Its original inhabitants, the Guanc- hes, lived in caves to protect them- selves against the harsh clima- te and wild animals. Organised into small kingdoms called menceyatos, their existence unfolded in perfect harmony with nature. Following the arrival of Spanish settlers in the 15 th century, the island, which until then had been known as Achinech or Chinet, which is generally translated as “my land”, became an important commercial bastion of the Crown of Castile. Santa Cruz de Tenerife was proclaimed the capital of the Canary Islands in 1833. Tenerife’s volcanic origins Despite being between 10 and 12 million years old, Tenerife is the Ca- nary Islands’ youngest territory in geological terms. And it could be said that it was born of fire. There were initially three distinct islands: Adeje, Anaga, and Teno, which for- med as lava accumulated on the ocean floor (submarine stage) and gradually rose to the surface (volca- nic building stage). In the third sta- ge, starting three million years ago and continuing to the present day (central building stage), the Las Cañadas complex was formed and, later, Mount Teide. Tenerife’s 11 volcanoes and more than 300 vol- canic cones continue to show acti- vity today. The island’s landsca-
pe changes almost imperceptibly every day. Exploring its ever-chan- ging landscapes, which often appe- ar otherworldly, is a once-in-a-lifeti-
de National Park, encompassing ne- arly 190 square kilometres, protects Europe’s only subtropical high-mo- untain habitat. Its flora includes en- dangered plants, such as the silver thistle and pajonera grass, as well as striking rare flowers like the red and blue tajinaste. Among the fau- na, you’ll find the Tenerife lizard, fin - ches, osprey etc. Among Tenerife’s peculiarities are microclimates that change every few kilometres. Unbelievably, the island has more than 10 distinct cli- matic zones. On the beaches and natural pools of the south, you’ll enjoy good weather and warm tem- Microclimates separated by just a few kilometres peratures year-round. For exam- ple, Costa Adeje averages mo- re than 300 sunny days annually. The water remains at a temperatu- re of between 20ºC and 23ºC, while the ambient temperature hovers at an average of around 23ºC. Not far from there, in locations like La Oro-
me experience. Teide: not only Spain’s highest peak
Did you know that, in addition to be- ing Spain’s highest peak, Mount Te- ide is also the tallest volcano in Eu- rope and the world’s third tallest measured from the ocean floor to the top? At an altitude of 3,715 me- tres above sea level, it exceeds a total height of 7,500 metres from base to summit, with most of its structure submerged. Some areas are perfect for active and extreme sports like hiking and trekking, mo- untain biking, climbing, mountainee- ring, or paragliding. In 2007, Mount Teide was recognised as a UNES- CO World Heritage Site in the cate- gory of Natural Good. Its most re- cent eruption (relatively recent) was recorded in 1909. Its depths conti- nue to rumble to this day. The Tei-
Nebo nad ostrvom Tenerife jedno je od retkih mesta na svetu sa zvaničnim statusom zaštićenog prirodnog rezervata The sky over Tenerife island is one of the few places in the world with the official status of a protected natural reserve
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