Closeness: With Tenerife being just four hours away from the UK, with direct flights from most regional airports, there is no need for newlyweds to travel long-haul for their honeymoon. Tenerife is also in the same time zone as the UK, so there is the added benefit of no jet lag!
The weather...
Weather: The island boasts 3,000 hours of sunlight a year and average annual spring-like temperatures of 22 degrees – summers are not as hot as Mediterranean destinations, however winters are just as pleasant.
Hotels: Tenerife’s five-star hotel infrastructure is second to none. The island currently boasts more five-star hotels than Barcelona and more five and four-star hotels combined than in any other destination in Spain. Also, many of Tenerife’s most-exclusive hotels offer honeymoon packages.
Spas: With perfect year-round temperatures, an abundance of volcanic minerals and an iodine-rich Atlantic breeze, a spa treatment in Tenerife is a must! Most luxury hotels have an array of indulgent massages and treatments ideal for couples, many of which combine eastern and western methods, and even Canarian programmes featuring volcanic lava therapy and banana pulp facials.
Landscapes: The exotic volcanic landscapes of the UNESCO-listed Teide National Park, the island’s tropical forests, the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean make Tenerife the perfect backdrop for any honeymoon photo album.
Beaches: The island features nearly 400 km of coastline and 70 km of beaches (both golden and black sand) to choose from, as well as natural salt pools (formed naturally by lava flows many years ago). Some favourites include Duque Beach, Las Teresitas and Benijo.
Shopping: The island is VAT-free, so shopping is one of its top activities for visitors. The island has a number of shopping centres full of stores, restaurants and cinemas, plus the historic city and town centres are havens for keen shoppers. Recommended places are Calle del Castillo in Santa Cruz (the island’s capital city) and Herradores and La Carrera in UNESCO-listed La Laguna.
Gastronomy: Tenerife offers an authentic cuisine blessed with an array of intoxicating flavours, favoured by the island’s year-round spring climate. Popular food includes “wrinkled potatoes” with paprika and green coriander sauces, goat stew and grilled cheese with honey – not to mention the island’s characterful wines, whose singularity lies in the barren volcanic soils on which the vines grow. Also, Tenerife has four Michelin-starred restaurants, making it the only Canary Island with Michelin stars.
Sunset and stars: For a “star struck” experience, couples should be sure to try the magical “Sunset and Stars” excursion, whose highlight is to see the sunset on the summit of Mount Teide (Spain’s highest peak at 3,718 metres high). A Canarian buffet dinner designed by Michelin-starred Chef, Erlantz Gorostiza, adds to the experience.
Whale watching: This is another popular activity for couples. A colony of pilot whales and bottle-nose dolphins live between the waters of Tenerife and La Gomera and can be spotted all year round. There are companies that offer private trips for a more romantic experience – even at sunset with a glass of champagne.
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