Somewhere in Russia the air temperature is already well below -30, in Rostov it is snowing, and Moscow is covered with frost every morning instead of snow that never falls.
I, a Siberian by birth, like fair winters and hot summers. The Siberian climate is honest, clearly defined and delineated. Winter is just winter. Snow and -30. Summer means summer. Sun and +30. And short transition periods from winter to summer (spring) and back (autumn).
However, not the entire planet is so lucky. In Antarctica (or "on Antarctica"?) there is eternal winter, in Africa it is always hot...
Stop.
Not all of Africa is always hot. There is a piece of Europe next to it, in which eternal spring has established.
And this is the Canary Islands.
Anyone who reads me will remember that I have already confessed my love for the Canary Islands in.
I won't show off by calling myself a "nook and cranny specialist." Like most Russians who have visited this archipelago, I have not been to Fuertoventura or Lanzarote. Not to mention the end of the world - El Hierro.
I visited La Gomera and vacationed in Gran Canaria. And I visited Tenerife several times, traveling around this island along, across and diagonally. True, the last time I was there was four years ago, but it’s ticked off in my plans for the future “To visit Tenerife again and, at the same time, visit the other islands that I haven’t been to yet”
It is quite possible that if I had visited not Tenerife in 2008, but, for example, Egypt, I would have fallen in love not with Spain, but with Africa. But from a very young age I wanted to go specifically to Tenerife, and even at the beginning of the Turkish and Egyptian boom I did not feel any craving for “full-inclusive” and “Russian-style holidays”. In the 90s, the word “Canaries” smelled of something special, unknown, foreign, extra-class, and so on. My parents visited Tenerife in 1996, and to say that this was an event for an ordinary Barnaul family is to put it very modestly. It was an EVENT.
Today, few people can be surprised by such banality. Top bloggers, in search of the island, climb into the most exotic holes of our planet, but I don’t pretend to any glory with my photos, especially since the romantic aura from the word “Canaries” has since subsided, the islands have become much closer than before. And many “Turks” and “Egyptians”, tired of sunbathing and eating, moved to this next level of tourist travel, so, most likely, I will not surprise many who come here.
Yes, I don’t set such a goal. But my post will be watched by my beloved parents, for whom a trip to Tenerife has become the main trip of their lives, except for the distant, distant 80s, when they escaped from the USSR to Bulgaria.
And knowing how bright that journey became for them in 1996, which, unfortunately, was darkened by the death of my grandmother ( and, of course, they couldn’t get to the funeral - even now planes don’t fly to Moscow every day, and even more so to Barnaul and Rubtsovsk - my father’s parents lived there), knowing that after the trip my father said very pessimistically that “they’ve been there and it won’t work out again,” I had a dream - not only to visit there myself, but moreover, to one day bring my parents there.
And in March-April 2010 it happened. I will use the photographs from that trip to warm myself up on the eve of tomorrow's winter.
By the way, so far I have not visited either Turkey or Africa as a tourist. And indeed, nowhere else except various parts of Spain. Unlike my wife, who visited many more places as a tourist, including Turkey and Egypt :)
Everything is simple with my vacation. Spain - Altai Territory :) And I look at the rest of the world from the windows of the plane, delivering other bloggers to different nooks and crannies.
If you find fault with geography, then the Canary Archipelago belongs to Africa. But politically - to Europe, as part of Spain. True, from time to time the local population recalls the uncivil behavior of the conquistadors, but things do not go further than indignation.
When planning a vacation, we do not use the services of tour operators. We book accommodation ourselves - usually apartments with a kitchen, and without fail - a car for the entire stay. We prefer to buy and cook our own food, so the most we include in the price is breakfast, and not always.
I can’t imagine myself on a vegetable holiday - sleeping, eating and lying in the sun, necessarily getting sunburned three times in two weeks. I like to wake up, throw a breakfast prepared to my taste into my body, map out the next route in the navigator, get into the car and drive the next hundreds of kilometers. My standard “travelling” around the islands is 1000 km per week, and a significant part (taking into account the specifics of choosing vacation spots) is serpentine.
Unlike my mother, I like to drive through the mountains - it's a free opportunity to see breathtaking landscapes. It was difficult the first time - in March 2009 we vacationed on the southern part of coastal Spain, then moved to Tenerife. And it was difficult not because of the “fear of mountains,” but for a banal reason - I started driving a few months before, and had not yet gained enough experience and confidence.
But after the first time, both experience and confidence grew sharply. Now I know for sure that if you are careful, attentive, look at the signs and predict the navigator's readings, then a trip around Spain turns into a walk. Good roads, clear markings, signs on the sides of the roads, duplicated with paint on the asphalt. Normal neighbors downstream.
So, if you have doubts, and because of them you are still going on excursions by bus, afraid of falling behind at the next stop - away with fears! Serpentine from the window of your car is much less scary than from a tall bus driven by a fearless native.
The island of Tenerife is unique for its climate. He's different! And the main creator of the weather here is the Teide volcano, the calling card of the island. It is located approximately in the middle, rising 3718 meters above the sea, and 7500 meters above the bottom of the Atlantic, being the highest peak of the Atlantic Ocean. The mountains block the northern winds, forming clouds in the northern part of the island, due to which significant amounts of precipitation fall there. This part of the island is very green.
However, the tourist area is in the south. Here the area is practically bare, but there is very little rainfall throughout the year. In the southeast, winds constantly drive waves, which has made El Médano a favorite destination for wind surfers. And in the southwest it is almost always calm. Therefore, this part of the island is the most touristic.
The island is not very far from the equator, so the sun shines almost vertically here... However, the air temperature is on average +26 degrees, which deceives tourists, and they burn out "once... twice". The thing is that the island is washed by a cold ocean current, which neutralizes the scorching sun, turning the climate on the island into “eternal spring,” as marketers write.
