CANARIES / TENERIFE
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.
The Lago Martianez
The impressive size of the Teide Volcano (3,718 meters)
One of the greatest attractions of el Puerto is without doubt
the Lago Martianez. This series of seawater pools conceived by
the Canary artist Cesar Manrique forms an extraordinary spot for
bathing and resting in the sun. Harmonising his architecture
with the exotic vegetation of the volcanic coast Cesar Manrique
created his most beautiful project. Besides the Lago, Puerto de
la Cruz has small beaches of volcanic sand, the best ones being
Playa Jardin and Martianez. On the outskirts of the city the
botanical gardens and the Loro Park are a must for the nature
lover. The botanical gardens founded in 1788 harbour an enormous
number of trees and plants from every corner of the planet
thanks to the bening climate of Tenerife. Loro Park is another
tropical garden with the largest collection of parrots in the
world, a parrot show and an excellent dolphinarium.
Carnivals: Celebrated during February, carnivals are
the most important celebrations in all the districts of Tenerife
particularly in the capital Santa Cruz.
More information about carnivals
Corpus Christi: (June) Carpets of flowers and volcanic earth in
La Orotava and La Laguna.
Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria: (14/15 of August) Festival of
patron saint of the island in Candelaria.
San Andrés: (29/30 of November) New wine tasting festival in
Icod, La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz.
CULTURAL EVENTS
Music Festival of the Canary Islands: (June) One of the most
prestigious European classical music festivals with the best
performers and orchestras taking part.
Opera Season: (October, November and December) Organised by the
Tenerife association of Friends of the Opera (+34 922272535).
Sabandeño Festival: (September) Folklore Music Festival with
Canary and Foreign groups in La Laguna during the festivities of
Christ.
Jardín Beach:
Nearly one kilometre of the coast in Puerto de la Cruz has been
recently regenerated, from the Castle of San Felipe to Punta
Brava district. For this purpose, they have used 200.000 cubic
metres of sand extracted form the surrounding sea beds.
The beach shielded by a half submerged breakwater, consits of a
17.000 m2 landscape area.
Location: Puerto de la Cruz
Martiánez Pond:
The public complex of Costa Martiánez, pride of Puerto de la
Cruz, is one of the most admired examples of coastal
transformation. A reputable technical team, headed by the
well-known artist born in Lanzarote César Manrique, created this
exceptional piece of work adapted to the traditional Canary
architecture and complemendted it with original sculptures and
some vegetable elements from the autochthonous flora.
Its artificial pond, consisting of 27.000 m3 of sea water,
highlights the rest of the pools, four for adults and three for
children use, all of them show an original layout and beauty.
Location: Puerto de la Cruz
Martiánez Beach:
This beach is located between the cliff that bears this name and
the public complex Costa de Martiánez. Certain sections of this
beach with black sand lays open to the powerful action of the
sea, and is an appropriate scenery to the practice of surf and
sea wall, beside Martiánez pond.
Location: Puerto de la Cruz
Teresitas Beach:
This beach was enlarged and conditioned in 1973, with the
addition of golden sand from the antique Spanish province of
Sahara. Nowadays it is protected by a breakwater.
Some Canary palms and sea grapes have been planted in this wide
beach, 1.5 Km. long.
It is located by the fishing precinct of San Andres, offering
numerous fish and seafood restaurants, 7 kilometres North away
form Santa Cruz.
Location: Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Roque Beach:
Its sand is dark and more abundant during low tide periods;
suitable for practising surf, may become dangerous due to
frequent currents and sudden swells, despite the apparent good
condition of the sea.
There are some open-air cafés and fish restaurants by the beach.
Nudist Beaches:
The more important nudist beaches are:
Playa de la Tejita (El Médano)
Playa de los Patos (La Orotava)
Playa de las Gaviotas (Sta. Cruz)
Lucha Canaria:
"Lucha Canaria" is a fight between 2 Men in a Ring, in which
the winner is the one that manages to make his opponent touch
the floor with any part of the body (except the feet of course).
A Game is normally played between 2 teams of 12 fighters each.
The winner team is the one that eliminates all players of the
opponent team.
Origins: By each important public event they played this
game and with the time it gained more and more followers. Since
its origins the "Lucha Canaria" maintained different
characteristics of the older natives: Nobility and simplicity,
hability and suppleness, as well as admiring the winner and
respecting the defeated.
Dive Center in Corralejo:
Take a journey into the depths of the underworld, and
experience the thrills of scuba diving in Tenerife.
The underwater volcanic rock formations and pinnacles abound
with plankton and nutrients, nurturing abundant and diversified
marine life.
Learn to scuba dive in Tenerife. Beginners lessons are offered
and you can obtain a internationally recognized Scuba Divers
Certificate (PADI) quickly and safely. Experience the wonderful
underwater world on this uniquely volcanic island. Tenerife
Scuba diving offers you exciting diving all year round.
Location: Dive Center Corralejo.
