Tenerife is known for her great beaches and year round weather, but for those who might want to see a bit of the rural part of the island during their holidays in Tenerife The Independent (who seem to have been doing really good travel articles lately) have written about it, saying:

Aren’t the Canaries better known for their beaches?

Certainly, but the islands also have some strikingly beautiful inland scenery – and more and more visitors are cottoning on. For the energetic, it’s all about enjoying the great outdoors; others just love the idea of sampling a simple, peaceful alternative to the bright lights of the resorts.

Is there much to explore?

Think banana plantations, cacti, dunes and volcanoes. Five out of the seven islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro and Gran Canaria) are wholly or partly listed as Unesco biosphere reserves in recognition of their remarkable landscapes and unusual flora and fauna.

La Palma, in the thinly populated western Canaries, has such clear skies that it’s one of the best places in the northern hemisphere for stargazing. El Hierro’s unpolluted waters are perfect for scuba diving and La Gomera is topped with glorious, laurel-forested hiking country. Tenerife is dominated by El Teide, the highest mountain on Spanish territory. On both Tenerife and Gran Canaria, plantations share steep slopes with pine forests. On the arid eastern side of the archipelago, the ancient hills and plains of Fuerteventura are scattered with pretty windmills. Its neighbour, Lanzarote, is an artful assemblage of twisted lava dotted with perfect little hamlets.

To read the full aricle click through to The Independent here

For more Tenerife information including hotels, Tenerife villa holidays with companies like  James Villas visit http://www.yourtenerife.net

The Independent in the UK ran a good article about Tenerife recently. Here’s an extract:

The southern shore of Tenerife is a place of constant fascination for me. Certainly, the rocky coastline has been much built-upon. Yet even around Playa de las Americas and the other resorts that cluster together, you can find patches of shore where shoulders of rock shrug off man’s attempts to colonise the island. And another conurbation, Los Cristianos, provides options for escaping the crowds and enjoying the coast from the best perspective: the sea. Frequent fast ferries shuttle between Los Cristianos and San Sebastiá*de la Gomera. In less than an hour, you are transported between the intensively developed shoreline of southern Tenerife and the diminutive main town of La Gomera – virgin territory for many visitors to the Canaries, with virgin forest draped over the hillsides. Even if you delve no deeper than the nearest bar in San Sebastian before hopping on the next sailing back, you will develop an appetite for the archipelago’s shores. And, should dolphins opt to race the boat back to Tenerife, you get an aquatic wildlife experience added on as these mischievous mammals jive in the bow wave.

Way over east, take the opportunity to contrast the shores of the unidentical twin islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. The main resort in the north of the latter, Corralejo, has a certain harsh beauty – and a handy jumbo-sized catamaran waiting to grant you a seaborne perspective. As Fuerteventura retreated, I could properly appreciate the meaning of the word “windswept” – and why, with rocky shores washed by sparkling seas, the island is such a hit with watersports enthusiasts. Ahead, Playa Blanca provided a welcome to an island that still has a secret shoreline: Playa Papagayo, almost deserted when I was there, is protected by a barricade of rock and is hard to reach by road.

The best approach, as the astute yachtsman who drifted into the bay demonstrated, is by sea. Nevertheless, for the land-based shore explorer, Lanzarote’s resorts are compact and artfully arranged around the coast, especially the exquisite Puerto del Carmen – where cafés and restaurants perch on the very edge of the shore, while palm trees trespass on to the fingers of rock that extend towards the ghostly shape of Fuerteventura. You can see where César Manrique, Lanzarote’s late, great artist in residence, found much inspiration. To read the full article click here

For more information about Tenerife, including a Tenerife map visit http://www.yourtenerife.net

Time moves on…

In the eighties video killed the radio star, and as technology has advanced it’s not just industrial businesses that have been affected, but retail too, with shops having to adapt to the new world with on-line offerings as well as trying to maintain High Street positions.

And there can’t be many retail specialists with a physical presence on the UK High Streets that have been more affected by the advent of the internet and new technology more than the travel sector.

A High Street travel agency will typically stock brochures for a multitude of destinations, display late offers in its window, and run a foreign exchange bureau, as well as booking holidays and travel insurance for clients.

But more than this travel agents can give personal advice on most holiday destinations as they recount their own holiday experiences, and in bigger shops most popular destinations would have at least one if not two people working there who have visited where a client is thinking of, and pass on personal knowledge as well as advice on which resorts and hotels might be best.

But now this information, and far more than one or two people can give, is available to anyone thinking of booking a holiday via the internet.

