The beautiful resort of Tenerife is known for its hot climate and with temperatures averaging 22ºC all-year round, it’s perfect for swimming, relaxing and sunbathing at anytime. The south of the island is particularly hot and dry, with clear skies and desert-like conditions. It is here that the most popular beaches are with more and more tourists flocking each year. There are fantastic golden sandy stretches all along the coast, which is great for working on your tan. The clear waters off the coast are great for a swim and are very appealing but stick to designated beaches and look out for a red flag that means that the conditions have turned unsafe!
Golf
The Real Club de Golf de Tenerife near Los Rodeos airport, is the island’s oldest golf club and the second oldest in Spain, which is all the more reason to visit. The course is very pretty with a distinctly upmarket atmosphere. The rest of Tenerife’s golf courses’ are centred in the south, around Playa de la Americas.
Shopping
In Tenerife’s larger towns, you will find lots of mainstream shops that you will be familiar with from home, but there are also plenty of opportunities to buy locally made crafts and produce. Hand-rolled cigars made from the island tobacco are available, including novelty half-metre long ones which are often a popular choice. In the past, one of Tenerife’s main industries was winemaking, but today these wines are hard to find abroad; head to Casa del Vino La Baranda at El Sauzal to pick up a bottle or two.
Walking and Hiking
Many people visit Tenerife for a walking holiday. The stunning natural beauty of the island owes its dramatic landscapes to its volcanic past. It is these fantastic views which keeps the tourists coming. Until quite recently, the only way to get around Tenerife was by walking and hiking the paths that criss-cross the countryside. Today ‘senderos turisticas’, tourist paths, have been mapped out with some of the best trails in the Orotava Valley, the Anaga Hills and Teno Rural Park.
Diving
The wonderful waters around Tenerife quickly drops to dramatic depths, with caves and ocean wildlife that have made the island one of the best places in the world for diving. Most of the dive operators offer courses from beginner to expert which make it brilliant for all levels, and the dives are concentrated on the west coast in Los Gigantes.
Places to stay
Tenerife offers a fantastic mix of vibrant cities, quaint villages, traditional fishing ports and historic towns. All of which are accompanied by wonderful accommodations to stay in. You may wish to book a hotel, or have your own space by opting to stay in apartments in Tenerife, either way there is a wide range of accommodation types for you to choose from.
There is so much to see and do in Tenerife for people of all ages! I’m sure that if you decide to visit this beautiful country, you will want to holiday here again. Enjoy!
