ETERNAL SPRING Be in the snow and in less than an hour, taking a bath.
That is one of the many wonders that the island of Teide offers, which faces a start to the year without Carnival, but with the same welcoming spirit as always.
After an atypical Christmas, Tenerife faces
a start to the year without Carnival for the first time since 1961
.
In return, it continues to offer incredible landscapes and an exceptional climate, which allows you to
enjoy the snow on Mount Teide and, in less than an hour, spend the disconnection to the beach
.
While waiting for the Government of the Canary Islands to determine the new social health measures given the good evolution of epidemiological data on the island in recent days, we offer a particular route for those who choose to escape the cold of the peninsula.
The island has two airports, the Tenerife North-City of La Laguna and the Reina Sofía-Tenerife South International Airport.
Although the distances are relatively short, for an express trip the choice of landing is quite conditioned: it is convenient that it is close to where you are going to spend the night.
To make a quick summary, the south offers "sun insurance", as
Helena Bianco
sang
, while the north offers closer proximity to must-see places, such as Mount Teide, the Drago Milenario or San Cristóbal de La Laguna.
The Millennial Dragon Tree, in Icod de los Vinos.LBB
Precisely the also known as City of the Adelantado, is an excellent starting point.
World Heritage Site by Unesco since 1999 for being
the first non-fortified colonial city
, it was founded in 1497 by
Alonso Fernández de Lugo
, the first Adelantado, conqueror of Tenerife.
The planning of the city, shaped like a checkerboard that can be read like a star map, was one of the reasons that led to such a coveted distinction.
The Lagoon was drawn following the philosophical principles of the time and the engineer, architect and cartographer
Leonardo Torriani was
one of the key people in its elaboration.
He defined the
city-territory archetype that would become the example for the new metropolises that were created during the colonization of America
, such as Old Havana, Cartagena de Indias or Lima.
Dean Palahi Street (old Cale de la Caza) in La Laguna.LBB
Full of legends, reluctant to change (many of its streets still retain their traditional name despite being renamed), at the time it was known as the Florence of the Canary Islands for its many churches and convents.
A must-see are
La Santa Iglesia Catedral
, with its innovative polypropylene vaults;
the Renaissance Concepción Tower or the Salazar Palace, seat of the Bishopric, rebuilt after a spectacular fire in 2006. Nor can we ignore the welcoming Plaza del Adelantado, where the Town Hall is located and, a few meters away, the Church of Santo Domingo , inside which is the tomb of the legendary corsair
Amaro Pargo
.
Another place that you should not miss in La Laguna is the
Instituto de Canarias Cabrera Pinto
, one of the most prestigious institutions in the archipelago.
The former convent of San Agustín preserves the feeling of timelessness enjoyed by some of its illustrious students, such as
Benito Pérez Galdós
,
Óscar Domínguez
,
Blas Cabrera
and
Juan Negrín
.
As a good university city worth its salt, Aguere also offers a whole list of charming bookstores, such as
Peba
(Obispo Rey Redondo, 44) or
Tenifer
(Delgado Barreto, 36).
In them you can find from the latest novelties to authentic jewelry that will delight collectors.
Laurel forest in the Anaga Rural Park.
To eat, Aguere, as it is also known, offers
everything
from the succulent
Silbo Gomero Restaurant
(Volcán Elena, 9) to the traditional
Casa Peter
(Nuñez de la Peña, 3) specialized in hamburgers and hot dogs full of
good vibes
.
Another visit that cannot be ignored is that of its two Benetton brand stores (Obispo Rey Redondo, 10 and Herradores, 87), which on the island functions as a kind of
outlet
that delights fashion lovers.
Taking advantage of the stay in the area, it is time to make the leap to
the Anaga Rural Park
, a Biosphere Reserve since 2015 and the place with the greatest endemism in Europe.
Fall in love with its great landscape and natural relevance, in which
its laurel
forest
stands out
, a type of humid subtropical forest with a characteristic "horizontal rain" and a flora of the Tertiary Period (typical of 20 million years ago) that suddenly moves to another reality, a mixture of a fairy tale,
Tim Burton's
dream
and a lost frame from the first season of
True Detective
.
