Is Tenerife really all that?

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Okay,

Call me dumb but where is Tenerife and why is it so exciting?

I've never even heard of the place until today.

I'm going to Spain next week, should I be going to Tenerife?

Am I missing something by not going?

Didn't even see it on the list of tours offered by the resort.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

I first heard about it in high school because of the airline disaster there.

Tenerife airport disaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The latest I have heard about it is that there is a large amount of timeshare scams going on there.....I have read about them in other forums in the past. Just google Tenerife timeshare scam and you will get loads of hits.

http://www.tenerifeforum.com/tenerif...cam-spain.html

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...585743358.html

It is supposed to be a nice place and some day maybe we will visit but there are too many other places on the list in Europe to go see....I wouldn't worry about missing it.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

It was a joke in a few Monty Python skits. Very touristy, attracts a lot of package-deal tourists from Europe. My in-laws went there for a few years, and even they referred to it as the Costa Geriatrica.

[Laurie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Laurie]

Northern and central Tenerife is incredibly spectacularly gorgeous, and not too touristy. IMO these areas equal Hawaii in natural beauty, and for east coasters from the US, travel time is about equivalent. Puerto de la Cruz is a real historic town, with cultural and architectural interest. Very lush, which means some misty (or wet) weather - but subtropical, nice temps all year. It way exceeded my expectations, and in fact if I were a citizen of a country in the EU I'd consider retiring there.

Southern Tenerife is totally (to me) missable - overbuilt, unattractive, uninteresting, bleak, concrete-filled, crowded, over-the-top touristy. Many Europeans from cloudy, wet climates like to go there just for the guaranteed sun.

It's off the coast of Africa, not close to Spain geographically but part of Spain politically. You can get fairly low-cost flights from mainland Spain. It's one of the Canary Islands, and each is as different from the other as the Hawaiian islands are different from each other.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

It was a joke in a few Monty Python skits. Very touristy, attracts a lot of package-deal tourists from Europe. My in-laws went there for a few years, and even they referred to it as the Costa Geriatrica.

Very much an over generalisation. It would be very easy to go to Orlando or Waikiki and assume that they were an accurate representation of the entire USA.
Parts of Tenerife certainly are over developed for mass tourism, but it is very easy to either avoid or escape those areas.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I loved it and will return. I most enjoyed the ability to find different climates, different industries, different everything depending on where on the island you were. rain forest, desert, beach, rocky coast ...

Would especially like to spend more time at El Tiede. Took so long to get up there that we just didn't have enuf time.

the whale-watching was spectacular and I would like to go island-hopping. from our giant balcony I could see La Gomera in the distance.

Sure, timeshares all over. So what? People flock to plenty of locations lousy with timeshares.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I guess I'll leave it for my next trip to Spain since I've already got my days planned out except for 2 free days. But if I've got to fly there then forget it. I was thinking there was a ferry from Costa del Sol but sounds like it's too far away. Oh well next time.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

My brother and his wife own a couple of weeks there and they just love it...I've never been, but would be willing to try it...

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Very much an over generalisation. It would be very easy to go to Orlando or Waikiki and assume that they were an accurate representation of the entire USA.
Parts of Tenerife certainly are over developed for mass tourism, but it is very easy to either avoid or escape those areas.

Sorry I overgeneralized about Tenerife.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I visited while on a cruise - it had spectacular scenery.

I will post some pictures in the next few weeks....and I would consider going back as well.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Well, there's always lots of availability in II, including getaways, if anyone would like to visit.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Are there any tour books that anyone would recommend?