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Tenerife Information

Tenerife, the largest of the seven islands that make up the Canary Island archipelago, lies between the 28th and the 29th parallel north and 16 and 17 degrees west. Slightly to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, situated in the centre of the chain, between Gran Canaria, La Gomera and La Palma.

The island is just over 300 km from the African coast, and about 1,300 km from the Spanish Mainland.

It has an area of 2,034 km 2 and a strangely triangular shape, with the gigantic Pico del Teide rising up in the centre to 3,718 metres, making it the highest point in all of Spain.

beaches - Tenerife

The island of Tenerife is made up of thirty one municipalities. The growth of the tourist centres and cities has gradually transformed the landscape, but without hiding the charm of the island and its inhabitants. Tourism leaves its mark in the tourist enclaves along the coast, with a more traditional atmosphere in the north and a more cosmopolitan air in the south, but all with modern amenities and a broad range of leisure products available. Along with the archaeological sites of its Guanche past, the island conserves its own important historical-artistic heritage. Traditional and popular architectural style can be seen in the stately homes, farms and places or worship, but also in simple, rural houses, with their red-tiled roofs. The most representative elements of Canary Island style include the balcony, enhancing the façade and highlighting inner courtyards. The historic centres of La Laguna, former capital of the island, La Orotava, Garachico, Puerto de la Cruz and Icod de los Vinos are well worth a visit, whereas interesting hamlets can be found all over the Anaga and Teno massifs and the foothills of the south. The high number of endemic species of flora and fauna make the natural environment of Tenerife surprising, but there is also an enormous diversity of landscapes. 43 of the sites of natural interest on the island are protected natural areas, the best of which are the Teide National Park, surrounded by the Corona Forestal Nature Park, and the Anaga and Teno Rural Parks. Over 40% of the surface area of the island is protected in one way or another.

Landscape and terrain

Tenerife, the largest of the seven islands that make up the Canary Island archipelago, lies between the 28th and the 29th parallel north and 16 and 17 degrees west. Slightly to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, situated in the centre of the chain, between Gran Canaria, La Gomera and La Palma.

The island is just over 300 km from the African coast, and about 1,300 km from the Spanish Mainland.

It has an area of 2,034 km 2 and a strangely triangular shape, with the gigantic Pico del Teide rising up in the centre to 3,718 metres, making it the highest point in all of Spain.

El Teide - Tenerife

The island of Tenerife is made up of thirty one municipalities. The growth of the tourist centres and cities has gradually transformed the landscape, but without hiding the charm of the island and its inhabitants. Tourism leaves its mark in the tourist enclaves along the coast, with a more traditional atmosphere in the north and a more cosmopolitan air in the south, but all with modern amenities and a broad range of leisure products available. Along with the archaeological sites of its Guanche past, the island conserves its own important historical-artistic heritage. Traditional and popular architectural style can be seen in the stately homes, farms and places or worship, but also in simple, rural houses, with their red-tiled roofs. The most representative elements of Canary Island style include the balcony, enhancing the façade and highlighting inner courtyards. The historic centres of La Laguna, former capital of the island, La Orotava, Garachico, Puerto de la Cruz and Icod de los Vinos are well worth a visit, whereas interesting hamlets can be found all over the Anaga and Teno massifs and the foothills of the south. The high number of endemic species of flora and fauna make the natural environment of Tenerife surprising, but there is also an enormous diversity of landscapes. 43 of the sites of natural interest on the island are protected natural areas, the best of which are the Teide National Park, surrounded by the Corona Forestal Nature Park, and the Anaga and Teno Rural Parks. Over 40% of the surface area of the island is protected in one way or another.
 

Climate

The Canary Islands & Tenerife( Island of Eternal Spring) enjoy the finest climate in the world - without exception. They are a holiday paradise. They are to Europe, what Hawaii and the Caribbean Islands are to the USA, - but with mild tropical winters, no extremes of temperature, no hurricanes, no monsoons, no unbearable humidity and no dangerous animals or insects.

 

Attractions 

Tenerife beautiful history and the Guanches, and visit Mount Teide & las Canadas, Astrofísica de Canarias, Masca ,Santa Cruz , Puerto de la Cruz, Pyramids Guimar, Opera House

 

Culture

Culture loving visitors have a long list of both private and public art galleries and museums at their disposition: history, archaeology, anthropology, ethnography, science, crafts, fine arts and natural sciences. On the musical front, every year, there is an opera season and a "zarzuela" - light opera - season, plus a musical event of the first order, the Canary Island Music Festival, held at the beginning of the year, with the world´s leading soloists and symphony orchestras as the guest performers.

The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, acclaimed as one of the best in Spain by the critics, organises a regular season of concerts from early October, through until the end of May. Concerning popular festivities, the pilgrimages are full of the colour of Tenerife folklore, while the festivities of Corpus Christi and Easter are impregnated with pure religious tradition. But, the most cosmopolitan and popular fiesta is undoubtedly the Carnival, which has been declared of International Tourist Interest.

 

Festivities

Tenerife pagan-religious festivals

The popular festivals in Tenerife have a typically peasant air. They are the “romerías”, which are pagan-religious festivals in honour of the patron-saint of the town. In them, there is a very colourful parade with oxen-drawn carts and all sorts of utensils and folklore is the main protagonist; everybody usually wears the typical costume. Another typical festivity, this time totally religious, is that of the Corpus Christi which is celebrated mainly in La Orotava, when beautiful and extremely colourful carpets are made of flowers. In the square facing the Town Hall of La Orotava, one cannot but admire a beautiful tapestry made of the peculiar volcanic sands of Las Cañadas del Teide. A most obscure festival is that of Saint Andrew on the night of November the 29th. This day the cellars are traditionally opened and the new wine is tasted and in some towns such as La Orotava or Puerto de la Cruz, people mainly teenagers run with strings of tins which make a dreadful noise along the cobbled stoned streets. In Icod de los Vinos the young people slide on wooden boards along the steep streets of the town but, without doubt, the most cosmopolitan and longed-for festival is the Carnival, which is of International Interest, and where one can enjoy the colourful imagination and joy of the local population. The main point for the Carnival is Santa Cruz de Tenerife which becomes a real human river of dances, masks, and where for several days only music and rythm occur.