Debbie’s Blog: Discovering the cultural heritage of Tenerife with Kirker Holidays

I was lucky enough to be invited by Kirker Holidays to experience a short but eye-opening educational trip to Tenerife. I know many people have visited the island, but how many of those visitors only see the fabulous hotels and beaches of the south? This was my first ever trip to Tenerife, and I discovered places I never knew existed. So here they are…

Straight off the plane, and after a memorable drink of Barraquito coffee (layers of sweetness and alcohol!) in the nearby coastal resort of El Médano, we were introduced to our local guide Dario, and the lovely Nuria from Tenerife Tourism.

Soon we were whisked away to the village of Vilaflor, a small, charming town that keeps its cultural traditions alive.

We witnessed a re-creation of the work of the washerwomen, a performance of Canarian music, an exhibition of traditional textile rosette-making, and even joined a Guanche pottery class where I made a Guanche idol (mine resembled an owl!).

We finished with tastings of chasna pastries and other delicious local foods.

Our journey continued upwards to the Parador de las Cañadas del Teide - the only property within the Teide National Park. Situated at over 2,000m above sea level, this traditionally furnished hotel has just 37 bedrooms and is an ideal base for hiking. It also houses two high-powered telescopes, with talks given every Friday.

With panoramic views of Mount Teide and the Chahorra crater, we witnessed a vast, star-studded sky that evening. Using the telescope, we identified Jupiter, Saturn and many constellations, accompanied by fascinating insights from our guide. The lunar-like landscape has been used as a film set - and even for NASA vehicle testing!

Travelling down through the cloud forest, something I had never seen before, we passed blackened Canary Pines. These remarkable trees had withstood the 2023 fires and were still growing, thanks to the resin in their bark - amazing.

We continued north to the Anaga Country Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where we walked the ancient laurel forest. Deep ravines and valleys lead to remote beaches in this lush, mountainous region, which includes La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Tegueste.

La Laguna, the historic heart of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, is Tenerife’s best-preserved colonial city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1496, it inspired cities such as Cartagena in Colombia and Old Havana in Cuba.

We stopped at Casa del Vino, owned by the Tenerife Government, for wine tasting. I bought a delicious, fruity white and enjoyed one of my favourite meals of the trip - complete with black pork.

Casa del Vino

Later that day, we arrived at the Hotel Botanico & The Oriental Spa Garden in Puerto de la Cruz. Part of the Leading Hotels of the World, this beautiful property has 252 rooms, impeccable service, wonderful gardens and a huge swimming pool.

During our site inspection with Luis Zamora, we had time to experience the spa, which is available to all residents. We were then treated to a sumptuous dinner hosted by Luis and Pia Louw, a director at Tenerife Tourism.

The next day, we explored the towns of Garachico, Icod de los Vinos and La Orotava, before taking a walking tour of Puerto de la Cruz, including the stunning 17th-century botanical gardens.

In this region, we saw many Dragon Trees (Drago Milenario), including the largest and oldest - over 1,000 years old!

On our final day, after checking out, we headed to Puerto Colón on Tenerife’s southwest coast for an unforgettable experience - pilot whale and bottlenose dolphin watching.

We saw many, including calves, swimming alongside our boat. These species live here year-round, and many others pass through. We also had the opportunity to snorkel and swim - an amazing end to the trip.

We rounded off the trip with a farewell lunch at a lovely local restaurant near the airport called Guachinche El Cordero - excellent service and a great choice of dishes.

This was such a wonderful experience of an island I previously knew so little about. In just four days, we circled the island and discovered so much variety, thanks to Kirker Holidays.

Tenerife is absolutely not just about beaches - there’s so much more to see, explore and enjoy. I’ll definitely be recommending it to clients who want something a little different from the typical Canaries experience.