This is My Island in the Sun

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*Editor’s note: This is a very special guest post from travel blogger Linda Wainwright of Island Momma. She reached out to us to see if she could write about her hometown, and we are really glad she did because we love her story. Be sure to check out her full bio at the end of the story.

I live on an island. It sits off the coast of Africa. Atlantic breezes cool our summer nights, and coastal winters are mild and balmy. It’s part of an archipelago considered to be the site of mythical Garden of the Hesperides, and known to the Greeks as The Fortunate Islands, because of the idyllic climate.

Different volcanic eruptions over millions of years eventually met to form one island. Its north-east tip is verdant rainforest. Moisture-laden trade winds blowing in from the Atlantic are forced to rise suddenly on colliding with the steep topography of the Anaga area. As they rise rapidly into cooler air the moisture condenses, forming mists, which envelope the temperate rainforests of the laurisilva, (laurel being one of the many indigenous species), keeping the area moist and cool year round. The first time I saw these forests my mind hurtled back to childhood dreams of fairies and magic. It’s a hiker’s dream, walking there, passing through picturesque villages and tiny fincas with neatly laid out crops.

Further along the northern coast volcanic soils are perfect for the island’s vineyards. Wine from the grapes grown on these hillsides was drunk by William Shakespeare, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to name but a few. Reds from the north are mellow, sometimes slightly spicy, and whites from the southern slopes fresh, often fruity. After some time in the doldrums the industry now thrives again.

The island was conquered and claimed for the Crown of Castille in 1496, just four years after Columbus “discovered” other islands on the opposite side of the North Atlantic. The aborigines, who fought fiercely for the land they loved, were brave, noble and honest, and their heritage is becoming ever more important to the present day islanders, seeking to confirm their unique identity. Much history was lost in the Conquest, and now it’s hard to separate history from myth … and myths and legends abound on these islands.

One of the aborigine gods lived in a mighty volcano, which still rises from the heart of the island. The aborigines, who were called Guanche, believed the volcano to be the gateway to hell, now we know it as the highest mountain in Spain, and the caldera is a World Heritage Site, home to plants which grow naturally nowhere else on earth. The area resembles an alien landscape, lava flows which ended abruptly, anguished rock formations and acres of fine pumice. It’s been the background for several movies, the most recent being “Wrath of the Titans,” which is apt, since if Titans did walk this earth they certainly knew this archipelago. Walking or trail running across the caldera, at around 2,000 m above sea level is a challenge relished by increasing numbers.

Hiking and trail running are just two of dozens of sports practised here. Olympic bike teams were using the mountain roads for training just a few weeks ago. You can jump from some of the mountains and paraglide over spectacular barrancos to the beaches below. Surfers, wind and kite surfers, climbers, hikers, scuba divers – all flock here to enjoy their sports year round, not to mention the fat-cat golfers and tennis players.

Its fame is spreading in the world of photography. The crystal-clear air has yielded breathtaking photographs of night skies, with a depth of stars which leaves me fumbling for words. It’s the reason the peaks are home to a bank of observatories which exist only on this archipelago, the Hawaiian Islands and in Chile, three places which offer clear views with minimum pollution. The phenomenon known as Mar de Nubes, a constantly-shifting layer of cloud which you look down on from atop the mountains, has inspired some sensational timelapse videos too.

The capital city of Santa Cruz and the former capital La Laguna (another World Heritage Site) have examples of the sort of Spanish colonial architecture usually associated with South America, yet they sit comfortably with modern wonders, like the stylish Auditorium designed by Santiago Calatrava. Museums, art galleries, markets, arts centers, old churches, and eateries of all types, from sophisticated “international cuisine” to those selling simple fresh fish and island potatoes, line the streets.

From the Blue Flag beaches of the southern resorts to quiet bays, which you have to scramble down hillsides to access, the island’s beaches are famous, but you can also spend your days exploring local fiestas, the world’s fourth longest lava tube, barbecuing in fragrant pine forests, or, if you come at the right time of year, being part of the world’s second biggest Carnival.

This island’s name may surprise you, especially if you are European – it’s Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. Famous for nightlife and water parks – sure, that’s here, but there is so much more, so very much more.

Author bio: Linda has lived on Tenerife in the Canary Islands for over twenty years now, despite several attempts to escape (for no other reason than an addiction to travel) so far she always finds herself returning. She is currently “reinventing herself for her Third Age” and blogging at www.islandmomma.wordpress.com.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!