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.

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.

SOAK UP THE LOCAL CULTURE IN LA LAGUNA & LA OROTAVA

La Laguna is a colonial town founded in the late 15th century and one of the island's main cultural hubs. Included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites since 1999, La Laguna is an elegant, colourful and predominantly low-rise town where the university is located. The main streets are pedestrianised which makes it easier to explore historic buildings such as the San Miguel chapel, the cathedral, the convent of Santa Catalina de la Siena and the Nava Palace. Interestingly, the city planning of La Laguna laid the foundations for many Latin America colonial cities which were modelled on it. As you approach La Orotava along the northern motorway, you will soon begin to glimpse its lovely church steeples as a sample of the wonders that await you upon arrival. The old town is quaint and welcoming, with its maze of cobbled streets. A tour around this Historic-Artistic Site leads you to places such as the La Concepción church, the Calvario chapel, the church of San Agustín, the estate of Liceo Taoro or the former San Benito Abad monastery. A great way of discovering the other side of La Orotava is by taking the Los Molinos route, which sets off from Villa de Arriba. The route takes you to the area's nine water mills that were built in the 17th and 18th century. Some still preserve the stone channels where the water used to flow.

GET STUCK INTO LOCAL FOOD

The past few years have seen a resurgence in Tenerife's cuisine with more and more restaurants in turning their back on tourist-catered food offerings in favour of traditional regional cuisine. When browsing menus look out for local vieja or cherne fish, spicy 'mojo picón' or 'mojo verde' sauce and 'papas negras arrugadas' (wrinkled black potatoes). For desserts, opt for sweetly spiced rice pudding-like frangollo or gofio mousse made with local flour. In terms of local produce, bananas are the quintessential fruit of the island - indeed, we've never tried better, while fresh avocados and papaya are equally gorgeous. Head to the farmers' market in Tegueste to pick up some supplies for a picnic on the beach.

EXPLORE THE UNDERWORLD

Europe's largest lava cave is located in the district of Icod de los Vinos, a town famous for the "Drago Milenario", an ancient dragon tree rumoured to be between 1,000 and 3,000 years old. La Cueva del Viento meaning "cave of the wind" is an underground labyrinth of over 10 miles of passages with many yet to be discovered. Guided visits are available and tickets can be bought online. The south-west coast of the Island is one of the best places in Europe to see beautiful marine mammals in their natural environment. About 20 cetacean species have been observed in the waters of the Canary Islands. It is thanks to a year-long temperature climate, warm waters and the deep seafloors which are protected against the strength of the Atlantic ocean that the islands attract so many marine mammals. Bottlenose dolphins and Pilot whales live all year lonng in the waters between La Gomera and Tenerife. Depending on the season, many other whale and dolphin species travel close to the island. If you are lucky and join a great boat crew, you may have also the chance to spot big marine mammals such as Bryde’s whales, Fin whales or even a Blue Whale! An exceptional reason to go dolphin and whale watching in Tenerife any time of the year.