Good or bad, reviews of hotels are available on specialist internet sites where ordinary holidaymakers are free to give unbiased advice on a hotel, the staff, surroundings, and what to expect.

The travel sites with reviews can be really up to date as well, often from people who have just stayed in a hotel, and people thinking of booking a hotel don’t have to rely on advice which however well intentioned could be years out of date, and with several reviews to go on a good overall picture can be built up of how well a hotel is performing, and if looks like it could be suitable before booking a holiday.

Tenerife is a good example of where the internet can win over traditional High Street travel agents. Need a Tenerife map for example to see where attractions and your hotel is on the island. It’s easily found on search engines or on sites like Thomson Holidays and Thomas Cook Holidays.

Want to know what the Tenerife weather is like right now, with a 5, 7 or 10 day forecast? A multitude of internet sites will let you know in an instant.

Everything you want to know about your location is available in seconds, and gives a complete picture of what to expect and what can be planned for your Tenerife holidays.

Is the High Street travel agent needed anymore? As more people get computer literate the less a tradtional travel agent is going to be needed in the future. Today’s children will turn to the internet as a matter of course when they are old enough to book their own holidays - replacing the older generation which has a smaller proportion booking holidays online.

Perhaps the answer is for traditional estate agents to do what Thomas Cook Holidays and Thomson Holidays are doing - keeping a presence on the High Street while also having a good internet site that does everything holidaymakers who use the internet site expect a holidays site to provide.

For more details about Tenerife visit http://www.yourtenerife.net which includes holiday deals, news and travel articles

Music legends on holiday can often help a destination if the paparazzi get their photographs, with the tabloids frequently devoting a double page spread of the people and location involved.

And so it turned out for Tenerife when Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster visited the island earlier this year.

Rod staged a sell-out concert in Adeje mid May and stayed on the island with Penny for a few days break after the show.

The show consisted of over two hours of Rod’s classics, including ‘Some guys have all the luck’ and ‘Sailing.’

But apart from the publicity generated for Tenerife by Rod’s concert itself, there had been speculation in the British media over Penny Lancaster before their arrival on the island, and whether she was pregnant.

The newspaper speculation began when they attended the Chelsea Flower Show - and Penny was wearing what was described as a ‘loose printed floral dress.’

But pictures of Penny in her bikini poolside in Tenerife nailed the rumours, along with helping the holidays in Tenerife business as it showed Penny and Rod clearly enjoying themselves and relaxing - a good advertisement for holidays in Tenerife if ever there was one.

But apart from the good Tenerife weather that appeals to holidaymakers year round is there on the island for visitors, and what are the popular areas?

Tenerife features a dozen Blue Flag beaches. These beaches are evaluated for cleanliness and their environment friendly operation. Tenerife offers visitors five national parks for hiking, bicycling and walking. The scenery is unique and gorgeous.

History buffs will like exploring the ancient Pyramids of Guimar. These fascinating six-step pyramids weren’t formally discovered until 1998. The structures have an amazing resemblance to the Aztec and Mayan pyramids found in South America. There are six of these pyramids across the island. The locals dismissed these structures as piles of volcanic ash for centuries. http://www.yourtenerife.net say it wasn’t until specialists removed the debris and the structures were cleaned up that the world realized what an archeological find the island offered.

Icod de los Vinos (just Icod to the locals) is Tenerife’s top wine growing region. Daily life in Icod moves at a more relaxed pace than some other places on the island. If you visit Icod, be sure to visit the Dragon Tree that the locals say is thousands of years old. The beautiful Playa San Marcos with its black sand can be found nearby.

La Laguna is a great city for those who enjoy art and architecture. The Cathedral and museum there date back to 1515, and there are many breathtaking churches to explore. The city was once the capital of the island and still bears the regal air of an important place.

Los Gigantes is a city at the foot of massive cliffs which are also named Los Gigantes. The picturesque marina offers boat trips for dolphin and whale watching.

Los Cristianos is located on the southern coast of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. A relatively small town, with a population of about 12,000, it offers tourists a more private, relaxed atmosphere than some of the larger resorts on the island. Its humble beginnings as a fishing village are still evident in some areas of Los Cristianos.

Whatever part of Tenerife you choose to holiday on, the island can be as carefree or adventurous as you want.

For photographs of Tenerife visit flickr.com

Tenerife

The busiest two months of the year for Tenerife holidays almost over, but sometimes the best time to take a holiday in Tenerife isn’t July or August, but September or October - especially for those without children of school age who can choose when to take their holidays.

