Few who go to Tenerife discover the real beauty of this mysterious island where the rarest of plants, the brightest of stars and the finest of wines are among her many hidden jewels. Norah Casey uncovers the secrets o of the Island of Fortune.

I visited Tenerife for the first time many years ago when I was a journalism student. Playa de las Américas was a collection of buildings (Veronicas) and it took us 30 minutes to walk through the desert to get to the pretty fishing village of Los Cristianos. We visited beautiful Los Abrigos for freshly caught fish with not a tourist in sight and took a boat from the small village of Los Gigantes to see the whales and dolphins. Of course none of these places look the same. Tourism has transformed Tenerife, but not entirely in a bad way.

Tenerife may not be your idea of paradise. But let me convince you that this is an undiscovered island of hidden wonders that few bother to uncover. I am about to share with you the real secrets of this beautiful place and I am confident that you will go there with fresh eyes.

Tenerife has a deserved reputation as a mecca for hordes of tourists who want nothing more than a home from home in the sun complete with a full Irish breakfast. And that’s brilliant, in the most spectacularly clever way that Ireland, Britain and many other countries could learn from. Because far from spoiling Tenerife, tourism has saved it and with very little impact on the real beauty and culture of the Island. e people of Tenerife, called Tinerfeño, managed to corral the vast majority of the visiting holidaymakers into a string of manufactured resorts in an area of the island that was largely uninhabited.

And they rarely stray further afield. It’s a win win. So most people who go to Tenerife get exactly what they want and are blissfully unaware of this fascinating island steeped in ancient culture.

Tenerife is home to two UNESCO World protected areas and one of the world’s largest volcanos. It shelters species of plants and animals that don’t exist anywhere else. It has over 500 fiestas that few tourists have ever witnessed. There are unspoiled villages, distinctive music, food and art that visitors rarely see.

Those intrepid few who leave the beach beds and venture out from the shore are treated to stunning sea life from families of pilot whales to playful dolphins. You can swim with turtles, experience life above the clouds on its volcanic snowy peaks, sample the finest of local wine and dine on the freshest of local fish, fruit and vegetables. Behind the gaudy façade of the resort areas there is a beautiful island preserved by those who live where they have always lived, far away from the millions they rely on for economic security.

Tenerife Vines

Mount Teide

Tenerife Vipers Bugloss

>> THE MYSTERIOUS GUANCHES AND THE PYRAMIDS Tenerife is a land pf mystery dating back to the earliest inhabitants, the powerful blond, blue-eyed Guanches who lived on the high ground far away from the fearful sea. There are various theories about the origin of this unique race, some link them to the Berbers of Morocco, or the ancient Portuguese, some even suggest that the Guanches were the sole survivors of the mythical city of Atlantis saved by the high peaks of Tenerife. The first Europeans arrived in the 15th century and despite showing great bravery the Spanish Conquest wiped out the Guanches along with much of their culture. Recent decades have seen a resurgence of interest and commemoration of the Guanches with archaeological artefacts preserved. Among their legacy are ancient pyramids, the most notable being the six found at Güímar a town in the south suggesting a link perhaps to ancient Egypt.

The Guanches also embalmed their dead and mummified remains can be seen at the Museum of Man and Nature in Santa Cruz (museosdetenerife.org).

>> RARE PLANTS & ANIMALS Nearly half of Tenerife is protected and the centrepiece is Teide National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. You get a real sense of this ancient land and its incredible ecological diversity walking the volcanic crater at Spain’s highest peak, the towering and still active Mount Teide.

Tenerife is small, about the size of Wicklow (circa 2000sqkm) but because of its peaks and troughs it enjoys multiple micro-climates sometimes all four seasons simultaneously from the hot sunny south to the rainy north and the snowcapped peak of Teide. The result is a rich ecosystem from which the rarest of plants and flowers have flourished along with the highest number of endemic species in all of Europe. There are birds, fish, reptiles and mammals that you will only find here. The waters surrounding Tenerife are home to dolphins, whales and sea turtles and welcome many more marine visitors annually.

