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When you think of Tenerife, there is a good chance that you will immediately think of sun, sea and sand. Whilst it has this in spades, it is also a country with fascinating traditions, culture and history just waiting to be uncovered. We have two wonderful Te-nerife resorts to the East and West that put you in the perfect position to soak up this culture, as well as plenty of sun too! Wonderful West Candelaria – Candelaria is known as one of the main religions areas on the island and the impressive Basilica is the spiritual home of their patron Saint, the Virgin of Candelaria. The town also has a number of other attractions, such as the Pilgrim's Fountain, the Dominican monastery and the Cave of the Achbinico. La Laguna – One of Tenerife’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, La Laguna uses a grid layout in its streets that would later influence the way in which many South American cities were planned out. It also features many spectacular buildings and a mix of Gothic, Baroque and Colonial architecture which echoes the island’s intriguing history. Santa Cruz – Tenerife’s capital city is filled with plenty of culture and history, immediately noticeable by the incredible Colonial architecture. Castillo de San Cristoble, El Tigre and La Rambla are just a few highlights; there are many more that you will discover simply strolling the streets. A guided walking tour is a great way to see these highlights and un-derstand the town’s rich history. Hotel – Conveniently located in Santa Cruz is the first of our Tenerife resorts. Grand Ho-tel Mencey has had the rich, famous and even royalty within its walls, so I am confident that it is good enough for my clients! It exudes luxury, from the decor through to the ser-vices available, plus the streets of Santa Cruz are on your doorstep and the best desti-nations to the west are easily accessible from here. Enchanting East Masca – Masca is a real hidden gem that I love to recommend to my clients as not many tourists find out about this amazing “lost” village. Located high in the mountains at 650 metres within gorgeous natural scenery, the views here are sublime. Some say that it is the most beautiful spot on the island – it is difficult to disagree. La Oratava – This lovely town is the highest in all of Spain, so expect to have your breath taken away by the amazing views of the surrounding area whilst you stroll the cobbled streets and take in the stunning architecture. (Top tip – head to Concepción Parish Church for an impressive sight). I also highly recommend that you take the time to visit the beautiful botanical gardens here, which feature over 3,000 species of exotic tropical plants! Garachico – Previously the main port of the island until the devastating eruption of Mon-taña Negra, this charming village features a handful of intriguing sites. This includes the Franciscan monastery San Francisco di Asís, which is now home to the Casa de la Cul-tura. I also recommend the monastery of Santo Domingo and a beautiful fortress over-looking the ocean, Castillo de san Miguel. In addition to these impressive sights, you can also see the striking scars cast into the mountainside by the lava from the historic erup-tion in 1706. Hotel – A great base to explore these superb destinations is San Roque, which is a res-tored eighteenth-century boutique hotel that is bursting full of character. It has elegant decor and stylish furniture, yet it is also very warm, friendly and welcoming with plenty of luxury facilities. Feel free to get in touch today to find out more about my favourite cultural destinations around the island, or to discover more of our carefully-selected Tenerife resorts. John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years, he has been providing luxury accommodation in Tenerife resorts as well as in Bermuda, Croatia, Sicily and many other destinations around the globe. John tries to visit each of the destinations regularly in order to ensure the quality of his properties, and stay up-to-date about the latest local news and events. He has a taste for the finer things in life and has an interest in arts, history and culture.
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