Of course, the temperature changes plus/minus throughout the year. I visited Tenerife at the beginning of March, in April, in September - and you could always wear a T-shirt and swim in the ocean. However, I must say right away - do not expect the temperature of fresh milk from the ocean. It is always cool there (see above about the cold current). Temperature +20..+24 degrees. At the beginning of March it is cooler, at the end of September it is a little warmer. But never warm enough to climb into to warm up.
And I like it even better - you go into the waves, tremble... and get a sharp increase in tone. But then you get used to it, and you don’t want to go out.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the beaches. They may be a disappointment for those who first visited the Maldives or the Dominican Republic. It should be noted that without human intervention there would be practically no beaches there at all. This is a volcanic island! Only one beach with yellow sand in the northeast of the island was created by nature - thanks to winds from the east, sand was blown from the Sahara Desert, and man helped complete what he started - bringing the missing sand.
Most of the beaches (except for the rocky ones) have black volcanic sand, which is a real pleasure, especially for small children. It tends to get clogged in all possible human places, and is quite difficult to wash off. But it will scrub your body, be healthy!
And, of course, it gets very, very hot in the sun - be careful!
The excitement in the ocean is quite decent. Of course, there are a few small beaches that are well protected by breakwaters, however, most beaches allow fairly high waves to reach the shore. It’s even more interesting for me, but I wouldn’t recommend letting small children stay away from you. My eldest son (he turned 9 years old the other day), Artemka, being a very active child at 4 years old, took a moment... and disappeared. Thank God - I found him, sobbing, quite far from us, but close to the shore... Lost, you see. And we were so scared!
By the way, all beaches throughout Spain are free and free for everyone to enter. So, if you can only get to a beach through a hotel, don’t hesitate to get there, even if this hotel is not yours.
There are many different places on the island that are interesting enough to visit. Let me remind you that it is easy to implement any plans - if you always have a car at hand.
What is a hackneyed "must visit" - Loro Park, Siam Park, Monkey Park. The miniature park, Pueblo Chicco, will not leave you indifferent.
For nature lovers, I would recommend the following routes:
1. Drive around the island, no matter clockwise or counterclockwise.
2. Drive from south to north through the Teide valley, pine forests, go down to the northern airport, leave it behind and climb into the northeastern mountains - here you will find entire thickets of relic laurels (careless guides, trying to gather as many tourists as possible, broadcast, that these can only be found on La Gomera - that’s a trip, not for the faint-hearted), you can admire the two sides of the island from the tops, and then go down to Teresitas beach. The one with the yellow sand.
3. From the south, through the village of Maska, drive all the way north, and turn onto the road to the Teno lighthouse - the westernmost point of the island. Yes, you will have to drive along a closed road (there is a sign “No Trespassing” with the inscription: further travel at your own peril and risk”), under the cliffs hanging over the abandoned road, abundantly strewing the asphalt with pebbles of various sizes. But, once you escape, you will be treated to dizzyingly beautiful views on the rocks, sky and sea.
By the way, the road to the village of Maska is called the “road of death”. Marketing, nothing more. Excellent road, with a fence. The only thing that distinguishes it from the rest of the Tenerife serpentine road is that in some places it is quite narrow and in order to pass tourist buses you have to back up. Well, in some places the slope is a little more than usual. By the way, having chosen the route to Cape Teno, we did not pay attention to the fact that it goes through Maska. And, in general, they did not understand where the “road of death” was. Moreover, I will say that all the most beautiful things will be revealed to the tourist who goes further and does not look at the incomprehensible houses of this unremarkable village.
The best way to get to Masca is by water - you can book a trip on a glass-bottomed catamaran. It will be really interesting, unlike visiting the village overland.
In general, you can simply map out routes - the Internet is full of reference books on all kinds of "miradors" - and find them in person. This is interesting in itself, as opposed to stupid wallowing on black sand under the vertical rays of the sun.
And after the day’s travels, just when the sun goes down lower, around 16 o’clock, you finally come to the beach, when the bulk of the “redskins” are already starting to arrive at the exit, afraid of missing out on the evening “all-inclusive”.
And after the beach, return to the apartment, wash off the black sand, set the table on the terrace overlooking the sea, and drink an ice-cold sangria while watching the sun set directly on the island of La Gomera.
I love Tenerife, and I will definitely visit there more than once.
It remains to summarize the story with photographs, I hope that they will bring a bit of sun, sea and south to our first day of winter.
In one of the parks, I don’t remember where exactly.
My nephew, Sergei (now taller than me), and my son Artemka.
In 1996, my parents rented a hotel room in this area and swam in this artificial lake, so we could not help but visit it in 2010.
Eddie Medano. A paradise for windsurfers.
Typical landscape in the green part of the mountains.
Loro Park. Really worth a visit
Gorillas walk there almost within walking distance. Powerful creatures.
A phenomenal penguin colony in which the climate of Antarctica is recreated.
The main population of the park are parrots.
Not long ago, a mega-water park, Siam Park, opened. Recommended for lovers of crazy water slides.
But others will also find entertainment for themselves.
30 meter "slide". Falling from it, you fly through a pipe inside the pool. With sharks, or something.
Water slalom for those who like to race.
The dragon is also an attraction
Father says hi.
A shallow lake on which an artificial ninth shaft is periodically formed.
And this is the heart of the island, the Teide volcano
This area has a very unique landscape, fantastic.
Finger of God.
Lunar landscape
Tenerife pines.
And again the ocean.
Armas sailed to La Gomera.
A piece of typical coastline.
And again Loro Parque. In addition to flowers, trees and animals, it hosts various shows. The fur seals will not leave anyone indifferent - this is the funniest show in the park.
And this is the most grandiose performance! Orca show! Mast visit!
And, of course, nowhere without dolphins
There is also an aquarium
Today, as part of another excursion to warmer climes and distant islands, I propose to talk about the island of Tenerife. Unlike, where eternal summer reigns, the island of Tenerife is called the island of eternal spring (Isla de la Eterna Primavera).
Islands, seas and oceans always attract us with their unique romance and thirst for adventure, and the Canary Islands in particular. After all, it was here that Christopher Columbus stopped when he was looking for a way to India, and in the end (and many people know about this) he discovered America. Subsequently, the Spaniards shed a lot of blood in the battles for these islands. Despite everything, the Canary Islands are still under Spanish rule.