Tenerife has always been a big attraction for botanists and increasingly those who want to experience the beauty and biodiversity of this unspoiled landscape. I have walked many different pathways in this magical place, losing time to stare in wonder at the vivid beauty of violets or roses nestled amid volcanic rock. And in mid May one year I scrambled across lava fields to catch the blooming of the towering crimson rare Tenerife Vipers Bugloss which happens for just two weeks a year (from about May 10). As you venture upwards the cactus and shrubs of the dry lowlands give way to forests of juniper and the rare dragon tree, a symbol of Tenerife. Higher still you’ll find yourself wandering through fragrant laurel, ebony and mahogany which give way on the ascent to wax myrtles and holly until finally you reach the intense aromas of the canary pine.

Garachico

Papas arrugadas con mojo

>> WORLDWIDE INTEREST The rich diversity of the volcanic landscape is globally significant and the reason for its World Heritage status. The volcanic terrain is similar to Mars and various scientific research teams have tested instruments and robots on Teide, one in advance of the recent NASA mission. Mount Teide is not only the third tallest volcano in the world but the changing weather patterns of this oceanic island creates a unique environment not just for plant and animal life but for us humans too. I have been to the top of Teide many times and on each occasion the experience was different. A spectacular sunrise on a clear summer day offered glimpses of the islands of Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma and Gran Canaria rising from the ocean. Another time the cable car glided through the clouds, rising above to a heavenly place. It was quite something to stand in the searing sun in the stillness above that white carpet of clouds. Once in winter I left the scantily clad sun seekers at the beach and found myself in the snowy drifts of Teide a couple of hours later. If you plan to go to the top be prepared for all those changes in weather.

That means food, water, sunglasses, wear layers, bring warm, wind and waterproof outerwear and sturdy climbing or walking boots.

If you don’t want to face the five hour climb then getting to the top is easy, just don’t look down, as a cable car does all the hard work of getting you to just over 3500 feet above the crater floor in just eight minutes (telefericoteide.com). From there you have just 200 meters to climb, which will take about 45 minutes but the high altitude can lead to sickness, headaches and nausea and it may take longer than you think to reach the top. If you choose to descend on foot, then it will take around three and a half hours and the terrain can be pretty rough. If you don’t want to go to the top then you can choose other routes from the upper level station, only route number ten (10) leads to the peak. You need to book an online permit (free) well in advance to go there (visit reservasparquesnacionales.es).

>> ROCK STARS AND STARS Iconic rock musicians and the world's biggest brains have flocked to Tenerife for the Starmus festival with headliners including the late Professor Stephen Hawking, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and a host of Nobel Prize winners. Starmus, the brainchild of Brian May, brings rock royalty like Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno. The reason why thousands descend on this little island in June is because on clear nights the skies above are teaming with stars making Tenerife one the best stargazing spots on the planet, after Hawaii and Chile. An international astronomical observatory is based on the slopes of the volcano. You can head to areas with low light pollution and use a stargazing app (the sky will be packed with stars so work around it slowly). I use an app called Sky View which is free to download. Or for circa €80 you can join an organized Sunset and Stars experience at Teide National Park (volcanoteide.com).

>> MARINE LIFE Tenerife is one of the best dolphin and whale watching destinations on the planet, especially the south west coast. Resident pilot whales, dolphins and three different species of sea turtles are joined by over 20 other migrating species annually including the stunning killer whale and the giant blue whale.

For snorkeling and a chance to swim in clear blue waters with the gigantic Atlantic Green sea turtle visit the protected bay at El Puertito beach in Adeje (also known as Turtle Bay). Tenerife is home to Loggerhead and Leatherback Turtles but they are harder to spot. You will almost always see the Atlantic Green at Turtle Beach and closer to the reef some colourful fish.

