Sally Molloy is Sovereign’s resident Tenerife concierge. Fourteen years ago, Sally took a three-month sabbatical with her husband Andy and came to Tenerife to learn to scuba dive. She fell in love with the island and never left.
Today Sally is one of two resident concierges on the island, on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, ensuring that Sovereign customers enjoy a perfect stay.
Here, exclusively for 101 Holidays she reveals the best places to relax, sample authentic Canarian cuisine and shop until you drop.
1. Best place to watch the world go by
This would have to be the El Medano sea front walkway on a Sunday morning. There are lots of trendy cafés and bars to grab a table and enjoy a long coffee as you watch the locals walking their dogs and surfers riding the waves. Located at the far end of the promenade to the west end of the town is one of my favourite bars, Flashpoint. It has a bohemian lounge area, where you can relax and sample a few of the many varieties of tea, all of which are served in individual silver pots on small silver trays – a lovely little touch of luxury.
Flashpoint Tel: +34 922 176 111. Address: Paseo Mercedes de La Roja, El Medano, Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife.
2. Best local restaurant to sample authentic cuisine
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, La Caleta is the place to visit. Literally right on the sea, it isn’t anything special to look at, but the food is something else. Diners are treated to real fresh seafood, cooked to order, alongside a great selection of tapas.
If you’re happy to travel further for a real taste of Canarian cuisine, your best bet is to hire a car and make a trip to a little place in Cruz de Tea, to a restaurant called Tasca del Horno. This place serves real Canarian home cooking, local wine and great coffee; and it’s right next to Tiede National Park, so it makes a lovely treat after a trip up Mount Tiede.
La Caleta Tel: +34 922 780 675. Address: C/ Muelle, 19, 38679 Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
Tasca del Horno Tel: + 34 922 771 486. Address: Calle Buen Viaje, 39 A, Cruz de Tea, Tenerife, Spain
3. Most beautiful beach in Tenerife
There are actually two for me.
Fanabe beach front in front of the Bahia del Duque hotel has white sands, gorgeous parasols and sun beds on the beach. There are also lots of terrific beach front restaurants where you can take in Tenerife’s stunning sunsets.
Playa de la Arena is also highly recommended. It’s a natural black sand beach in the Los Gigantes area, on the west coast of the island. It’s tiny and very pretty, regularly winning the blue flag award for the best kept beach. From the main resorts in the south of the island it’s about an hour’s bus ride – but absolutely worth the effort for a day out! The number 473 bus goes from both the main resorts, Las Americas and Los Cristianos, every 40 mins or so and the journey time is about an hour. By car it’s only half an hour, just follow the coast road with the sea always on your left and you will literally arrive right there.
Fanabe Beach Address: Av. Bruselas s/n 38660 Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
Playa de la Arena Address: 38683, Santiago del Teide, Tenerife, Spain
4. Most luxurious bar in Tenerife
La Hacienda is a small restaurant/bar located in the Bahia del Duque Hotel, on the beachfront of Fanabe. It’s a must for fantastic cocktails, the best fudge brownies and great bistro style food. There are also luxurious bali beds and comfy sofas to stretch out and relax at your leisure. As the sun goes down candles are lit on the tables, creating the perfect relaxing atmosphere.
La Hacienda Tel: +34 922 746 900?Address: Avenida Bruselas, s/n, 386 60 Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
5. Where to go shopping – markets vs. shopping centre
The first thing worth knowing is that the big sales in Tenerife start in January and run until March. Depending on what you want to buy, there are various places to head to. If you’re after the mainstream options, head to Parque Santiago, where there are three shopping centres all in a line, selling everything from designer goods such as Escada, Cartier and Lacoste to more high street brands like Zara and Mango. The Safari Centre is the nearest of the three shopping centres and has some great restaurants.
For more unique and individual items there are also local markets in the resorts twice a week on Thursday and Saturday (and on Sunday in Los Cristianos), which sell beachwear and leather goods, mainly from North Africa.
The Safari Center Tel: + 34 922 796 748. Address: 38660, Av. Americans 5, Playa del Las Americas, Arona, Tenerife, Spain
About Sovereign: With nearly 40 years’ expertise, Sovereign’s luxury holidays are hand-picked with great attention to detail to create the Sovereign Collection of high quality, luxury hotels, riads and cruises. It offers eight individual holiday collections including Tenerife holidays and Cyprus holidays. For more information visit www.sovereign.com.
Tell us your tips. Do you know any great places in Tenerife? Please let us know in the comments below.
