Tenerife is the highest island in the Atlantic ocean thanks to its massive volcano, Mount Teide, (pron: Tayday), and at 3718m it is the tallest mountain in Spain. The island is also the largest of the Canary islands with an area of 2057 sq km.
There is a lot to see in Tenerife. Apart from the magnificent Teide, there are two separate mountain ranges to explore: the Teno mountains in the northwest and the Anaga range in the northeast. Between the two can be found amazing changes of scenery from the barren moonscapes of the Paisaje Lunar through miles of ancient pine forests down to the green and fertile farms of the Orotava valley, home of Tenerife’s well established wine industry. All provide interest, beauty and many walks for visitors.

The main centres of population are also in the north: Santa Cruz (pop 230,000), the capital, is almost joined to La Laguna (pop. 113,000), the original capital and university town. Along the north coast Puerto de la Cruz, where tourism first started, La Orotava and Icod de Los Vinos with its 1000 year old ‘drago milenario’ tree are all interesting places to visit.

Nearby La Matanza de Acentejo is the scene of the last great defeat of the Spanish conquistadores against the indigenous “Guanche” population. The Guanches sent them packing back to Gran Canaria only to be defeated themselves two years later at La Victoria when Tenerife finally fell to the Spanish, the last of the Canary islands to do so and just a year or so before Columbus discovered America.

Interestingly enough it was during an attack by the British on Santa Cruz in 1797 that Admiral Nelson was wounded in the shoulder which lead to the amputation of his arm.

The southern half of Tenerife was barely inhabited for centuries due to the lack of rainfall and the resulting barren landscape but in the 1960s, tourism came to its rescue. This is where the sun shines brightly most days of the year and the daytime maximum temperature at the coast rarely dips below 20ºC even in January. Given that the Canary Islands are the only warm winter sun destinations within short haul distance from mainland Europe, it is understandable they have become so popular.

There are both natural and man-made sandy beaches all along the coast but mass tourism is concentrated mostly in the two famous resorts of Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos, the latter also being the ferry port for La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. A great variety of activities are offered in the area from bungee jumping to whale watching. The south of the island has three golf courses and it is an easy drive or bus ride to the old hill towns and walking country beyond.

Talking of buses, Tenerife has a very efficient bus service all across the island - a great bonus for walkers and those not wishing to hire a car.