A late summer or early autumn visit is good for holidaymakers who appreciate the beaches being less busy than the peak summer months - it’s also possible to get the table of your choice at the restaurants, and the service is often better as the restaurant staff are serving less people.

And the weather in Tenerife is astonishingly good most September and Octobers - usually in the 70’s farenheit during the day - good enough for swimming in the sea or an outdoor pool.

But apart from the good weather in Tenerife and less people around, what is Tenerife like for those who haven’t been before and might be considering a late holidays in Tenerife?

A visit to Aquapark will be a hit with children. They will especially love Dolphin Lake where the popular dolphin show takes place. The thrill is multiplied with the number of rides and water slides available. Adults too can find a lot to keep them entertained for hours.

For those holidaymakers who enjoy time on the beach, Tenerife has twelve Blue Flag beaches. These serene stretches have been analysed and evaluated for cleanliness and environment friendly operation. Away from the beach, Tenerife offers visitors five national parks for hiking, bicycling and walking. The scenery is unique and gorgeous.

The island features two predominant areas for visitors to enjoy. The southern part of the island offers the warm temperatures and tropical settings. The northern part of the island is smaller and less populated with milder temperatures. Visitors can find high quality man-made beaches around many of the large resorts.

Tourists who wish to enjoy the natural beauty of this tropical paradise won’t want to miss Tenerife’s world famous Teide National Park (Parque Nacional de las Caadas del Teide), home to Mount Teide’s 48 K. circumference volcanic crater. Whatever time of the year you decide to visit it’s not just the weather in Tenerife that is a good attraction - Teide National Park boasts gorgeous landscapes and breathtaking mountain views and is clearly marked on any good map of Tenerife.

Another of Tenerife’s natural tourist attractions are the Cliffs of the Giants. These astounding rock walls drop from heights of 500-800 feet almost straight down into the sea. Tourists can soak in the sights from one of the restaurants and other viewpoints located across the small bay in the resort town of Los Gigantes. They may opt for an up-close and personal look at the massive rock faces by taking a tour boat across the bay.

History and archeology buffs will appreciate the Pyramids at Guimar. Archaeologists first dismissed their discovery as mere stone terraces similar to others across the Canary Islands. It has since been proved that the pyramids were authentic ancient structures akin in design and craftsmanship to those in places like Peru and ancient Mesopotamia. The pyramids now attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to marvel at their expert construction.

History, water parks, the weather in Tenerife, the beaches, shopping or nightlife…whatever the reason an autumn visit to Tenerife could be just the tonic before facing up to some cold weather at home.

More information and travel articles plus reviews of the hotels in Tenerife are available by visiting yourtenerife.net

Tenerife Holidays - It's Not Just The Great Beaches...

Canary Island Tenerife has prospered along with much of Europe in the last twenty years, and has built itself a reputation as a great place for a holiday.

So successful has Tenerife’s promotions been as a holidays destination that a significant part of the island’s economy and employment is based upon tourism - and any drop in visitor numbers hits the local population in the number of people employed and the amount of money available to locals to spend.

So the news that tourist numbers have dropped so far in 2009 by over ten per cent compared to last year is not just bad for Tenerife - it’s appalling.

But even with a drop of over ten per cent in the number of people taking holidays in Tenerife this year, the numbers do look impressive and give rise for future hope - nearly 300,000 tourists chose Tenerife for a holiday in January for example.

What can holidaymakers expect when they choose the island, apart from the great weather in Tenerife?

You can find anything in Tenerife that you would expect to find in a European tourist location. There are water parks, theaters, golf courses, restaurants, shopping and much more. Tenerife does have its own particular flavour, though, and even with all of the European influence on the island it is unmistakably Tenerife.

Tenerife’s capital city is Santa Cruz, which boasts a population of over 220,000. It is titled the island of the ‘Eternal Spring’ because of its agreeable climate.

The variety of activities and excursions on this island is impressive. Hot air balloon tours are available, as are Jeep tours. Tenerife offers countless animal attractions and a lush botanical garden.

Tenerife hosts the celebrated Loro Parque - an impressive zoo with animals from around the world in natural settings.

Tenerife also features large water parks for families. The available swimming groups and scuba diving schools can provide a wonderful session of training for those who long to swim in the clear waters.

The volcanic activity has created a unique sea floor that scuba divers enjoy year round. Mount Teide offers visitors a glimpse from the highest elevation in the region. This towering mountain rises over 3,700 meters above sea level. You can quickly go from the comfortably warm temperatures on the sandy beaches to throwing snowballs atop this peak.

The island features two predominant areas for visitors to enjoy. The southern part of the island offers the warm temperatures and tropical settings. The northern part of the island is smaller and less populated with milder temperatures. Visitors can find high quality man-made beaches around many of the large resorts.

