because it was showy, colorful and because it adapts well to the current economic situation of citizens." At the same time, revealed that the idea "came to us through Toño Leon, an artist closely linked to Santa Cruz" and said that both Juan Carlos Armas Alfonso Bravo "are very excited about their role in the upcoming Carnival and will perform a very good job. "

The Belenes of Tenerife ( Nativity Scenes of Tenerife)

2010-12-09T07:08:00.000Z

Tenerife South

2010-12-06T19:12:00.008Z

The South West Coast which includes Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos is well documented, this article explores the South East of Tenerife, which is an ideal place for winter sun. We start at the far south east of the Island and travel westward.

San Andrés Photo by santacrucero

This is not the furthest village to the south east, you can follow the mountainous coastal road as far as Iqúeste de San Andés, a little village at the foot of the a Anaga Mountains, it is a dead end road but a very picturesque village with several walks in the hill side beyond.

San Andrés is a small coastal village at the foot of the Mountains with plenty of very good fish restaurants , it is where you find the road which leads into the mountains and over to the North West of the Island. It is one of the oldest villages of the Canary Islands, being founded in 1497, at the far end of the village you can still see the remains of an old fortress which was built in 1706 but later destroyed by storms in 1740 and 1896.

Just beyond the village the road takes you to the famous ' Playa De Las Teresitas', this is a wonderful golden beach which was made for the residents of Santa Cruz with sand imported from the Sahara.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Photo by Javier Peláez

Travelling westward following the coast road which runs along side the main sea port of the island we come to the Capital of the Island, the city is full of history which can be seen by the architecture when you stroll through the old part of the City. The many parks and plazas give it very relaxed atmosphere. The most recent addition to the City being the 'Auditorio de Tenerife' (Tenerife Auditorium) where all kinds of musical events are held. 'El Ferial' (Exhibition Centre) and the Lido's are in the same part of the city.

Las Caletillas

This seaside town has grown over the last few years and now has a number of hotels. There is a lovely promenade and this year (2010) they have made two new beaches which look very inviting. 'The Rambler de Menceyes' runs just in land and parallel to the promenade, the original stone statutes of the Guanche Kings are displayed along it. As you would expect a good number of shops have opened either side including a shopping mall which opens 365 days a year.

Candelaria photo by MercyWatch

Right next to Las Caletillas is Candelaria, this is a pretty little town visited by a lot of tourists and pilgrims who go to visit the famous 'Bastilica of Candelaria' where the 'Virgin of Candelaria' the patron of the Canary Islands is kept. Whilst there do have a look around the rest of the old town it has a lot of little streets, paths and chapels which are often missed by the tourist.

Güímar

Is an inland market town , full of activity during the working day which is 8am-1pm and 5pm-8pm, there is normally plenty of cultural activity going on at at weekend which their web page keeps you well informed of. It is an ideal place for those who enjoy walking/hiking, the historic walking trails are in this area. Do not forget the Guimar Pyramids.

Puerto de Güímar photo from güímar.es

Can be found below the town of Güímar on the coast, a fishing village which has grown considerably and has become popular with the Canarian people as a weekend or holiday place, it has a long promenade with plenty of sitting areas to practice the art of 'people watching'. Around the little harbour there is a good choice of restaurants.

Taking the coastal route at this point and continuing westward you will pass many little coastal villages all interesting in their own way, many having their own little bays and beaches all are worth exploring along the way.

Abades

This is a little place is well known for it's safe beach where the diving community, Easy Blue World ,can learn in safety, it attracts many sun bathers during the weekends and holidays, there is a choice of little cafe's where you can relax and have a drink.

El Médano

The town has the largest natural beaches of Tenerife, the Playa Grande and the Playa Tejita. Between the beaches is La Montaña Roja ("The Red Mountain"), a volcanic cone that is a protected natural reserve. It is well known for having strong winds and has been the location for various windsurfing competitions and championships.
There is a long promenade with plenty of bars, restaurants and cafe's , where you can sit and watch the wind surfers learning and practising.
It is a 'Blue Flag' beach, the the Famous Médano Hotel jutting out into the sea on stilts at one end of it, The Plaza at the side of the beach forming the heart of the town.

Taking the in land road

Instead of taking the coastal road from Puerto de Güímar go in land again to the TF28, 'Ctra General' which is the old road from Santa Cruz to Los Cristianos, the one you had to use before the autopista was built. It has been greatly improved now and in most parts is a smooth ride, there are one or two places where a little work is required but it all tarmacked.

It takes you through some very interesting places, every time you go round a bend you will see changing scenery , try some of the local bar/restaurants you will always be made welcome.

photo by Edu Martinez
This road takes you past lots of towns and villages including, Fasnia, just before you get to the town of Fasnia the road goes through a tunnel which has been cut out of the rocks leading onto a stone bridge taking you over the Barranco de Herques, there is a place where you can stop for a few minutes, it's well worth stopping to look around at the rugged scenery.

Passing through Fasnia and on towards Arico Viejo , on you left you pass by Icor an early settlement which is slowly being renovated.

The next municiple town is Villa de Arico, just past this town you come to the barranco where there are good examples of 'Guanche' Caves, the early inhabitants of the Islands.

The TF28 has many links roads which lead down to the Autopista so you can cut down to the coast. photo from es.wikipedia.org