Around 3000 people live in this lovely village that is situated in a wonderful landscape with a lot of wonderful flowers.

The climate up in the mountains is very clean and fresh. Thats why the village is very suitable for a sanatorium.

Vilaflor is the starting point for several very interesting walking tours to the Paisaje Lunar or the Cañadas.

Above the village one can see some very big stone pines. Some of them have a hight of up to 45 meteres. Its really worth a visit.

One can also see very interesting stoneformations of vulcanic origin.

Even though there is low rainfall in Vilaflor and the surrounding regions, people practice very intensive agriculture. One can see very picturesque terrace fields on both sides along the road towards San Miguel.

Worth a visit is also the church Iglesia de San Pedro Apóstol, build in the 16th century on an older chapel. What is very interesting is the cross with Jesus sitting next to it. Its very recommendable to visit this church while being in Vilaflor.

A really nice sight near Vilaflore is the Parque Natural del Teide.

The visitor finds the most varying landscapes on this island that you can immagine.Tenerife is called as well “island of the eternal spring” due to the mild climate during the whole year, that’s why it is a famous destination as well in the winter.

The countryside on Tenerife is very charming. In the area round the vulcano mount Teide you find far-ranging woods of canary pines.
Between the drought and ocher coloured south and the deep green north full of vegetation is a very interesting contrast, you will discover making some excursions.

The island with its mild and pleasant climate is a popular holiday destination, because in winter we never go under less than 18 °C and in summer the temperature is more than 27 °C.

The altitude and the pure, fresh air form the Atlantic Ocean are very good conditions for persons suffering from rheumatism or respiratory diseases.

We were a mixed bunch, some staying here permanently, some as winter swallows spending up to six months a year, while others are fortunate enough to be able to holiday here two, three or even more times a year.

Of course, we’re all familiar with the tourist blurb that talks about the island of eternal spring, the warm all-year-round climate and the endless hours of sunshine, all of which are good enough reasons in themselves for wanting to spend as much time here as possible.

For many of us, particularly those now living on a pension, the attractions are financial, prompted by a much lower cost of living than back in the UK, with household bills a fraction of what they are back home, petrol at less than 50p a litre, cigarettes little more than £1 a packet, greatly reduced fuel bills… and so the list goes on.

Others point to the friendly, welcoming and open nature of the Canarian people, who seem more than happy to share their delightful island with hordes of incomers from northern Europe.

Health is also a key factor, the everyday natural warmth soothing away the aches and pains of those in their later years.

Some enjoy the contrasts of the island, from the hustle and bustle of the island capital of Santa Cruz to the serenity and beauty of the rural forests and mountains.

Tenerife, we all decided, has allowed us to experience and appreciate once again some of life’s simple pleasures.

A team of American and Greek doctors and researchers announced their conclusions at the end of a six-year study, declaring that a 30-minute nap during the middle of the day could reduced by 37 per cent the risk of death from a heart-related disease.

Furthermore, working men who opted for a siesta were 64 per cent less likely to suffer heart problems.

The team studied nearly 24,000 Greek male and female volunteers between the ages of 20 and 86 over a period of six years.

The research team concluded that siestas helped to reduce the incidence of heart problems because it helps to relieve stress, considered to be a major factor in cardiovascular disease.

It has been long known that countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain, where most people take siestas, have lower rates of heart disease than might be expected.

The traditional siesta in all of these countries and in other parts of the world is under threat as globalisation spreads the workaholic lifestyle becoming predominant in Western culture.

In Tenerife, the siesta is still very much a part of local culture, with most shops shutting from 1pm or 2pm for a few hours, re-opening at 5pm or 6pm.

Other recent studies have suggested a biological need for an afternoon nap. The body is on a 24-hour body clock, which makes you wind down between 1am and 6am and again in the three hours directly after lunch.