Tenerife features a dozen Blue Flag beaches. These serene stretches have been analysed and evaluated for cleanliness and environment friendly operation. Tenerife offers visitors five national parks for hiking, bicycling and walking. The scenery is unique and gorgeous.

There’s so many reasons to visit Tenerife for a holiday, and if you’re considering your family holidays at the moment, it could be a great summer to visit as there are less holidaymakers than normal on the island.

British people, as elsewhere, are facing a recession but also dealing with the declining value of the pound. Banks have lent out too much money. Unemployment is up and manufacturing is down. The current recession is likely due to the credit crunch, combined with the falling price of houses. Britain hasn’t experienced this kind of economic situation since the recession of 1991.

Despite trying times, they aren’t willing to give up their holidays. Instead, British consumers are using the recession to get cheap deals on holidays.

Cheap Holidays for British Tourists

Spending the holidays taking in the sand and sun of beaches on the Mediterranean or taking in the history of a distant country has become second nature to British consumers. In the past, trips to Spain, Turkey, New York and Florida have been pricey. The Internet has helped holidaymakers create less expensive travel plans though. Holidays that used to break the bank are now becoming more affordable. 76 percent of Brits who travelled overseas got a great deal on their last holiday.

Here are a few ways to ensure a good deal on your next trip:

* Check out package deals and all-inclusive plans. Booking your flight, hotel and meals together can usually save holidaymakers time and money.

* Check for cheaper flights at odd times. Catching the red eye isn’t part of an ideal holiday, but it is more affordable and allows holidaymakers to save money and still be able to travel.

* Out of season destinations can be great value and the weather in Tenerife for example is good all year round.

* Compare currency from one country to another to see which destinations are most economical to visit.

* Travel during off-peak months. June and July are peak travel months. Plan a holiday in the off-peak times to get a better deal.

* Look for special offers. Many travel websites offer a deal of the day with cheap fares. For holidays in Tenerife for example visit yourtenerife.net

* Book last minute deals on flights and hotels. If airlines and resorts aren’t booked already, they offer better deals at the last minute to fill their empty spots.

* Locate discount tickets to area attractions before you go. Theme parks and other attractions frequently offer discount coupons and tickets online. A quick search for these can make an otherwise expensive family excursion more affordable.

Using the Internet to Find Cheaper Holidays

Things have changed in the travel industry since holidaymakers have access to the Internet. It relieves the need for a travel agent. You can save money by cutting out the middle man and searching for your own good deal. Now you can book holidays right from the comfort of your own home. You can compare prices of hotels, villas and flights from one site to another. Gaining access to pictures, reviews, prices, hours, maps and more allows consumers to make informed decision about where to book their next holiday.

Now British holidaymakers can compare prices on various travel expenses, decide where their money is best spent and figure out ways to save money. A quick search on the Internet provides a list of travel options that fit in a tight budget. The economic downturn that Britain is experiencing isn’t expected to be long term. Next year is expected to be a year of recovery. Until then, Brits continue to find cheap deals for their holidays in Europe, including holidays in Tenerife

Tenerife attracted nearly 2.5 percent more visitors in 2008 than 2007, and with 2009 just begun, projections for another good year of tourism are surprisingly high.

Nearly 300 Tenerife holiday representatives met in mid January. Discussions included developments and improvements that will continue to draw tourists. An article in the Tenerife News stated, “The island plans on regaining its status as the crown jewel of the European tourist market. One of the major plans for the island is to present it as one giant theme park.”

According to public statistics, 5.45 million tourists visited the island in 2007. Of those, almost two million were from points across the UK. BAA reports that Tenerife is one of the most popular destinations for tourists flying from its Scottish airports. Increased traffic to and from the UK can be attributed to lower cost air fare offered by several UK based companies including Thomas Cook. Flights to Tenerife from many European destinations are a mere 3 to 5 hours and acceptable travel time for even a weekend getaway.

Tourism during a Global Recession

Under normal circumstances, people love to indulge themselves. The average family makes time for at least one holiday per year.

The recession that became apparent and inevitable last year has caused major corporations and several industries to fail. The tourism industry, however, is not one of those anticipating bankruptcy. According to a poll conducted in 2008, consumers do not intend to forego their yearly family holidays because of the decline in economies around the world. Those who enjoy a yearly getaway plan to continue them. Some tourists indicated they would simply plan less expensive holidays and look for great packaged holiday deals - and they could be right as not just Thomas Cook but Thomson Holidays have been offering some great deals recently.

