Concerts on Tenerife – FMAC 2010; Rock in the Harbour, Puerto de la Cruz

Just in case you might be thinking that the music scene in Puerto de la Cruz might be a bit too refined (some may say sophisticated) for some, don’t be fooled. The highlight of the month for me is the free FMAC concert beside the harbour on Saturday 27th March from 9.00pm

For the grand amount of ‘nada’ you get not one, not two, but three bands - Link, The Mistake and Le Victor a.k.a Redcar.

Rock on Puerto!

Concerts on Tenerife – Jazz, Classical & 1001 Nights in Puerto de la Cruz

Some folks are under the impression that nightlife can be a bit limited in Puerto de la Cruz. The truth is that it’s not limited…it’s just different from the sort of nightlife that some visitors might be looking for.

If you’re a culture vulture with tastes which hunger for something substantial musically, then prepare to have a feast in Puerto de la Cruz during March.

The unique setting of the stunning Abaco Mansion is the venue for Jazz (the Jonay Martin Quartet, 10.30pm, 5th March: Memphis Blues Band, 10.30pm 12th March: Standard Time 10.30pm 19th March: Sweet Up Jazz Project, 10.30pm on 26th) and classical (Dúo Kovacs, 7.30pm on 7th March). All performances €9

In the centre of town, the elegantly stylish Centro Astoria-Bambi plays host to a series of classical and jazz performances on Saturdays (8.30pm) and Sundays (6.00pm) throughout the month. €5

El Castillo Espacio Cultural is another of the town’s beautiful settings for exhibitions, concerts and theatre performances and visitors are spoiled for choice in March.

If your German’s up to scratch then Scheherezade -1001 Nights is a classic story (8.30pm 6th March, €10).

Socos Duo fuse classical with experimental to create hypnotically beautiful music (13th March, 8.30pm).

Fans of classical guitar get their strings well and truly plucked with a concert at El Castillo (19th March, 8.30pm). Whilst more contemporary social issues are highlighted in the play, Ana Y La Vida about a young anorexic girl (20th March, 8.30pm, entrance free).

The month of culture at El Castillo ends with two FMAC (Festival de Músicas Alternativas de Canarias) performances by the Contemporary String Trio (25th, 9.00pm) and Satomi Moritomo (26th, 9.00pm)

And if all that wasn’t enough, the VIII Festival de Música Antigua y Barroca de Puerto de la Cruz. Begins at the end of the month with a perfomance by the Reyes Bartlet Choir at the Iglesia de la Peña de Francia (28th March, 8.30pm, €10) and some opera at the Taoro Congress Centre (31st, 9.00pm, €15)

Phew...

And More Good News – The Number of Tourists Visiting Tenerife Increased in January

Is it symbolic that as the storm clouds disappear over the horizon, the tourism figures show that the number of visitors to Tenerife in January 2010 rose compared with the same period in 2009.

Overall there was an increase of 2.36% with British, German and Scandinavian visitors all on the up.

The south of Tenerife showed a 2.72% increase, whilst the north enjoyed 3.25% more visitors than in January 2009.

Lets hope the trend continues.

Roads to Teide Re-open After the Storms and Snow

It’s good news bad news time. The Tenerife Government have just announced that all roads to Mount Teide are open, that’s the good news.

There is one road still closed and that’s the TF21 between Boca Tauce and El Portillo.

Unless I’m missing something, that’s the whole of the main road through the crater and past the cable car station.

That, you could say, is the bad news.

Carnaval on Tenerife - La Laguna, La Orotava, Los Cristianos & Los Gigantes

Although the Carnaval spotlight tends to fall on Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz, towns all over Tenerife hold Carnavals. Although in some places you’d never know it. La Laguna has just launched a new tourist website and guess what… no mention of their carnaval. The British Guild of Travel Writers who have just held their AGM on the island would be amazed at the number of ‘tricks missed’ when it comes to promoting events on the island. But gripes aside here are the dates for some other carnavals (I’ll add more if I manage to wheedle them out of an informant up a dark back alley – you think I’m joking?)

La Laguna – The theme is ‘rumoured’ to be Triton, King of the Seas and it will take place from the 13th to the 20th February.

Los Gigantes, Santiago del Teide – Another official ayuntamiento website which has overlooked including its carnaval details despite having main tourist resorts in their municipality. However the carnaval is due to take place in Los Gigantes between 26th February and 1st March.

