Holiday, Vacation & Tour

 

A Tourist Guide To Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Spanish Canary Islands. The island is an extremely popular tourist destination partly because of its year round high temperatures and sunny weather. Tenerife has it all from stunning beaches, historical buildings and small fishing bays to impressive volcanoes and a perfect climate.

Resorts and Accommodation
There are a number of popular resorts on the island, the most popular being Santa Cruz, Puerto de la Cruz, Playa Paraiso, Los Gi...

Budget car rentals,budget car hire,budget rental cars,budget hire cars

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Spanish Canary Islands. The island is an extremely popular tourist destination partly because of its year round high temperatures and sunny weather. Tenerife has it all from stunning beaches, historical buildings and small fishing bays to impressive volcanoes and a perfect climate.

Resorts and Accommodation
There are a number of popular resorts on the island, the most popular being Santa Cruz, Puerto de la Cruz, Playa Paraiso, Los Gigantes, Los Cristianos, Las Américas, Golf del Sur, El Médano, Callao Salvaje and Amarilla Golf. The accommodation within these resorts is typically hotels, lodgings, self-catering apartments, holiday homes, villas and bungalows. All the accommodation is star rated and prices vary accordingly.

Traveling There
Flying is the easiest and possibly only realistic option of travelling directly to the Canaries. There are two airports on Tenerife, Los Rodeos International Airport in the north and Reina Sofia International Airport in the south. If you are already in the Canaries or Spain you can reach the island by boat but it is time consuming and costly. Once o the island it is easy to get around. There are numerous vehicle rental operators, frequent taxis and the bus service is excellent.

A Brief History
People have been living on Tenerife since ancient times although it wasn’t until years later that the western world became interested in the island. It was eventually conquered by the Spanish in 1495 and thus became part of Europe. Tenerife is still to this day governed by Spain and enjoys an ever growing economy from tourism.

Sights and Attraction
The best sightseeing on Tenerife comes from the natural scenery despite many amazing manmade attractions. Take a drive through The Anaga mountain range wonderful views and stunning scenery. Visit the deepest ravine in the Canaries at Barranco del Infierno and the landscapes around Vilaflor that make you feel like you are on the moon. Tenerife has a beautiful national park at Las Cañadas del Teide that is also a must see for any sightseeing enthusiast.

Shopping
The resort of Santa Cruz is the most popular shopping area with both designer labels and standard high street shops. There is also a market every Sunday that is great for bargains. Los Cristianos on the south of the island is a great place to go if you are looking to shop for souvenirs.

Dining on the Island
There are plenty of restaurants scattered around every resort on the island. The majority of dining establishments serve traditional Canarian cuisine as well as standard restaurant dishes. If international cuisine is more your fancy then you will not be disappointed as Tenerife has everything from French restaurants to Indian takeaways, fast-food outlets and Greek tavernas. There is also a variety of cafés and bars to choose from and a great nightlife with some resorts boasting lively nightclubs.

 

Discover Tenerife - The Holidaymakers’ Dream Island

Have you discovered Tenerife yet? Many UK holidaymakers describe Tenerife as their dream holiday island. So, what is it about this island which makes it so popular with the UK holidaymakers?

The island of Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, and probably the most popular with visitors. In fact, studies suggest that over the last one hundred years holidaymakers have risen from one hundred a year to a staggering 11 million. For an island of only 778,000 inhabitants...

travel, tenerife

Have you discovered Tenerife yet? Many UK holidaymakers describe Tenerife as their dream holiday island. So, what is it about this island which makes it so popular with the UK holidaymakers?

The island of Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, and probably the most popular with visitors. In fact, studies suggest that over the last one hundred years holidaymakers have risen from one hundred a year to a staggering 11 million. For an island of only 778,000 inhabitants, this is an impressive level of tourism and suggests that Tenerife really does have quite a lot to write home about!

So why do so many people come here? Unsurprisingly it would seem that the British come for the sun. A quick peak at the average temperature in summer and in winter, which generally only varies by about 10 degrees, will confirm that Tenerife is the perfect destination for those fed up with the British weather. Even in the height of summer, Tenerife usually has a prevailing westerly wind which helps to keep it at a moderate temperature.

Although Tenerife is probably best-known for its southern beaches and golf resorts, the island is actually one of stark contrasts – from golden sands to black volcanic beaches; from mountain peaks to green valleys. It is this dramatic scenery which not only draws in those wanting to enjoy the sunny beaches but also appeals to those wanting a more active, walking or nature-based holiday.

However, it is definitely possible to discover the “real Tenerife” without having to set off hiking. The island is surprisingly car-friendly and car hire couldn’t be easier than in Tenerife. It’s all there for you when you step off the plane. Hiring a car is the perfect way to explore the island – simply pack up a picnic and venture out.

Tenerife has become the holidaymaker’s dream island because it has something for everyone, from the scenery and the beaches to the weather and the climate. Discovering Tenerife is definitely something that everyone should do.

 

Making A Cheap Holiday To Tenerife Even Cheaper – A Guide To The Fine Art Of Haggling

Tenerife is famous for its markets, and of course there is nothing quite as satisfying as haggling yourself to a bargain. The trouble is that many Brits abroad are too afraid to try their hand at bartering, fearing that bargaining their way to cheaper prices will make them seem cheap or break the traditional British reserve. In this guide, I shall explain the cut and thrust of the wonderfully addictive game of market bargaining, but first a few tips on where to find the best ...

