Portray of the Destination
Tenerife offers a more traditional atmosphere in the north and a more cosmopolitan air in the
south, becoming in this way a doubly appealing destination. The island conserves its own important
historical-artistic heritage. Traditional and popular architectural style can be seen in the
stately homes, farms and churches. The island has 31 municipalities keeping a great cultural
heritage like the historical villages of La Laguna, La Orotava, Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz and
also some zones of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, modern city and capital, together with Las Palmas, of
the Archipelago. There are also many natural sites like the Anaga and Teno Rural Parks, Teide
National Park or Corona Forestal Natural Park. The most interesting beaches are Playa de las
Américas, Los Cristianos, Playa del Duque and Playa del Bobo.
With regard to leisure, the tourist can visit the Botanical Gardens and the zoo-show Loro
Parque in the north and a big whale colony in the south as well as a the park called Aquapark
Tenerife. There are also many casinos, discotheques and pubs where to enjoy the free time after
trips around the island. Water sports are also a good option like fishing, diving, water skiing and
windsurfing, this one especially in El Medano beach. Other leisure activities available in the
island are horse riding, paragliding, climbing and golf.
Tenerife has a first quality hotel infrastructure and a wide range of activities at the
tourist's disposal. It is a destination to consider when planing the holidays.
We would like to thank the Tourism board of Tenerife for the texts and photographs provided.
Visit:
www.webtenerife.com
Geography
Tenerife, with volcanic origins, belongs to the Canary Islands and it is the biggest one of the
seven islands of the archipelago. It is located between the parallels 28 and 29 north and the
meridians 16 and 17 West. It is 300 kilometres away from Africa and 1,300 kilometres away from the
Iberian Peninsula. The results of its characteristic lands and the diversity of climates are the
different landscapes like the arid regions, cliffs, valleys, beaches and forests. Just in the heart
of the island is El Teide (3,718 m.), over the Caldera de las Cañadas, the highest mountain of
Spain.
Map
Climate
Climate in Tenerife is warm during almost all the year. The average temperatures are around 16 and
18 degrees Celsius in winter and between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius in summer. Of course, there are
peaks of colder a hottest temperatures, but in general the climate can be defined as a moderate
climate.
When to go
Tenerife is a charming destination to visit in any month. The election depends on the tourists that
can choose for the hottest seasons to enjoy the beach and the sunshine or the warm seasons to walk
across the villages and to make trips.
History
Even before the Canary Islands were part of history as such, they were legendary as the mythical
lands beyond the Pillars of Hercules and the Gibraltar Strait. The first official testimonies of
the history of the island are related to an expedition sent by Juba, King of Mauritaniam, due to
the huge snowed peak of a mountain seen from many kilometres away. It seems that the first citizens
of Tenerife came from North Africa and they mixed with other more evolved cultures. The Guanches,
that is the name of the ancient citizens of the island, did not know anything about sailing and ,
therefore, they did not travel to other places. In the 15th century Spain began the conquest of the
Canary Islands and, after many bloody battles, they conquered definitively Tenerife in 1494. Since
that moment it started to be an important stopover for the vessels coming from the Iberian
Peninsula. The time was going on and due to the beauty of its landscapes, it was becoming in the
magnificent tourist and cultural destination which is in the present times.
Traditions
One of the most traditional events of Tenerife is the called Romeria, which is a combination of
pagan and religious feast to celebrate a saint's day. During the celebration the citizens take part
in a pilgrimage with coaches and animals, dressing the typical colourful regional costumes. The
29th November is the celebration of Saint Andrew's Day and the population opens the wine cellars
and try the wine from the last harvest and in the villages of La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz take
place an activity called «correr los cacharros» -make noise with any kind of casserole or pot-. In
Icod the los Vinos they play the “tablas”, where young people slide along the streets on greased
wooden boards.
Without doubt, the most cosmopolitan and longed-for festival is the Carnival, which is of
International Interest, and where one can enjoy the colourful imagination and joy of the local
population. The main point for the Carnival is Santa Cruz de Tenerife which becomes a real human
river of dances, masks, and where for several days only music and rhythm occur.
During the year, there are also many folklore festivities where musician shows can be
enjoyed. One of the most popular is the International Folklore Festival that takes place in July in
La Laguna and in August in Los Cristianos.
Gastronomy
The cuisine of Tenerife is quite simple and at the same time subtle, knowing the best way to
combine the excellent products of the island. One of the most popular dishes is the Carne Fiesta
consisting in marinated pork small pieces. Also the kid is very traditional as well as the rabbit
with Salmorejo sauce.
