Christmas on Tenerife – Santa Cruz

This Christmas the streets of Santa Cruz will be filled with music as there are live performances nearly every night at 7pm and Christmas concerts at the weekends.  If you enjoy a bit of outdoor sax (I said sax before anyone gets too excited), head along to Plaza del Chicharro at 7pm on the 16th December. With theatre and dance performances in the city's plazas throughout the month the capital is set to resemble the scene of a musical all over the festive season. Don’t forget to check out the belén in the town hall, or to pick up some last minute gifts (if you’re handing over pressies on Christmas Day rather than Tres Reyes) at the Christmas market at Avenida Marítima from the 21st December.

The big events in Santa Cruz are, as always, the Christmas Day concert held at the port at 10pm (although the ayuntamiento haven’t mentioned it in their agenda this year even though they have a generic entry for it on their web site as does the Port authorities, but as this is Tenerife who knows if it’s happening or not); the big end of year party on New Year’s Eve from 11pm in Calle La Noría (is there a more picturesque setting on Tenerife to see out the old year?); and party time in CD Tenerife’s football stadium as the Tres Reyes hit town in style on the 5th January at 5pm.

Check out the full agenda here (in Spanish).

Christmas on Tenerife – Granadilla

It’s a more subdued Christmas programme for Granadilla with various smaller events around the municipality mainly for children. The Christmas market on the 19th sounds like it might be worth a visit with lots of Christmas foodie goodies on sale.

Location: Plaza de la Cultura de San Isidro

Time: From 11am to 11pm

Christmas on Tenerife – La Orotava

La Orotava, Tenerife’s classiest town is second only to La Laguna when it comes to cultural events… and not by far.

This year’s festival calendar includes music in the streets most nights between 6pm and 8pm; Tenerife’s biggest life-size belén filling much of the plaza outside the town hall; saxophone and folklore concerts; art exhibitions (‘Mi Alma al Desnudo’ looks particularly interesting at the Casa de la Cultura de San Agustín between 23/12 and 08/01) and a science fair (also at the Casa de la Cultura; on 12th and 13th from 10am).

The big Christmassy feel event is the concert in the Iglesia de la Concepción on the 19th at 8.30pm featuring the sweet voices of more than 10 choirs.

Another for aficionados of local heroes to look out for is the concert by Benito Cabrero at the Auditoio de Teobaldo Power at 8.30pm on the 18th. This man has enthralled New York’s Carnegie Hall with his timple playing skills.


See full agenda here.

Christmas on Tenerife – Guia de Isora

A lot of the festive activities in Guia de Isora centre around children with mini fairs taking place in towns and hamlets throughout the month; activities for the little ones also bizarrely include some belly dancing lessons. There are also Christmas parades and concerts in churches and in the Auditorio de Guia de Isora on various dates.

The Gran Cabalgata de Reyes takes place on the 5th January 2010 in Guia de Isora from 7pm

See full agenda of events here.

Christmas on Tenerife – Puerto de la Cruz

Christmas in Puerto de la Cruz is always a magical time. The bright neon lights of the funfair liven up the car park beside the harbour and Christmas street lights turn the plazas and old streets into an enchanting winter wonderland.

As for events, look out for concerts in the Centro Astoria-Bambi (12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th) at around €5 a ticket and if you’re German speaking, the interpretation of Sherezade – 1001 Nights is always interesting to watch (Castillo San Felipe: Friday 11th at 8.30pm, €10).

To get right into the Christmas spirit, don’t miss either of the Christmas concerts performed by the Reyes Bartlet Choir in the Iglesia de la Peña de Francia on the 20th (7.30pm) and 23rd (8.30pm) or the traditional midnight mass, ‘Misa de Gallo’ in the same church on Christmas Eve.

Christmas on Tenerife – Adeje

Cultural overdoses, choir singing and Christmas concerts aren’t just confined to the north at Christmas; the south also has its fair share, especially around the older historic towns.

