Andrew Hammersley

Tourists (mainly well-to-do British) began coming to Tenerife in significant numbers towards the end of the last century. At that time tourism was centred around the northern resort town of Puerto de la Cruz and, to a lesser extent, the island's capital Santa Cruz.

In 1797 Admiral Lord Nelson attacked the capital Santa Cruz but the islanders defeated him (he also lost an arm for his trouble!). We are sure that your visit to Tenerife will be equally memorable, but considerably more enjoyable! Had Nelson had a little more success, the course of history could have been drastically altered. In fact had he won, the island might these days be full of English-speak people, sitting in your typical 'English pub' eating steak and chips (...er, come to think of it, it is).

According to recent research carried out by the European Union's Environment Commissioner in Brussels, the Canary Islands boast some of the cleanest beaches in Europe. Tenerife in fact has very few beaches: it is the Eastern Canaries, older and more 'weather-worn' (particularly Fuerteventura, which is like a displaced piece of the Sahara), which have the majority of the islands' beaches.

The Cliffs of Los Gigantes (The Giants). These cliffs are found in the north western corner of Tenerife, in the Teno mountain range. The towering cliffs rise to a height of 800 metres in places and plunge steeply down into the sea.

First, a word of warning! If you are seeking peace and quiet, Las Americas may not be your best bet for a vacation. It's the type of place where, by the time you get home again, you might need a holiday just to recover! The main tourist resort in the south of Tenerife is certifiably crazy, mad as a march hare and just waiting to pounce on the unwary tourist! Whatever you want (whether you're aware you want it or not!), Las Americas offers it all to you with a sunny smile and a glass of your favourite tipple!

The popular town of Los Cristianos is the second largest holiday resort in the south of Tenerife, the largest being its next door neighbour Playa de Las Americas. Despite their close proximity to one another there is a distinct difference in the atmosphere of the two, especially at night.

Amarilla Golf is located literally next door to Golf Del Sur but is much older than the latter. Like Golf Del Sur, it is built around a golf course, in this case with 18 holes.

Callao Salvaje is a few miles west of Las Americas and Los Cristianos and has one of the best and steadiest climates on the islands.