So, Tenerife.
It is the largest and most populous island in the archipelago. In addition, the island of Tenerife is the third largest volcanic island in the world.
The weather here, as well as on all the other Canary Islands, is pleasingly consistent all year round. In the winter months, the air temperature in Tenerife does not fall below 10 degrees, and in the summer months - no lower than 20. Summer here, as expected for a tropical island, is hot - the air temperature often reaches 40 degrees. And what is good news is that the water temperature here does not drop below 20 degrees all year round.
Probably, it was the island of Tenerife that was the prototype of the tropical island of Chunga-Changa from the cartoon “Caterok” (“Miracle island, miracle island. Living on it is easy and simple. Our happiness is constant - chew coconuts, eat bananas...Tenerife...”).
Of course, the main income to the Tenerife treasury comes from tourists, of whom there are plenty here. Over three million people from all over the world visit the island every year. Two international airports receive this number of tourists: Los Rodeos, located in the north of the island near the capital of the Canary Islands Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the southern one, formerly called named after the Spanish Queen Sofia (El Aeropuerto Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia), located in the south of the island in the province Granadilla de Abona. Unfortunately, there is no direct flight from Moscow to Tenerife and everyone who wants to get to this wonderful island will have to travel this route with a transfer. Most often, flights from Moscow are carried out via Madrid and Barcelona, but there are routes with a transfer at the airport of some other European city, such as Amsterdam, Dusseldorf or Berlin. The bulk of tourists head to the capital of the island Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but besides it there are a number of other resorts on the island, which are located mainly in the southern part of the island. For example this Playa de las Amiricas and Los Cristianos.
It's February, and for Tenerife it's the month of Carnival. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For a whole week, a costume performance with the participation of island residents and tourists takes place on the streets of the city. This carnival is the second largest after the carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
Besides the carnival, which takes place once a year, Tenerife is full of attractions worthy of attention.
First of all this Teide volcano. And no matter how far this island is from Spain itself, this volcano is its highest point and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean. The height of the volcano is about 3,700 meters above sea level, and 7,500 meters above the bottom.
Opera located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, today is a masterpiece of modern architecture and one of the main symbols of the Canary Islands. The building looks truly magical, and its cosmic contours make you remember the stories of science fiction writers.
Located in the city of Candelaria and shrouded in ancient legends, one of which takes us back to the distant 14th century. This legend says that local residents found the image of the Virgin Mary and worshiped it until the Spaniards appeared on the island and explained to them who exactly was depicted in the image. Subsequently, several Catholic churches were built in this place.
And finally, pyramids of Guimara, the meaning of which, as well as their origin, still remains a mystery to scientists. Someone attributes to them miraculous properties, the meaning of which was known only to local residents. Others consider these pyramids to be an ordinary pile of stones that local farmers built for fun.
And to top it all off, a great video by Terje Sorgjerd:
This is the wonderful island of eternal spring and carnival of Tenerife.
Germany (Cologne) – Canary Islands (Tenerife)
Eternal spring - because there is no big temperature difference between winter and summer. Even in the coldest period of January during the day it is 16-18, and in hot July it is 25-27, but the cool sea wind does not give a feeling of heat. True, in the winter-spring period, the temperature of day and night can differ by 5-8 degrees, just like in the north and south of the island. And yet, only in spring can nature bloom so wildly, but in Tenerife everything blooms wildly all year round. The water temperature in the ocean is not suitable for swimming with children from 16 to 18 in winter and up to +21 in summer. During our stay, the air temperature varied from +12 in the morning to +24 in the afternoon (in the shade). The water in the north was +18, in the south +20. February 8, day one – arrival.
We are flying again with this hated company Raynair. Ask what exactly you don’t like about it, I answer: the weight of luggage is 15 kilos, and God forbid it exceeds even 100 grams, the fines are huge; food and even drink are paid, and the prices, of course, are not earthly; eternal delays and waiting for the bus to and from the plane; window tickets are much more expensive; no TVs in the cabin for a flight duration of about five hours; to get out to the toilet, a whole problem in narrow passages, etc. However, buying a trip for a ridiculous price - 304 euros for 8 days with breakfast (per person), there is no point in complaining. So, at 19 local time, we landed safely at Tenerife Sur South Airport. Having received our things, we immediately went in search of a car, ordered online in advance (for 8 days, 130 euros). During checkout, they took a 500 euro deposit, which was not specified when ordering, but that’s not all the trouble; when we arrived at the indicated parking number, our car was not there. The chaos of searching for a car lasted for an hour and a half, and finally they brought up another one, of the same make, but very badly scratched. We took a photo, after which we again had to go to the bureau and re-register the car. We left the airport at the beginning of eleven in the evening with an already spoiled mood.
Roads in Tenerife, oooh, that’s a separate story, but more on that later. It took more than two hours to get to the hotel in the city of Icod de los Vinos, although later, having sorted out the roads, it took an hour and a half. Only it took almost an hour to find a hotel in the city; the navigation system “sent” us along narrow streets climbing almost vertically upwards; from one of them we had to crawl backwards in complete darkness, because... we ran into a dead end, on the other there was one-way traffic (not in our direction), on the third we again ran into a “no passage” sign, fortunately, there were no obstacles, so after exploring on foot, we decided to continue moving. We often drive, there were steep roads, but the one that we climbed to the hotel, the steepness cannot be described in words, almost vertically, at first speed, the car howled and shook from tension, and so did we, because... We were afraid that it would simply stall.
Finally, we were at the hotel, oddly enough, they were waiting for us, although it was almost one in the morning - at least something pleasant for the evening. The room didn’t make a bad impression, but it was stuffy and smelled damp, so we decided to ventilate it and... we almost fell, there were no windows in it!, only two small “holes” in the wall, and the wide bright curtains turned out to be just an imitation.
