Party time is in full swing in the northern Tenerife resort of Puerto de la Cruz, which is in the middle of its annual July fiestas. The main festivities pay tribute to the Gran Poder and the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saints of the town. A wide range of typical activities are organised in the course of the month, but the undoubted highlight comes on the second Tuesday of the month – this year July 17 – when the Virgen del Carmen (pictured above) is paraded through the narrow cobbled streets before being loaded on to a boat and taken out to sea. The day draws huge crowds, as witnessed in the picture below, with families camping out overnight around the little harbour to ensure they get the best places. It’s a typical Canarian ...

  BBC Radio 1 brings its hugely popular
  summer roadshow to Tenerife next weekend (July 21 th and 22 th 2007). The BBC is staying tight lipped about the actual location for its live broadcast, preferring to announce it live on air on Tuesday (July 17). The Tenerife roadshow is part of Radio 1’s ‘Six Weeks of Summer’ event, which also sees live broadcasts from other European holiday destinations such as Majorca, Ibiza and Zante. Confirmed presenters for the Six Weeks of Summer series include Edith Bowman, Vernon Kaye, Sara Cox and Nihal, but listeners have to tune in to the Chris Moyles show each Tuesday to find out who is going where and what they'll be up to. The Radio 1 roadshows have been a regular summer feature for many years, drawing huge crowds to the UK resorts chosen to host the live events.

A chic new night club just opened on Tenerife will serve as a beacon for those wanting to see tourism facilities on the island of eternal spring moved upmarket. The Faro club in Costa Adeje is developed around a lighthouse and has a level of sophistication more usually associated with exotic night spots in the south of France or the Miami strip. It offers an eclectic mix of music and art in sumptuous and relaxing surroundings. It will act as a venue for live concerts and art exhibitions as well as providing an exciting night time experience for holidaymakers after a day on the beach. The Faro has a special Zen terrace where clubbers can chill out and watch the sunset before picking up the pace as the night wears on and the tempo increases. The Faro can be found between Playa Puerto Colon and ...

The biggest and best man-made tourist attraction on Tenerife, the mega animal theme park of Loro Parque, has introduced an online ticket facility to help visitors make the most of their day there. Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz has a list of species that includes Orca killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, tigers, jaguars, sharks, alligators, chimpanzees and flamingos. Virtually every important member of the animal kingdom is represented here. You’ll need a whole day to do it justice and still you will want to go back again the next day! Many of Loro Parque’s inmates have been rescued from private owners. Others have been donated by other zoos who thought Loro Parque could offer them a better environment. Many of the animal enclosures – there are ...

A long-closed gallery of modern art has re-opened in the Tenerife resort of Puerto de la Cruz. The town's original Museum of Contemporary Art first opened way back in 1953. But it closed within a couple of years and the collection has been gathering dust in storage ever since. But a new home has been found for the works of art on the top floor of the town's old customs house, the Casa de la Real Aduana, overlooking the picturesque fishing harbour. The collection was put together by the artist and critic Eduardo Westerdahl and his French wife Maud Bonneaud, herself a noted artist, the surrealist Oscar Dominguez and architect Alberto Sartoris, with assistance from the Institute of Hispanic Studies. There are 45 pieces in the gallery, which will initially be open only in the morning. Entrance is free until the end of ...