TENERIFE HOME FROM HOME
It’s been a Brit-favourite since the Seventies, but what does it offer buyers, ex-pats and retirees these days, asks Christopher Nye
TENERIFE? Actually, the south-west corner of
Tenerife, which is where resorts such as Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas and the inland villages are home to a year-round population of British sun-worshippers. The island has been a Brit-favourite since the 1970s, beloved for its year-round warmth, frequent direct fl ights and reasonably priced properties. The island is the largest of the
Canary Islands, sitting in the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco, but part of Spain. It includes Spain’s highest mountain, the still technically active volcano Mount Teide, all 3,718 metres
70
aplaceinthesun.com
of it, looking down over a wide variety of resorts along the 65km of beaches that make up around a quarter of its total shoreline.
NOT JUST SEA, SAND AND SANGRIA Tenerife has a population of just over
900,000 people, with an additional fi ve million tourists arriving each year. In recent years, like other Spanish islands, Tenerife has worked hard to attract a less boozy clientele than the 18-30-year-old crowds which originally made its fortune but damaged its reputation. The tourist offi ces now highlight the natural beauty of the mountains, Mount Teide, the laurel and pine forests, banana plantations, and whale and dolphin-watching adventures. Alongside the man-made attractions of golf courses, zoos and waterparks, specialist holiday companies offer mountain biking, hiking, climbing and diving trips,
with amazing features such as La Masca, a canyon that’s so narrow that in places you can touch the sides, continuing for three miles before arriving at a gorgeous isolated bay. And when you do want a beer and a bit of Brit culture, it’s not far away.
THE BRITISH CONNECTION Research by Tenerife Property Shop
towards the end of the property boom in 2006 put the number of British- owned properties in Tenerife at 42,000, with around 8,000 British people who have taken out Spanish residency. That’s a fairly small percentage of the population, but many thousands more come to escape the British winter without registering. The British presence is especially felt in the south-west corner of the island, with Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos the most popular areas, and a swath of lovely golden beaches, with
HOME FROM HOME
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100