Los Cristianos, Arona – Hat’s off to Arona Ayuntamiento who have included a full list of events on their website (the Spanish version anyway)

The theme is Viva Mexico and carnaval takes place between the 5th (election of the carnaval queen at 20.00 in the cultural centre) and 14th March 2010 (closing parade at 17.00). There are also open air dances on 13th and 14th as well.

La Orotava – God bless La Orotava. Tenerife’s classiest town knows that a website isn’t just for posting a smug looking photo of the mayor’s boat race (that’s ‘face’ - for anyone out there not au fait with Cockney rhyming slang).

With a Circus theme and a gorgeous poster, La Orotava’s carnaval runs from 13th February until 20th February. The highlights are the closing parade (from 16.30 on 16th February), the funeral procession and burning of…no not a giant sardine this time…St Crispin -don’t know what he did to upset the good people of La Orotava (21.00 on 17th February) and the end of carnaval dance (23.00 on the 20th February).

And don't forget to check out our Real Tenerife Carnaval page for tips on how to get the best out of carnaval

Carnaval on Tenerife 2010 - Puerto de la Cruz

Given the political shenanigans in Puerto de la Cruz this year and allegations of ‘black lists’ of workers who didn’t vote for the current council (that'll be the majority of people then), ‘masking up’ for Carnaval may feel closer to the fiesta’s roots this time around. Still that should make it even more fun and hopefully a bit anarchic.

Main Events

Thursday 11th February
21.00 - Election of the Carnaval Queen, Plaza de Europa.
Saturday 13th February
21.00 Opening Parade
22.30 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Sunday 14th February
Midday - Children’s Fancy Dress Competition, Plaza de Europa.
20.30 - Adult Fancy Dress Competition, Plaza de Europa.
22.00 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Monday 15 February
18.30 - “Matar la Culebra” (Kill the Snake)
22.30  - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Tuesday 16th of February
13.00 - Antique Car Exhibition, Avenida Colon.
22.30 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Wednesday 17th February
21.00 - “Entierro de la Sardina” (Burial of the Sardine
23.00 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Friday 19th February
20.30 – Enrollment for the High Heels Marathon ‘Mascarita Ponte Tacon’ in Plaza del Charco.
22.00 – Start of the High Heels Marathon (yeah, maybe).
23.30 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.
Saturday 20th February
16.00 – Closing Parade
20.00 - Grand Ball in Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo.

Carnaval on Tenerife 2010 – Santa Cruz de Tenerife

It’s time to dig out those old clothes, rip up old curtains to make a sexy outfit and paint your face all the colours of the rainbow…or instead of dressing up for a normal Saturday night down the ‘patch’ in Las Américas, you could put on fancy dress and head to carnaval.
The biggest and the brashest is in the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife from Friday 12th February till Sunday the 21st. Officially it ends with the ‘Burial of the Sardine’ on Wednesday 17th February, but think of it a bit like a Quentin Tarantino movie and you should get the gist.

And great news, they did use the Chimp in the bikini poster after all.

Main Events

Wednesday 10th February
21:30 – Election of the Carnaval Queen, Internatiol Fair & Congress Centre
Friday 12th February
19:00 - Cabalgata Anunciadora (Opening Parade)
22:30 – Open air party in Plazas del Príncipe, Europa & La Candelaria
Saturday 13th February
20:00 - Mini Parade
22:30 – Open air party in Plazas del Príncipe, Europa & La Candelaria
Sunday 14th February
20:00 - Mini Parade
22:30 - Open air party in Plaza de La Candelaria
Monday 15th February
20:00 - Mini Parade
22:30 – Open air party in Plazas del Príncipe, Europa & La Candelaria
Tuesday 16th February
16:00 - Coso Apoteosis (Closing Parade)
22:30 - Open air party in Plaza de La Candelaria
21:00 – Firework display
Wednesday 17th February
21:00 - Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine)
22:30 - Open air party in Plaza de La Candelaria
Friday 19th February
22:30 – Open air party in Plazas del Príncipe, Europa & La Candelaria
Saturday 20th February
13:00 - Carnaval de Día – Carnaval of Colour
18.00 - Coso Infantil (Children’s Parade)
21:30 - Open air party in Plazas del Príncipe, Europa & La Candelaria
Sunday 21st February
10:00 – Antique car exhibition
17:00 – End of Carnaval Fiesta, Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero
22:00 - Open air party in Plaza de La Candelaria
21:30 – Firework display on Avenida Marítima