PREPIS/TRANSCRIPT

Without further ado, let's get started! Bez ďalších okolkov, poďme na to!

Our trip was in November, which is a pretty cold autumn month in Slovakia, however, there it is a little bit different. Tenerife with its temperatures around 20 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day were the perfect escape. It gets a little bit chilly at night but nothing too bad. We landed at the South Airport and rented a car from Cicar, which was affordable and problem-free. I can really recommend this car rental company. 

Our accommodation was in Costa del Silencio, a quiet and budget-friendly area, costing around 12 euros per night per person for our group of five. We stayed at a three-bedroom apartment. It was nothing fancy but it did the job. I was there with my partner, my sister and my parents. 

On our first day, we visited Los Cristianos, a lovely coastal town. We walked along the promenade, enjoyed the sea views, and admired the beautiful sea-life graffiti featuring whales and tortoises/turtles. It was a wonderful walk, and we ended the day with a nice dinner and a thunderstorm far on the horizon. 

On our second day, we started by visiting the beautiful Arco de Tajao, a natural rock bridge. It’s a unique geological formation with breathtaking views, and in the distance, we could see El Teide, the towering volcano, accompanied by wind turbines along the horizon. That was when I found out my camera didn´t work. What a lovely thing to find out when I have already transported it from Slovakia so many kilometres away. Whatever!

Next, we headed towards Candelaria, a charming historic town famous for its well-preserved Basilica of Candelaria. We wandered through the narrow streets, lined with colourful buildings, and stopped for a delicious treat of empanadas and coffee. At this point, my boyfriend was already feeling sick so we went to the local pharmacy for some pick-me-ups in the form of medicine. 

After, we made our way to a black sand beach, typical for volcanic islands like Tenerife. The contrast between the dark sand and the blue waters was so cool, and we couldn't resist dipping our toes into the cool Atlantic waters. Right next to this place is a viral Instagram location, Bocacangrejo, beautifully painted streets in a village in the rocks. It was such a magical place with narrow paths and the ocean hitting the coast, some surfboards lying around and cactuses added to the overall vibe. But I gotta say, we didn´t see the paintings, we saw them only in this insta-video and actually when we came there a guy was painting over these beautiful colourful pictures with grey paint. So, I don´t recommend trying to find this place, because it is not there anymore. 

Finally, we reached Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the bustling capital of the island. We took some time to explore the usually lively Mercado Municipal Nuestra Señora de África, a local market filled with fresh produce. However, it wasn´t so lively when we were there because it was actually closed. We came too late. LOL. Still nice though because there was a Christmas tree already decorated in the middle of the ground floor. Anyone who knows me is very well aware of my love for Christmas. The city centre came alive with beautiful Christmas lights, adding to the festive atmosphere. We took some time to explore it and took some photos with the sign “Love Santa Cruz”. For dinner, I treated myself to a bowl of ramen, a satisfying end to a full day of exploration. On our way back, we saw the stunning Auditorio de Tenerife. As far as I understood, it is a theatre or some kind of an art centre.  It looks like a giant wave and is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. However, the outskirts of the capital city are quite industrial-looking. By the way, driving in Tenerife is absolutely doable, nothing to worry about. 

On day three, we had big plans to visit Mount Teide, the iconic volcano. We were all set with our winter clothes because, unlike the rest of Tenerife, it gets really cold up there, especially at the summit. However, we received an SMS notification the day before that the trip was cancelled due to bad weather conditions. It was a bit disappointing since we were looking forward to experiencing the volcano up close, but I’ve got to say, the refund process was smooth. We got our money back quickly, and I highly recommend signing up for those SMS notifications if you’re planning to visit. It saved us from wasting time driving up only to find out the trip was off!

So we adjusted our plans and went swimming in Charcos Los Chochos, pools, which were formed by volcanic eruptions. You might be thinking “Isn´t it too cold to swim in November?” Not really!  The water was refreshing that is for sure but not freezing. Our next stop was Garachico, a small coastal town that’s famous for its natural rock pools as well. They are all around Tenerife, you just have to choose on Google, which ones you like the best. Garachico itself is a charming place, with narrow streets and a laid-back vibe, perfect for unwinding and having something to eat. 

Later in the day, we wanted to visit a lighthouse. However, we didn’t realize that the road leading there was closed! It turns out the lighthouse is only accessible on certain days and times, so if you’re planning to visit, make sure to check the schedule in advance. As you can see, we got unlucky with so many things and that is not even the end!

