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1. Celebrate the Carnival. The dates vary from year to year, but it's usually in February or March. The most impressive fancy dress parades and processions of elaborately decorated floats can be found in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Top 25 Things to do in the Canaries

Flares, tie-dye clothes, platform shoes, kaftans, peace-signs and funky sunglasses - the theme for the 2012 carnival in Tenerife is Flower Power of the Swinging Sixties! If we could relive this brilliant era anywhere in the world, we could not have thought of a better location than the Island of Eternal Spring with its peaceful beaches and exotic flowers. The Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the biggest of the Canary carnivals and is always held during the weeks before Ash Wednesday. In 2012, the official dates are from 15th February until 26th February. If you're in Tenerife between these dates, look for a hotel near Santa Cruz, as this city will be turned into a magnificent circus of colours, costumes, music and light shows.

Continue reading... 2012: Low Budget but High Quality Carnival

There will already be plenty of exciting events related to the carnival before the official opening of the festival. For example, from Thursday 26th of January until Saturday 28th of January, the International Trade Fair and Congress Centre will host the three rounds of the Children Murgas Contest, and the first three rounds of the Adult Murgas Contest will be held in the same location from 6th February until 8th February. The Finals will be held on Friday 10th February at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez.

Continue reading... Anticipating the greatest Canary Carnival of 2012

If Christmas has come and gone in a blur of wrapping paper, cold turkey sandwiches and bad Christmas jumpers, revive yourself and your family with a New Year trip to Tenerife and rediscover the magic of the season. On this beautiful island, not only can you find sun-kissed beaches, family resorts and a host of activities, but on 5th January they celebrate one of the most important festivals in Spain - the Procession of the Three Kings.

Continue reading... Procession of the Three Kings

There is a vast amount of different festivals and events that are held within Tenerife and a lot of these are held on an annual basis. One of the largest events that are held in this area is Santa Cruz Carnival and this is amongst the most spectacular events that are held anywhere in the world. This large event is popular with both locals and tourists and it is normally held during February. This carnival event can be classed as a historical event and it has the ability to attract millions of people every year and these people come from a wide range of places. This carnival is classed as the second most popular event on an international event. A lot of the tourists that want to experience this event also make the most of the regular cheap flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Santa Cruz Carnival in Tenerife

There is a vast amount of different festivals and events that are held within Tenerife and a lot of these are held on an annual basis. One of the largest events that are held in this area is Santa Cruz Carnival and this is amongst the most spectacular events that are held anywhere in the world. This large event is popular with both locals and tourists and it is normally held during February. This carnival event can be classed as a historical event and it has the ability to attract millions of people every year and these people come from a wide range of places. This carnival is classed as the second most popular event on an international event. A lot of the tourists that want to experience this event also make the most of the regular cheap flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Santa Cruz Carnival in Tenerife

The town of Fasnia is located at the bottom of the volcanic mountain that is known as Montana de Fasnia. This mountain last erupted during 1705. There are a lot of people that visit this town from all across the world, as they are able to enjoy the regular flights to Tenerife. The very popular beach of Playa del Abrigo is close to this town. The countryside around the town of Fasnia is home to a number of hamlets and it is also home to a number of different plant species, which includes cacti, pine trees and also rockrose. The town of Fasnia is a fabulous place to use as a base when you want to explore the rest of the southern coast of Tenerife.

Continue reading... Fasnia, Tenerife

The island of La Palma is located in the north west of the Canaries and the island covers and area of about seven hundred and six kilometers squared. The island of La Palma is commonly referred to as Isla Bonita that means beautiful island. This island is the fifth biggest amongst the canaries, which is made up of seven different islands. This island is home to population of eighty six thousand and this grows dramatically during the main holiday season. This island is very popular with tourists and they enjoy the regular flights to Canaries. The capital of this island is Santa Cruz de la Palma.

Continue reading... A Guide To La Palma in the Canaries

Picturesque mountains looking down on the sun kissed beach is a typical scene in Tenerife. For an island, the city has very peculiar landscape having one of the highest mountains in Spain, the third largest volcano in the world and tropical forests. Naturally so, these are the most popular attractions of the island, pulling in more than 10 million tourists every year from all over the world. Apart from the beautiful geography, the island also offers lots of entertainment with events such as fiestas and carnivals organized all through the year.

Continue reading... Tenerife Opera Festival

Considered one of the major fiestas in Tenerife, the Festival of the Virgin de Candelaria, the patron of the Canary Islands, occurs every year on August 15th, and the festivities are attended by over two million visitors annually.

Continue reading... Virgin de Candelaria, patron of the Canary Islands

The world's biggest optical telescope will celebrate its first birhtday. In July 2009, the Gran Telescopio Canarias was completed on the island of La Palma.

Continue reading... Biggest Telescope in the World celebrates 1st birthday

In Santa Cruz every Sunday morning there's a flea market at Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa, Calle San Sebastian. Some of Tenerife's other main markets are located in the Costa Adeje, the Los Cristianos area and in Santa Cruz, including a notable open-air flea market along the Avenida Jose Manuel Guimera, which takes place every Sunday morning. You can find inexpensive items to bring back home plus lots of local produce and handicrafts. Some of the items to look for are hand-crafted lace tablecloths, pottery and ceramics, and local wines.