Fish is the best product of the island, grilled and spiced with oil, pepper, garlic and with
a very typical sauce called Mojo. The most popular fish here among the local people is the Vieja,
with its delicate, white flesh, but other tasty fishes are the called sama, chirrarro, salema,
bocinegro and cherne, fishes that abound in the waters around the islands. Also the moray, served
fried and crunchy, is very popular in the Canaries. Meat and Fish are usually served with Papas
Arrugadas, boiled potatoes with its skin and a lot of salt.
Basic Dictionary
Yes:si. No:no. Hello:hola. Good bye:adios. Good morning:buenos días. Good afternoon:buenas tardes.
Good night:buenas noches. Please:por favor. Sorry:lo siento. Thank you:gracias. Doctor:médico.
Pharmacy:farmacia. Numbers: 1:un. 2:dos. 3:tres. 4:cuatro. 5:cinco. 6:seis. 7:siete. 8:ocho.
9:nueve. 10:diez. 11:once. 12:doce. 13:trece. 14:catorce. 15:quince. 16:dieciséis. 17:diecisiete.
18:dieciocho. 19:diecinueve. 20:veinte. 21:veintiuno. 22:veintidós. 30:treinta. 40:cuarenta.
50:cincuenta. 60:sesenta. 70:setenta. 80:ochenta. 90:noventa. 100:cien. 1000:mil. Days of the week:
Monday:lunes. Tuesday:martes. Wednesday:miércoles. Thursday:jueves. Friday:viernes.
Saturday:sábado. Sunday:domingo. Common words: big/small:grande/pequeño. Hot/Cold:caliente/frío.
Open/Clossed:abierto/cerrado. Good/bad: bueno/malo. New/old:nuevo/viejo. Push/Pull:empujar/tirar.
Entrance/exit:entrada/salida. Ladies/Gentlemen:señoras/señores. Far/near:lejos/cerca.
Left/Right:izquierda/derecha. Taxi:taxi. Bus:autobús. Meals: Breakfast:desayuno. Lunch:comida.
Dinner:cena. Menu:menú. Wines:vinos. Dessert:postre. The bill:la cuenta. Common phrases: Do you
speak English?:¿Habla inglés?. I don´t understand:no entiendo. where is it?:¿donde está? How much
is it?:¿Cuánto es? What time is it?:¿Qué hora es? ¿Could you help me?:¿Puede ayudarme?
Currency
Euro. It has 100 cents. There are notes of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 Euros, coins of 2, 1 Euros and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1 Euro cents.
Currency Exchange
1 Euros (EUR) = 1.20 Dolars (USD); 1 Euro (EUR) = 0.68 Sterling Pound (GBP).
Prices
Tenerife is not an especially cheap destination but prices are lower than in the rest of Spain. The
taxi rate per kilometre is one of the cheapest within Spain (0.40 Euros). Flight tickets are
cheaper since the middle of November and middle of December and also between may and Mars, not
including the Easter period that is an expensive one.
Useful Info
Official nameTenerife
CountrySpain
Time ZoneGMT
Official LanguageSpanish
Surface area2,034 square kilometres (785,329 sq. miles)
Population700,000 citizens
Political RegimeConstitutional Monarchy
Public holidays1st January: New Year. 6th January: Epiphany. 1st May: Workers Day. 15th August: Our Lady of
Candelaria's Day. 12th October: Spain Day. 1st November: All Saints' Day. 6th December: Day of the
Constitution. 8th December: Our Lady of Inmaculada Concepción's Day. 25th December: Christmas Day.
ReligionMost of the population is Roman Catholic but many other religious cultures coexist in the region.
Religion90% Catholics, 8% Muslims, 2% Jewish
Arrival / Departurethere are many local, national and international companies holding vessel and cruiser trips to the
island. Santa Cruz Harbour receives many de luxe cruisers and also have jet foil express trips to
Las Palmas, the other capital of the Canary Islands. The other companies linking Tenerife to Las
Palmas and Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma departures from Los Cristianos, at the south of the
island.
SafetySecurity is a priority for the tourist authorities in Tenerife, as well as in all Spain. The island
is a safe destination and the theft rating is quite low. Just basic precautions must be taken with
the personal belongings.
VisaThe European Union tourists do not need visa to enter into Spain. Neither those citizens of the
United States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a
return ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South
Korea, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia,
Montserrat, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa
provided that they do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
ClothingIn winter, covering clothes should be dressed, specially during the night. In summer, thin clothes
are recommended like the thin cotton ones. Also take comfortable shoes, sunglasses, huts and
sunscreen.
