Few will mention the noisy, drunken chav, Tenerife… yet they’re overlooking a funfair of a place in terms of walking potential. Germans have known this for aeons whilst discerning Brits have shielded their eyes from Tenerife’s over-developed, corrupting influence on their way to catch the ferry at Los Cristianos.

Having walked on Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and La Palma in recent months we know that each of the islands offer something quite different to walkers. But to dismiss Tenerife as the Cinders of the bunch is to make a Mount Teide-sized blunder.

Let me show you why.

Dramatic Landscapes La Gomera doesn’t own the rights on dramatic landscapes and plunging ravines. Anyone who has walked in the Anaga Mountains knows this. It’s beautiful, wild and challenging; a local family from La Laguna got lost in there recently.

Volcanic Plains All that’s missing from Tenerife’s sprawling volcanic plains are a few dinosaurs and Raquel Welch (dated cultural reference but Raquel in a fur bikini is still preferable to the Clash of the Titans).

Forest Frolics When anyone calls Tenerife a dry rock, you know they’ve never left their hotel. The pine forests in the La Orotava Valley can make your head swim with their delicious scent… or maybe that’s just the sheer drops beside the path.

Above the Clouds You don’t need to have a pilot’s license to enjoy views above the clouds – these come as standard on lots of Tenerife walks.

Deserted Hamlets Even in the hills above the south west coast, home to some of the most popular tourist resorts, there are forgotten villages.

Volcanic Craters Lanzarote is the island known for walks through craters and volcanoes, but Tenerife’s no slouch when it comes to impressive craters that could double as Bond villain lairs.

Remote Valleys To boldly go where many tourists fear to tread. There’s a basic formula for finding remote valleys on Tenerife. The further away from the southern resorts you are, the more remote and lush valleys you’re likely to stumble across. Ten a penny really.

Just Plain Bizarre Seek and ye shall find… curious rock formations. These are Paisajes Lunar but there are plenty more secrets and oddities hidden in Tenerife’s hills and deep barrancos.

Totally Tropical You don’t even have to take to the hills, there are gorgeous coastal walks through tropical scenery and along old merchants’ trails where the taste of a Tenerife past remains potently strong.

The Guv’nor And of course there is the jewel of the Canary Islands, the behemoth of a volcano that every other island eyes enviously. Mount Teide – simply unique and unbeatable.

Most of these walks are found in our Island Walks routes. For more information about walking on Tenerife check out our Walking Tenerife site.

Footsteps in the Sand, Corpus Christi in La Orotava

May 22, 2015 Jack 8

Tapas on Tenerife, the Many Flavours of the Humble Croquette

April 30, 2015 Jack 8

Just about every time we go out for tapas on Tenerife, you can bet croquetas (croquettes) are going to figure. They’re one of the crowpleasers of the tapas scene. […]

A Brief Tour of Resorts in the South of Tenerife
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