A Winter Trip to Tenerife

The Canaries have long held a reputation as the ideal winter holiday spot within easy reach of northern Europe. And so it proved when we decided to turn our backs on miserable weather and Christmas shopping and indulge ourselves with some sunshine and good food.

Tenerife was our choice, and in particular the south-west corner where there are the best beaches, slightly better weather in the winter season and the easiest journey from the airport. It's true that there are few small hotels on that part of the island but we were happy to find the Hotel El Mirador. It's probably the biggest hotel on the Little Hotels website but it most definitely has the spirit of a little hotel, with lots of space and super-friendly staff.

Statistics told us we should expect temperatures of 20 to 27 degrees, 7 hours of sunshine each day and only a slight risk of rain. We thought it would have been unrealistic to expect no rain, but we there was none. The sun shone from dawn to dusk almost every day and the temperatures were well above 20 with warm evenings too. We had a couple of windy days but it was easy to find ourselves a sunny position sheltered from the wind so that was no problem.

We had promised ourselves a chill-out holiday with sunbathing, books, good food and an occasional stroll. However it would have been crazy not to spend a little time looking at the rest of the island so we hired a car for two days. With just two people and no luggage a small car was easier on narrow country roads and it was comforting to know that we had a zero excess on the insurance, just in case we gave the bodywork a little nudge (we didn't!).

The dominant feature of Tenerife is Mount Teide, a dormant volcano that rises to 3,715 m in the centre of the island. Although the last significant eruption was in 1798, the volcanic nature of the mountain is very much in evidence. Indeed, the whole island is one very large and relatively young volcano, having been formed only about 200,000 years ago. Measured from the ocean floor, it is the third largest volcano in the world.

So there was no doubt about it, our first day out would be to visit Teide. The road away from Costa Adeje and up towards the mountain was impressively good with plenty of width a unblemished smooth tarmac. As we gradually rose, the views over the south of the island became gradually more and more impressive so there were lots of stops to take in the scenery. Finally we reached the small town of Vilaflor, by which time the need for a morning coffee was becoming more urgent. We could have gone up to the Hotel Villalba, or sought out a little local bar in the town centre but instead chose a lovely little roadside cafe-bar which was obviously popular with cyclists and other visitors making their way towards the mountain. Although we had gone prepared for cooler temperatures up at altitude, we were able to sit outside in just t-shirts.

We continued upward and gradually the pine woods and vegetation reduced to nothing, leaving just the bare rocks of the lava field and Mount Teide in the distance. It was an impressive sight so pauses were frequent, giving us time to just stop and stare at the amazing rock formations, and wonder at the power of nature that has thrown up this massive mountain. We could pick out the blue-green of Azulejos, suggestive of the presence of copper and close to the road was La Ruleta, a huge upstanding rock that has been split asunder and the gap filled with new rock of a later date.

At about 2,500 m we reached the highest point of the road. Here we were hoping to take the cable car up to 3,500 m but sadly it was closed due to the impending winds that were forecast. It was disappointing, but we couldn't argue with the thought that swaying to and fro suspended high above the flank of the mountain would have been a somewhat unattractive prospect. So after more long looks at the impressive bulk of Teide, we got in the car to start our return journey. We were taking a different route back that would take us down to the west coast and this started with a road that cut its way directly across the lava field, with the distinctive forms of the lava flows piled up on either side.

Our final stop of the day was at Los Gigantes (The Giants) where we found a pleasant little bar to top up our fluids and take in the view. That view was the precipitate cliffs that give the village its name. Rising as much as 800 m. vertically from the sea, they are an impressive sight and well worth the visit.

On our second day with the car we retraced our steps back up the west coast, taking advantage of the superb road to cover the ground quickly. At Santiago del Teide we turned off and took the minor road towards Masca. A short, narrow, winding climb took us to the top of the pass and then it was downhill all the way. There was a handy place to park near the top so we made the obligatory stop to take in not just the view of the mountains but also the snaking little road below that would finally take us to Masca. There were many more stops on the way down as we simply couldn't get enough of the spectacular scenery, sometimes looking out to the neighbouring islands of La Gomera and La Palma. Masca didn't have any road access until the 1970s. Before then the villagers route out was either a monstrous scramble up the way we had driven down, or an equally steep descent to the tiny jetty at the optimistically named Playa de Masca, and thence by boat to wherever. These days you can not only drive through (though it's not a road for nervous drivers) or even stay a while at Casa Rural Morrocatana.

Beyond Masca the road became a little easier (just a little!) and we even met a bus coming the other way. Although we were eating exceptionally well at El Mirador, the time had come for a drink and a snack so we stopped off at a local bar-restaurant in El Palmar. It seemed as though the staff had the customers out-numbered, but they were wonderfully friendly, helpful and willing to tell us about their village. Inevitably we misjudged the size of their portions and ordered two dishes when we could have easily shared one, but it's better that than the other way around. Suitably refreshed, we headed on to the north coast and then along to Garachico.

In the run-up to Christmas the Spanish take their nativity scenes, which they call a Belén, very seriously. As we strolled up through Garachico from the sea-pools we came across the first in the reception of La Quinta Roja. It was exquisitely well-made, portraying the scene in a 'cave-man' style. Hotel La Quinta Roja stand in the main town square and in the gardens alongside we found our second Belén, this time a life-sized one complete with camels for the three kings. And yet still we left the best for last. Continuing throught the narrow streets of Garachico we found a building with large doors thrown open and the entire ground floor exposed. What we found inside was more than a nativity, but a whole model village filling the space with all the main features of Garachico constructed in life-like detail. The proud owner told us that this was a project that he added to every year, having spent ten years on it so far.

All that remained was to make our way back to our hotel in Costa Adeje. One more hairpin-filled road carried us up from sea level in Garachico to the main road which lies about 600 m. above. We were back on good, smooth highways for a quick return.

With every holiday in a sunny place, there's a decision to be made. How many days should be spent just soaking up the sun, and how many should be spent sightseeing? Every person has a different answer to the conundrum. On this occasion, two days of sightseeing worked for us.

31 Jan 2025, 10:51