Tenerife Travel Guide

Feeling cold? Then make sure to head to the Canary Islands, where the sun never stops shining. Who does not want to live in a place where it is spring all year round? This is why the Canary Islands, specifically Tenerife, have become very touristic places. Hundreds of thousands of retired Northern European people buy vacations home in Tenerife and spend winter here, instead of staying in their snowy home countries. With that being said, Tenerife has a ton of attractions not only for its retired residents, but also for the hundreds of families who visit the island for a family vacation every week. There are superb beach, amazing restaurants and memorable attractions. Depending on your priorities, if you want to truly discover the island, it is best to book a boutique smaller hotel. However, if you want to a luxurious experience, there are some resorts where you can go and either relax for the whole time or mix relaxation with discovering the island, which is exactly what I did.

Where to stay:

1. Ritz Carlton Abama

This is one of the most lavish resorts on the island. Its grounds are huge, including a secluded beach, multiple tennis courts, different pools and a golf course. The dining experience here is rather complete. From a Michelin starred Japanese restaurants to Spanish traditional cuisine, this resort will satisfy the most demanding. The service is meticulous and the golf course is spectacular. However, the highlight of this resort is definitely the secluded spectacular beach, one of the few on the island with golden sand.

2. Bahia del Duque

The resort, which recreates a traditional Canarian Colonial villa from the 19th century, has it all. Being part of the Leading Hotels of the World, expectations are exceeding and the ideal vacation is guaranteed. Being a perfect fit for couples on their honeymoon to families, this hotel is simply stunning. Its picturesque location sea front with lush palm trees is the perfect setting to spend some time away from it all. With a variety of restaurants and a spa with an extensive menu, expect to be pampered at every step of your trip.

3. Hotel San Roque

If you are looking for a smaller more secluded boutique hotel, than this is the place for you. An adults only retreat, this hotel is located on the island's northern coast,in the lovely village of Garachico, which attracts the crowds with its natural rock pools. The 18th-century manor house has been restored and kept almost intact. This charm attracts many tourists, explaining the hotel's always high demand.

Where to swim:

1. Abama Beach:

Located by the Ritz Carlton Abama, the Abama beach is one of the few beaches in Tenerife with golden sand. Most beaches on the island have black volcanic sand. This is why this beach is so special. It is relatively small and it seems secluded. There are occasional small waves which make bathing more enjoyable. The water is very clear and its temperature is very pleasant year-round. There are sun loungers from the hotel with a bar service after 12pm however half of the beach is free for people to come with their own towels and umbrellas. There is a beach restaurant which offers Cannarian dishes along with Spanish tapas. You can access the beach on a steep road for cars or you can enter through the hotel by either taking the gondola or going down the stairs. I went every day to this beautiful beach to relax and to enjoy the sweeping views, along with the refreshing water.

2. Playa de las Americas:

This is a resort built area. It includes 5 main beaches along with restaurants, shops, bars, parks and the best nightlife on the island. If you are looking to have fun and enjoy the sun, this place offers everything you might need. Honestly, it seemed to crowded for me and very commercial. There are some good restaurants but you need to search for them. Don’t just seat in the first restaurant that you see. For an authentic experience be sure to look for places to eat from before. Try to ask locals as they have the best tips but be aware that the some concierges have deals with the restaurants, which may not be the best.

What to do:

1. Mount Teide: This volcano has the highest point in Spain, at 3,718-metre. You have the option to walk it up for 5 hours or get to the top in 8 minutes by cable car. There are many excursions which you can choose from.

2. Siam Parc:

I generally love water parks and Siam Parc was no exception. It is not a giant park but it has some very thrilling and exciting water rides. I recommend to get a fast pass because this place gets very crowded everyday. The park has a Thai theme as it was opened by the Princess of Thailand, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Voted as the best waterpark in the world on TripAdvisor, I can see why. All of the paths and the attractions look pleasing. There is a variety of attractions for all ages and the restaurants and snack options are many and quite good for a theme park. Beside the fact that it is generally crowded and quite small, Siam Parc is definitely worth a visit for some water fun.

3. Loro Parque:

This is a 13.5-hectare zoo. It is also partly inspired by Thailand as its main reception looks like a Thai Temple. I have to admit that this is one of the most impressive zoos I’ve ever seen. The number of different animals, the ways information was delivered in by the guides along with the design were just some of the things that made this zoo one of my favourites. The Orca show is a must see as well as the sea lion show. The Penguins section is also spectacular along with the aquarium section with sharks, jellyfishes and stingrays. Furthermore, they also have a foundation, working to save species in danger. This place is definitely worth a visit.

Where to eat:

As one of the worlds most recognised cuisines, you can’t go wrong with Spanish food. Personally, it is one of my favourite European cuisines. In Tenerife, the food was predominantly Spanish, with a focus on fish and seafood.

1. El Molino Blanco:

This is definitely one of my favourite dining experiences in Tenerife and one of the best in Costa Adeje. The atmosphere, along with the most delicious Spanish food together the exceptional singing entertainment offered by the Chef made this place rank in the top restaurants I’ve ever been to. It might sound cheesy; however, it is true. This place is legendary. Where in the world is the chef and owner of the restaurant, the singer of the place as well? When not in the kitchen, the Chef is on the dance floor, wowing his guests with his amazing musical talents. Let’s talk food. They have a large selection of starters and trust me, everything tasted amazingly. As usual, I made sure to check the majority of them.

Jamon Iberico, Canary cheeses, a large variety of seafood tapas and the traditional Mojo Sauces were my favorites to start with. Furthermore, the main course was really tasty as well. From salt baked steaks (yeah, steaks baked in salt!!!) to meat paella, every ingredient had a lead role in its taste. However, the dessert was the piece de resistance. Having a variety of Spanish desserts from churros to leche frita along with flambéed peaches, flambéed strawberries, flambéed bananas and crepe suzette, there were dozens of options. I went for the crepe suzette twice and I have to admit these were the best crepe suzette I’ve ever had and I’ve tried many around the world.

Moving on to the décor, everything looked so authentic and even though there were many objects and decorative things, everything seemed in place and made you feel like you are in a special place. The chef and the owner of the restaurant, dreamed of becoming a singer. He now is pursuing this dream by being the lead voice in his restaurant every single night. I have to admit, I was very surprised by his strong and soft tenor voice. He sang some very entertaining songs along with some very difficult songs executed almost perfectly. It wasn’t the food that made me come back to this place(although it was still really good), it was the chef and the kindness and hospitality of the people. The star of the place came to our table, sang us songs, asked us about the food and gave the women flowers. Not only did he do that with us, he did that with every table in the restaurant. That’s what makes this place so special.

2. La Vieja:

An excellent choice for seafood, La Vieja has a great atmosphere. Located in La Caleta, in the south west of Tenerife, the restaurant has a seafront location. The food was tasty and the seafood was cooked to perfection. If looking for a more romantic and distinct atmosphere, this is the place to go to. Open for dinner and lunch, they get fresh seafood every day and they know how to cook it. From garlic shrimps to fried seafood croquets for starter, to seafood paella and grilled fish and seafood for the main, to delicious inventive deserts, all the food was simply delicious. Even though some of the staff did not know English very well, they were definitely good and honest people. In the first night, I forgot my sunglasses at their restaurant. I realised it a few days later and the hotel concierge made a call. Fortunately, not only did they keep the glasses safe, when I went to take them back, they were cleaned by the restaurant staff. This is what I call kindness and hospitality abroad. This is why no one scared tourist shouldn’t be very freaked out because there will always be kind local people willing to help.

#trip #getaway