Visitors to Adeje town should pop into the cultural centre after the 4th of the month to have a look at a traditional Spanish nativity scene, the belén. These are really worth seeing.

Gospal fans are spoiled with two free concerts also at the cultural centre on the 4th at 8pm (with the group Aba Taano) and the 6th at half past midday (with Bridget Bazile). Both concerts are part of the IV Canaries International Gospel Festival.

Any visitors to Costa Adeje with children should definitely not miss out on the Gran Cabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings Parade) on January 5th at 8pm in Calle Grande Adeje. The children will love it and it’ll feel like Christmas all over again.

See full agenda here.

Christmas on Tenerife – Santiago del Teide

There are a couple of nice little events taking place in Santiago del Teide, particularly in Los Gigantes.

The turning on of the lights of the ‘arbol de luz’ on the 5th at 8pm in Plaza Bouganvillea in Los Gigantes sounds lovely, especially as it’s followed by a gospel performance by the Rainbow Gospel Choir.

The same plaza is also the scene for the Christmas concert at 8pm on the 19th and for the big end of the year party from 11pm on the 31st December.

The Three Kings are busy bees in Santiago as their Gran Cabalgata de los Reyes Mago de Oriente takes place on January 5th at 5.30pm in Arguayo, 7pm in Tamaimo and then leaves Plaza Pública in Puerto Santiago for Los Gigantes at 8.30pm.

Poor old Santiago del Teide town has to wait till midday on the 6th January before the Three Kings turn up there.

See full agenda here.

Christmas on Tenerife – San Cristóbal de La Laguna

La Laguna, the cultural heart of Tenerife never fails to disappoint with the range of activities which take place over the Christmas season. With concerts, choir singing in the plazas, theatre and ballet in Teatro Leal and some of the old streets being decked out to look like a medieval market, there is something happening every day between now and the Three Kings arrival at Los Rodeos Airport on the 5th January.

The pick of events are the concerts by the London BBC Symphony Chorus at the Teatro Leal at 9pm on the 11th and 12th December.

Other highlights include the Gospel Canaries performance, also at the Teatro Leal at 9pm on the 14th; the Christmas brass band concert in Plaza de la Concepción at 7pm on the 18th; the end of year party on the 31st and the Three Kings parade on the 5th of January from around 6.30pm.

The weekends either side of Christmas are jam packed with events so check out the full agenda here.

Events on Tenerife – Granadilla con Vive 09

As the title suggests, a lively day is in store in the old town of Granadilla de Abona.  It sounds like a sort of mini WOMAD (a very mini one) with dancing, ethnic music, food from around the globe, stories and henna tattoos.

Date: Saturday 5th December

Time: From 11am to 8pm

Place: Plaza de la Cultura, the Cultural Centre, San Isidro

Christmas on Tenerife – Arona (Los Cristianos)

So what does Christmas have in store for Arona? Quite a lot if you happen to be in Los Cristianos. If you’re in Las Américas… well at least there are plenty bars with entertainment to get you into the Christmas spirit there.

Much of the action centres around the cultural centre in Los Cristianos and things really kick off on the 3rd when the Christmas lights are switched on (8.30pm) and the belén and is opened to the public (9.15pm).

After that, there’s theatre in the streets for the children; music and dance in the Plaza de la Iglesia in Los Cristianos as part of the Festival de Lirico (9pm on 11th); Gospel concert with the Georgia Mass Choir (Los Cristianos cultural centre, 9pm, 13th); Christmas concerts by Arona’s School of Music and Dance – also in the cultural centre in Los Cristianos (17th at 6.30pm, 19th at 8pm and 20th at midday).

The big end of the year party takes place in the Recinto Ferial deLos Cristianos from 10pm on the 31st, but there’ll be plenty of fun to be had on the streets as well.

The parade of the festive season, the Three Kings Parade leaves from Los Cristianos port towards the cultural centre at 7.15pm on the 5th January – don’t let your children miss it.

See full agenda here.