The most important place of this beautiful village is the small plaza at the church. The whole hamlet is devided into parts and distributed to several mountain sides.

Masca is well-known for its tasty onions, potatoes and garlic but also the yame-fruit, plam juice, citrus fruits and goat chees are delicacies.

Furthermore especially the type of construction of the houses is very conspicuous because of the way they are built into the mountain side.

One of the most famous hiking-tours begins in the middle of the village and leads trough the barranco, which means canyon, to the sea - it takes about 6 hours bidirectional (descent and ascent)

With approx. 3 Mil. visitors per year the national park of mount Teide is the most-most visited national park of Spain.

“Pico del Teide ” is with 3.718 metres the highest mountain of Spain.
Furthermore mount Teide is third-highest island volcano of the world.

He forms the northern border of the national park. In the south, the west and the east the mount Teide national park is limited by the cañadas, or lava flows which enclose a diameter of approx. 16 kilometres.

The park and the lava flows are called “caldera”, what means kettle and describes a broken in place in the volcano which is formed like a kettle. This landscape has been created when the empty vaults of magma under the earth, which are near the surface, collapsed.

Indeed, it is celebrated only all five years, then, however, the whole island stands during two weeks under the sign of the celebration of the patron saint.

In a church parade the patron saint of the island, Nieves, is carried from the chapel into the city center.

Part of the celebrations are performances like the traditional minuet at the Plaza de Santo Domingo in the commune of La Guancha which aductes the spectator in the world of the 18-th century with original costumes, music and folcloric dances. The absolute climax of the celebration is the dance of the dwarfs.

In the late spring or early summer, in the months of May and June is the time of flowers in Tenerife.
In the rest of the year Tenerife, and the national park Teide resemble a moonscape. But in may it’s the time of the anthesis of the flower tajinaste.
The tajinaste, (tajinaste rojo, Echium wildpretii, Tower of Jewel) is a columnar flower with a beautiful and lush red colour.

It is among the category of the tropicals and tender Perennials.

It is 4 to 6 feet high (or 1,2 to 1,8 metres). Birds, bees and butterflies love the tajinaste flower.
It sows it’s seed for itself. The leaves are herbaceous.

The climate on Tenerife is very comfortable with temperatures that rarely get too high to practice physical activities, so for sports conditions are almost ideal.

The most popular courses are in the south, but some people seem to prefer the northern part of the island that is more green and also offers some very nice golfing facilities.

What makes the golf courses of Tenerife so attractive is the care with which they are laid out, giving the impression of a genuine Canarian garden. Some courses have very reasonable prices and special offers for families.

Tenerife has many attractions to offer but it is certainly a place to consider, if one likes to spend a holiday on the golf course.

Small country hotels, holiday cottages, chalets and fincas offer the adequate accommodation. One can book his holiday through various tour operators or without any problems directly by the Internet.

Tenerife is not one of the cheapest holiday destinations, but with a bit of luck you can find a good bargain.

Journeys to the isle of Tenerife are particularly popular at Easter, Whitsun, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

However, unfortunately, this boom has a very strong influence on the prices.

The island of Tenerife offers extensive possibilities to everyone who wants to practice physical activities and does not only want to lie on the beach in the sun.

Hiking, climbing, trekking, diving, windsurfing, surfing, mountainbiking and not at least golf are examples for a variety of holiday activities.

Flora and fauna have to offer a huge diversity to the visitor. The whales can be watched during a boat trip between the two islands Tenerife and La Gomera. Dolphins attract many animal enthusiasts, and can be watched as well on special organized boat trips in their natural surroundings.

The vegetation over all in the north of the island is very interessting and influences on the charming abmience.

The splendid gala to nominate the annual carnival-queen is among the most impressive moments fullo of rhythm, colours and fun without limit.

Thousands of joyfully celebrating dressed ups are dancing on the streets and enjoy themselves till the early morning hours.

The carnival of Tenerife is a great spectacle, which you should’nt miss in any case, surely you will be impressed.

In San Lorenzo, Adeje and Arona you can find a lot of lookout points ofer a rugged area with canyons and isolated mountain paths with a magnificent panorama view over the south of the island, which is a famous sunbathing area with beaches.

The regions we mentioned for you are a paradise for nature lovers. But also climbers and mountaineers.
Under mountaineers and hikers Tenerife is a very popular destination. Guided groups and individual hikers find accommodation in mountain cottages, small mountain hotels, youth hostels.

