Tenerife is an island paradise where mountains and desert meet the sea. Its temperate climate makes Tenerife an ideal tourist destination any time of year; the perfect get-away spot for those looking to escape continental Spain’s harsh winters.

The island boasts 140 black and golden sand beaches. 8 of them have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag, which guarantees that they meet demanding environmental cleanliness standards and possess safety and lifeguard facilities appropriate for a tourist area of such class and importance. On a separate note, Tenerife’s street markets provide the island with a veritable hive of shopping activity, selling all types of goods from local handicrafts to vinyl records. Perusal of the market stalls inevitably tempts the visitor to snap up a good few bargains.

Tenerife’s nightlife offers numerous possibilities. Its pubs, discotheques and clubs open their doors even to the very young. If you are in search of a bit of glamour, its two casinos deliver an elegant dose of chance, with facilities and comforts that make clients feel completely welcome.

The name normally used to describe the island’s inhabitants is tinerfeño (for men) and tinerfeña for women. Nevertheless, the terms chicharrero or chicharrera are also sometimes used for people from the city of Santa Cruz. In the old days, the poverty of Santa Cruz meant that La Laguna was the island’s capital. The former capital enjoyed slighting the current one, declaring that the people of Santa Cruz had to lower themselves to the point of eating chicharros (a very cheap fish). Under the reign of Fernando VII the citizens of Santa Cruz took the insult on board and, upon being named capital, the city’s people adopted the slur as their name.  More Factoids