Tenerife boasts much more than year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches, a rich and varied landscape, friendly vibrant bars, great food and wine and stylish clubs. The largest sibling of the 14 million year old family of the Canary Islands is also home to the gigantic dormant volcano, Mount Teide – the highest in Spain.
Mount Teide casts the world’s largest sea shadow on this land of lava desert, pine and eucalyptus forest, sand dunes and fertile soil yielding palm trees, sugar cane, tobacco, tropical fruit, grain, maize and vines. This, combined with a sparking cultural background, and amazing choice in restaurants, makes it an easily accessible ‘must visit’ destination for the 21st Century. Below are some of the events to be found on the island this Summer:
The International Historic Film Festival, La Laguna 15 July – 15 August
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the first and former capital of the Island, La Laguna, is hosting a travelling festival, the first of its kind in Spain. The Historic Film Festival will also be at the Tenerife History Museum from 13 – 15 October, this edition will focus on the second world war. See www.museosdetenerife.org.
Classical Concerts – Casa del Vino, El Sauzal July/August
During the months of July and August classical concerts will be held at the Casa del Vino Museum in El Sauzal in the north of Tenerife. Tickets for these concerts are nine euros per person, please call 0034 922 57 25 35 to book. For the July/August programme please visit www.tenerife.es/casa-vino
La Caminata Solidaria – 30 July
A 60 km charity walk to raise funds for the Red Cross and the Convent ‘del Hermano Pedro de Vilaflor’ has been organised by the Hotel Paradise Park Resort and will take place on July 30th. Walkers will start at sea level in Los Cristianos, and walk to the 3718 metre highest point in Spain – the top of Mount Teide. They will pass through the stunning municipalities of Arona, Vilaflor and Orotava. Their endurance will be rewarded as after the walk at 8.30pm, the Hotel Paradise Park will hold a Cocktail Party and Barbeque for by way of celebration and to present the prizes to the first to the top!. Participants need to reserve their place in advance by calling 0034 922 79 26 99 during business hours before 22 July. The price is 15 euros.
Romeria de San Roque (Garachico) August 16
Originating in the 17th Century, the Romería de San Roque is immensely popular throughout the island. The islanders flock to the route taken by the procession along which the Saint is carried. When the procession reaches its destination, the fiesta begins. At the same time, the fishermen organise their own festivity carrying the image of the saint along the volcanic coastline of Garachico. The offering of fruit to San Roque really is a picturesque spectacle in this typical old village.
Heart of Tejina (Tejina) 28 – 30 August
Los Corazones de Tejina is an unusual festivity starring three enormous hearts made of flowers, cakes and fruit, a legacy from the prehistoric islanders, who used palm and flower arches to decorate their harvest festival celebrations in July and August. A curious blend of pagan and religious, the festival of hearts features song, dance and poetry and attracts visitors from all over.
Three village streets compete each one trying to outdo the other with their beautifully decorated hearts: Calle de Arriba, Calle de Abajo and El Pico. Each heart standard is based on a religious or folk theme, features two hearts and a bunch of flowers on the top and is decorated with cakes called “tortas”. The hearts are intricately adorned by hand with ribbons, buttons, cords, anything available and paraded through the village streets to the church to be ritually offered to the patron saint. Several days of intense celebrations ensue.
Fiesta de San Andrés (Icod de los Vinos) November 29 and 30th.
The Fiesta de San Andres in Icod de los Vinos, one of Tenerife’s oldest towns, 22 km west of Puerto de la Cruz, celebrates the opening of the wine cellars. The name translates literally to ‘Place of Wine’ and indeed produces some of the best wine on the Island. During this fiesta the young people of Icod slide down the steep streets on greased pinewood boards at breakneck speed, a reminder of when the wine barrels were rolled out . Each family opens up its cellar and the new wine is tasted or "baptised" among friends and visitors alike. Isas, folías and malagueñas, the traditional folk songs of the island, can be heard from all around.
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