Guided holidays for hikers can be booked in advance in internet.

The colour palette of the isle is dominated by the black lava sand, some ocher coloured sand beaches and a deep green of the varied vegetation.

The colour green of the vegetation is dominating on the three smaller Canary Islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.
Instead on Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote the landscape is formed by drough rocks and desert regions similar to the Sahara.
A lot of creativity from the native canarys has been necessary to make agriculture and cultivation possible.

The attraction of Tenerife is its versatility. There are lively colonial towns and romantic mountains which are crowned by a volcano, the Pico del Teide. The volcano is 3718 meters high and is Spains highest mountain.

You can get to know Tenerife on extensive walks through hidden mountain pathes. In the range of Anaga and on an exciting discoverer tours in the Teide national park or in the mountains of Teno you can discover the soul of the vulcanic island.
Where can you see such a bizarre volcanic landscape full of craters, solidified magma rivers like on Tenerife?

Tenerife has a surface of 2.068 km² and a population of approximately 800.000 inhabitants. In the language of the aborigines called “Guanches” Tenerife means “snow-covered mountain”.

The “Pico del Teide“, the highest mountain of Spain, situated on the isle of Tenerife, divides it into two climatical different parts:

The north is very fertile and abundantly covered by vegetation, while the south of the island is very dry and similar to a desert. Therefore, sometimes Tenerife is called the “island with the two faces“.

The volcanic landscape in the middle of the island covers two thirds of the whole island. The peak of the vulcano Teide reaches a height of 3.178 metres. He is the highest mountain of Spain and the third highest volcano of the world after two in Hawaii.

Almost all inhabitants of Tenerife live distanced from the sea in the valleys, near the area of agriculture like in La Orotava
.

The so called queen of the Canary Islands guarantees temperatures of over 20 °C in winter as in summer with many sunny days to take a sunbath. Over all the south of the island is well known for nearly any cloudy or rainy day. Most beaches are situated near the holiday centres like Los Christianos or Playa de Las Americas.

The holiday-maker has a lot of hotels and a perfect tourist infrastructure with appropriate restaurants, amusement parks and much more on his disposal.

It is a quite special experience for every tourist to visit Santa Cruz during the carnival time the months of January and February. Thousands of people dressed up with colourful costumes dancing and celebrating on the streets of the capital of Tenerife.
The carnival is accompanied by Salsa, Merengue and Samba rhythms. The carnival of Santa Cruz is after the one in Rio de Janeiro the most popular worldwide.

So, you see, you have many possibilities to escape from the cold winter months in Germany.

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.

The wonderful mild and pleasant climate all over the year is one of the biggest advantages of the archipelago. In winter hardly less than 18 degrees and more than 27 degrees in summer.

You can book a typical holiday package in the south of the isle in tourist resorts like Los Christianos and Playa de las Americas. An alternative is to spend your holiday in a nice country house offered by rural tourism in the area of Puerto de la Cruz in the north of Tenerife.

Stylish typical canary accommodations are offered far away from the hustle and bustle in country houses and fincas on the countryside of Tenerife.

You find a great supply of different private holiday cottages and holiday dwellings in all regions of the island. With a rental car or with the public transport system you can discover many beauties of Tenerife.

You can admire wonderful landscapes of vulcanic origin and fertile, green areas abundantly covered with exotic plants.

Tenerife is an ideal tourist destination at any time of the year. The island can be reached in only four hours of flight from Germany.

Many flights arrive and leave daily at the two airports of the island.

Tenerife offers a huge supply of accomodation like for example exclusive hotels, rural hotels, country houses and appartments.

The tourist infrastructure of the island of Tenerife is ideal for all kind of holiday makers, for those who like shopping centers, beaches, restaurants, museums, hiking paths, discotheques, bars, sports facilities or wellness facilities.

One can watch dolphins and whales on the Ocean between the two islands Tenerife and La Gomera, neighbouring island.

The Loro Parque, a wonderful zoo in Puerto de La Cruz, sustains over 1.000 different kinds of parrots is a visit worth.

For active holiday makers who like hiking and exploring the isle of Tenerife has a lot of wonderful mointain pathes to discover.

One of the most popular destinations in Europe is Tenerife, primarily for it’s pleasant climate and spectaclular landscape.

