The Eze Group’s look at the hidden beauty of Tenerife

Tenerife – The island of eternal spring

Over 5 million tourists visit us every year, adding to the million that live here. Some visitors are regulars, some may never return. We get a mixed bag here on Tenerife, but one thing I’m sure, the vast majority of those who visit and those who live here, never really get to enjoy even a small fraction on what’s to offer on this beautiful island.

Tenerife has been pushing up out of the earth for the last 12 million years, and continues to do so, gradually and thankfully (in recorded memory anyway) without cost to human life. This upward movement has made our towering mountain Teide the highest mountain in Spain, the highest mountain on Spanish territory and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean, and upward she continues, gently and relentlessly. Who knows what height she will be in another 12 million years. For sure there will be tremendous movements and landslides, like the ones 800,000 years ago that made the stunning La Orotava and Guimar valleys (if you are  fortunate enough to see these stunning gorges, you will be thankful for those landslides).

We have beautiful green tinted rocks thanks to this; Los Azulejos, and amazing basins, formed like giant cauldrons.  Cliffs over a thousand feet greet the sailor arriving from the North West, and once on land the stranger is amazed at just what our small island has to offer in way of geography. In a few short miles one can experience, desert, lush tropical vegetation, alpine scenery and plant life and then the striking almost Martian landscape offered at the base of Teide, all of this in an area smaller than the Scottish county of Stirling.

On the same latitude as the Sahara the sea cools us by day and warms us by night – how lucky we are. We have roughly the same rainfall as southern California, buffeted by neither winds nor seasonal rains, winter exists here in name only, and the sea is warm enough to swim all year round.

1,400 types of plant grow here, rich as we are in microclimates and 400 different species of fauna share the island with us. The sea teams with aquatic life, including sea turtle, whale and species of dolphin. Almost nowhere else on Earth is an island so small home to 6 distinct vegetation zones, and many smaller sub-divisions.

Tenerife – the island of eternal spring tourists

Over 5 million visit us every year, adding to the million that live here. Some visitors are regulars, some may never return. We get a mixed bag here on Tenerife, but one thing I’m sure, the vast majority of those who visit and those who live here, never really get to enjoy even a small fraction on what’s to offer on this beautiful island.

Tenerife has been pushing up out of the earth for the last 12 million years, and continues to do so, gradually and thankfully (in recorded memory anyway) without cost to human life. This upward movement has made our towering mountain Teide the highest mountain in Spain, the highest mountain on Spanish territory and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean, and upward she continues, gently and relentlessly. Who knows what height she will be in another 12 million years. For sure there will be tremendous movements and landslides, like the ones 800,000 years ago that made the stunning La Orotava and Guimar valleys (if you are  fortunate enough to see these stunning gorges, you will be thankful for those landslides).

We have beautiful green tinted rocks thanks to this; Los Azulejos, and amazing basins, formed like giant cauldrons.  Cliffs over a thousand feet greet the sailor arriving from the North West, and once on land the stranger is amazed at just what our small island has to offer in way of geography. In a few short miles one can experience, desert, lush tropical vegetation, alpine scenery and plant life and then the striking almost Martian landscape offered at the base of Teide, all of this in an area smaller than the English county of Dorset

On the same latitude as the Sahara the sea cools us by day and warms us by night – how lucky we are. We have roughly the same rainfall as southern California, buffeted by neither winds nor seasonal rains, winter exists here in name only, and the sea is warm enough to swim all year round.

1,400 types of plant grow here, rich as we are in microclimates and 400 different species of fauna share the island with us. The sea teams with aquatic life, including sea turtle, whale and species of dolphin. Almost nowhere else on Earth is an island so small home to 6 distinct vegetation zones, and many smaller sub-divisions.

Approximately half the island is under protection from the Canary Island Network for Protected Natural Areas. We also have 43 sites under special protection. We have the national park of Teide but also  two rural protected parks at Anaga and Teno, four natural reserves and special natural reserves, 9 specially protected landscapes and no less that 14 natural protected monuments, as well as 6 sites of special scientific protection.

Nature has given Tenerife so much, whether you live here or are just a visitor, we strongly suggest you take the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful, varied island.

Approximately half the island is under protection from the Canary Island Network for Protected Natural Areas. We also have 43 sites under special protection. We have the national park of Teide but also  two rural protected parks at Anaga and Teno, four natural reserves and special natural reserves, 9 specially protected landscapes and no less that 14 natural protected monuments, as well as 6 sites of special scientific protection.

Nature has given Tenerife so much, whether you live here or are just a visitor, we strongly suggest you leave the digital world behind and  take the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful, varied island.