©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Tenerife% 922, 822 / Pop 890,000

Includes  Why Go? Santa Cruz de is the striking (and slightly saucy) grand dame in the Tenerife...... 123 archipelago family. Attracting over 10 million visitors a year, La Laguna...... 130 the island’s most famous southern resorts offer Brit-infused ...... 135 revelry and clubbing, combined with white sandy beaches ...... 141 and all-inclusive resorts. But step beyond the lobster-red tourists and what you’ll find is a cultured and civilised island ...... 144 of extraordinary diversity. ...... 145 This potpourri of experiences includes tropical-forest Parque Nacional del walks and designer-shop struts; dark forays into volcanic Teide...... 146 lava; a sexy and sultry Carnaval celebration that’s second Los Gigantes & only to Rio, and a stash of museums, temples to modern art Puerto de Santiago...... 151 and creaky old colonial towns. But above all else, this is an , Playa de island of drama, and nothing comes more dramatic than the las Américas & Costa snow-draped Pico del Teide, ’s tallest mountain and ...... 152 home to some of the most fabulous hiking in all the country. Las Galletas...... 160 Candelaria...... 161 Güímar & Around...... 162 When to Go El Médano...... 163 ¨¨December to February is pleasantly warm, except on El Teide where deep winter can see snowfall closing the mountain. ¨¨Springtime (March to April) is good for hiking and Best Places to Eat wildflowers. Surfers will find the best waves in March. ¨¨In the summer months from May to September, expect ¨¨Guaydil (p133) around 11 hours of daily sunshine with an average of 28°C in ¨¨La Hierbita (p128) August; a few degrees cooler during the surrounding months. ¨¨Tito’s Bodeguita (p140) ¨¨As autumn turns from October to November, temperatures fall around the ideal 21°C mark and there’s fewer tourists; some hotels may drop their prices slightly. Best Places to Stay ¨¨Hotel Alhambra (p227) ¨¨Hotel Adonis Capital (p226) ¨¨Hotel Sun Holidays (p227) Tenerife Getting There & Away 121

-

-

o Santiag de Puerto

40 Los Cristianos Los Los from

27 64

Cruz Cris Los from

902 45 65 00;

la de Puerto 40 90 140

%

de la Tenerife la de lsen ; Santa Cruz Cruz Santa 73 74 158 128

124 Approximate distances only e (Map p 902 10 www.fredolsen. 01 07; ierro (€49.50, 3¾ hours, osario, Fuerteventura (from €62, €62, (from Fuerteventura osario, % ( lsen outes operated Armas by Naviera outes operated by Fred O Santa Cruz de , La Palma (from €42, San Sebastián de , La Gomera Santa Cruz de la Palma, La Palma (€41, 3½ Valverde, El H San Sebastián de la Gomera, La Gomera de , Gran Canaria Canaria Gran Canaria, Gran de Palmas Las 6½ €70, (from Fuerteventura Jable, Morre R del Puerto hours, 11 €72.50, (from , R R Fred O Naviera Armas Naviera Puerto de la Cruz Puerto de Los Cristianos o Puerto de Santiag de Teid Parador Nacional ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Cristianos following: include the ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ er, buter, more expensive, Fred Olsen operate from here. Tickets are available from travel agents or building. Estación Marítima main the from following: the include tianos Ferries from Cristianos Los Ferries come in and out of the Los Cristianos port day and night. Naviera Armas and the fast ROAD DISTANCES (KM) DISTANCES ROAD www.navieraarmas.com) runs an extensive ferry service around the islands from . two hours, one daily Sunday to Friday) to Sunday daily hours, one two (€30, one hour, three daily Monday to Friday, one Saturday, twoSunday) Friday) to Sunday daily hours, one Friday) to 5.30pm Sunday Friday, to Monday daily three minutes, 50 (€32, Sunday) and Saturday daily two (from €31, 2½ hours, 21 weekly) daily) hours, one 11½ hours, one daily) Friday) to Monday daily, one es) hases) three to six daily ferries from Santa Cruz to Agaete in the northwest of Gran Canaria (€36, hours),1¼ from where you can take its free bus onwards to Las Palmas (35 minutes). - - - -

092 39 13 in Madrid 902 % 922 63 56 35; ( % ( % odeos; odeos; ibera) runs a weekly ferry at ) building in Santa Cruz (from 922 75 95 10; www.aena.es), (Los R (Los osario, Fuerteventura (from €26, €26, (from Fuerteventura osario, 124 % (Map p Getting There & Away 8 at In 1821 Madrid declared Santa Cruz de 1821 Madrid In eina Sofía; Puerto del R del Puerto Arrecife, Lanzarote (from €28, hours) 24 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria Canaria Gran Canaria, Gran de Palmas Las Trasmediterránea Acciona Trasmediterránea ¨ ¨ ¨ R Bo Air about 20km east of Playa de lasAméricas, handles international flights, while almost all inter-island flights (plus a few international and mainland services) use the older and smaller Norte Tenerife 92; www.bintercanarias.com) connects the connects the www.bintercanarias.com) 92; island with the rest of the archipelago. ¨ ¨ ¨ ife that makes the following stops: mas has its base further to the south. Ferries from Santa Cruz Buy tickets for all companies from travel agents or from the main Muelle Marítima Estación Ribera where the Fred Olsen boats leave). Naviera Ar 8 airportsTwo serve the island. Sur Tenerife versed the trend, bringing influences that are the trend, bringing influences that versed still evident in the food and Latino of beat Tenerife. the music of today’s ( mained incensed about this until 1927, when this until 1927, mained incensed about two into split the archipelago finally Madrid as the provincialprovinces, with Santa Cruz La Gomera and La Palma, capital of Tenerife, As the links between economic . a strengthened, Canaries and the Americas small exodus of islanders crossed the ocean, years later and Cuba. In notably to Venezuela and Latin Americans re emigrants affluent The original inhabitants of Tenerife were The of Tenerife inhabitants original Guanches, called cave-dwellers primitive around 200 Africa from North who arrived was the last to the island to fall BC. Tenerife subsequently became and 1496) Spanish (in an important centre. As trading such, it was pirates marauding by subject to invasions of in the battle from the British and, in 1797, famously Nelson when Admiral Santa Cruz, lost his arm (served him right, really). the capital of the Canaries. The good Tenerife Canaria re de Gran of Lasand great Palmas History www.aena.es). Canarias Binter 20½ hours) (from €22, 8½ hours) 11.30pm every Friday from Santa Cruz de Tener 45 46 45; www.trasmediterranea.com; Estación Marítima Muelle R