Briefly about Tenerife: it is the largest island of the Canary archipelago, owned by Spain. I’ll digress at this point, because... We have repeatedly seen inscriptions on fences and houses like “The Canaries are not Spain!” However, it is not our business to figure out whether the Canaries are Spaniards or not, they are just Canaries and that’s all. This “large” island is only 80 by 40 kilometers, it would seem that you can go around it in a day, probably you can, if you don’t look at anything, but driving back and forth along numerous serpentines and mountains every day takes a lot of effort, time and energy.
The island is not only mountains, but also solid lava and everything that is built and grown on it stands on lava. It was built a lot, soundly and beautifully, and the flora defies description, simply magnificent, it’s even amazing how such beauty grew on lifeless lava. The last volcanic eruption here occurred in 1909, so the island is literally blooming and smelling again, until... until a new eruption, but let’s not be pessimists.
Hotel Estrella and its view of Teide. The hotel is not for a beach holiday, it is far from the sea and high up.
Everything is as it should be: sauna, swimming pool... although 15 euros per couple per hour. Map of Tenerife where we visited. In the process of describing the day by day, you can immediately determine the location. Red - cities; green – trekking.
February 9, day two – Puerto Cruz and Santa Cruz.Tenerife is a place where it is impossible to accurately predict the weather during the day, especially in February. In the morning and evening it is usually cool, during the day it is warm and even hot; during the day it may start to rain a couple of times, which instantly stops and the sun and blue sky return. It’s good that we have a car, we left our clothes for all occasions and went to get to know the island. On the first day, we chose a not difficult route, because... Tomorrow we will be climbing the Teide volcano.
Puerto Cruz 30 km from us, so within an hour we were walking around the city. The sea was stormy, cloudy, but warm. The water is not entirely comfortable for swimming, but there were brave souls. The black sand of the beach looks unusual.
I admired the numerous crabs on the beach rocks, how beautiful and huge they were. Trying to photograph them closer, I lost control and got hit by another wave, it’s nonsense that it turned out to be completely wet, it was a pity for the camera, which immediately “died” from the salt water. I had to return to the car to change clothes, but I managed to take a photo of the crab.
Catholic Church of Our Lady of Penha de Francia.
The Old Customs House and the Santa Barbara Battery are fortifications that protected merchant ships in the harbor from pirates.
"Lago Martianez"– a network of pools with heated sea water and islands. The beauty beckoned, but... time. My husband offered me a choice: Santa Cruz or lie here for three hours, and he’ll pick me up on the way back; after hesitating for a minute, I chose the first. Still, we have been and will continue to be in many water parks, but I will never see the capital Tenerife. Initially, our plan did not include Loro, Aqua and other parks intended mainly for children's entertainment, of which we have more than enough in Germany.
The tour began with the Auditorio de Tenerife - one of the most famous and recognizable buildings in Spain, the symbol of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and one of the main attractions of the Canary Islands. The opera was built in 2003.
The coastal defense of San Juan Bautista, also called the Black Fort, played an important role in the defense of the city. Every year on July 25, a celebration is held near this fort in honor of the unsuccessful attempt to capture Santa Cruz de Tenerife by the British Admiral Nelson.
The entire coastal strip of the square near the Opera is strewn with large black stones; many of them have portraits of famous people painted on them by local craftsmen, which is entertaining.
They left the car in front of the Auditorio at some construction site. It’s a couple of kilometers to the city center, but we were too lazy to take a walk, so we decided to drive closer to the center and... made a big mistake. On this evening, a celebration was planned in the city and the city center was blocked, we got into a big traffic jam, wasting more than an hour (and we could have been walking in the center a long time ago). After spinning around, we left the car in an underground garage not far from the place where we took it, but now for a fee, this is how we were punished for laziness. There wasn’t much to see in the city, and the weather had suddenly deteriorated and it was starting to rain, so after walking around the center a little, we went to have lunch and wait out the rain, which had become serious.
A small old church, well restored, is located across the road near the Opera.
Parish Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in the historical part of the city. It is the main temple of the city, often called the "Cathedral of Santa Cruz" or the "Basilica of Santa Cruz", although it is neither one nor the other. By the way, many historical relics are kept there, taken under the protection of UNESCO.
Plaza de España was built on the site of the San Cristobal Castle, a former bastion designed to protect the island from pirates. Now all that remains of the castle are the walls, which can be seen in the underground gallery located under the square. Around the square are the city hall, the main post office and other important municipal buildings.
In the center is the Monument to the Fallen, built after the Civil War. This is a cross-shaped tower with an observation deck at the top. The huge green “bowl” of the square is a fountain with sea water, which is illuminated by a garland of light bulbs made in the shape of water drops of three different sizes, alas... we did not see this beauty, the fountain did not work, as well as the entrance to the observation deck. Failures accompanied us throughout the entire trip to Tenerife, yesterday with the car, today with the camera, and here on Santa Cruz, as it later turned out, almost every day.
We had lunch at a pizzeria with a lawn on the roof; the prices turned out to be much higher than in Puerto Cruz.
We walked around the García Sanabria municipal park.
On the way back, we again got into a huge traffic jam when leaving the city onto the highway, so we decided not to stand there, but to wait it out, turning into the first street we came across. We climbed the nearest mountain by car to take a photo of the evening city. However, traffic jams were still not avoided.
Driving past Puerto Cruz, I sighed with regret, I still had to stay in Lago Martianez, lie on the sand and swim in the pools with warm sea water, but... the choice was made and it was not the best, Santa Cruz did not leave much of an impression.
Breakfast at the hotel at 8.30, very late, because of this, we lost a precious hour and a half every day. Usually on trips we left at 8 am, but here it was only after ten o’clock. Tomorrow - Teide, I wanted to leave early, so we ordered breakfast with packed lunches. February 10, day three – failed Teide; Raques de Garcia rocks; high mountain village of Vilaflor.
