Tenerife Beyond the Beaches

Regular visitors to Tenerife and residents will know that the island is rich in culture and there is so much that lies beyond the beaches of Tenerife.

We thought we’d take a peek at some of the best upcoming events in Tenerife’s calendar over the next month to give you a small taste of what the island has to offer...

Booming Tenerife!

Tenerife is once again heaving with the numbers of tourists on the island. This summer is turning out to be a boom-time for tourism in Tenerife and with good news coming in from all directions!

Titanic Publicity!

Captain Corelli did it for Cephalonia, Mama Mia did it for Skopelos... and the Clash of the Titans is set to do the same for Tenerife. Wherever Hollywood blockbusters are made, there follows a significant rise in tourism after the film is released.  Check out this movie clip, can you recognise anywhere in Tenerife?

Back to Basics: Tenerife Lifestyle

With all the hullabaloo of recessions, economies, property prices and exchange rates, it’s easy to lose sight of the basic reason why we buy property in Tenerife in the first place. It’s the reason why Tenerife is, and always will be, a good investment and the reason why our population continues to expand. Tenerife is just a great place to be.

Striking Gold in Tenerife

Locals refer to the area as ‘Tenerife’s Golden Mile’, and it is probably the most sought after location for a property.  Unfortunately, finding one for sale at a reasonable price has been next to impossible… until now! 

If you hanker after the ideal beach front position in the most enviable location, click here to find out more!  These have been selling like hotcakes, and there are only a few left so don’t drag your heels!
 

Amarilla Golf

Background

Part of the municipality of San Miguel de Abona, and lying immediately adjacent to Golf del Sur, Amarilla Golf is a developing area that is a perfect example of Tenerife’s re-branding into a luxury holiday destination. 

La Caleta

Background

Some of the nicest areas on the Canary Islands are the beautiful fishing villages that line the coasts, and La Caleta is probably the most charming of them all.  Located a few hundred metres along the coast from Fañabé with its five star hotels, swanky restaurants and designer shops, La Caleta has borrowed some of this upmarket feel, yet still retains its original fishing village character.  It is perhaps the ideal compromise between the traditional and modern.

Palm Mar

Background

Palm Mar is one of the most exciting new areas in Tenerife.  Located on the sea front between Los Cristianos and Las Galletas, the town is accessed by a road that leads between the Montaña de Guaza and a protected area of natural beauty.  Although there was some development in this area about 30 years ago, expansion stopped.  More recently acquired by one of Spain’s largest developers, Urbis, the area is taking off.

Golf del Sur

Background

Perfect for golfers or non–golfers alike, Tenerife's ocean front resort of Golf Del Sur offers championship golf, beautiful scenery, great bars and restaurants, lively entertainment or simple peace and tranquillity. Golf Del Sur is part of the municipality of San Miguel de Abona and is built around a 27 hole golf course.

Playa de las Américas

Background

Playa de las Américas is the largest resort town in the South of Tenerife, offering a myriad of activities for all ages.  Over the years development and building have merged Las Américas with the older town of Los Cristianos, and together the two form a substantial holiday city. 

Los Cristianos

Background

Once a small, traditional fishing village, Los Cristianos has grown over 40 years to become one of the most popular tourist resorts in the Canary Islands.  At its heart is a bustling port from which ferries, fishing boats, yachts and excursion vessels come and go throughout the day. 

Beaches in Tenerife

Tenerife has some fabulous beaches. It goes without saying that the popular beaches in Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos are perfect for everything. Huge amount of bars and restaurants to choose from, lifeguards, lots of sunbeds, water-sports and anything else you'd expect from a beach. You can explore the island and discover little known coves and small beaches, but the most popular with tourists are in the south of Tenerife.

God Invented Tenerife For Golfers

Most of us can only steal away a short few days from our hectic schedules to relax and enjoy a few rounds, but when rain clouds loom and thunder booms, just as the driver comes out of the bag, it can reduce grown men to tears.  There can be few sights as pitiful as miserable golfers staring out at rain sodden greens through misty clubhouse windows.  “That’s why God invented Tenerife!” one keen golfer was heard to say.

Choosing where to live in Tenerife

Choosing where to live in Tenerife is where any property search should start.  The right area can make so much difference to the type of life you lead in Tenerife, and what you get out of it.

