Crammed with volcanic peaks, primeval laurel forests and Atlantic-washed shorelines, soulful Tenerife tempts with much more than its balmy weather and beach-vacation buzz.
On the largest island in Spain’s Canary Islands, you can meander around lively neighborhood markets and linger at low-key terrace cafes before diving into forward-thinking art, brightly painted architecture or cliff-hugging hiking trails. And it’s all set against a spectacular natural backdrop that feels unlike anywhere else on earth.
From the cultural thrills of the dynamic capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife to tricky-to-find foodie delights and otherworldly hikes, here’s our pick of the top things to do in Tenerife.
Discover Canarian flavors at Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África
Settle into Tenerife life at Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África, the capital’s fresh produce market. The scents of cinnamon, cumin, paprika and other spices waft through the air as you wander past subtropical plants, mountains of colorful fruits, towers of Canarian cheeses and counters piled high with fresh seafood. The peach-orange building was built back in 1944 with Islamic-style arches and a sky-reaching clocktower.
Delectable local treats range from olive oils and wines to toffee-colored palm honey, specialty coffee from La Orotava and tubs of almogrote (a cheese-based paste from La Gomera). Don’t miss the chance to buy your fish at the market and then have it cooked up at one of the cafe-bars dotted around its edge.
Get creative at Santa Cruz’s Tenerife Espacio de las Artes
Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron – in collaboration with Canarian Virgilio Gutiérrez – are behind the boundary-pushing design of Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, the island’s unmissable art gallery housed in a bold concrete-clad building inspired by the surrounding volcanic landscapes. The free expert-led tours offer a detailed introduction to the TEA’s wonders, which include works by the Tenerife-born surrealist Óscar Domínguez, an astonishing collection of 20th- and 21st-century Canarian art and a 24-hour glass-walled library.
Right opposite stands one of Tenerife’s oldest churches, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (built in the 1490s and later…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Travel Stories – Lonely Planet…