Where to next? Tenerife! Step beyond the tourist spots and you’ll discover an island of extraordinary beauty and diversity, with remote mountain-ridge villages, cultured port settlements and charming ancient towns. Suft at black-sand beaches, descend vertigo-inducing gorges and eat fresh fish.
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Tenerife is a paradisic volcanic island, sculpted over time by several eruptions. It sits in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of North Africa and has a great mix of rugged terrain, a sub-tropical climate with temperatures averaging 20 degrees dramatic landscapes and the varied tropical landscape yields rewarding secrets beneath the eternal sunshine. Tenerife's two main cities are the capital of Santa Cruz and the former capital La Laguna. While they're less than an hour drive apart, the landscape is dramatically different; the south is desert-like and dry, while the north is very tropical and green. 80% of visitors flock to the south, where endless golden sandy beaches await and sun is guaranteed, but the north offers a wilder experience, with black volcanic-sand beaches, many of which are only accessible on foot. Take your pick.
THE THIRD HIGHEST VOLCANO IN THE WORLD Mount Teide, a volcano that last erupted in 1909, is the highest peak in Spain and the third largest volcanic structure in the world. At 3718m, you need to apply in advance for a free permit to hike to the summit, but the lower side of the volcano is accessible or there's a cable car to take you to the Rambleta station, less than 660 feet from the summit. On a clear day, you can see up to four other islands from there; Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera. Declared a National Park in 1954, the volcano and the surrounding area were also made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007. Hike the dozens of trails through the arid, desert-like landscape where unforgiving environmental conditions mean 12 endemic species unique to the island, such as gorgeous alhelí flowers, flourish here. The fairy forest of Anaga Mountains is another area worth carrying hiking boots for, as well as for descending the Masca gorge for a unique view of the cliffs of Los Gigantes.
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