What's Tenerife Like
Discussion
I have friends that live up on the hill. So have been a number of times. I've never stayed in the "tourist" area for want of a better expression though. It's a fantastic island if you can get out and see more of it you'll be surprised what you can find off the beaten track. The north is totally different from the south. Like night and day and some of the local food is amazing like rabbit and goat with chorizo and spices wood fire cooked chicken. The top of the volcano is like the moon worth popping up if you have a car and there's some crazy winding mountain roads (this is PH)
The coffee is horrid everywhere.
The coffee is horrid everywhere.
It depends what you want.
The beaches in Lanzarote are better but I don't mind Tenerife. Driving round and through the Mt Teide National Park is fabulous and Loro Parque is an amazing zoo with the full killer whale experience but bear in mind that mountain range is an omnipresent impediment between south and north. It is the most heavily populated of the islands.
We booked a villa in Callao Salvaje which now has a small beach nearby but for kids, I find a private pool is a boon.
The beaches in Lanzarote are better but I don't mind Tenerife. Driving round and through the Mt Teide National Park is fabulous and Loro Parque is an amazing zoo with the full killer whale experience but bear in mind that mountain range is an omnipresent impediment between south and north. It is the most heavily populated of the islands.
We booked a villa in Callao Salvaje which now has a small beach nearby but for kids, I find a private pool is a boon.
Edited by LuS1fer on Wednesday 23 October 10:02
I believe that it is a better destination more off season, as the weather is warm enough in spring and autumn. In August I would choose Greek islands all the time, the sea is not really comparable with ocean, at least for me that I rate swimming among the most important activities in summer vacation.
Anyway the quality/price ratio is not bad in Tenerife for accomodations and it is big enough to be explored driving for some days. Among the Canarian Islands I regularly visit Fuerteventura because I love kitesurfing but I do not recommend it for a family holiday: too much wind and there are not many beaches suited for kids.
Anyway the quality/price ratio is not bad in Tenerife for accomodations and it is big enough to be explored driving for some days. Among the Canarian Islands I regularly visit Fuerteventura because I love kitesurfing but I do not recommend it for a family holiday: too much wind and there are not many beaches suited for kids.
We've been a few times, always in the south as we have access to a villa there through family.
Last couple of times we've been out of season, late November and early May with the kids before they started school. Weather was great, lots to do, the beaches are OK though. Golf is also pretty good if you're into that. Can be a bit windy on the south though on the coast.
Eating out is a bit hit and miss, depends where you are. Worth doing a bit of research before you head out if you're after something specifc, we found a place near us which overlooked the harbour and was really good, but pricey.
Last couple of times we've been out of season, late November and early May with the kids before they started school. Weather was great, lots to do, the beaches are OK though. Golf is also pretty good if you're into that. Can be a bit windy on the south though on the coast.
Eating out is a bit hit and miss, depends where you are. Worth doing a bit of research before you head out if you're after something specifc, we found a place near us which overlooked the harbour and was really good, but pricey.
Daimeydum said:
I have friends that live up on the hill. So have been a number of times. I've never stayed in the "tourist" area for want of a better expression though. It's a fantastic island if you can get out and see more of it you'll be surprised what you can find off the beaten track. The north is totally different from the south. Like night and day and some of the local food is amazing like rabbit and goat with chorizo and spices wood fire cooked chicken. The top of the volcano is like the moon worth popping up if you have a car and there's some crazy winding mountain roads (this is PH)
The coffee is horrid everywhere.
Good advice there. We went for the second time this year, renting a villa in Chayofa. Its well worth renting a car and driving up to the volcano, but if you want to do the cable car, two bits of very important advice.....The coffee is horrid everywhere.
1. Buy tickets before you get there. We queued for about 90 minutes just to buy tickets.
2. Apply for a pass to use the trail up to the peak. The cable car ends about 200ft from the top, and you need a pass to get to the top. As I understand it, the pass is free, but you need to get it before you go on holiday.
The climate is vastly different between the north and south, the mountains stop any cloud and rain from hitting the south side, so you end up with two very seperate zones.
Another vote for the north of the Island having been twice, first time in Los Cristianos and the last in Puerto De La Cruz, but you really need to hire a car to make the most of it. While staying at Los Cristianos we walked from there all the way to Costa Adeje past Playa Las Americas and while it was slightly more pleasant once we reached CA, it was pretty bleak the whole way along the coast, fine if you want an all day english breakfast or bockwurst and sauerkraut but not much else.
Puerto De La Cruz is an hr plus transfer from the main Airport so might not appeal to most but we hired a Skoda CityGo (aka VW UP) for £73 for the week, chatting to some guests at the same hotel who had paid 100+euro oneway for a taxi, so cheap enough. Its a nice harbour town with narrow cobbled streets with much more authentic cuisine to choose from in the restaurants.
It takes about 45-60 mins to get up Mount Tiede from there and then another recommendation would be Garachico, former capital of the island partly destroyed by the last volcano, they have some volcanically formed swimming pools you can visit free of charge when the waves are not too strong.
Much better than Siam Park. You also need to visit the town of Adeje up in the hills above Costa Adeje for an amazing walk around the Barranco Infierno followed by the best chicken and canary potato's at Otelo's.
Plus the road from Garachico over to Adeje across the hills is one of the best I have ever driven even in the 60ps Skoda.
Puerto De La Cruz is an hr plus transfer from the main Airport so might not appeal to most but we hired a Skoda CityGo (aka VW UP) for £73 for the week, chatting to some guests at the same hotel who had paid 100+euro oneway for a taxi, so cheap enough. Its a nice harbour town with narrow cobbled streets with much more authentic cuisine to choose from in the restaurants.
It takes about 45-60 mins to get up Mount Tiede from there and then another recommendation would be Garachico, former capital of the island partly destroyed by the last volcano, they have some volcanically formed swimming pools you can visit free of charge when the waves are not too strong.
Much better than Siam Park. You also need to visit the town of Adeje up in the hills above Costa Adeje for an amazing walk around the Barranco Infierno followed by the best chicken and canary potato's at Otelo's.
Plus the road from Garachico over to Adeje across the hills is one of the best I have ever driven even in the 60ps Skoda.
Edited by jogon on Sunday 27th October 20:21
We spent two weeks in Las Americas at the end of August, just a couple of hundred yards from Linekers Bar, Veronikas and the real touristy bits. Lots of things for young teens to see and do, lots of choice for food including <shudder> McDonalds. We ate out at a different restaurant every night, the usual scams apply, headline price for food is cheap, but the drinks prices double in the evening.
Getting about is easy, buses are cheap and frequent, and the 'Bono bus' prepaid tickets save you even more.
A taxi from Las Americas to Adaje (San Eugenio) is around 4 euros, four of you on the bus will be twice that.
You can book tour tickets up the volcano or around the island at dozens of kiosks/shops around the resort, as well as water park tickets with a free bus shuttle service.
With four adults and a baby we budgeted 200 euros a day and managed quite comfortably.
Getting about is easy, buses are cheap and frequent, and the 'Bono bus' prepaid tickets save you even more.
A taxi from Las Americas to Adaje (San Eugenio) is around 4 euros, four of you on the bus will be twice that.
You can book tour tickets up the volcano or around the island at dozens of kiosks/shops around the resort, as well as water park tickets with a free bus shuttle service.
With four adults and a baby we budgeted 200 euros a day and managed quite comfortably.
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