Golf:
The excellent Tenerife climate ensures that you can play and
improve your golf every day of the year and at any level. This
golf friendly island is rapidly becoming the migration point for
golfers from all over the world between the months of October
and May. For a small fee you can rent your golf equipment every
club. In most of the clubs you'll find a very casual atmosphere.
No club requires a membership.
Entertaining non-golfers in Tenerife is not a problem. Whatever
your level, in Tenerife you can enjoy playing good golf courses,
in sunshine and sub-tropical warmth, every day of your holiday.
The new Playa Las Americas course is excellent, a challenging 9
hole course within 500 meters of the beach. Other places where
you can play golf at the South of Tenerife: Golf Del Sur, Los
Palos Golf, Golf Adeje and Amarilla Golf. Golf Club Real at the
North of Tenerife.
Surf & WindSurf:
A very famous beach at the East of Tenerife that is ideal
for practicing this sport is El Medano, a open, very flat beach.
Although windy, it is not too choppy, making it an excellent all
year windsurfing competition site. El Medano has already hosted
the world championships. Facilities include, Wind surfing club,
hire and instruction.
Sea Trips:
From Tenerife one can go on excursions by sea, either in boats
visiting other islands on organized cruises or by renting
sailing crafts.
The southwest of Tenerife is ideal for these purposes, as its
coast overlooks a quiet strait 27 kilometres wide separating the
island from La Gomera.
This stretch of sea not only provides for easy and sunny sailing
but also gives beatiful views of the mountains of both islands.
Snorkeling / Scuba coves
Puerto de Santiago: This rocky cove does not appear to have
any particular name and is protected against out water by rocks.
It has 3 different pools, usually calm and starting from very
shallow to deeper water. All pools contain various marine life.
Playa San Juan: Located in the west of the island, the edges of
this black sand beach are surrounded by rocks.
La Caletta: small Spanish village, great snorkeling cove with
flat rocks into deeper water. Clear viewing, small flat reef,
and located in the South of the island.
Buena Vista: Large rock pool formation with several pools and
clear water. Located in the extreme North West of the island.
Trips to La Gomera:
There is a ferry (phone: +34 922700556) and a hydrofoil
(Phone: +34 922796178) which makes several trips daily from Los
Cristianos harbour in Tenerife.
Submarine:
In Los Galletas harbour there is a submarine which makes short
immersions every hour.
Phone: +34 922730013
Craft Rentals:
In any of the marinas, crafts are rented with or withour
crew.
Tenerife: island cuisine
The local gastronomy is
one of things that the visitor should explore when in Tenerife.
Do not pass on the opportunity to try the typical dishes, whose
flavour, simplicity and originality will enchant the most
demanding visitor.
Fish is excellent in Tenerife: fresh, delicious, cooked to
perfection. You will want to have it over and over again. It is
usually simply boiled (<i>sancochado</i>) and then dressed with
olive oil, vinegar and pepper. If not, it will be served along
with the many <i>mojos</i> (sauces) that are so popular in this
island. The favourite species is parrot fish, although red porgy
and sama are also very common. You will also see lots of
mackerel, sardine and horse mackerel, reason why they call the
people from Tenerife <i>chicharros</i>, or horse mackerel.
Meat
At popular celebrations it is common to have marinated pork, but
also baby goat and rabbit in salmorejo (a type of gazpacho) with
wrinkled potatoes, which are cooked in salted water, with the
skin. The potatoes that grow in Tenerife are hardly comparable
to any other potatoes from anywhere else. There are many
different kinds, with different colours and textures. The
favourite ones are the ones known as pretty and black,
absolutely delicious. Also delicious is the unripened goat
cheese. Marinated pork, chickpea stews, mojos (traditional
sauces), gofio (roasted maize meal) and roast baby goat are
sublime specialities of this beautiful island's cuisine.
Confectionery from the Canary Islands
The islands' confectionery includes delicious treats like
huevos moles, rosquetes laguneros, bienmesabe (sweet made with
coconut, egg yolks, sugar and muscatel) and roasted milk (made
with goat milk, sugar and cinnamon). Many of these desserts are
delicious with a little bit of "palm honey". On the other hand,
if you wish to have something completely fresh and natural, try
some of the tropical fruits that grow in the islands, like
mango, papaya, avocado, and specially bananas.
Wines and restaurants
The island of Tenerife is the richest of the whole
archipelago when it comes to wine. It comprises the Designations
of Origin Abona, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de Güimar, Valle de
la Orotava and Ycoden-Daute-Isora, wines that are the ideal
complement to the island's delicious cuisine. Mesón el Drago
Restaurant, in San Cristóbal de la Laguna, is one of the best
restaurants in the Canary Islands. It was rated 2 suns by the
CAMPSA guide. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, El Coto de Antonio
Restaurant will please the most demanding gourmets with its wide
array of traditional dishes, made with excellent locally-grown
ingredients. It was rated 1 sun by the CAMPSA guide. El Jable
Restaurant is also an excellent dinner choice, rated 1 sun by
the CAMPSA guide. It is located in Los Cristianos.
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HOTELS in CANARIES / TENERIFE
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