Introduction
Tenerife is the big brother of the Canary Islands, the archipelago's largest, best-known and most visited island. There are attractions aplenty, from the sunny Tenerife weather and 350 kilometres of beaches to the island's dramatic volcanic interior that rises to the craggy lunar-like summit of 3,718-metre Mount Teide.
Spain's highest peak, El Teide, presents a decent challenge even for serious hikers and is well worth setting aside a day to walk to the top or to visit the mountain as part of a guided island tour or independently in a hire car. There's good walking to be had in the surrounding Teide National Park and elsewhere on the island, so packing some sturdy footwear as well as flip-flops or beach shoes is highly recommended when planning a Tenerife holiday.
Mount Teide, Tenerife
The capital and port, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, is a working city with an authentic Spanish feel, free of tourists in the most part. Many of those that do make their way from the beach resorts do so for the Tenerife Carnival, an enormous and happy fiesta full of colour costumes, energetic samba dancing and noise that is often referred to as the world's second-best carnival, after Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife
Tenerife's longstanding popularity as a fly-and-flop destination means that there are often travel deals to be had, incorporating flights and accommodation to suit all budgets. Cheap flights and low cost holidays are prevalent, and in the peak season holidaymakers from across Europe fill the coastal resorts of Los Cristianos, Costa Adeje and Playa de Las Américas. But travel outside the main summer season or choose a hotel a little way away from the others and even these traditionally busy areas can provide a calming escape.
La Tejita beach, Tenerife
