In search of Tenerife’s best belénes - Garachico

The picturesque town of Garachico usually has a predilection for constructing a belén which differs from those in other towns in as much as its nativity scene, in the Hotel Quinta Roja, takes place interestingly enough in a Guanche village; a quirk regularly commented upon by Secret Tenerife. This year is no different and although it’s said to be set on Gran Canaria, it looks suspiciously like Teide’s peak lording it over the charming scene of aboriginal life.

Just to add to Garachico’s quest to have the most original belénes on the island, there’s another, of sorts, in a sea cave opposite the harbour. However, you’ll need good eyes, binoculars or a boat to get a decent look at it.

Christmas in Tenerife - La Orotava

The final few events in La Orotava’s festive agenda are the end of year concert at the Auditorio Teobaldo Power on 31st December starting at 20.30, followed by the ‘Magic of Christmas’ festival for the kids in Plaza de la Constitución on the 4th January at 18.00 and finally the favourite Christmas event for kids of all ages, the Three Kings parade on 5th January, leaving from the municipal stadium towards the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 20.00

New Year on Tenerife - Candelaria

The Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias takes centre stage on the 31st December as it’s the enchanting venue for the town’s end of year celebrations with the obligatory DJs, bells ringing, chomping of the ‘lucky’ grapes and firework display.

Time: 23.00

For Art Lovers

A few exhibitions to look out for in Arona over the festive season.

José María Rubio and Juan Martín have some interesting works on show at the cultural centre in Cho – Parque de la Reina (until 2nd January) and the cultural centre in Valle San Lorenzo respectively (until 31st December). Miguel Ángel González has captured traditional portraits perfectly at the Ayuntamiento de Arona (until 8th January). Aixa has a style reminiscent of Picasso at the cultural centre in Las Galletas (until 9th January) and finally you can ponder over a whole collection of artists’ works at the cultural centre in El Fraile (until 2nd January).

Christmas Eve Bus Timetable on Tenerife

Unless you want the same to happen to you as has happened to me in the past, much of Christmas Eve being spent waiting at a bus stop for a bus that doesn’t exist, you’ll appreciate knowing that bus drivers on Tenerife are due to ‘knock-off’ between 20.00 and 21.00 on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena).
It’s the same with the trams as well which finish running at 21.00.

So if you're planning to get to whatever party you're planning to go to by public transport, you better set off early.

A Canarian Christmas

Catch a snatch of Canarian folklore at the Cultural Centre in Los Cristianos tonight, where there’s a free Festival celebrating Christmas traditions from all the Canary Islands performed by the Agrupación Folclórica Universitaria. And whilst you’re there check out the exhibition by Carlos Augusta Roa which is on until the 5th January.

Venue: Los Cristianos Cultural Centre
Time: 20.30

Christmas Concert in Puerto de la Cruz

The ayunatmiento in Puerto de la Cruz have reintroduced the 'Concierto Extraordinario de Navidad' after a break of four years.

The ‘Reyes Bartlet’ choir accompanied by the Orchestra 'Barroca de Canarias' will perform their interpretation of Handel's Messiah, a piece traditionally performed at this time of year seeing as it's a presentation of the life of Jesus.

Date: 21 December
Venue: Congress Centre, Parque Taoro
Time: 19.00
Entrance: €12

Drink and Be Merry – Tenerife’s fine wines

Where better to try out some of Tenerife’s finest wines than beside the iconic tower of the Iglesia de de La Concepción in La Laguna. The new shop in Casa Viña Norte next to the Plaza de La Concepción specialises in Tenerife produced wines especially those from the bodega comarcal de Tacoronte, producer of the award winning Viña Norte wines, and from the bodega de Icod, producer of the El Ancón and the Miradero wine range.

Opening hours: Normal commercial hours during the week; open Saturdays and Sundays during December.

Your Carriage Awaits

I realise that suggesting a trip to a museum to some holiday makers on Tenerife would invoke a reaction that probably wouldn’t be that much different than if I’d just strangled a bunny rabbit in front of them. However, to anyone out there who does actually enjoy a bit of culture and learning something about the island, Tenerife’s History Museum in La Laguna has recently added two antique horse drawn carriages to its collection.

The first dates from the 17th century, whilst the second dates from the 19th century and was used by King Alfonso XIII when he visited the island in 1906.

The museum is situated in the beautiful and atmospheric Casa Lercaro, a house that would be worth a visit even if it didn’t have loads of interesting snippets about the island’s past on display.