If you visit the isle of Tenerife, at least you should taste something from the traditional cuisine.The small idyllic restaurants offer a varied and palatable kitchen with ingredients like fish, seafood, meat, potatoes, sweet potatoes and other kinds of vegetables combined with exquisite spices and fresh herbs.

Primarily fish, the paella, the different Tapas, the goat’s cheese, potatoes with a salt crust are very popular. As well as tortilla, the Alioli dip, Empanadas and the Canary fish-soup.

So take the opportunity to taste some tipical canary dishes when you make a stop during an exciting excursion on Tenerife.

Within a few minutes, anyway one comes from a climatic zone by car into the next one.
So for example it can happen that you start from the Puerto de La Cruz in the north of the island with cloudy weather and you drive in direction to Bajamar or Tacoronte, only a few kilometers, and you will find sunshine there.

The complete northeast of the island of Tenerife is formed by a rugged area. The massif rises steeply up from the Atlantic, which is forming the precipitous coast. The range of Anaga is abundantly covered with vegetation for the most part and sometimes veiled by clouds.

Places you should visit are the botanic garden and the Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz, or the small idyllic mountain village Masca situated in the romantic range of Teno.

Another highlight of Tenerife are the historical centers of La Orotava and La Laguna. For who is interested in winegrowng culture, the wine museum in El Sauzal in the north of the island, would be interesting to visit.

In the most sunny month of the year is July with an average of 10.6 hours of sunshine a day. There highest temperature with 25 °C are reached in the month of August. The water temperature reaches the highest temperature of 23°C in September and October. The islands of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma and also Gran Canaria form also part of the Canary Islands and are known to have the warmest climate of the whole seven islands. The islands arose by volcanic activities approximately 5 - 7 millions years ago.

The mountains of Anaga and the range of Teno are geological the oldest area of the island of Tenerife. The Pico del Teide is with 3.718 meters of altitude the highest mountain of Spain.

In the variety of vegetation you find numerous species of plants, which are found only in the Canary Islands. The best known plant is surely also the Canary dracaena called Dragon tree. The oldest example of a Dragon tree can be found in Icod de los Vinos.

All of the Canary Islands have one thing in common:
A balanced climate with for us springlike winters and temperatures below zero only in high mountain regions.

The visitor can enjoy a bath in the Atlantic Ocean and a sunbath during the whole year.

The winter month are very adequate for active tourists who like hiking, mountaineering or other activities in the nature.

A highlight for nature lovers is a visit at the national park of mount Teide, it is an adventure to explore the vulcanic landscape, which is similar to a lunar landscape. Mount Teide with an altitude of 3.718 m is the highest mountain of Spain and the third highest vulcano worldwide.

As you see, you have many possibilities to practice sports and explore the island of Tenerife.

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 family day, with all generations joining in the fun.

Similar celebrations are held all over Tenerife at around the same time but few are as spectacular or as moving as the processions in Puerto.

In addition to her many duties, the Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of fishermen and the local fisherfolk consider it a great honour to be chosen to carry the enormous statute down to the harbour for her annual outing.

As they stagger and sway through the streets under the weight of the figure, the fishermen are hemmed in by hordes of onlookers desparate not only to see the spectacle but also to try to touch Carmen for luck.

As Carmen arrives at the harbour to be carried down to the water’s edge, the temperature of the occasion rises sharply as her progress is marked by the singing of Ave Maria.

It’s a moment charged with high emotion for the by now tens of thousands of people packed around the harbour, clinging to the sea wall or watching from the crowded balconies of the surrounding high buildings.

The statue is eventually lashed to a simple fishing vessel that looks as though it will sink under the combined weight of Carmen and her enormous entourage (see below) and the party edges its way through scores of tiny boats packed into the harbour as tightly as proverbial sardines.

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.

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 Playa Fanabe on the island’s west coast.

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 few cages here – mimic natural habitats. For example, a virtual jungle has been created for the gorilla enclosure, housing six male gorillas and occupying 3,500 square metres

The Penguin House is a wondrous place, reproducing the climate of the Antarctic in the finest detail, even producing 12 tons of ice and snow a day for the enjoyment of the 250 penguins accommodated there.

Loro Parque shows are as spectacular as anything you’ll see in Florida, separately featuring the killer whales, dolphins, sea lions and parrots.

Loro Parque came into being over 30 years ago, initially specialising in the breeding of rare parrot species to prevent their extinction. They have since gone on to rescue and protect scores of other animals.

