Tenerife apartments: Sun, volcano and beaches in a paradise
Are you going to Tenerife this summer? Here are my recommendations;
Tenerife is the largest island of the archipelago. There are most varied landscapes: a mountain range with the mighty volcanic crater Cañadas del Teide, with a diameter of 20 kilometers, and the 3.718 meters high Teide in its center; extremely fertile valleys with important cultures of bananas and tomatoes; and a seaside offering as well beautiful steep coasts as wide beaches of fine sand. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the islands capital, and Puerto de la Cruz, the center of international tourism.
Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the second biggest city in the archipelago, the capital of the island and the head of the island government (cabildo insular). It is also officially co-capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands together with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with whom it shares governmental institutions such as Presidency, Parliament and ministries.
Tenerife is often called a paradise island and for good reason! The island experiences sunshine around the year, has an abundance of world class hotels and offers an exceptional choice of cuisine set against the stunning background of Mount Teide. Most people going on holidays to Tenerife stay in the main tourist resorts of Los Christianos and Playa de las Americas, located side-by-side in the south west of the island
Puerto de la Cruz
Puerto de la Cruz is the second largest tourist city on the island with accommodtion for around 30,000 tourists. In contrast with the modern resorts of the south, El Puerto has had a great tradition as a place opf relaxation since the end of the last century when the spa, which today is the Hotel Casino Tauro, was built. The accommodation offered in Puerto de la Cruz is also different from most of the other places in the islands since hotels predominate over apartments.
The lushness of the gardens and the agreeable atmosphere are very special features of this city, which has lively places to stroll around. In the evening the streets near the Plaza del Charco and the promenade are pleasant places of enjoyment where one can eat at any of the many open air restaurants, all this in a pleasant climate and with the ever present sea. The city hourses a number of buildings of great historical and artistic value such as the church of Nuestra Señora de la Peña, la Ermita de San Telmo, el castillo de San Felipe, la casa de la Aduana and the old quay where small fishing boats are still moored
Beaches
Playa de las Americas
It is located at the islands south-eastern extreme, offers fabulous beaches of sand as well as the most modern infrastructure for tourism.
It is the most famous tourist area, and so this is where you will find plenty of small beaches, protected by long breakwaters to stop the made up sand banks being washed away. Being an area with a large number of tourists, always count on meeting a considerable crowd on the beaches. The great thing about this area is that all beaches are just a footstep away from each other.
Playa de los Cristianos
Fine beaches of golden sand and crystalline water, close to a picturesque fishing-village. Its outstanding infrastructure makes it one of the most attractive places for visitors.
What used to be a fishing village has today become one of the biggest holiday areas, with some large beaches. One of its beaches is 400 m long and 100m wide.
Playa de las Galletas
At the islands southern extreme, with great hotel and sports installations. Punto de Rasca offers an outstanding panorama.
Playa de las Teresitas
This is a very nice man made beach. It was enlarged in 1973 with the addition of golden yellow sand that was imported from the antique Spanish province of Sahara. Some 4 million sacks of sand were brought in.
There are always some activities like beach volley, aerobics, etc. Facilities are quite good and there are some bars and simple restaurants. There are plenty of palm trees providing shade for the most sensitive on this wide beach, 1.5 km long.
Teide National Park
This National Park offers a fascinating landscape, created by the elemantar forces of the volcano Teide. Christopher Columbus observed its last great eruption in 1492 from the nearby island Gomera, just before continueing his discovery travel to America. In 1798 there was another smaller eruption. The Teide has piled up some 12 million cubic meters of volcanic material at its sides, those formations being popularly called the noses of Teide.
With a height of 3.718 metern the Teide is not only the highest mountain of Spain, but as well the highest elevation in all the Atlantic Ocean. A cableway takes visitors up to 3.600 meters. From there you may climb the peak by foot.
Declared a national park in 1954, the Parque Nacional de las Cañadas del Teide includes an enormous volcanic crater 48 km in circumference, out of which rises Mount Teide at a staggering 3.718 metres, making it the highest mountain in the whole of Spain.
On clear days you have a fantastic view. But at least equally impressive is the volcanos immense crater, with a circumference of approximately 80 kilometers. After previous agreement with the parks administration you may participate (by free!) at a visit. You will then enter the crater, first with a cross-country car, then by foot, until you arrive to volcanically still active parts.
Around the Teide there are several smaller volcanos more, as Mount Rajada (2.509 m) and Mount Chahorra (2.995 m).
The park itself lies at around 2000 metres above sea level and in winter snow falls, gale winds blow and the roads are sometimes closed off. During the summer months this arid landscape which gives the impression of having walked into a cowboy movie, can reach temperatures above 40C.