In the morning, without waiting for the ordered breakfast, we left the room at 7.30 and... saw a bag of food hanging on the door handle, we had to go back and have breakfast. The mood was great, because... the weather was warm and clear, we were already anticipating what super views there would be when climbing to the very top, i.e. to the crater. The climb itself was booked in advance on the Internet for 11 am, which means we have to hurry in order to have time to climb the funicular to 3550 m, and then walk to the crater at 3718 m.
We passed the “Stone Flower” on the way to Teide(from the north side), making a short break at the mirador (observation platform), from where Teide was clearly visible, although it still takes a long time to get to it.
Even from a distance we sensed something was wrong; we couldn’t see the “floating” cabins on the cable car, and there were very few cars in the parking lot. The strong wind is the culprit of this silence. The cable car was closed for the whole day after a test run, you saw it yourself, the cabin was swaying incredibly, and this was at the beginning of the journey, I can imagine what was happening at the top. They asked what we should do with the ordered climb to the crater - they suggested we just forget it, because... A huge piece of ice slid onto the path when it melted; the climb will be opened only after it melts, which means we are flying over. This is perhaps one of the biggest failures. You can climb the volcano on your own along a path that starts a couple of kilometers from the cable car, but it takes 6 hours there and 5 back, and the time is already 10, therefore, we will return in the dark, not suitable. But we still approached the trail, and even walked for a kilometer, well, no, we couldn’t do it, the wind just blew us off our feet. Finally we fully realized that we need to forget about the volcano for today.
What is bad luck and how to deal with it - change the route, that's what we did.
Even in the photo you can see how strong the wind is: the scarf is like a flag; Even the hood does not hold the cap; the bushes are almost lying down.
We go to picturesque rock formations Roquec de Garcia, located in the Teide National Park, near the foot of the Teide volcano towards the south. This place is popular among tourists because of the bizarre shape of the stones and the variety of their colors. There are several hiking trails around the rocks. Since we had time, we decided to take a walk around this picturesque area and did not regret it, two and a half hours flew by unnoticed.
Rock Cinchado(finger of God) is one of the symbols of the island of Tenerife. Her image was on the 1000 Spanish pesetas banknote.
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Climb to these rocks for another 30 minutes  |
Sitting "toad"  |
(photo from the observation deck), from these rocks below we climbed to the observation point at the end of the path. We walked along the top of the entire ridge of rocks, then went down into the canyon and returned to the beginning of the path, going around the rocks on the other side and examining them from below.
The village of Vilaflor is located at an altitude of 1400 meters and is the highest mountain not only in Tenerife, but also in Spain. In this regard, there is a unique climate here, which allows many fruit and vegetable crops to produce four harvests a year.
We drive through pine forests that look deplorable after the terrible fire of 2007, but Canary pine has an amazing ability to recover after forest fires that are destructive to all other vegetation. Near the village, surrounded by pine forests, grows “Pino Cordo” - a pine tree 40 meters high (third photo).
There are many hiking routes around Vilaflor so that everyone can admire the natural beauty and breathe in the purest mountain air. But we were interested in “Moon Landscape”. Having rested under the powerful crown of a 40-meter pine tree, we learned that we had passed the turn to the “Moon Landscape”, although quite a bit. We returned and... drove through again. Later they understood why they couldn’t find it: it simply couldn’t occur to them that the narrow, dirty dirt path was the “road” to the “Moon Landscape”. Moreover, it was dug up and there was a sign that passage was prohibited, repair work was underway, but... it was possible to pass. We waited a little, maybe there will still be people who want to see “Moonscape” with a car, or someone will return from there, alas... no one. And if it continues to be dug up, the road is so narrow, and even winding, that you won’t be able to turn around, you’ll have to back away. In general, we didn’t decide to buy a car. And walk 5 km to the parking lot, then 4 km, uphill, to the “Moon Landscape”, i.e. in total, 18 km was not warm, especially since we had only recently walked 8 km on the de Garcia rocks. So the “Moonscape” flew by as well as the crater of the Teide volcano.
Village of Vilaflor
In the evening, good news awaited me at the hotel: my camera “came to life”, although not all functions worked, but I still took photographs, which means it had dried out a little after “swimming” in sea water. February 11, day four – Los Gigantes; Maska village; Tenopark.
We are going to the west coast of Tenerife to the town Los Gigantes, from which the giant cliffs of Acantilado de Los Gigantes stretch for 10 km along the coast. In Spanish, these steep basalt cliffs are translated as “Rocks of the Giants.” The Los Gigantes cliffs are the highest in all of Spain, they belong to the Teno mountain range and do not have a gentle slope. The height of the ledges reaches 600 meters, and they are immersed in the ocean for the same amount.
The best way to admire the majestic landscape is from the sea. The port of Los Gigantes organizes numerous sea excursions on boats, boats, yachts and catamarans, combining a walk to the rocks with watching the whales and dolphins that live in this part of the coast of Tenerife. The difference in the cost of the trip depends on the time and type of ship; there is even a large ship decorated as a pirate schooner (first photo). We chose the cheapest one - a 2-hour trip for 15 euros per person on a small boat (second photo).
I liked the walk, we saw dolphins, although we were thoroughly wet from the sea spray, because... the boat was constantly “diving” in the waves.
A short stop was near the Masca gorge (Barranco de Masca), where it ends, starting from the village of Masca. Those who wanted to bought, but there were few of them, because... We “bought” enough during our walk along the ocean, everyone was treated to Canarian Sambria wine, and that was the end of the trip.
The tourist town of Los Gigantes - consisting entirely of hotels and guesthouses, is green and very cozy.
We are on our way to Maska village along picturesque road serpentines.
The village of Maska met with light rain and fog.
Until the 60s of the last century, it remained inaccessible; the village could only be reached by boat, and then along mountain paths. It is not surprising that since ancient times the Masca Gorge in Tenerife has been considered a haven for pirates and smugglers. Now there is no problem getting to the village, but even the road itself with a lot of sharp turns is a real adventure.
The village is quite small, about 150 residents live in it, but to this day it has retained its historical appearance. All buildings are made in traditional Canarian style. For tourists there is a souvenir shop and several restaurants where you can eat inexpensively and tasty.
