It only rains in the Canary Island two days a year. We booked a trip in early December to escape said rain in Ireland, and as Murphy would decree in his law, the first two days were under a downpour. Fortunately, we had a week and the rest of the days that followed were full of sunshine and the Atlantic was a lovely temperature for swimming.
We booked into a self-catering resort that had plenty on offer for the four year old, and a comfortable apartment with a little kitchen to putter in. It was shocking how much 20 euro got us in the nearby grocery store: olives and cheeses, breads and the best tomatoes, and then there was the simple, delicious, inexpensive wines. Yum.
Exploring the island was the highlight. The volcano Teide is worth the drive up the narrow, scary, road with its series of daring switchbacks. The national park is a geology gem and the crater is 17 kilometres (11 miles).
The volcano presides over the whole island and can be seen from just about anywhere, and from the viewing platforms on top, you can see the Canaries and the world, it would seem. At 3,718 m (12,198 ft), Teide is the third largest volcano in the world and it’s the one they tell us will cause major problems for the East Coast of the U.S. if it ever erupts. A funicular takes you to the pinnacle. Seriously windy up there.
Tenerife is so much more than just a sun holiday that I was absolutely shocked to meet people at the airport that said they never left their resorts.
Whimspherical 