Adventure ISLAND

Wild walks, paragliding and stargazing – Spain’s Tenerife offers so much more than a beach break

- HELENA CARTWRIGHT

Stargazing on Spain’s tallest mountain, miles of scenic walking, the biggest carnival outside Rio and delicious local cheese and wine – no doubt these aren’t the first things that spring to mind when you think about Tenerife. But while this Canarian island – 190 miles off the coast of Africa – still offers great value fly-and-flop holidays, there’s so much to explore. Stand by for a holiday jam-packed with thrilling activities for the whole family and luxury hotels all in the island’s year-round sun.

Trek in Teide National Park

Tenerife’s black-hued soil is a result of the many volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago and today you can wander among the rocks and pine trees of the volcanoes in the Teide National Park. Luckily, the last time one erupted was in 1909. A two-hour, 5km trek around the Samara volcano is an ideal morning walk. There are some steep, short sections and the going is loose under foot, but the views over neighbouring Gran Canaria and El Hierro are magnificent.