Tenerife

Tenerife is famous for its raucous and varied nightlife, which ranges from Ibiza-style nightclubs and boozy karaoke establishments to authentic Spanish tapas venues and bars playing great live music or hosting traditional dance performances. Venues tend to stay open as late the clientele wish, and the prices of drinks and dinner compare extremely well against mainland Europe.

The best nightlife on Tenerife is concentrated in the south of the island around Playa de las Americas. The three main areas to explore in this resort are Veronicas, the Patch, and Starco Commercial Centre, each of which is densely packed with clubs (many of which are open 24 hours), bars and English-style pubs. Most bars are child friendly and serve decent food.

The most famous club in Playa de las Americas is Tramps in the Starco complex, which regularly attracts top DJs for epic parties. Nearby Los Cristianos is a better bet for quieter bars and restaurants, and is consequently more popular with families. In the north of the island Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz have a good variety of nightlife venues but lack the south's concentration of clubs.

Casinos are another popular way to enjoy a night out in Tenerife. There are three to choose from: Casino de Taoro in Puerto de la Cruz, Casino Santa Cruz in Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz, and the Playa de las Americas Casino in the Gran Tenerife Hotel.

The Medieval dinner show at Castillo San Miguel is a popular family night out. It has jousting, horse and sword feats and bawdy serving wenches. For more traditional Spanish entertainment, travellers shouldn't miss the Flamenco performances at the Pyramid de Arona Auditorium at Playa de las Americas, and the cabaret and dancing on display at the Palace Show in Playa de las Americas.

Tenerife has many supermarkets in the larger towns that provide all basics and foodstuffs for self-catering tourists, and plenty of markets and smaller shops all around the island for gifts and bargains. The best shopping is in Santa Cruz, particularly on Calle Castillo, where all the fashion stores are. There's also a mega-mall, Meridiano on Avenida La Salle, and the enormous department store of El Corte Ingles. Just outside of town is the enormous Carrefour hypermarket.

Most of the resorts and small towns have weekly markets. The huge Sunday market in Los Cristianos is a fleamarket extravaganza selling everything under the sun. In Santa Cruz, the African market is well worth exploring as it has 300 stores that sell fresh produce and interesting curios. On Sundays the area around the market becomes the El Rastro Flea Market, which is a good place to pick up quality handicrafts and bargain souvenirs. Golf del Sur has a good market near the marina on Friday mornings; Los Abrigos puts on a decent night market every Tuesday evening; while Guaza hosts a Sunday fleamarket.

Best buys in Tenerife include the award-winning local cheeses and honey, leather goods such as shoes and belts, and turrón: the almonds and honey confection available around the festive season. Travellers should avoid shopping at the airport where prices tend to be significantly inflated, and note that if they pay via debit or credit card, they will need to show their passport. Many shops still close over siesta (1.30 to 4.30pm) and will close all day Sunday.

Sightseeing

Tenerife's main attraction is its ideal weather, which offers warm sunny days all year round and allows visitors to enjoy the beautiful beaches in all seasons. There are plenty of great beaches, lively resorts, charming ports and villages, and even a volcano to explore in the centre of the island.

Water sports are another popular attraction, and windsurfers and kite surfers will enjoy the strong winds of the east coast, while surfers have perfect conditions in the south of the island. For the kids, there are many theme parks and water parks that guarantee a cooling day out for the whole family.

Getting around Tenerife for sightseeing excursions or days of beach hopping is easy; almost every attraction on the island can be reached in under an hour by bus. Plenty of metered taxis are available in the resorts and a good, cheap bus service operates around the resorts and between all the main towns on the island. Local car rental companies have offices in all the main resorts and are good value and popular with those who want to explore the north of the island.

Attractions

Teide National Park

The spectacular Parque Nacional de las Canadas del Teide was declared a protected area in 1954 and includes an enormous volcanic crater with a circumference of 30 miles (48km), out of which rises the highest peak in Spain, Mount Teide. It's the largest, one of the oldest, and the most visited national park in Spain and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2007, it's also been one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. In contrast to the coastal regions of Tenerife, the temperatures in the reserve can be extreme. Winter in the park, which lies at about 6,562ft (2,000m) above sea level, brings snowfall and gale force winds, while in summer temperatures can soar to above 104F (40C).

Piramides de Guimar

On the east coast of Tenerife, south of Santa Cruz, stand six mysterious step pyramids of which archaeologists have yet to discern the origin. The pyramids were initially thought to be the remains of agricultural stone terraces, or random piles of stone cleared from fields by early Spanish settlers. However, Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian anthropologist, who lived in Guimar on Tenerife until his death in 2002, thought differently. His research indicated that the pyramids were constructed on similar principles to those in Mexico, Peru and ancient Mesopotamia. The pyramids are now enclosed in an Ethnographic Park; the site includes a museum, life-size replica of Heyerdahl's reed ship Kontiki, a cafeteria and souvenir shop.

La Orotava

The beautiful town of La Orotava is firm proof that there's much more to Tenerife than lovely beaches and a fun nightlife. Known for its aristocratic heritage and exceptional architecture, La Orotava is famous for its ornate balconies, many of which are concentrated on Casa de los Balcones. The town was settled by noble families in the aftermath of the Spanish conquest and they set about a flourish of competitive building, a legacy that modern-day visitors can enjoy at their leisure. The west of the island was home to Tenerife's nobility who built many fine houses. There are many churches and monasteries here too. Visitors will find volcanic black beaches and mountains that encourage hiking and other outdoor activities in this beautiful destination.