Long sandy beaches and small quiet coves will satisfy the sun worshipers, as the restaurants and tapas bars, serving Canarian food, as well as embracing the cuisines of most of the Mediterranean countries, will satisfy food enthusiasts.

The North of the Island faces the light trade winds and as such benefits from the moisture these carry and as a consequence of this, the area has beautiful pine forests, exotic tropical plants and is rich in a wide variety of agricultural crops. There is an abundance of banana plantations and vineyards; many open to the public.

The South of the island is considered to be the main tourist area and is where you will find a wealth of high quality hotels, apartments, and villa’s. The climate, wonderful long golden sandy beaches, exciting water sports, all make this part of the island the ideal year round resort.

There are many championship and non-championship golf courses, to suit all levels of player; these have helped to develop the surrounding areas into picturesque locations.

In addition to the main resorts in the south, you will also find many small fishing villages, which are interesting to visit. These offer a contrast to the excellent newly built Costa Adeje resorts, with their magnificent hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and fantastic nightlife.

All areas of the Island are easily reached from the South. The capital Santa Cruz – great for shopping, is 40 minutes away; Puerto de la Cruz in the north is 1 hour away. A visit to the Volcano in the centre of the Island, either by car, or on one of the organised excursions, is an experience not to be missed.

All the resorts in the south are within a short drive of the Tenerife South Airport.

Western Tenerife, for the purposes of this guide, covers an area from just north of La Caleta in the southwest; up to the lighthouse at Fara de Teno at the northwest tip of the island.

This is a beautiful part of Tenerife and includes the spectacular Masca Valley. The towns of Los Gigantes, Puerto de Santiago and San Juan are firm favourites, as are the inland towns of Santiago del Teide and Guia de Isora. Access from this part of the island to the National Park and volcano is along the scenic TF38 route.

The area around Guia de Isora, is one of prolific agricultural production. The road with it’s hairpin bends going down to the coastal plain shows the tourist just how adept the Tenerife farmer is at utilising the steep terrain. The winding road north, from Santiago del Teide through to Buenavista del Norte, passes through many small rustic farming communities, where you can stop at the roadside and buy wonderful homemade goats cheeses from the person who actually made it!

The west takes the best of the north’s agricultural richness, the south’s year round sunshine and blends this with its beautiful landscapes into a quieter, less hurried way of life.

The National Park is formed around the volcano, which is the natural centre of the island.  Las Canadas the Volcano’s crater is 16 kilometres in diameter with spectacular lava fields and jagged rock formations. The top of Pico del Teide is reached by Cable Car, and is the highest mountain on Spanish soil. This is the number one tourist attraction and is not to be missed.

A visit to the Volcano takes in some of the best sightseeing you will ever see. The pine forests you pass through on the way up whether by car, coach, quad bike or safari jeeps are havens of peace and tranquillity and wonderfully cool when compared with the coastal areas. The National Park can be accessed from any side of the island.

The approach from either the South or West takes you through the lovely village of Villaflor and as the name suggests flowers are in evidence at every turn. Stop and enjoy this village, don’t just go around it. If you’re approaching from the North then you will climb through the pine forests.