The Canary Islands are among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Of the Canaries, Tenerife is the most popular among families and those looking to fill their agenda with theme parks. Siam Park is the newest and largest addition to Tenerife. The park offers fun and sun in an eco-friendly environment.

Las Americas is another theme park on the island, which offers a twice-daily dolphin show in addition to many other park attractions. Shopping in Santa Cruz and the promenade in Los Christianos is a favourite pastime for those visitors who enjoy buying special gifts from their island getaway.

Los Cristianos in Tenerife

The Beginning of Tourism in Tenerife

In the late 1950s, doctors in Europe discovered that a yearly vacation to warmer climes could improve the health of their patients. According to some travel articles a week’s holiday would be recommended to help relieve stress or encourage patients with arthritic ailments to be more mobile. The warmth of the island temperatures helped aching joints and muscles while improving the mobility of the patient. Over-stressed patients could relax in the temperate climate and let the crystal blue waters wash away the worries of everyday life. Shortly thereafter, mass tourism became popular for adventure-seekers around the world.

Tourism to Tenerife itself was almost non-existent in the 1950s due to the depression brought on by the Second World War. Tourism began with wealthy visitors arriving by steam ship.

The 1970s saw the beginning of a new era for the Canary Islands; an era of fast-paced tourism and world-wide popularity. The first tourists sought high-scale, ritzy accommodations, and by the mid 1970s the resorts of Las Americas, Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes were under way. According to blogs written by tourists they are seeking the same relaxing and ritzy atmosphere.

Puerto de la Cruz is located on the north coast of the island of Tenerife, and was a major tourist resort long before the 1950s boom in tourism swept the Canaries by storm. During the 19th century physicians in England and the Netherlands recommended their patients seek the warmth of Puerto de la Cruz for the winter to promote good health. Some of the oldest hotels in the area date back to this type of early tourism.

Because of its humble beginnings as a resort and fisherman’s haven, Puerto de la Cruz still holds to its historic values. Much of the town is just as it has been for more than a century. The core of the town still holds its old town appeal, although modernisation has played its part on the outskirts. The older parts of town are a gentle reminder of the past. Many old colonial buildings and homes with distinctive balconies line the cobbled streets.

Happily this historic appeal will not be lost among the 12 million pound overhaul that is to begin this year. Puerto de la Cruz mayor, Padron Rodriguez, said the money was a ‘testament to the significance of the town as a major tourist destination.’ He went on to say that the money would ‘bring the town up to date following general wear and tear over the last 50 years as a booming tourist hub.’

Due to the year-round mild climate, Puerto de la Cruz is a popular Christmas and New Year holidays destination. Tourists who live in a colder climate often travel to Puerto de la Cruz for a nice change in temperature. Like most popular vacation destinations, Puerto de la Cruz is very well travelled during the summer months. Holidaymakers can enjoy a wide array of cultural events nearly any time of the year.

All Tenerife resorts offer something slightly different from each other, making Tenerife the perfect island location with something for everyone. Self-catering apartments and Tenerife villas offer the freedom to come and go as one pleases. They include a fully functional kitchen with all the comforts of home. Fincas are Canarian country homes that offer more privacy than Tenerife hotels and resorts. Fincas are generally further out in the country, which helps maintain a very peaceful atmosphere. Resorts, holiday rentals and hotels are plentiful across the island. Most resorts offer inclusive packages that include golf, biking and a multitude of other activities.

And it needn’t cost a lot of money - many holiday companies include flights to Tenerife, while on-line deals are often available too for seperate bookings for Tenerife flights.

Tenerife’s local businesses offer many excursions, including helicopter, vehicle and garden tours. Tours include prime destinations, such as the island’s capital and other historic architectural areas. Other great attractions include cycling, horse riding, paragliding, off-road four-wheeling and island safaris. Of course since Tenerife is an island, diving is a very big attraction. Water sport enthusiasts will enjoy jet skiing, parascending, sailing, water skiing and wind surfing opportunities.

Many theme parks on Tenerife include animal interaction, water slides, roller coasters and great gift shops. Aqualand has the island’s top water attractions. It offers water slides for the adrenaline junky and slow, soothing raft rides through the park for those who love the slower paced, more relaxing rides. Camel Park offers camel rides in the fields surrounding the farm. Jungle Park is one of the larger animal parks. It includes a spectacular aviary show led by an expert team of trainers. The jungle show allows you to closely observe tigers, lions, caymans and monkeys.

Getting away from it all this winter could be a boost for many in need of a good holiday, and holidays in Tenerife tick all the right boxes for a winter vacation.