Always Want To Go

The second port stop on our transatlantic cruise to Barcelona was Santa Cruz, Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. The Island is wildly famous for its sunny beaches and is a popular European vacation destination.

About Tenerife

Tenerife is closest to Morocco but belongs to Spain. It covers approximately 785 square miles and has a population of under one million. More than five million tourists visit Tenerife yearly to enjoy its family-friendly beaches and legendary nightlife.

The Guanche people were the first inhabitants of Tenerife. The Island gets its name from two words in their language: “teni,” meaning mountain, and “ife,” meaning snow. Therefore, Tenerife means snow mountain. It’s unusual to find a tropical island with snow-covered peaks.

Another taxi tour!

Our port stop in Tenerife was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., not much time to spend on this beautiful Island, so we reserved another taxi tour with TripsPoint.com, similar to the one we had taken in beautiful La Palma, Canary Islands, just the day before.

We had a location to meet our guide, Gregory, but once off the ship, we discovered it was a long walk from the boat to meet him. Only specific taxis could enter the port area, so Gregory was not responsible for the long walk. He quickly identified us as we approached him and were on our way.

Gregory is Ukrainian, not Canarian, speaks excellent English, and is exceptionally knowledgeable about the Island of Tenerife. We enjoyed our tour the day before with Manila, but it was undoubtedly easier to converse with Gregory.

Our half-day tour, the “Go West—VIP Private Tour to Masca, Garachico & El Drago in Tenerife,” promised a half-day private taxi tour through many of the Island’s natural highlights.

Gregory drove us through the Teno Mountains to the village of Masca, Garachico, which was once the Island’s first capital.

The highways are in excellent condition and well-maintained. I am, however, pleased Gregory was driving and not Steve. Steve would have enjoyed the hairpin turns and switchbacks much faster than I would have enjoyed them.

During our afternoon drive, our tour took us through several different climate and temperature changes. One minute, we were at sea level in bright sunshine, and then, in the blink of an eye, we were at a much higher elevation and in chilly clouds.

Masca

We drove through winding mountain roads to the striking Teno Mountains, where we saw the old pirate village of Masca. Today, it has less than 100 full-time residents but is classified as a historical site.

Garachico

Garachico was once the main port in Tenerife. However, the Trevejo volcano in 1706 nearly destroyed the city and the harbor. Garachico’s economy and growth came to a complete stop.

The narrow streets and charming colonial-style homes with Juliet balconies make this small town a great sightseeing location. The small balconies are made from solid and intricately carved Canarian pine and are very pretty, and some have lasted over 400 years.

Drago de Icod de los Vinos

The Draago de Icod de los Vinos is a Dracaena drago, called a dragon tree. Historians have not determined the tree’s actual age, but it is reasonable to assume it is over 1,000 years old.

I had read about this tree as I prepared for our port stop in Tenerife and specifically wanted to see it. I am so happy we visited this lovely town to see this famous tree.

We love the legends we hear about in our travels, and yes, we discovered one about this tree. In this tale from mythology, Hera, Zeus’ wife, tricked Hercules into performing several tasks to reach a total god’s status.

One of his tasks was to obtain golden apples from a sacred tree guarded by the dragon Ladon. Hercules fought and killed the dragon, and legend says that Ladon’s blood fell on the ground, and these dragon trees grew.

The Canary Islands have often been the location of tales from mythology. In reality, these trees do appear to bleed, although the substance leaking from cracks in the tree is the sap that turns red when it comes in contact with air. It’s a good story, though, right?

Teide National Park

Teide National Park, located in the middle of the Island, is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is home to Mount Teide, the largest and one of the most dangerous volcanos globally. Mount Teide is also the highest mountain in Spain.

Teide Observatory

Steve and I are not great hikers, but we try to visit as many sights as possible during our brief port stops. We did not have enough time to see this observatory and could only be there during daylight hours.

However, I would like to mention its existence and the fact that it is the largest observatory in the world. It is one of the very best night sky viewing areas today. If you can visit, tours are available to the public.

Barraquito

I’d heard of this delicious coffee treat and asked Gregory to take us to a coffee shop so we could try this fantastic layered hot coffee beverage. If anyone knows the origin of this drink, I would love to know.

From the bottom of the glass to the top, the four layers of this drink are condensed milk, Liquor 43, espresso, frothed milk, and a lemon or orange peel. Cinnamon is often sprinkled on top also. This delicious concoction is always served in a small clear glass so the layers are visible.

Gregory took us to a quaint café where we sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed a traditional Canarian lunch. Barraquito is genuinely a nectar of the gods! We enjoyed the coffee so much that we each had a second cup later in the day with our lunch.

Back to the cruise ship

After our late afternoon lunch, we began returning to the cruise ship. We enjoy this private taxi tour, especially when our shore time is minimal. The ability to stop, look, and see at our own pace is very comfortable for us.

Our new friend and driver, Gregory, was amazingly knowledgeable about all things Tenerife. He told us many stories and tales about the Island—far too many for my senior memory to recall—and answered all our questions.

Steve and I both recommend a trip to Tenerife. We had a cruise port stop available, but I recommend at least a week’s stay to enjoy the beaches, scenery, history, and everything else Tenerife has to offer.