Address: C/San Agustín, 22
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09.00 to 19.00

Club Scene in Tenerife South

Looking for somewhere for to party your way through the festive season? Tramps, the self proclaimed King of Clubs in Playa de Las Américas, is holding thumpin’ nightly Christmas parties from the 20th to 27th December. Whether it’s electro, house, dance anthems, R&B or retro party tunes from the 70s and 80s, it looks like it’s the place to be in the south if you want a party with a happy atmosphere.

Entrance: Free

Fashion Night in Adeje

On Saturday night, find three female friends, drink a few cosmopolitans and create your own Sex and the City theme night by going to Adeje’s ‘Pasarela de Moda’ (fashion show). Admittedly it might be less 'Sex in the City' and more 'Sex in the Historic Town' (if you’re lucky), but it’s always interesting to watch the beautiful people strut their stuff.



Venue: Parque Piedra Redonda de la Postura, Adeje
Time: 20.30

Tenerife’s Newest Beach – La Enramada in Costa Adeje

It’s amazing what you can do with an arid piece of land given time and money. The latest man-made addition to the ‘new’ Tenerife and the island’s newest beach, Playa La Enramada in Costa Adeje was declared open this week. It was the completion of the first phase of the development of the area for tourism which will ultimately see the extension of the promenade and the construction of an urban park (whatever that is). Now the four and five star hotels backing the shoreline have a decent beach to live up to their flashy facades.

Oh, and if the beach at Los Cristianos seems slightly smaller, some of its sand was used to create the new beach.

The Big Christmas Concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Looking for something different to do on Christmas Day rather than slob round the telly with a swollen belly watching The Great Escape or, if you’ve only got Spanish TV, El Gran Escape?

What could be more romantic than wrapping up and taking a trip to Santa Cruz for the traditional annual concert by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife at the Dársena del Puerto de Santa Cruz. This year sees Chilean soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, who the Independent newspaper described as taking “the roof off the Royal Opera House” (I assume that’s a compliment), performing arias by Puccini.

Venue: Dársena del Puerto
Entrance: Free
Time: 22.00

Tunnel Vision

Let the cheering begin, the brand spanking new tunnel at El Guincho near Garachico was finally opened this week at a cost of 40 million euros.

It’s very nice and compliments the ‘Austin Powers’ tunnel just further along the road nicely. However I don’t know, it might have been me, but as I drove through it on Monday, it seemed to take longer than the old route through little El Guincho. Still, I’m sure it’ll cut down on the congestion on that road…wait a minute, there wasn’t any congestion!

In search of Tenerife’s best belénes – Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz looks as though it’s aiming for the title of the town with the most belénes in one location. The historic Casa Ventoso on Calle Iriarte is the location of an exhibition of a number of belénes which is open to the public until 6th January 2009.

The antique building’s courtyard has been turned into a life-sized belén which, in our opinion, is a bit on the dodgy looking side. However, the smaller belénes in the rooms which lead from the courtyard are excellent and full of humorous little touches. A couple of them chart a day in the life of a village complete with sunsets and starlit nights when the little model houses light up to reveal domestic scenes inside little windows. Sound effects accompany the changes (e.g. a cockerel crows to announce the dawn, a mother sings a lullaby as darkness falls) just in case you thought that the electricity had been cut off.

It’s absolutely charming.

Entrance: free
Opening hours: 10-14.00 & 17.00-21.00

All the Fun of the Fair – Puerto de la Cruz

At first glance it looks as though the London Eye has relocated to Puerto de la Cruz, but the giant green Ferris wheel is a new addition to the traditional Christmas funfair which sets up in the car park beside Puerto’s harbour for the duration of the festive season.

From now until 6th January, enjoy all the fun of a charmingly old fashioned fair with dodgems, waltzers and throwing dodgy darts at impregnable dartboards.

Being a Spanish fair, there are a couple of slightly different attractions like the jamon tombola and the bucking bull ride (and no, I didn’t misspell that) which looks like great fun.

Watch the Skies – Model Plane Festival in Granadilla

What is it about this weekend? Everything seems to be on a smaller scale? First it was mini trees, now it’s small planes. In this case it isn’t news of another airline cutting back because of the dreaded ‘R’ word, it’s simply the Festival de Loreta in the hills around Granadilla.

Over the weekend, Granadilla’s skies will be buzzing with the sound of diminutive magnificent mini men and their flying machines. It’s going to be a small plane spotters’ paradise.