After walking around the tiny village, we decided to go down into the gorge, although we understood that there was not enough time to walk to the sea and back. It takes more than 3 hours just to go down to the sea, then back the same way, but with an ascent, which means it will take more time, and we simply didn’t have seven hours before dark. But I really wanted to see the gorge, so we went, but decided that it would be no more than two hours one way.
The descent into the gorge begins near this restaurant, where we later had dinner. On the way back, this climb up the mountain turned out to be the most difficult, the restaurant is barely visible at the top, and this is only the beginning of the descent.
If you slip, you'll only fall about 20 meters.
The gorge is really very picturesque. We walked almost half the way in an hour and a half (marked on the map with a red dot), then solid rocks and boulders began, we had to return so as not to spend the night in the gorge. We were aware that the last part of the journey towards the sea was much more difficult, but we didn’t think it would be that much. We spent the same amount of time on the way back, although the road was constantly going up, we were in a hurry, because... It gets dark very quickly in the mountains. In total, we “walked” through the gorge for 3 hours, we were tired, but received a lot of positive emotions from what we saw.
The pea soup in the restaurant turned out to be excellent, such a huge portion with a whole freshly baked loaf that there was simply no need for a second course. After dinner, we walked around the village of Maska a little more and bought a large multi-colored singing parrot in the souvenir shop.
We took a different road back, heading to the town of Buenavista del Norte (west). Adrenaline was added to the positivity, winding along the mountain serpentines of the Teno National Park.
At the pass we found ourselves in clouds floating at high speed, an interesting feeling. The picture of the review changed every minute: now you see mountains that are covered with incoming fog; then far below there is a valley with a village; then you stand in pure milk and even 5 meters away you can’t see anything.
On the way we saw another attraction of Tenerife - the Montana La Sahorra hill, shaped like a cut pie.
Near the town Buenavista del Norte There are numerous banana gardens, I wanted to look at the growing huge bunches of bananas. Alas, the gardens are tightly closed with waxy brick or concrete barriers.
February 12, day five – Teide volcano; Pyramids of Guimar; Candelaria.Let's go again Teide, however, call first and make sure that the cable car is working.
View from the Teide observation deck 3550 m, minus 4 degrees.
Closed trail to the Teide volcano crater.
25 euros per person to ride the cable car up and “walk” along a small observation deck, where there is nothing to see - it’s not worth it. In a word – I didn’t like it!
We had great fun climbing in the “desert” near Teide. We watched the filming of a film about Indians.
Ethnographic Guimar Park founded by Norwegian explorer Thor Hayerdahl in 1998. On its territory, which occupies more than 64 square kilometers!, there is a complex of pyramids, a museum, large garden areas and much more.
Pyramids of Guimar, these are six step pyramids located in the city of Guimar on the southeast coast of the island. According to local scientists and island residents, these structures were piled up by local farmers, who, when plowing the land, have the custom of placing the stones they found at the borders of the fields. According to locals and old images, such pyramids existed in many places on the island, but were demolished due to their perceived uselessness and were used as a source of cheap building material. There were nine pyramids directly in Guimar, of which only six have survived.
In 1991, famous traveler Thor Heyerdahl studied the pyramids and declared that they could not be just mountains of rubble. For example, clear traces of stone processing were found at the corners of the pyramids, and also that the ground was leveled before the construction of the pyramids. The material is not round boulders from local fields, but pieces of lava. Heyerdahl also expressed opinions about the astronomical orientation of the pyramids. In addition, all the pyramids on the western side have stairs that on the morning of the winter solstice lead directly to the rising sun.
Heyerdahl was never able to find out the age of the pyramids or answer the question of who built them. However, it is firmly known that the Guanches lived in a cave under one of the pyramids, and even one of them was the residence of one of the 10 kings (Mensei) of Tenerife.
Sugar cane, heavy, however, for some reason I thought that it was not so tall. The second photo shows a figure from Easter Island. On the third - the plant “Bruise”, known on Teide, but we saw it only in the park, although I read on the internet that it is everywhere, especially near the Teide volcano, alas... we did not see it, and it is not flowering, although I read that it blooms brightly and exactly in the spring.
We spent more than two hours in Guimar Park, had a great rest and for only 11 euros - it’s worth it. (Candelaria) is located near the capital of the island, Santa Cruz.
Tenerife's main cathedral is in La Laguna, but the heart of the island's religious life beats in the coastal town of Candelaria. Here, in the basilica (Basilica de la Candelaria), a very important relic for every Canarian believer is kept - the statue of Our Lady of Candelaria, patroness of the Canary Islands.
According to legend, the statue was found on the beach by Guanche aborigines back in the 14th century. The Guanches were pagans, not familiar with Christian values, but they treated the strange find with respect. The Guanches named the new goddess Mother Sun (Chaxiraxi) and began to worship the image of the Virgin Mary. At the same time, they also did not forget about their old gods. Subsequently, when the island was conquered by the Spanish conquistadors, to say that they were surprised by this is to say nothing; they were in complete stupor - the pagans worship an image so revered in the Christian world. And why the image of the Virgin Mary is black is a separate story, about which much has been written on the Internet.
Nine bronze statues of the Menseys, the Guanches of Tenerife, line the Candelaria promenade. Once upon a time, the entire island was ruled single-handedly by a mensey named Tinerfe El Grande. After his death, his nine sons divided the island into nine independent kingdoms and also became menseys before the colonization of the island by the Spaniards.
February 13, day six – Icod de Los Vinos; botanical garden in Puerto Cruz; cave village Chinamada.We live in and don’t have enough time to see everything in the city, so we decided to get acquainted with it before breakfast.
Drago Park is the main attraction of the city of Ikod, with its old tree called the “thousand-year-old dragon”. Dragon trees do not form growth rings, so the real age of the tree remains a mystery. This dragon tree (Dracaena dracaena), with dagger-like leaves, is the largest and most famous member of the Dracaena genus in the world. It was declared a national monument in 1917. In 1985, a fan was installed between the tree trunks to circulate air and prevent mold growth. This dragon tree is about 18 meters high. If you make a cut on a tree trunk, a red resin (“dragon’s blood”) will come out, which was previously used as a medicine and dye.
