WORDS AND PICTURES: Yannic Hannover
Connect with Yannic on Instagram | Red Elephant LX
The wind was blowing steadily as I looked down onto the clouds above Tenerife. The pine forest was still in sight, but here, now, everything around us was only rock. Rocks in all sorts of colours and sizes. Rocks that looked like the moon, or Mars (who really knows the difference?!). The sun was burning but the blowing wind at 2500 metres made it comfortable.
“It’s not active anymore, is it?” asked my girlfriend, as I kicked at a stone like Beckham, admiring the summit of the volcano at the same time. “Don’t think so,” I replied, without really knowing the answer to her question.
We made our way, then, up to the final cable car ride: the one that brings groups of tourists that final step closer to the monster, to the volcano, to Teide. And as you’re standing there, awestruck by nature’s magic, it’s an excellent moment for you to conduct a quick Google search only to find out that Teide is, in fact, an active volcano. It last erupted in 1909 and so far, Tenerife has had more “luck” than, for example, the neighbouring island of La Palma.
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ANOTHER PLANET: CLIMBING MOUNT TEIDE
However, according to Wikipedia, Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Europe, and once you’re there, you can easily understand why. There are endless viewpoints and trails to discover – the main one you can even spot from the road that leads you all the way up to the cable car. If you fancy taking the ropeway up, you’d better buy tickets in advance; it tends to be closed for people that haven’t already booked.
Even the best-taken pictures can’t really do justice to the uniqueness of Teide, but they can certainly give you an idea. Not only does it look like a different planet up there, but it actually boasts conditions similar to the those on Mars. Because of this, Teide has already been used as a test environment for Mars exploration techniques and robots.
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FROM ROCKY WASTELAND TO CITY LIFE IN SANTA CRUZ
Aside from Teide, Tenerife (Spain’s most populous island) has many different facets to explore – although you may not think so when driving from the international airport, in the south, to the capital, Santa Cruz; you pass solely through grey, rocky wasteland. Santa Cruz is located in the north east of the island, down by the water, and has you covered from transportation and scenery to food and fashion. Looking for inspiration in the city? Look no further.
At Panzaburro Gastotasca you can fill your stomach; at Premium Sneaker you can buy the latest fashions, to help you finally look like the cool kids. If that is your wish, of course. If you come towards the end of February, you might witness a carnival that seems to be only second in size to Rio de Janeiro’s; I can’t wait to join the party next year.
ESCAPE THE CITY TO SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA
But in summer, the city can get pretty warm. If you feel like something cooler and a little different, your perfect destination may just be a ten-minute car ride away. If you take the street up the hill, it will lead you to the village of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, which still counts as part of the larger area of Santa Cruz. But it’s different. And one reason for that is the altitude of roughly 600m above sea level. That means you can get 30 degrees in downtown Santa Cruz, but just ten minutes away will regale you with 18 degrees, light rain, wind, and most commonly, clouds. Besides the respite from the Tenerife heat, you can find amazing restaurants, accommodation, cafés and architecture hidden in the small streets of the village.
La Laguna is also the perfect point to embark on hikes, or trips around the island by car. The Starbucks, which shares a building with the Mexican consulate, has a surprisingly nice courtyard. Reserve a table at El Jinete Sin Cabeza to experience new interpretations of Gran Canaria’s cuisine. Grab a very Instagrammable and TikTokable breakfast at Maikika&Co – luckily, it tastes good, too. And why not get yourself a room at La Laguna Grand Hotel? Aside from its incredible aesthetics, it also has a rooftop terrace with a pool, a gym, and a view across the city. All this, and you’re in the middle of La Laguna, ready to explore everything by foot.
Near La Laguna, there are a number of marked and unmarked paths, from which some will take you into the clouds and beyond – literally. Try the ones around the Mirador del Llano de los Loros. If you choose to embark to the northern part of the island, you’ll discover picturesque small villages, spectacular views and maybe also some waves for you and your board-shaped companion.
BLACK SAND BEACHES AND A SURFERS’ PARADISE
Speaking of water, Tenerife has the most amazing beaches. Many of them are, due to the volcanic base of the island, black sand stripes of land at the foot of a set of imposing cliffs. This fact that it can make it quite challenging to get to one, but the little adventure will most definitely be worth the struggle. Be aware that especially in summer, even on cloudy days, the sun burns everything that is not slathered in SPF 50 or higher. Don’t be a hero. My favourites beaches are those along the coast of Puerto de la Cruz.
The remoteness of some of the beaches comes with another thing to consider; a lack of amenities like kiosks, showers, bathrooms, or trash cans requires you to think ahead. Do us all a favour and take your trash back to the car – maybe even collect some plastic waste on the way, if you see it. Be nice.
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YOUR GUIDE TO TENERIFE: BOOKING TRANSPORTATION
When it comes to cars, you’ll need one. You’ll need to plan ahead here, too. Yes, public transport exists and can even get you from the capital in the north to the airport, which is located in the very south of the island. But to easily get around the island and pack your day with different activities, you won’t want to waste time. Reserve a car when you reserve a hotel. Even though Tenerife is Spain’s most highly populated island, affordable cars can be rare when searching on the day of your arrival – you may end up paying more than you paid for your hotel.
Tenerife is amazing. Nobody paid me to say that. Yet. It comes from my heart. If you can, go there.