Venue: El Vallito (directions - Click Here)

Date & Time: Sunday 7^th December 10.00-14.00

Pretty Little Things – Bonsai Exhibition in Puerto de la Cruz

The biggest collection of Bonsai trees in the Canary Islands is currently on show in Puerto de la Cruz as part of the ‘Fiestas de Navidad’ programme.

There will be over 50 mini trees on show, so if you want to know what Gulliver felt like in Lilliput, visit the exhibition at the Convent of Santo Domingo this weekend.

Dates: 6,7,8 December
Entrance: Free

Crazy Driving on Tenerife - 1st Subida a Guía de Isora

Rally lovers should stake out their place on the TF 463 between Playa de San Juan and Guia de Isora on Saturday 6th December for the last race of the season.

Anyone out for a leisurely drive in Tenerife’s south west hills should avoid the area like the plague, lest you want to find yourself unwittingly competing for the Barceló Varadero Trophy.

83 rally teams are due to tackle the hairpins and switchbacks of the normally sedate road which links Guia de Isora with the coast.

Kicking the Habit – Kickboxing in Santa Cruz

More testosterone for Saturday night when two heavyweights in the Thai sport of kickboxing, Moisés Ruibal from Spain and Turkey’s Muzzafer Gemici kick the proverbials out of each other in an ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association) match in Santa Cruz for the main bout of an action packed evening.

Venue: Pabellón Pancho Camurria, C/México s/n, Barrio Buenos Aires, Santa Cruz
Time: 20.30
Price: Standing - €15; seat - €18

‘None Shall Sleep’ in La Orotava

If you’ve seen some of the posters around the north of Tenerife you could be forgiven for thinking that Luciano Pavarotti, is about to fit in a posthumous Christmas concert in La Orotava.

Clearly, that isn’t the case, but there is going to be a homage to him in Tenerife’s most picturesque town.

Opera lovers should lap up the Festival of Tenors at the Auditoro Teobaldo Power on 22nd December. The show moves to the Teatro Guimerá on 23rd December.

Venue: Auditoro Teobaldo Power, La Orotava
Time: 20.30
Price: €55, 65 & 75

New Year's Eve in El Médano

With shop windows full of figure hugging midnight blue and sexy svelte black numbers (and the women’s’ clothes aren’t bad either), it’s time to start thinking about that New Year’s Eve outfit and where to show it off.

Forget stuffy inside affairs, everybody knows the real New Year parties on Tenerife take place on the streets and where better to party al fresco than Tenerife’s coolest and most bohemian resort, El Médano.

The end of the year fiesta hits full swing from 23.30 in the main plaza with live sets from Orquesta Wamampy, La Deliciosa and Fortaleza and of course includes the ubiquitous midnight firework display.

Be there, or be square.

Christmas in Santa Cruz (4) – Other bits ‘n’ bobs

The capital unveils its belén (intricately detailed nativity scene) in Plaza Candelaria at 18.00 on 17th December.

Head up to the nicest park on Tenerife and get the camera out for a photo of the floral clock in Parque García Sanabria which has been given a festive makeover.

Christmas in Santa Cruz (3) - Christmas Markets

Pick up some Christmassy knick knacks at the Christmas market in Plaza del Príncipe from 5th to the 21st December. (14.00 – 22.00 weekdays, 10.00 - 22.00 weekend)

There are more goodies on sale at the Xmas market on Avenida José Antonio between 22nd December and 5th January. (16.00 - 22.00 weekdays, 12.00 – 22.00 weekends)

Christmas in Santa Cruz (2) - Concerts and Fiestas

On Tenerife it's not the hills, but the streets of Santa Cruz that are going to be alive with the sound of music over the festive season. Here are some of the highlights.

12th December: Concert by the choir, Polifónica del Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero (with a name like that, by the time the announce who they are, the show’ll be over) at the Capilla de Señor del Huerta at 20.30
18th December: Concert by the Military Band in Plaza del Príncipe at 19.00
20th December: Concerto by Los Fregolinos in Plaza del Príncipe at 20.00
21st December: Charity Gala in the Teatro Guimerá from 19.00 with music, dancing, comedians and popular Canarian singer Pepe Benavente and pop group Almas Gemelas.
22nd December: The choir with the long name is back, this time at the Teatro del Círculo de Amistad at 20.30
30th December: Bring in the New Year at the end of year party in Plaza de la Iglesia de La Concepción from 23.00
5th January: The tres Reyes Magos (three kings) arrive at CD Tenerife’s football ground, Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López (17.00 – 18.00) followed by a parade through the streets ending at Plaza Candelaria.