Electricity220 Volts AC, 50 Hz
Radio and TelevisionThe most important radio stations are Cadena 100, Cadena Dial and Radio Club Tenerife. Some of the
television channels are Television Española and the local channel TV Canaria
TelephoneThe Spanish telephone code is 34 and the Tenerife code is 922
Police091
Ambulance112
Fire Brigade112
Tourist health care services112
Newspapers and MagazinesThe most diffused newspapers in the island are El Día and Diario de Avisos, both local newspapers.
Also all the most important Spanish papers are available.
Postal ServiceThe postal service is efficient. The mail sent within Europe takes between 3 and 5 days to reach
their destination.
Offices in Santa Cruz:
Plaza 25 de Julio s/n. Tel: 922 279 199
Plaza García EScámez, 5. Tel: 922 290 910
For more information consult the website:
www.correos.esHealth Care ServicesThe health care services, both private and public, in Tenerife, as in all Spain, are always given
to the tourist in a direct and comfortable way. Spain has signed a reciprocal health assistance
agreement with the rest of the countries of the European Union in order to provide health care to
all the EU tourists just showing an E-111 document. This document must be done before travelling.
The island has two public hospitals: Hospital Universitario de Canarias and Hospital de la
Candelaria. There are also many private clinics and health centres in the north and in the south.
Furthermore, for minor emergencies is the Servicio Canario de Salud, Gerencia de Atención Primaria
available, the address is Calle Méndez Núñez 14-2nd. Santa Cruz de Tenerife; tel: 922 607 010.
AirportInternation Airport Tenerife South - Reina Sofía. Address: El Médano, s/n, 38610. Granadilla de
Abona. It is 60 km away from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and has one terminal building. Tel: +34 922 759
200. Fax: +34 922 759 247. Website:
www.aena.es. E-mail:
infotfs@aena.es. Some of the companies flying to and from this
airport are: Air Europa, Binter Canarias, Finnair, Iberia and Spanair.
Public TransportThe bus service, called guagua in the island, is quite efficient and covers the entire island.
Taxis are not only used for short journeys but also for trips with a maximum duration of 9 hours.
BusThe bus company Titsa offers a wide service around the island. The company headquarters address is:
Calle Punta de Anaga, 1. Santa María del Mar. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tel: 922 479 500. Website:
www.titsa.comCarIt is very usual to make trips by taxi around the island. Some of the available trips and prices
are: Puerto de La Cruz – Los Cristianos/Play de las Américas (84 Euros); Puerto de La Cruz – La
Orotava – Mirador de la Rosa de Piedra – Las Cañadas del Teide – Los Roques de García – Boca de
Tauce – Acantilado delos Gigantes – El Tanque – Icod de los Vinos – back to Puerto de la Cruz (110
Euros); Puerto de la Cruz – Los Realejos – Mirador de El Lance – La Guancha – Icod de los Vinos
Garachico – back to Puerto de La Cruz (66 Euros). Information and bookings: tel. 922 384 910 or
Taxi main stop in Plaza del Charco, Puerto de la Cruz. In case of renting a car, do not forget to
carry maps and the traffic regulations.
Car RentalsAVIS
Estación Marítima de Santa Cruz, Sector Cruceros. Tel: +34 922 241 294
Puerto de la Cruz: Avenida Venezuela s/n. Tel: + 34 922 384 698
HERTZ
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: La Marina, 21. Tel: +34 922 274 465
NATIONAL CAR RENTAL
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Estación Marítima del Jet Foil. Muelle de la Rivera. Tel: +34 922 292
425
ShipThere are many ship companies operating from Tenerife to the rest of the Canaries or to the Iberian
Peninsula. Some of them are:
Transmediterranea: Tel. +34 922 454 645
Líneas Fred Olsen: Tel. +34 922 628 231
Naviera Armas: Tel. +34 534 050
Garajonay Express: Tel +34 922 343 450
For more information go to the Autoridad Portuaria de Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Av. De
Francisco La Roche, 49. Tel: 922 605 400. Fax: 922 605 479. Website:
www.puertosdetenerife.org. Email:
comerc-tenerife@puertosdetenerife.comSee climatewww.wordweather.orgCurrency converterwww.xe.com/uccA dinner25 euros
A coffee1 euro.
The BusUrban bus rates depend on the distances. From the airport to the Santa Cruz bus station: 1 Euros. From the airport to the Torviscas stop the trip takes 20 minutes and costs 1.8 Euros.
The taxi2.10 since the meter starts running.
