Tenerife holidays

Playa de las Vistas in Los Cristianos is one of the most popular beaches in Tenerife, and it’s definitely deserving of the attention it receives. It’s one of the longest stretches of sand on the south coast and it comes with all the essential facilities, from sunbeds and showers to a beach volleyball court.

After more than 100 years of tourism, none of Tenerife’s beaches are truly footprint-free. But if you’re looking for a lesser-known band of sand, your best bet is to look to the north coast. Playa Bollullo, on the edge of Puerto de la Cruz, is a good example. The volcanic sand here is overlooked by craggy hillsides and a solitary café.

If Tenerife had a penny for each of its beaches, its name would feature on a rich list somewhere. The island is circled by 400 kilometres of coastline, which manifests itself in different ways. There are straights of white sand that roll out for a couple of kilometres, and swathes of dark volcanic sand that operate according to the good-things-come-in-small-packages philosophy.

Tenerife is a duty-free island, so you don’t have to look far for a bargain. You should expect to get between 20 and 50 per cent discount on alcohol and cigarettes. The best place to buy your duty free is in a supermarket. The biggest one in Playa de Las Americas is the Mercadona in the San Eugenio shopping centre, while Hipertrebol, near Calle Valois, is one of the cheapest in Los Cristianos. If you’re looking for a more authentic souvenir, head to the craft market in Alcala, 2 kilometres from Playa de la Arena. It takes place on a Monday in Calle de la Plaza.

There are a number of shopping centres in Tenerife, such as Siam Mall which has two locations on the island. You’ll find shops like Mango, H&M, Guess, Pandora, and Swarovski. There are also some gift shops here which sell traditional Tenerife souvenirs. Local pearls are popular, along with peridot, a green-coloured gemstone made from Canarian lava. It’s often called olivine on the island of Tenerife.

Shoppers with money to burn can set it alight at the Sarafi Centre in Playa de Las Americas and the Plaza del Duche in Costa Adeje. These upmarket malls are full of designer fashion stores and high-brow jewellery shops. Names like Armani, Cartier and Hugo Boss feature on their register. The Plaza del Duche also offers a bespoke personal shopper service.

While the 18 to 30s crowd head to Playa de Las Americas, couples and families are catered for in Playa de la Arena. The beach here is lined with restaurants and cafes, serving a collection of international and Canarian cuisine. It’s a similar story in Avenue Adeje in Playa Paradiso. In Los Cristianos, meanwhile, the evening entertainment revolves around cocktail bars and live music pubs. Take your pick from the offerings in the Allo Centre, the Central Commercial Jose Bas, and on Avenida Juan Carlos.

Tenerife’s clubbing muscle is strongest in Playa de Las Americas. The Veronicas Strip on the seafront is crowded with bars and clubs, which stay open until 5am. About 300 metres inland you’ll also find a shopping centre called Starco’s. The bars here are busiest around 10pm and they act as a warm-up area for Veronicas. Compared to Playa de las Americas, nightlife in Costa Adeje is a slightly watered down, but there are still plenty of bars and clubs. You’ll find the pick of the bunch near Playa Torviscas Beach and C C Torviscas Costa.

Canarian families pile their plates high with this hearty stew on a weekly basis. This hunger-buster is made with chicken, chorizo, potatoes, chickpeas, paprika and an assortment of fresh vegetables. Restaurants serve an upgraded version by throwing in a few strands of saffron.

Tenerife exports more than 3,400 tonnes of cheese every year, but there’s one variety that stands out from the rest. In 2008, Arico goats’ cheese was crowned the World Champion Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in Ireland. It’s got a smoky tang and it’s coated in paprika.

This is black pudding, but not as you know it. In Tenerife, this recipe is given a sweet twist with ingredients like almonds, cinnamon, raisins, pine nuts and nutmeg added to the mix. It’s served with other tapas dishes at dinnertime, rather than with a fried egg and beans at breakfast.

The smell of conejo al salmorejo is a lazy Sunday’s trademark scent. Made with rabbit, wine, garlic and spices, this tender stew needs to be slow-cooked for at least 4 hours. Many Canarian families leave a pot to simmer on the stove at the weekends and the aroma ribbons through the house.

Thanks to the island’s volcanic soil, mild climate and moist trade winds, Tenerife is the proud parent of 5 DO wine producing regions. Abona, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de Guimar, Valle de la Orotava and Ycoden produce a long list of white and red wines.