Cheap holidays Tenerife, Bartering, Tenerife, Tenerife holiday, Haggling, Bargaining

Tenerife is famous for its markets, and of course there is nothing quite as satisfying as haggling yourself to a bargain. The trouble is that many Brits abroad are too afraid to try their hand at bartering, fearing that bargaining their way to cheaper prices will make them seem cheap or break the traditional British reserve. In this guide, I shall explain the cut and thrust of the wonderfully addictive game of market bargaining, but first a few tips on where to find the best markets in Tenerife…

Torviscas Market and Los Cristianos are perhaps the biggest markets in Tenerife, and a great opportunity to brush up on your haggling skills. It also boasts the biggest range of products to get your teeth stuck into (figuratively speaking) – clothing, fashion, books, electricals, jewellery and even property! Obviously, you don’t want to get too wrapped up in the haggling and end up buying the latter, but in terms of range of goods to buy, these two cannot be beaten.

On Friday mornings, the Golf Del Sur market is a good choice for those staying nearby. It’s quite new, but is already picking up in terms of popularity with a varied number of stalls offering an interesting mix of goods. The night market at Los Abrigos offers a unique atmosphere, and despite a smaller selection of stalls offers a nice range of beautiful jewelery. Finally the African market at Santa Cruz is a site to behold: made up of over 300 stalls of fresh produce, this is the perfect place to practice your bartering – just don’t take too long, because the tastiest fruit and vegetables tend to go very quickly!

So now you know the best places to try haggling in Tenerife, the question becomes how it is done. Here’s the best advice I’ve got to ensuring you bag the best deal…

1)Know the market

Whilst it can be tempting to throw yourself in at the deep end and start haggling over every item that catches your interest on the first day of your Tenerife holiday, it actually pays to spend a little time getting to know the general prices of the island. Spend a few hours making a wish list of items you’d like to pick up, and assessing how much they tend to go for – work out what is and isn’t a reasonable price before you start your first haggle.

2)Be polite and keep your sense of humor

Haggling at a market is supposed to be fun, and you won’t improve your chances by being surly and rude. Keep it slightly playful and you’ll be more likely to avoid offense and score the bargain you’re looking for.

3)Be ready to walk away

Walking away is actually a very important part of the haggling dance. If the bartering has reached an impasse and the merchant is refusing to drop the price any lower, don’t be afraid to walk away. If it looks like the merchant is going to lose the sale, he may well follow you with ‘one last offer’.

4)Convert the price into your own currency

This sounds obvious but you need a good handle on the currency before you begin. Tenerife uses the Euro, so get your head around a rough conversion rate before you begin – loosely, £1 is equivalent to 1.5 Euros, so bear this in mind – you don’t want to haggle for ages only to eventually work out you were arguing over pennies!

5)Hesitation is your friend

Your best friend in the exciting world of haggling isn’t actually your words, it’s the absence of them. Show some hesitation in responding to an offer, and your merchant may quickly produce a better offer for fear of failing to close a sale. Don’t overuse the tactic or it will be seen through quite easily, but hesitation is perfect because it implies you’re tempted, and will make the seller think he’s nearly there. This is best used when approaching a price you’re willing to pay.

6)Bargaining isn’t just about price

The price is the main thing naturally, but extra value doesn’t need to simply come from a few quid knocked off! Extras items and services can be used to barter – agree to pay the price suggested, if your seller agrees to throw in another item you’re interested. If the bargaining has become stale, this is a good way to reignite the discussion and bring you closer to a bargain to brag about!

7)Dress down

Appearance shouldn’t come into the haggling experience, but it really does! Put yourself in the sellers shoes: If someone comes to you saying they can’t afford to spend more than £8 on the vase, are you more or less likely to believe them if they’re wearing an Armani suit and Rolex wrist watch? Dress down, and don’t give the impression that you have the money to pay their top price if you want to secure the best bargain.

8)Point out imperfections before you begin

It’s a standard rule that you play down the item you’re interested in purchasing before a price is first named. If you mention the uneven paintwork on a vase before asking the price, the seller is just more likely to name a more reasonable cost in the first place, which makes bartering them down that little bit easier…

9)Set a maximum price you’re willing to pay

Before you start the process, think of what you’re actually willing to pay, and what you’d like to part with. By setting a maximum and ideal value, you can have clear boundaries to work in, and can accurately assess whether you’re likely to reach a price point you’re happy with. It will also ensure you don’t feel disgusted at how much you’ve paid later, thinking you got a bargain at the time.

10) A facial expression is worth a thousand words

I mentioned earlier the power of silence in producing a swift drop in price, but that only tells the aural side – visuals also play a huge part in the bartering process, and while keeping your poker face when a superbly low offer is handed your way is important, looking skeptical, horrified or even laughing at a bad offer can be just as powerful. Sometimes such a reaction can prompt a price drop without you even having to open your mouth (though obviously it helps with the laughter) so bear this in mind if an opportunity arises.

Haggling is a great way of making a cheap holiday to Tenerife even cheaper! The most important thing about all this is to have fun though. I wouldn’t recommend you try haggling too much on items you really want, because it will seriously limit your ability to ‘play the game’ effectively with that all important bargaining method: walking away and looking elsewhere.