The new online ticketing system aims to speed up the admission process by cutting down on queues at the ticket kiosks.

Tickets can be purchased through the park’s website, www.loroparque.com.

The system operates in three languages, English, Spanish and German, and the online transaction is carried out through a safe server.

Loro Parque already operates an extensive ticket sales network with many tourists able to purchase tickets in advance through their tour operator or hotel.

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 the summer. After that admission will be one euro

The town hall at Los Silos in the north west corner of the island hopes to have the organic market up and running by March of next year.

The market will operate on Sunday mornings, though whether it will be a weekly, fortnightly or monthly event has still to be decided.

The island capital of Santa Cruz has a full programme of films throughout June, July and August, the biggest of which are staged in the Parque Cultural Viera y Clavico.

Details of individual screenings can be found on the Santa Cruz town hall website, www.sctfe.es

In Los Realejos, the cinema takes to the beach in August with movies being shown on the Playa del Socorro.

Open-air cinema is also part of the Los Realejos programme of activities for the Carmen Festival between July 6-14.

Three films are being shown this week (July 9, 10 and 11) in the Plaza de San Agustín.

More details are on the town hall website at www.ayto-realejos.es

A new farmers market created in the heart of the traditional agricultural area on the island of Tenerife is proving to be a shrewd development.

In the heart of the Orotava Valley in the town of La Orotava, the unofficial agricultural capital of the island for centuries, the new purpose-built market opened last month and has already established a popular following with locals and visitors alike.

Nearly €300,000 was invested in a 1,500 square metre site to provide a covered market area big enough to house 40 stalls, together with a children’s playground, cafe/bar and parking for over 100 cars.

The market, which runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 8.30am to 3pm, sells a good range of local produce and crafts, including fruit and vegetables, cheeses, honey, bread, cakes, eggs, wine, plants and flowers.

My spies were out in La Orotava and the nearby Villa Centro shopping mall this week.

In La Orotava itself, there were plenty of ‘rebajas’ signs to be seen and some headline discounts of 20, 30 and 50 per cent. One shop promised 70 per cent reductions, but closer inspection revealed little on display to justify the extravagant claim.

In Villa Centro the story was much the same, one shop proclaiming 80 per cent reductions. A check round the shelves revealed little more than token items justifying the banner.

Just a few weeks after the launch of the new tram service that connects the island capital of Santa Cruz with the neighbouring town of La Laguna, the island bus operator, TITSA, has announced a raft of improvements to services in the north of the island.

The frequency of services between the northern town of Icod de los Vinos and Santa Cruz (service 106) has been boosted by an additional eight journeys a day.

Line 363, which runs from Puerto de la Cruz to Buenavista del Norte has been increased from an hourly to a half-hourly service.

In Los Realejos, the new service will operate between San Vicente and Las Llanadas.

The company is pledged to develop more routes to meet government demand to get commuters, shoppers and visitors to the island out of cars and on to public transport.

TITSA island has a reputation for providing cheap and efficient bus services across the island.

Early reports indicate a wide range of discounts available in the stores of the island capital of Santa Cruz, with some stores offering just 20 per cent off, while others have bitten the bullet and gone straight in, cutting prices by as much as 50 per cent.

But seasoned Canarian shoppers won’t be taken in by these headline offers.

They know that the sales will continue until the end of August and if they keep their powder dry – and their purses clamped firmly shut – that the bargains will become even more tempting in a few weeks time.

It’s an annual game, one the Canarians love to play.

It requires nerves of steel, an icy determination and, most important of all, the instinct and experience to know exactly when to strike.

The news came on Thursday June 28, several days earlier than expected, bringing a swift end to an anxious period of waiting for the island authorities.

World Heritage status for Mount Teide means that the tiny island now has two favoured sites recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

San Cristobal de La Laguna was admitted to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites in 1999 as ‘the first non-fortified Spanish colonial town; its layout provided the model for many colonial towns in the Americas.’

In all, 37 sites around the world were under consideration at the 31st UNESCO world heritage convention in Christchurch, New Zealand. But Teide’s case was given the substantial boost of a recommendation by the World Conservation Union (World Conservation Union boosts Teide bid).

Two other sites were also granted the favoured accolade – the Karst region in southern China and the volcano and lava tubes in Jeju, South Korea.