TENERIFE
EL TEIDE
Tenerife....What a gem of an island ! .... We loved it !
I bought this holiday as a Christmas and Birthday present for Chris. We certainly were not disappointed with the island, there's plenty to do whether you're into the bars and beaches of the South or prefer it a bit quieter elsewhere on the island. We stayed on the West of Tenerife in the area of Los Gigantes, much quieter than further South. During our stay we visited several of Tenerife's main attractions and had some beach time as well. If you're not on a standard package holiday my suggestion is to fly in and collect a car straight from the airport, pre-book your car as the queues in the airport can get a little long.
So what did we get up to, well we went to El Teide. This has got to be a 'must do' if you come here, a great experience and fabulous views. Make sure you apply for a permit to access the summit of El Teide and book your cable car online before you fly to Tenerife as you may struggle to obtain tickets and permits when you get there, unless of course you're an avid walker. A short cable car ride ( about 8 mins) takes you to just below the summit. Here you can access some areas but because El Teide is limited to the amount of public per day, this is where your permit kicks in. After showing your passport and paperwork to one of the officials you are then told you have 1 hr and 20 mins to walk to the top of the crater and back. They assure you this is plenty of time. I wasn't so sure of this as I puffed and panted to the top, you forget about the altitude really, El Teide is the highest mountain in Spain, standing at 3718 metres above sea level. The struggle is well worth it once you get to the top....it's here you realise (if you've not done your homework) that having finally got there through the smell of sulphur and steam coming from the crater that El Teide is still active ......yes.....really !!!! It actually last erupted in 1909 but activity is still being recorded and a future eruption will happen....!!!!
CUEVA DEL VIENTO
Having walked to the summit of El Teide via the cable car we also visited down below..........Cueva del Viento loosely translated as 'Cave of Wind'. These caves are actually larva tubes and this one is the largest in Europe, fifth largest in the world, a vast complex of larva tunnels. Located just outside Icod de Los Vinos, the caves are actually larva tubes which have formed from Pico Viejo, El Teide's neighbour. On arrival you are greeted by the staff and allocated a guide who gives a short talk before the tour. Our guide was great, chatty , helpful and funny. My advice is to book your tickets online before coming to Tenerife, only small groups are allowed in at a time. The walk/tour is about 2 hours, rucksacks, bags not allowed but you can carry water and your cameras. Best to wear trainers or walking shoes and take a fleece, it's a little cool in the caves.
EL DRAGO
El Drago.....amazing tree, worth seeing if you like that kind of thing. You don't have to pay to go in and see it, just park in the town and walk to the square above Calle Arcipreste Ossuna. The view of the tree is great. It's very pretty round here, go for a stroll round and have a Barraquito. Like a bit more info......we know we can all Google it, click on the tree.
BEACHES
Well that just about concludes my little write up on Tenerife. We loved the Island, if you've never been, it's worth going for a week of winter sun. By the time you've finished having a look round if you're not unwinding with a glass of wine or a beer, there's one thing left to try.........a coffee........Tenerife style.......a Barraquito.....Just ask for 'Barraquito leche y leche con todo, por favor'.........Enjoy.
