| Tenerife
 Facts:
Size: 2.040 sqkm
Population:
approx. 600.000
Capital: Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife, the
biggest of the Canary Islands, is mainly characterised by windy coasts, rugged
mountains, huge banana plantations and lively towns. It is dominated by a mighty
volcano in the centre of the island which is visible from a far distance and shows
the way to its island of which it is the landmark.
 Up here everything is different. The volcano rules over a
bizarre moonlike landscape. The king of volcanoes, the Pico del Teide is, with
its 3.718 m, the highest mountain of the archipielago and even of Spain. Because
of its height it is not surprising that it snows in winter above 2.000 m even
in these southern degrees of latitude. But of course Tenerife has got more
to offer than that: Black sandy beaches, surfing, beautiful pine- and laurel forests
in the northern part of the island, complete solitude in the thin air of great
heights, watching dolphins in the Atlantic, through-celebrated nights, traditional
fiestas, modern shopping centres, discovering rare plants, scuba diving, climbing
through tight ravines - all this is possible on this largest and most versatile
of the seven ‘Islands of eternal spring’. The vegetation on this island
is unique. The canarian palm tree, the two wolf milk plants Cardón and
Tabaiba, the Retama a white flowering type of broom, and Codeso the yellow glowing
clover, the endemic Tajinaste, all these and more are part of a unbelievable variety
of plant life. Almond trees, cactus, eucalyptus trees and all the fruit trees
were brought into the country by the conquerors. Banana plantations, vineyards
and the colourful bloom splendour of the holiday resorts with their bougainville,
hibiscus and geraniums, only exist because of constant irrigation. Plenty of holiday
makers get a fright when they arrive at the south airport, Reina Sofia. The south
of the island resembles a desert: rough and dry. Dust blows over abandoned fields.
It is perfectly clear that water is a rare and valuable item. Who, however, fears
African climate because the ‘Black Continent’ is only 300 km away, will
be pleasantly surprised. ‘Eternal spring’ that means mild temperatures
all through the year. Warm trade winds and the fresh Canary current in the Atlantic
keep a constant balance. If one doesn’t miss green landscapes one will be
perfectly right in the south of the island. The two towns Los Cristianos and Las
Americas were built in only 40 years and are already joining. Here a tourist haven
was created on dried out land with apartment buildings, hotels, beaches and amusement
parks which offer everything a sun loving holiday maker could wish for. One will
find mainly young tourists who discovered the south of Tenerife as a party zone.
 In the green north of the
island on the other hand fresh humid winds blow in heights between 600 and 1.700
m and accumulate at the central high land. This causes the build up of clouds
which provides the plant live with rain water and shade. It is always a few degrees
cooler here than in the south but the north has different charms to offer: Here
one can admire the typical canarian architecture, little villages, the beautiful
old town of Puerto de la Cruz and much more. One can roam through the fantastic
Mercedes forest or just relax on one of the many beaches. |
Lanzarote 