There are a number of places to join a boat tour to see bottle-nosed dolphins and pilot whales and on occasion Bryde’s Whales are lured by the plentiful sardines. I have taken all manner of boat trips from the packed low price (€10 and poor viewing) options to the solo sailing high priced ones (€500 for three hours). This time we opted for something in between and went on a sailing boat from Puerto Colón with a company called Mola Mola who also provided transfers to and from the hotel.

It was €50 each and there were only six of us on board which was great and meant we could experience the ocean virtually alone and see everything without dodging between the crowds trying to catch a glimpse of a fin (molamolatenerife.com).

There are also a number of diving excursions. As well as the chance to explore underwater caves and swim with the more exotic and mesmerizing marine life, including manta rays, sting rays, scorpion fish and much more, you can also dive to a plane wreckage of a DC-3 which went down in a storm in 1966 off Santa Cruz.

>> COMIDA LOCA Tenerife has some fantastic dining options and no less than four Michelin Star restaurants and I have had dinner in all but one of them. But it also has some great traditional restaurants serving Comida Loca (local dishes) in out of the way villages with amazing fish, usually simply grilled or baked in salt and always served with the traditional papas arrugadas con mojo, the distinctive small wrinkly potatoes first imported from the Peruvian Andes over four centuries ago. You will experience many different flavours of mojo (sauce) – some restaurants claim secret and ancient recipes but traditionally the red mojo has hot and red peppers as a base and the green mojo usually has coriander and garlic in there somewhere. When in Tenerife I always eat fish, usually fresh tuna which is fresh, plentiful and lightly grilled. Calamari, sea bream, mackerel, sardines, lobster and crab are also on most menus.

>> CASUAL DINING This time we ate very simply at some local restaurants. In the fishing village of La Caleta perched right on the sea, Masia del Mar is a good spot for seafood and the views are stunning (masiadelmar.com). It’s really busy and the service is often a bit hit and miss but the food is good. Rosso Sul Mare (rossosulmare.es) is a stunning contemporary restaurant also in La Caleta. It was a great find with a fantastic view of the ocean. I had a beautifully prepared carpaccio of tuna followed by a black tortellaci with salmon. I have been a fan of Tenerife wine for almost a decade, they are really well priced and always good but impossible to get outside of the Canary Islands. Try Crater Wine, a light liquorish spicy wine which comes from the oldest and most famous D.O in the Canaries, Tacoronte-Acentejo (tacovin.com). There are a few wine tours if you fancy going on a group experience or better still convince one in your group to be the designated driver and head out under your own steam. There are lots of bodegas to choose from and most serve tapas.

For something different

› WINE & SEX Head to Bodegas Monje for a wine and sex experience. Book in advance as these are proving very popular. Don’t worry it's more artistic than it sounds and based on the premise that wine and libido are interconnected (although too much obviously has the opposite effect). The bodega says it’s a chance to enjoy wine “from an erotic and gastronomic” viewpoint. You get to taste on your own or with a group and through music and sensual language you learn more about wine. The tasting naturally features various aphrodisiac foods (bodegasmonje.com).

› LAVA POOLS Visit the picturesque town of Garachico to swim with the locals in the cool waters of solidified lava pools. Over 400 years ago this pretty port was largely destroyed by a volcanic eruption with lava engulfing its houses and streets. But the resilient townspeople rebuilt it, made it beautiful again and created a series of diving and shallow pools.

› DRAGON TREE To the north west of the island you will find one of Tenerife’s national symbols, the ancient 1,000-year-old Drago Milenario (Dragon Tree) next to the Church of San Marcos in the pretty village of Icod de los Vinos.

The name comes from the dragon’s blood-coloured resin from the tree which reputedly has many medicinal qualities. The town itself is worth the detour especially the beautiful Plaza de La Pila and grand houses.

Visit tenerife.es.