To view it, you don’t need to buy a ticket and waste time exploring the park, which is more suitable for visiting with children; the tree is clearly visible from the observation deck, however, it is more advertised than it is anything of the sort.
But in a regular free park in the city there is a wonderful “walking ficus” growing, which we liked. The impression is complete that the tree is really walking, and the front and back roots are like huge chicken feet. It is impossible to believe that this is the same tree (second, third and fourth photos).
The other one has a stone embedded in the trunk, and the tree itself is interesting.
The third tree itself is flat, and the fruits are in the form of a large ball, very large.
Church of St. Mark.
Inside, the church is striking with an abundance of niches, and in the center there is a statue of St. Mark - a small Gothic sculpture carved from stone that came to the island before the Spaniards arrived there. This is one of the oldest European figurines in the Canary Islands.
The huge white building is a former monastery, currently a primary school. We walked around it and was amazed that most of the classrooms where the kids study were without windows and with rather dim light. Inside, the monastery remained similar to a monastery; it doesn’t look like a school, although you yourself saw kids studying in classrooms and running around the monastery courtyard.
Another attraction of the city of Icod is the underground complex of the Viento-Sobrado cave, which we couldn’t visit because we didn’t have enough time, but here you need at least 5-6 hours. The Viento Cave is unique in that it is a large lava tube and is the largest in Western Europe. It was formed about 27,000 years ago from basaltic lava as a result of the eruption of the Viejo volcano, which stands next to the Teide volcano and only slightly below it.
In total, the Viento cave has three levels, the tunnels of which in total stretch for 17-18 kilometers (the fourth largest in the world). This is a real labyrinth with many unexplored turns. Besides its length, the cave is notable for its three-level structure, which is not found anywhere else in the world. Here you can see lava stalactites, lava cascades and terraces, lava lakes, as well as representatives of flora and fauna preserved in stones.
When leaving the city, we saw a pillar overgrown with greenery, resembling a walking figure.
There was enough time to visit before breakfast city of Garachico, located six km from Ikod.
Three hundred meters from the shore, a large stone is the Roque de Garachico rock, on which rare petrels nest.
Natural pools formed after a volcanic eruption. There is no “normal” beach in the city, but these numerous pools with paved paths and steps can completely replace any classic beach. In sunny weather, the water in the pools quickly heats up from the stones, and swimming in them is a pleasure. True, we were unlucky here too, the pools have been closed for a week due to an incessant storm, although in the pools themselves the water was completely calm, it is not clear why they were closed.
The Castle of San Miguel is simply called "Castle of Garachico" or "Fort of Garachico". It was built in the 16th century and protected ships from attacks by pirates, which were not uncommon in those days. In addition, unlike today, Garachico in past times was the commercial capital of the island, with ships carrying expensive cargo moored in its port. Fort San Miguel completely lost its importance in 1706, when a volcanic eruption destroyed part of the city and blocked the entrance to the bay.
Church of St. Anne.
Central square of Garachico.
After a late breakfast we go to Botanical Garden of Puerto Cruz.
The entrance ticket was only 3 euros, but we thoroughly enjoyed what we saw, two hours flew by in a flash, there was so much exoticism in such a small park. Tenerife has more than 1,300 plant species and 200 of them grow only on this island.
The first tree has roots that hang down to the ground in the form of a curly net, hard to the touch.
Tall bushes, one might say trees, blooming like large dandelions, and colorful ones.
Meter-long monstera leaves and a lumpy tree root.
These are all ficus trees, one in each photo! different wood, but looks like a forest.
This huge “fern” blooms with bright, wonderful flowers.
And on this bush, each flower is 20-25 cm in diameter.
And this is actually a miracle, a miracle, either a flower or a root...
It is impossible to post all the pictures of the garden, but you must agree, the beauty is indescribable.
Next we head to the Anaga mountain range to the north of the island. We had to go around the town of La Laguna, which we wanted to visit, because... a party was planned, Canarians love to have fun, and in connection with this there was again a monstrous traffic jam.
Our goal - Chinamada village(Chinamada). Long before the first conquistadors appeared in Tenerife, the Guanches, an incomprehensible people who have now disappeared from the face of the earth, already lived here. And the Guanches used caves as living space, of which there were plenty on the volcanic island. Quite a traditional solution for the Stone Age. And there are no problems with space, you can build as much as you want. Nowadays Tenerife is considered a civilized place, and in this village people still live in caves. Don't believe me? Come to the village of Chinamada in the Anaga Mountains. By the way, electricity was installed here only in the late 90s.
The road to Chinamada is very picturesque, and there are no less serpentines than to Maski.
We had lunch in a yellow restaurant, where only the covered terrace and outbuildings are visible; the restaurant itself is in a cave. Many “cave” houses have an external terrace, even covered with glass - this is already a sign of civilization. We ordered two different Canarian dishes at random, because... If you don't know Spanish, it's impossible to ask. During the trip we tried a lot of dishes, but not all of the Canarian cuisine was to our liking; we couldn’t eat some, like gofio (mashed porridge with the same pureed meat).
We decided to walk to the mirador with an amazing view of the Anaga Mountains and the rocky Atlantic coast. The plan was not to climb mountains, so I went in sneakers and capris. Valdemar was a little more prudent, wearing trekking boots, but stayed in shorts. It will soon become clear why there is so much detail about our equipment.
Today, at the request of one of my readers, we will go to a very beautiful place - to Madeira Island.
Such incredibly beautiful places, of course, also have their own unique scents. I already wrote about fragrances.
What does Madeira Island smell like? This truly paradise smells of honey, fish, flowers and wine.
The unique climate and stunningly beautiful nature attract thousands of vacationers all year round. Madeira is called the island of eternal spring.
The climate here is truly unique. Temperatures in summer are from 22°C to 26°C, in winter – from +16°C to +18°C. And thanks to the Gulf Stream, the water temperature allows swimming almost throughout the year. Real tropics in Europe.
