Tenerife is a beautiful place and we consider ourselves very fortunate to be living here on a permanent basis.
I added this page to my web site so that visitors could see a variety of images from across the island
and to explain a little more about Tenerife. Hopefully it will inspire you to explore the island during your holiday.
The volcanic island of Tenerife is the largest of a small group of islands (archipelago) known as The
Canary Islands. This archipelago consists of seven major islands and six lesser
sized islands. All of the islands are located some 65 to 185 miles of the north
west coast of Africa and share a similar latitude to Florida in the USA. It is this
geographical position that gives the Canary Islands the best all year round climate
of any holiday destination in the world and with no rainy sessions, tornadoes or
hurricanes. Most of the larger islands have major airports with regular flights to and from
the UK and the rest of Europe. Flights from the UK to Tenerife take around 4 hours
and depart from most major airports.
Tenerife is approximately 80Km by 45Km and has its capital city, Santa Cruz, in the north. Mount Teide rises to some 3,716m which is the highest peak in Spain and it dominates the centre of the island. A cable car can take you to the very top of this snow capped volcano. It's well worth the trip, the views of the island are fantastic.
Mount Teide also has a significant influence over the weather on the island. The north tends to see more cloud and is wetter and slightly cooler than the south. So you see more lush green tropical countryside there. The south on the other hand tends to be much drier and is more likely to have uninterrupted sun during all months of the year. For a complete contrast, the centre of the island at the base of Mount Teide, known as "Parque Nacional De Las Canadas Del Teide" is desert like with a distinctive lunar style landscape but even here, on Teide itself, you can find snowboarders enjoying the winter snows. So all parts of the island have their own natural beauty which are well worth a visit during your stay.
The differing climatic conditions can make island weather forecasts misleading but Los Cristianos, and the immediate surrounding area, generally has the driest and warmest climate. The chart below gives an indication to the average weather and sea conditions for Tenerife.
The unique 'all year round' summer climate in the Canaries means that it regularly sees some seven million holiday makers each year, with Tenerife as the most popular destination. Generally speaking, most of the tourism is concentrated in the south with Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas and Costa Adeje being the top three resorts. The best beaches are found in the Los Cristianos area and all of the resorts offer a wide range of bars, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. This area also has many of the islands top golf courses. For those with an interest in sea fishing, the coastal waters of Tenerife can also provide world class sport fishing to the serious angler. Alternatively, you can just spend a few hours whale and dolphin watching on one the many tourist boats. So your Tenerife holidays can be much more than just beaches, sea and sun - go and explore.
Design by studio7designs | copyright 2007 Tropical Retreats | Last update October 2007.