Continue reading... A Taste of Tenerife

Tenerife is an island known for its spectacular events. Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival is one of such events. This carnival attracts millions of people from everywhere being one of the best celebrated events in Spain. If you are looking for lively entertainment and the time of your life, now is not the time to miss this carnival. Since this is a very popular event, it might be a good idea to book flights to Santa Cruz de Tenerife in advance. This time of the year is a ideal for getting great deals on flights and cheap hotels.

Continue reading... Don't be left out of the parade in Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands. It is reported to be a favourite wedding location and honeymoon destination. The island's climate is fantastic albeit somewhat predictable, as there is no large difference in the temperature between the summer and the winter (around 25-30 C/ 77-86 F). You're guaranteed to find a good number of flights to Tenerife any time of the year.

Continue reading... Discover the Secret Bliss of Tenerife

Fimucite is Tenerife's Film Music Festival which runs between 5th July and 10th July 2010.

Continue reading... The Soundtrack of Tenerife

Like many islands, Tenerife has been the subject of attack by invaders numerous times during its history and that's why the traditions of this beautiful island have been created from an unusual mix of cultures that have ruled there over previous centuries. From the original Guanche settlers to long periods of rule by the Spanish, Tenerife has been targetted by French, Dutch and even English invaders in the past.

Continue reading... Tenerife Castle Tour

The Canary Islands are still a popular choice for Brits taking an Easter sunshine break. A relatively short flight and almost guaranteed fine weather makes Tenerife one of the safe choices.

Continue reading... Tenerife Events After Easter

Everyone is asking when the severe winter weather in the UK, the harshest for the past 30 years, is finally going to let up. But the UK shouldn't feel too bad, because there are plenty of other European countries that have experienced equally poor weather. Countries like Belgium and Germany have also been suffering under very cold, wet and snowy conditions for several weeks now.

Continue reading... Storms Force Tenerife Events To Be Postponed

Many of the larger carnivals like the famous one in Rio de Janeiro and the carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife were held on the official carnival weekend of 13th and 14th February. Santa Cruz claims to host one of the biggest carnivals after Rio and this year the capital city of Tenerife had four live stages, an 84,000 Watt sound system and lighting rigs totaling almost 140,000 of power.

Continue reading... Maspalomas Carnival Details

Many holiday resorts around Europe will be putting the finishing touches to their summer event plans, with several places set to hold music festivals. These multi-act events usually last several days and can attract huge audiences, especially if the mix of artists caters for a wide range of tastes.

Continue reading... Tenerife Announces April Pop Concert

Friday 12th February was the date for two spectacular opening ceremonies. In Vancouver, Canada the 2010 Winter Olympics started on that day when the hosts set to stage a stunning event in the BC Place arena. The organisers went to great lengths to ensure everything went according to plan, even asking the audience to arrive early to take part in a rehearsal an hour before the official start.

Continue reading... Opening Parades on 12th February

Most people choose to fly to Tenerife for their holidays, but for the 3000 passengers on one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was a stopping point on their sea voyage that started in Barcelona during December 2009 and had already visited Casablanca before leaving the Mediterranean to head for the Canaries.

Continue reading... Tenerife Welcomes World's Biggest Cruise Ship

The events that are currently in full swing on Tenerife may not be everyone's cup of tea. The excitement and revelery of the annual carnival is the highlight of the year for many, but for others a selection of quieter more sedate events may be preferred.

Continue reading... Classical Times on Tenerife

Due to there location, several thousand miles from the European mainland and the balance of resident and tourist population, the islands of the Canaries rarely benefit from visiting pop stars and celebrity performers. Premier music concerts featuring big stars are few and far between on the islands. In the past performers like Rod Stewart, Gloria Estefan and Elton John have all played on Tenerife. Even Michael Jackson included Tenerife in his "Dangerous" tour during 1993, when 45,000 people watched him on stage in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Continue reading... Celebrity Musicians in Tenerife

We've been writing about the forthcoming carnival events in our various holiday destinations for quite a while now. The celebrations in the various resorts are spread over several weeks during February and March, with the majority of the larger events being held on the weekend of 13th and 14th of February.

Continue reading... Carnival - The Big One

There may have been a big freeze across northern Europe at the beginning of January but the attractions for tourists soaking up the sun in Gran Canaria were added to on 8th January when the Canary Islands Music Festival started in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Canary Islands Music Festival Schedule

There is no doubt that Christmas is the theme highest on the events list for December on Tenerife with concerts and carol services being held all over the island in the run up to the Christmas break.

Continue reading... December What's On For Tenerife

An unusual exhibition that uses art to highlight awareness of whales and the impact of environmental changes on their habitat first saw the light of day at Loro Parque on Tenerife in 2008 but a new larger version of the exhibition opened at the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes in Santa Cruz at the beginning of September 09. This new location gave the public until 4th October to go and see the amazing sculptures.