The island of Madeira has become a favorite holiday destination for many of Europe's most famous people. Margaret Thatcher once spent her honeymoon here, and 50 years later celebrated her golden wedding here. Agatha Christie wrote her famous “Murder on the Orient Express” here, and Winston Churchill came here not only to relax, but also to enjoy his favorite wine – Madeira.
The famous football player Cristiano Ronaldo was born and raised in Madeira.
Madeira Island is unique. This volcanic island has incredibly luxurious nature, which has turned it into a huge botanical garden. There are many exotic tropical plants growing here on this European island.
And once upon a time the entire island of Madeira was covered with dense forests. But in 1419, a Portuguese expedition led by Zarco reached Madeira in search of new lands. They were interested in land for settlement and agricultural development. But dense forests prevented the implementation of these plans, and Zarku ordered the forests to be set on fire. Fires burned on the island for several years, destroying almost all the vegetation. But the ashes turned out to be a wonderful fertilizer for the volcanic soil of Madeira, and new plants began to grow here, eventually turning the entire island into a beautiful flowering garden.
The fantastic possibilities of the island’s nature can be understood by visiting the capital’s market. What's missing here! Mango and papaya, bananas, passion fruit...
Even the most outlandish exotic fruits can be found. And all this is grown here on the island.
And of course there is a stunning botanical garden, which is considered one of the best in the world.
And everywhere here you can find a very interesting Strelitzia flower - the symbol of Madeira.
Hiking along the levadas is very popular here. For many centuries, narrow terraces were built on the slopes of hills, the edges of steep slopes, and along the edges of cliffs, which served as an irrigation system. There are paths along these terraces, walking along which you can reach the most beautiful corners of the island.
But there are no real beaches on the island of Madeira. This island of volcanic origin rises above the ocean, and therefore there are no gently sloping shores.
But this does not interfere with a good holiday in Madeira. Concrete platforms with stairs leading directly into the ocean have been built here.
And in some places there are real natural pools formed by the volcanic rock itself.
One of the main assets of the island of Madeira is its “Golden Wine” - the famous Madeira. But this wine deserves a separate story.
If you decide to go on holiday to Madeira, you can choose the best tour for yourself right now on the page
And the best and most interesting excursions in Madeira are already waiting for you. All you have to do is choose
Tatiana StrazhevichDespite the “selectivity” of tourists, the Canary Islands are very popular. Tenerife is not without reason called the Island of Eternal Spring - it is a year-round resort. There are unique climatic conditions here, there is no sweltering heat, it is very comfortable and warm.
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Manager of the travel company "Vremya-tour" Natalya Kravtsova talks about the amazing Canary Islands.
- As you know, the tourist these days is a sophisticated one, and it’s difficult to surprise him with something exotic. What is special about the direction that Vremya-Tour offers to clients?
Despite the “selectivity” of tourists, the Canary Islands are very popular. Tenerife is not without reason called the Island of Eternal Spring - it is a year-round resort. There are unique climatic conditions here, there is no sweltering heat, it is very comfortable and warm. The island is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, which is considered cold. But even in winter the water temperature does not drop below +20C.
So, the islands are attractive to holidaymakers all year round. Of course, in the summer, competition comes from resorts on the Spanish continental coast. But in winter and in the off-season, Tenerife remains number one. Some tourists are embarrassed by the long flight - about seven hours. But this is perhaps the only inconvenient moment. Comfortable planes with business class fly to the island.
- Natalya, I heard that the level of service in hotels is simply excellent.
Due to the fact that this area is considered elite, there is a very strong hotel base: mostly very strong fours, 4+ and 5 stars. There are also three-star hotels, but they are not typical for Tenerife. There are many well-known hotel chains here - not only Spanish, but also world-famous: H10, Sol Melia, Iberostar. Naturally, they are famous for their high level of service.
Tenerife is a volcanic island, so many of its beaches have black sand. But some hotels import white sand and make artificial beaches. There are many magnificent tennis courts and golf courses built here - carefully maintained, with a unique design. Almost every hotel has magnificent spa complexes where you can enjoy chocolate or wine therapy, try a variety of treatments and various types of massage. If the ocean temperature seems too cold, heated pools are at your service.
By the way, about the cost. In principle, a tour package to Tenerife is not cheap - for a number of objective reasons. Nevertheless, we are trying to maintain a democratic and loyal pricing policy, which, in fact, distinguishes us from other companies. First of all, we try to focus on customers and offer products in different price categories - from fours to the most elite vacation. We have developed special bonus programs for agencies, including an increased system of discounts. So, with a standard commission on tours of 10%, which most tour operators give, in the winter months we give a 20% commission - and that’s a lot. Naturally, our prices cannot but interest our clients.
- What can you do here besides playing golf? Any excursions, local attractions?
One of the most picturesque excursions is a sightseeing tour of the island with an ascent to the Teide volcano. By the way, the island is named after the volcano: “Tenerife” means “snowy mountain”. Today the height of Teide is just over 37750-0_bgblur_00 meters - it used to be higher. And its last eruption dates back to 1798. No matter which side you approach the volcano from, you are guaranteed the most amazing and beautiful views. Mountains and forests alternate here - with ancient relict trees; and above begins the volcanic landscape - with frozen lava flows, destroyed craters and weathered rocks. The landscape is very reminiscent of scenes from science fiction films. By the way, the films “Star Wars” and “One Million Years BC” were filmed here.
The most visited attraction is Loro Parque. Here is the world's largest collection of parrots and the largest penguinarium, Planet of the Penguins. Here you can admire the dolphin and seal shows, visit the zoo and botanical garden with unique exotic plants.
The island offers an excellent choice of "easy" holidays. Boutiques and shops of world brands, cozy restaurants and cafes, water parks and all kinds of boat trips, knightly tournaments and flamenco shows - everything is thought out to the smallest detail here. So, a holiday on the Island of Eternal Spring will not disappoint you.