On our fourth day in Tenerife, we had planned to visit the Cueva del Viento, one of the largest volcanic tubes in the world. It is like a cave,  I would say. However, upon arrival, we learned that tours require prior booking, which we hadn't done. It's a popular attraction, and tours fill up quickly, so if you're planning to visit, be sure to book in advance. 

Undeterred, we decided to explore some of Tenerife's beautiful gardens. We visited Marquesado de la Quinta Roja Garden, a viewpoint and garden located in the hills in the town of La Orotava. In the historic centre of La Orotava, we discovered a large nativity scene, which was spread across the whole square. I cannot forget about a shot of specialty coffee in the café called Slow Coffee.

Next, we visited the Drago Milenario, the ancient dragon tree located in the town of Icod de los Vinos. This tree is estimated to be between 800 and 1,000 years old and is considered a symbol of Tenerife. There is also a mariposa - butterfly garden outside of this complex but we didn´t end up visiting. We rather headed down to the ocean and swam in other volcanic pools. I just love how refreshing it was.

Later, we explored the Gordejuela Water Pumping Station, also known as Casa Hamilton, an abandoned building from the early 20th century. Despite its ruined state, the structure is considered one of the most beautiful abandoned buildings in the world. It was pumping water to the banana plantations back in the day. 

Day five didn’t start off too great for me. I woke up with a terrible migraine that just wouldn’t go away. I tried taking some medication, but it didn’t really help, and to make matters worse, I started feeling sick. It was almost like a domino effect — my sister was sick before the holiday, my boyfriend got sick during the holiday and got better in a few days, and then it hit me. I even had ear pain, which made things a bit challenging.

Despite feeling under the weather, we continued our trip and headed to the Masca Valley, one of Tenerife’s most famous spots. It’s a picturesque valley with dramatic cliffs and winding roads. There’s a big rock formation there, and you can do plenty of hikes around the area if you’re up for it. The parking situation, though, was a bit tricky. It’s quite limited, and you can only park for around 30 minutes, so keep that in mind if you plan to visit. But despite all of that, the views were stunning, and it was well worth the effort.

On the way back, we stopped at Los Gigantes, another must-see in Tenerife. These are massive cliffs that drop straight into the ocean. We stopped at a café near the viewpoint, but honestly, the coffee there wasn’t great, so maybe skip that spot. After that, we made our way to Costa Adeje and decided to have some paella. I mean, you can’t visit a Spanish island without trying paella, right? But I’ll admit, it’s not really my favourite dish.

We finished off the day by walking through Costa Adeje at night. The beach was beautiful, and even though I wasn’t feeling my best, it was a nice way to end the day. Oh, and a quick visit to the pharmacy to grab some medicine for my ear didn’t do much to help.

Monday was a bit of a rough day. My ear pain had gotten worse, and it became clear that I needed to see a doctor. I think it started with a runny nose, and the infection spread to my ears. So, I found a clinic and ended up waiting for three hours, which felt like forever. The whole situation was frustrating. I was in pain, trying to sort things out with my insurance company over the phone, and one of the ladies at the reception didn’t want to speak English with me, even though she was fluent. I found that out after two hours of waiting there. It was supposed to be the best clinic on the island. Sure! After all that, I paid around €250 for what turned out to be a two-minute examination. The doctor was nice enough, and he spoke a little English. He prescribed me antibiotics, which I was able to pick up at a pharmacy nearby. After three hours of waiting, I finally had my medicine. Thankfully, my insurance reimbursed me (gave me my money back) a few weeks later, but it was still a frustrating experience.

To make the day a little better, we had an amazing Indian dinner that night. Garlic naan, cheese naan, masala sauce and so on. The food was just perfect. After that, we kept things pretty chill for the rest of the evening.

Tuesday was our last day in Tenerife. We didn’t have much time left, but we made the most of it. We headed down to a little beach near our accommodation in Costa del Silencio. The beach was quiet and a great spot to relax before we wrapped up our trip. The last spot we checked was Castillo de San Miguel but from the outside, it looked like nobody was there. Nothing special really. 

Before heading to the airport, we had a delicious meal at an Asian restaurant. It was a nice final touch to our time in Tenerife. After that, we headed to the airport and made our way back home to freezing weather. And that, my friends, was the end of our adventure.

Maybe not the end. I still wanted to say that I almost didn´t survive the flight because my ear pain was excruciating. So I am glad I am here because the last 20 minutes of us landing … that was just crazy! 

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