If the visitor is strong and not tidal, it is time to take the opportunity to follow the road and go down to
Taganana, Almáciga and Benijo
, three dreamy, wild beaches, a treasure between cliffs bathed in black sand.
Almáciga beach.LBB
From La Laguna you can jump to
the Muy Leal, Noble, Invicta y Muy Benefica City, Port and Plaza de Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife.
What was the capital of the Canary Islands between 1833 and 1927 got its long official name from the historic
Gesta of July 25, 1797
, when the troops led by Admiral
Horacio Nelson
were defeated.
The British Crown sought to conquer the island to subdue the archipelago, but its attack was thwarted by the city's defense forces, led by
Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero
.
During the attack, Nelson lost his right arm by a shot from the mythical
Tiger Canyon
.
It deserves to enjoy the views of
the Adán Martín Auditorium
(Avenida de la Constitución, 1), designed by
Santiago Calatrava
, at dusk, as well as the remodeled Plaza de España, designed by the Swiss architects
Herzog & de Meuron
, with an artificial lake that will delight the little ones, as well as the many
Nikki toy stores
scattered throughout the island.
García Sanabria Park
is also a perfect place to disconnect with children.
And for those who are already close to adolescence, there are equally interesting options, such as
Comic-Sería
(Ramón y Cajal, 31), one of the leading stores in Spain in terms
of film and comic
merchandising
.
Las Teresitas beach, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.LBB
To have a drink,
Calle de la Noria
offers a wide variety of terraces, although if you want to enjoy something typical of a chicharrero, you have to go to
La Garriga
(Pérez Galdós, 24) and order an omelette sandwich.
It also offers a good quality / price ratio in establishments like
La Taberna del Puerto
(Marina, 4) or
La Hierbita
(Clavel, 19).
And if the time still allows it, the dip in
Las Teresitas
beach
(and the subsequent photo on its viewpoint) is a must.
The morning of the next day should be devoted to
the Cañadas del Teide National Park
, which offers, if the snow allows it, two accesses, by La Orotava (TF-21) and by La Esperanza (TF-24).
It is recommended to go up one and go down another.
If you climb La Esperanza, you can find wonders such as the sea of clouds (at which point they surpass these heading to the 3,715 meters high of the highest peak in Spain) or
La Tarta
(an ancient river of solidified lava in which accumulate in a superimposed way different types of materials of different characteristics and colors).
In addition, in the ascent there are different establishments specializing in grilled meat, such as
Párate Bueno
(Carretera General La Esperaza, Km 1) and
El Campestre
(Carretera General Las Cañadas, Km. 7.5).
For its part, La Orotava offers wonderful views of its valley and stone structures such as
La Rosa de Piedra
.
The Guanche menceys of the Paseo de San Blas, in Candelaria.LBB
For the afternoon, the options are still multiple, depending on energy and accommodation.
To the north, the places that cannot be left behind are
Icod de los Vinos and the Drago Milenario
,
Garachico
and its natural pools and
Puerto de la Cruz
with its Playa Jardín: a complex of three beaches in which Punta Brava stands out. with its fierce waves and soft black sand.
To eat in the area, any
guachinche
that we mention here will delight the staff.
If you opt for the South, the stop at the
Basilica of Our Lady La Candelaria
is mandatory.
There is
the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands
, guarded by the Guanche stone menceys that protect her from the force of the ocean that put her in her hands.
In addition, its Cofradía (Pozo, 5) is one of the most respected on the island, with excellent fish, something that the mythical
Casa Olegario
(De la Piscina, 7) also offers.
Los Cristianos (with its magnificent Las Vistas beach) and the majestic Los Gigantes Cliffs, with its Los Guíos beach, may be the final point of the expedition.
And if there is time, hiring a boat visit to see the wonderful cetaceans that swim along its coastline is an excellent option.
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