Tenerife, endless summer
Tenerife , a paradise of eternal warm summer, infinite sandbanks and virgin nature, is one of those places that you have to go to at least once in your life. But not only for the sun and the coast, for the amazing natural pools: also for its cuisine, with Guanche, Castilian, African and Latin American roots, and for its unrepeatable charisma, possible only in the middle of the ocean.
The offer in this destination is so many and so varied that it is difficult to choose what to do, so we asked an expert: Miguel Villarroya, a Catalan who has lived in Tenerife for almost a decade. There he is in charge of the general management of Spring Hotels , a Spanish chain with three hotels in the municipality of Arona, in the south of the island: Arona Gran Hotel, Hotel Vulcano and Hotel Bitácora.
Among his favorite plans, gastronomic secrets, movie sunsets, sporting events, legendary parties, days of the most zen. For example, taste the El Taller de Seve cheese croquettes , in Puerto de la Cruz. Or reserve a morning to dive in Punta de Teno (“The water is so clear that you hardly need glasses!” Villaroya tells us).
We start with a plan for a special day: “ Go down the Masca ravine, take a bath on its beach and return to Los Gigantes by boat with a group of dolphins ”, He tells us. Other? “A tour of the island on a motorcycle. If you are lucky enough to see the sea of clouds from Izaña, it is an unforgettable moment”.
The beautiful surroundings of Masca
The Tenerife sunset is always amazing, but this neighbor prefers to experience it, in winter, from the terrace Up! from the Arona hotel . In the Vulcan he loves it open a bottle of cava accompanied by his wife, after a swim in the fish tank pool of him. Better if it's from Vilaflor! And, if it is a question of giving yourself a liquid pleasure, the ideal is to go to the favorite wineries of this connaisseur: those of Viñátigo, Monje, Luck of the Marquis and Reverón.
To stay active even on vacation -and while enjoying yourself-, he gives us some clues. For example, running the 12 kilometer Green Run , one of the few races in Spain that runs through a golf course -in this case, Amarilla Golf-. "Sunset is passing, and the views are spectacular," emphasizes the expert.
Of course, if you are crazy about running, you can join the sports test Tenerife Bluetrail , “a unique race in Europe, which starts at sea level and reaches up to 3,500 meters of altitude. Only suitable for the highly trained.
Aren't you into running? Then maybe you want to give a precious walk through Las Mercedes, one of the most fertile areas of Tenerife. There, in addition, is one of the most beautiful viewpoints of the island, that of Jardina. If you leave from La Laguna, you can reach this area through three walking routes created for the enjoyment of the bourgeoisie: El Camino las Peras (formerly called Alameda del Prado), the Tejina highway and the Camino Largo.
Sunset on the terrace Up!
There are those who prefer water to land: for them, Villaroya suggests a kitesurfing course in El Médano . "The wind is perfect, the sand is clean and the beach is so big that you always have the feeling of being privileged," says Villaroya. Also practice surfing in Playa de Las Américas, if possible, at dawn, “when you are still alone”. This professional loves to do it before going to work, to face the day with a better spirit. “In addition, we have enabled a room for surfboards in the Bitácora Hotel ”, He tells us.
To unwind, he recommends a massage with bamboo canes in the spa of the Hotel Arona . "For an hour, I even forget my name," the professional tells us. Although they also score very high on their list to see the sunset from the summit of Teide and then watch the stars, or sit down to spot whales and dolphins off the coast of Arona.
In the pilgrimage of Tegueste You will find the opposite of tranquility: a fun hubbub to which thousands of people come to witness the pilgrimage on the last Sunday in April. Dressed in typical costume, the Teguesters participate in the tour accompanied by carts adorned with natural products from the countryside, boats, folk groups from all the islands and herds of cattle. Another tradition that the expert likes to enjoy is Holy Week in Orotava; he loves to sleep there, lulled by the melody of the processions.
Music, but of a different kind, is what is offered from September to May at the Tenerife Opera Festival , another of the essential appointments for Villaroya. During those months, internationally renowned tenors, sopranos and baritones perform such prestigious works as Tosca, Rigoletto, Aída or I Pagliacci, which can be enjoyed at the Adán Martín Auditorium and at the Guimerá Theater in Santa Cruz.
Views from the Jardina viewpoint
Looking for unique places? So, this expert recommends that we head towards the Puddle of the Wind in La Guancha , a natural pool of an impressive turquoise, with areas of sand and volcanic rock. To enjoy with the family, he also recommends other places that are just as refreshing: the Garachico natural pools, located in front of the imposing Natural Monument of Roque de Garachico, in the middle of the sea, and that of Hidalgo Point , with all the services of a Blue Flag beach.
And speaking of families: Villaroya loves Siam Park , named year after year the best water park in the world. For him, the title is more than deserved. “For one day you become a child again!” he exclaims.
A spectacular day would be made up, for the professional, of a drive to the picturesque town of mastic , from where several hiking trails start. That yes, "that includes a bath in Benijos and an octopus in Casa Africa, of course".
And if we talk about eating, one cannot leave the island without having tried the fresh fish from the restaurants on the fishing village of Tajao Not even without having a barbecue with friends at the Chío picnic area. Although the main course, in this case, will not be on the table, but in the panorama, since from there you have a unique perspective of the three islands: La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
Other views that Villaroya loves are those of The Caleta de Adeje: Having a gin and tonic watching the sunset from one of his restaurants is one of his confessed vices, one of those moments that turn a trip into an unforgettable experience. There are others more: we tell you in our gallery .