Christmas in Santa Cruz

Scrooge might have come to Tenerife in the form of the shock waves from the recession and the news that less money is going to be spent on Xmas festivities, Carnaval and other fiestas have added to the ‘Bah Humbug’ atmosphere.

Don’t despair, it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s still plenty going on around the capital (over 1,700 hours worth of entertainment to be exact) and the great news is that most of it is free.

The Art of Propoganda - The Russians in Tenerife

Some visitors to Tenerife from Eastern Europe might find one of the exhibitions at Tenerife’s newest arts centre the TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes) in Santa Cruz surprisingly familiar.

‘A Visual Weapon’ is a collection of 135 striking images from the USSR from the first half of the 20th century.

Many were used for political propaganda and, if you were being pretentious about it, the use of austere greys and deep reds in many paintings might seem symbolic, conjuring up thoughts of the cold metal of lumbering tanks and of blood running freely in the streets, but they are visually stunning and are intriguing examples of contemporary Soviet art.

On the other hand, you might just find them interesting to look at.

Venue: TEA, Avda. de San Sebastián, 10
Dates: At Sala C until 18th January 2009

In Search of Tenerife's best Beléns – La Orotava

One of the things that we get a kick out of at this time of year is checking out who’s got the best belén (no double entendres please; a belén is a traditional nativity scene).

First up this year is the one in the La Villa shopping centre in La Orotava. This year it looks as though they’re really going to town. Last year was impressive enough with the belén consisting of scenes around a Middle Eastern village, but hey developers on Tenerife seem to get everywhere and now it has grown to the size of a small town. It’s looking fantastic and there’s the usual guy relieving himself somewhere in the town (clue – at least he’s partially covered in a hut in this one).

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be checking out a few more nativity scenes, so If anyone knows of any other particularly impressive beléns (it’s impossible to say that without thinking of Julian Clary) we’d love to know about them.

Tenerife’s tragic genius – Óscar Domínguez

As part of their inaugural exhibitions, TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes) has devoted floor space to the Island’s most famous artist, Óscar Domínguez and some of his peers.

Like many talented artists, Domínguez was a tortured soul and his life was as colourful as his surreal images. Tragically his life ended prematurely, by his own hand, an act he had predicted in one of his early paintings.

If you’ve never heard of him, and even if you have, it’s worth making the trip to gain an insight into the mind and work of Tenerife’s talented, but troubled genius.

Venue: TEA, Avda. de San Sebastián, 10
Dates: Until 6th September 2009

Keep on Truckin' - The Hollywood Motor Show

Do you get a thrill out of seeing someone set themself on fire, suicide drivers deliberately rolling their cars, monster trucks flatten everything that stands in their road, then the Hollywood Motor Show sounds as though it's right up your street.



The car park at Parque Marítimo César Manrique in Santa Cruz has been transformed into demolition central until the 8th December. Cynics might say it looks like just any other day on the Capital's streets.

Entrance: €15 adults, €10 kids up to 14 years
Performances: 19.00 weekdays, 12.30 & 19.00 at weekends

Throw the kids in the PIT

Okay, before anyone issues a ‘denuncia’ that we’re promoting the mistreatment of children, the PIT is an annual fun and games fair held at the Recinto Ferial in Santa Cruz.

From 11.00 to 21.00 between the 20th December and the 5th January, there’ll be games galore on tap in the capital’s exhibition centre to keep the ‘little uns’ whinge free during the festive season.

Adios Franco – the demolition of Tenerife’s history

It’s hidden away in the depths of the pine forest and it’s covered in graffiti; however, Franco’s monolith near the Las Raíces zona recreativa is an important part of Tenerife’s history.
The monument marks the spot where Army Officers met in June 1936 to pledge their support to the ‘Generalisimo’ prior to the start of the Spanish civil war.

But if you want to see it, you’d better get your skates on as the Island’s Government has just voted to get rid of it.

Personally, I don’t agree with the ‘retirement’ of historic monuments – it’s akin to sweeping the bits of your past which you don’t like under the carpet. At least the government is planning to replace it with another monument. The difference with the proposed new one is that it will be dedicated to all those who lost their lives in the conflict irrespective of who they supported.