Continue reading... End of Orca Expo in Tenerife

During January Tenerife hosts the Festival de Musica de Canarias, a celebration of classical music that first started in 1985.

Continue reading... Music Festival in Tenerife

November saw Tenerife showing off its motor racing heritage with roads full of rally cars as various events for modern and historic vehicles make use of the island's spectacular road network.

Continue reading... Rally Cars on Tenerife

The island of Tenerife offers photogenic landscapes all year round, but once the busy beaches of the summer take on a quieter Autumn feel the island reveals a slightly different side to the many photographers who attempt to capture the beauty of the island through their lenses. A special exhibition is taking place in Tenerife at the moment to showcase the works of hundreds of photographers. FotoNoviembre, as it names suggests, started during early November, runs through the whole month and on to 10th January.

Continue reading... Photography Exhibitions on Tenerife

The normally quiet town of La Oratova on Tenerife opened its doors to the La Semana de Juventud y Cultura or Youth and Culture Week that concluded on 23rd October.

Continue reading... Tenerife Youth Culture Week

Whilst many European holiday resorts go through a quite spell before the start of the festive holiday period in mid December, Tenerife still has plenty of activities and events to interest visitors during November and early December.

Continue reading... Forthcoming Events on Tenerife

One of the more esoteric events on Tenerife this Autumn was the Tenerife Tattoo Fest, which took place for the second time this year on the 7th and 8th November.

Continue reading... Tenerife Tattoo Fest

Wine producing co-operatives on Tenerife have joined forces to offer visitors a chance to learn about and sample the wine choices of the island.

Continue reading... Join the Wine Bus on Tenerife

The Canary Islands International Jazz Festival was in full swing this year kicking off with a series of great performances where the beach at Telde on Gran Canaria and Puerto de la Cruz on the north coast of Tenerife both played host for opening night concerts.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria and Tenerife Open Jazz Festival

Another top cultural on Tenerife spot is The Museum of Nature and Man (Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre). This collection includes some of the best examples of objects from pre-Hispanic Canary Islands history.

Continue reading... Tenerifes Cultural and Natural Treasures

Exposaldo 09, an annual retail sale, took place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this year. The event took place in the International Fair and Congress Centre which is located on the coast in the centre of Santa Cruz close to the Tenerife Auditorium and the Parque Maritimo, an outdoor swimming and leisure complex. The Fair and Congress Centre, which opened in 1996, is an impressive architectural building which was designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava also designed the spectacular auditorium nearby which features an amazing arching wing that hangs over the top of the structure. In June the auditorium put on a mix of events including jazz, ballet, classical and dance productions. In July, The Pretenders performed a concert and later in the year, in December, the hit musical Mama Mia comes to town.

Continue reading... Pick up a Bargain in Tenerife This Week

A heady combination of natural delights, culture, and activities, Funchal is a colourfully vibrant place to visit. The attractive city is known for its appealing Mediterranean temperatures, Madeiran wine and local handicrafts. It makes a great spot for a weekend break or a week away to explore this region in the Madeiran archipelago.

Continue reading... Funchal - Part 1

The Canary Islands are rightly proud of their residents and one of them, artist Cesar Manrique, has left a distinct impression on many of the islands but particularly on his home of Lanzarote. Manrique was sadly killed in a car accident in 1992 but his life on the islands has left behind many legacies.

Continue reading... Swim in Style on Tenerife

Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife, got its second tramline route this weekend when operator Tranvia opened an additional link to its network in the city. The new line supplements the existing line by adding a route between the areas of Tincer and La Cuesta. On the opening day the company organised all kinds of events to celebrate the occasion and for the first two days of operation was offering free journeys for all passengers. The existing line runs for a distance of around 8 miles between La Laguna to Santa Cruz and the new line adds a further 2.5 miles of line between Tincer and La Cuesta.

Continue reading... Expansion of Tram network in Tenerife

A varied mix of over forty events are planned across the seven islands, featuring cultural performances of music, film and theatre, sporting competitions and traditional celebrations.

Continue reading... Plans Announced for Canaries Celebration Day

Mount Teide in Tenerife is the spectacular high point of the island. In fact, as well as being the highest point of the Canary Islands, it is also the highest mountain in the whole of Spain which is all the more remarkable when you consider that Spain is also home to the Pyrenees. In the Pyrenees, which strech from the Atlantic coast across to the Mediteranean between France and Spain, there are almost fifty peaks higher than 3000m but none are as high as the 3718m peak of Mount Teide.

Continue reading... Tenerife High Point

Having seen the excitement caused by the UK concert series announced by Michael Jackson recently, it's interesting to see other pop stars popular with previous generations still performing at concerts around the world. The Canary Islands have attracted various stars in the past including Elton John and Rod Stewart is the latest to announce a concert date on Tenerife as part of the Canarias Live Sun Festival in May this year. The concert will take place at the Campo de Golf, Costa Adeje in Tenerife.

Continue reading... Canarias Live Sun Festival