Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands; it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 square kilometres (785 sq mi) and 898,680 inhabitants, 43 percent of the total population of the Canary Islands.
Tenerife is probably one of the last European paradise isles. It offers lush forests, exotic fauna and flora, deserts, mountains, volcanoes, incredibly beautiful coastlines and spectacular beaches. British and German tourists come in their tens of thousands every year to visit its spectacular beaches and lively nightlife. It is also very popular among holidaymakers from the Spanish peninsula, especially during Easter time.
Its 269 kilometres of coast offer a wide variety of places to enjoy the sun and the sea. In the north, where the countryside is steep with cliffs, you will find small bays and natural pools, whereas in the south, such as in the municipalities of Adeje and Arona, you will find numerous beaches, most of which are volcanic in origin.
You can swim and sunbathe all the year round thanks to the abundance of sunny days and moderate temperatures which range between 18 degrees in winter and 26 degrees in summer. The high quality of its hotel infrastructure and the wide range of leisure activities and complimentary services are just a couple of the reasons which bring thousands of people every year to Tenerife for their holidays.
However, there is much more to discover on the island. Besides the Teide National Park and the Corona Forestal Natural Park, there are other beautiful natural areas on the island.
Diving in the waters around the island is also a spectacular experience as the volcanoes have given Tenerife an original sea floor. Cycling, golf, hiking, surfing or hang gliding are just a few of the sports you can practice here. Together with the famous Carnival, there are other feasts in the different towns of the island where you will be able to get to know typical handicrafts like openwork and cockade; the gastronomy, especially fish dishes, potatoes and cheeses; and other popular and traditional customs of the islanders.
Carnival of Santa Cruz
Perhaps the most important festival of Tenerife, popular both on a national and international level, is the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which has been declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest (Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional).
The carnival is celebrated in many locations in the north and south of the island, but is largest in scope in the city of Santa Cruz.Contests are celebrated, and the carnival includes bands of street musicians (murgas), groups of minstrels (rondallas de Tenerife), masquerades (comparsas), and various associations (agrupaciones). Once the Queen of the festival is elected, the first part of the carnival ends, and thereafter begins the actual street carnival, in which large numbers of people gather in the centre of Santa Cruz, with the carnival lasting ten days.
Mount Teide
It is a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Its 3,718-metre (12,198 ft) summit is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic. At 7,500 m (24,600 ft) from its base on the ocean floor, it is the third highest volcano on a volcanic ocean island in the world after Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Its elevation makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world. It remainsactive: its most recent eruption occurred in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift.
The United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation designated Teide a Decade Volcano because of its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to several large towns, of which the closest are Garachico, Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz. Teide, Pico Viejo and Montaña Blanca form the Central Volcanic Complex of Tenerife.The volcano and its surroundings comprise Teide National Park, which has an area of 18,900 hectares (73 sq mi) and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 29, 2007.
It is one of the most visited National Parks in the world, with a total of 2.8 million visitors, according to the Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC). In 2013 it was the ninth most visited national park in the world. The Teide is therefore, the most visited natural wonder of Spain, and one of the most visited in the world.
Teide was a sacred mountain to the aboriginal Guanches, so it was considered a mythological mountain, as Mount Olympus was to the ancient Greeks. According to legend, Guayota (the devil) kidnapped Magec (the god of light and the sun) and imprisoned him inside the volcano, plunging the world into darkness. The Guanches asked their supreme god Achamán for clemency, so Achamán fought Guayota, freed Magec from the bowels of the mountain, and plugged the crater with Guayota. It is said that since then, Guayota has remained locked inside Teide. When going on to Teide during an eruption, it was customary for the Guanches to light bonfires to scare Guayota. Guayota is often represented as a black dog, accompanied by his host of demons (Tibicenas).
The Guanches also believed that Teide held up the sky. Many hiding places found in the mountains contain the remains of stone tools and pottery. These have been interpreted as being ritual deposits to counter the influence of evil spirits, like those made by the Berbers of Kabylie. The Guanches believed the mountain to be the place that housed the forces of evil and the most evil figure, Guayota
Guayota shares features similar to other malevolent deities inhabiting volcanoes, such as the goddess Pele of Hawaiian mythology, who lived in the Kīlauea volcano and was regarded by the native Hawaiians as responsible for the eruptions of the volcano.
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