Fiestas in Tenerife

The word ‘fiesta’ can mean a public holiday, or just a party.  There are many fiestas in Tenerife that are celebrated locally that do not qualify as holidays, yet the villages and towns can be taken over by the celebrations.  Many of these fiestas are romerías, which are pilgrimages in honour of a Saint or the Virgin Mary.  Often the statue will be of the patron saint of the village accompanied by a colourful procession featuring oxen-drawn carts, folk music, and traditional Canarian dress.  There are literally hundreds of such fiestas throughout the island, of which the summer romerías in La Orotava, La Laguna and Candelaria probably draw the largest crowds.

Carnivals in Tenerife

The residents of Tenerife love socialising and demonstrating in every way their sense of, and desire for, having fun. They are always ready to enjoy themselves and virtually every week there is a fiesta in one part or another of the island.

Carnaval (the Spanish way of spelling it), the islands most important of all fiestas, attracting visitors from all over the world, comes to town in the month of February. Virtually a way of life there¹s no way if you are here that you can avoid being caught up in Carnaval Mania!

Whales and Dolphins in Tenerife

Whales and DolphinsFew experiences will beat the thrill of a mini cruise photo safari to see the school of pilot whales that have taken up residence a mere three kilometres off Los Cristianos.

Art and Culture in Tenerife

As the stopping off point between Europe and the Americas, the island has a rich and diverse history which you can get a taste of by visiting some of the 30 museums and galleries in Tenerife. 

Mount Teide and Cañadas National Park

Mount Teide

Undoubtedly one of the main attractions of the island is the stunning Mount Teide which dominates almost every landscape. Standing at 3,718 metres (12,402ft), the "Pico del Teide" is the highest point in Spain and for the record is approximately three times the height of Ben Nevis.

Things to do in Tenerife: Leisure Time!

Unlimited pleasure is the keynote of being in Tenerife, whether it is fun, sun worshipping, excellent cuisine, tranquil days or lively nights, it offers a large choice in the kind of living that you are looking for.  There are so many things to do on holiday in Tenerife, but its only when you spend more time here that you have the opportunity to really get to know the island.

Tenerife is more than sunshine and sparkling seas, yet it seems that no matter how hard we try to convince people that the true uniqueness of Tenerife lies in the incredible variety of its landscape and activities, some people just won't get off the beaches!

Nature and the Environment of Tenerife

Tenerife is a nature lovers paradise.  Both land and sea offer rich variety and as head up from the ocean, the landscape changes around you. 

Shopping in Tenerife

Tenerife is a paradise for shopaholics because the island is a special tax zone.  If you buy something in Tenerife, you will not pay the high VAT sales tax rates that you will in the UK, Ireland or even mainland Spain.  That makes shopping in Tenerife is an absolute delight and not even the tax-free shops of the international airports can compete with the prices.

Tenerife Wine

Tenerife has been reputed for the quality of its wine for hundreds of years, since the conquest of the islands, and growing wines is an important sector of the economy.  Their finest wine was called Malmsey, which could be found in the cellars of all the European Royal Houses, along with Sack and Canary. 

Now, many years later, the wines of Tenerife are regaining their own personality and are becoming the ideal drink to accompany island dishes. Nowadays, Tenerife produces excellent red, white and rosé wines, all produced under 5 different 'denomination d'origen' that cover the different growing areas.

About Tenerife

Tenerife continues to attract more people every year; some people will be experiencing the island for the first time, but a remarkably high percentage will return again and again. More people return to Tenerife that any other tourist destination in Europe .

So what is it that makes people fall in love with and remain enchanted by the island, year after year?

Food in Tenerife

Eating out in Tenerife is a fabulous culinary experience.  Tenerife restaurants offer a rich and diverse array of food to suit all tastes and budgets.  You can choose from almost every style of cuisine from around the world, from Japanese Sushi or Moroccan, to Thai or Mexican.  There are also many restaurants specialising in different regional cuisines from mainland Spain. With hundreds of restaurants all over the island the choice is amazing, from the good old English breakfast complete with toast and marmalade to one of the many superb dishes based on the fish so abundant along the coasts.  But, of course the local gastronomy is not to be missed, relying on fresh local produce of the highest standard. 

Tenerife Weather

In the same way that Florida is known as the Sunshine State of the United States of America, so Tenerife is now being recognised as the Sunshine Island of the United Countries of Europe. Growing in popularity as a haven away from the cares of the western world, this sub-tropical island of perpetual sunshine forms the southernmost part of Europe making it one of the most perfect locations in the world, lying in the Atlantic Ocean on the same latitude as Bermuda and Florida .

Tenerife Population Grows and Grows

One major reason why rental prices are on the increase is Tenerife’s growth in population.  Though many consider Tenerife to be an island of romance, the main reason for growth is not the number of babies that have been born, but the number of expats who continue to make the move.