Excursion to the North part of the Island

From sunbathing on the beach to the rainy university city, through the rainforest, heading to the northern beach, followed by a coffee and sightseeing in the capital city, represents a day full of impressions we can’t wait to share with our friends.

The concept of a bus tour on the island of Tenerife is very similar to the rest of Europe. The tour organizer picks up tourists by bus in front of their hotels. The tour starts around half-past eight in the morning. Here, tour buses with passengers of different nationalities are a common sight. Our guide spoke in English, Spanish, Italian, and German to ensure everyone understood. It is rare to find a bus here, for example, only with English speakers and a guide who exclusively speaks English. I have the impression that they are more relaxed about that. Our guide came from Italy and spoke all the languages grammatically correctly. The guide’s story about our destinations was certainly interesting and understandable, and he had patience and a smile for all the passengers.

Already halfway to the capital, we felt the change in the climate, and short sleeves turned into long ones. But this was not always the case, as I’ve sometimes gone privately to the north, and while the south was experiencing strong winds and a drop in temperature, the north welcomed me with sunshine and calm.

The first stop was the former capital of the island, La Laguna, where we had 45 minutes of free time. The city center reminded me a little of Tkalčićeva street in Zagreb. There were many young students on the street, as this is primarily a student city with one of the best universities in Spain. Interestingly, the Serbian film "Montevideo, God Bless You" was filmed there, and this city was used to represent city of Uruguay for the filming. During our visit, it was also raining, something we, the southern island dwellers, hadn't felt in a while. We saw the cathedral "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios" and the bell tower of the "Iglesia de la Concepion" church, which provides a landmark for visitors due to its height. What impressed me most was how the local coffee shops, with large interior spaces, only had two wooden tables outside the entrance for anyone who wanted to sit outside.

After La Laguna, we continued our journey towards the fishing village of Taganana, passing through the Mercedes Forest. I would call this journey a bus safari through the rainforest. The Mercedes Forest is perfect for all trekking enthusiasts. This unique forest was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. It truly looks, as visitors describe it, like something out of a fairy tale. The road leading to Taganana is full of twists and turns as you descend from the mountain to the sea. On both sides, you are greeted with stunning greenery, and in parts of the road, the bus brushes against the leaves and branches of the forest. Definitely one of the best rides of my life. All the passengers marveled at the beauty around us. The driver deserves a medal for driving on such a narrow road. After half an hour of driving, we reached Taganana, positioned by the ocean. It was sunny, but there was also wind. The guide explained everything about the restaurant we were heading to. We could choose between fried white fish, omelette, pork steak, and fried octopus. They served us homemade cow's cheese first, with a tropical salad made of strawberries, mango, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and olives. This is no surprise, as the restaurant is called "Casa de Africa" (African House). For dessert, we got bananas, and throughout the lunch, wine and water were included in the price. The lunch was highly recommended. In the African House, we sat with five older Italian tourists who live in Luxembourg. With a good glass of red wine, they got so involved in socializing with us that they showed us pictures of their grandchildren (laughter).

After the delicious lunch, we headed to the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where we had more than an hour of free time. The city, with over 200,000 residents and a tram running through it, impressed me. Due to its large port and big buildings, I felt like I was in Rijeka (Croatia). On the main street in the city center, I felt as if I was walking down Knez Mihajlova in Belgrade. The buildings typical of large cities, the window displays of the most famous brands next to each other, and cultural monuments all added to this feeling. What impressed me the most was the artificial lake (Plaza de España) with a modern visual design of the Santa Cruz identity, which reminded me of Amsterdam and its recognizable "I amsterdam" sign. Although it was the first month of the year, the weather was perfect for walking, and you only needed a light jacket. I will return to the beautiful Santa Cruz de Tenerife many more times after this trip, and it will never, ever be ugly or boring to me. A small city that has everything you need for happiness.

Filled with impressions, we headed back to the warm south. The trip is highly recommended, and the difference between the north and south is incredible in terms of temperature and nature. Expect more destinations from the island of Tenerife in the next post.

STAY TUNED!