DLR Overseas Tenerife

Tenerife

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands, which are off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. All of the islands are of volcanic origin. Tenerife was named by the people of neighbouring La Palma, Tene meaning “mountain” and ife meaning “white”. The Spanish added the “r”. This is an obvious reference to the highest point in Spain, Mount Teide (3,718m).

Transport links.

There are two airports on the island, Los Rodeos or Tenerife Norte, and Reina Sofia or Tenerife Sur. Tenerife Norte is used for internal flights with Tenerife Sur being the international airport.

The island has a fast toll-free highway system that almost encircles the whole island and links all of the major towns. Tenerife has a fleet of modern, air-conditioned buses run by TITSA. The fares are reasonable and help to make it a highly satisfactory way of getting around and seeing the island.

A brief history

The Guanches had nine small kingdoms. The Spanish tried to invade in 1494 but were beaten back by the Guanches. The Crown of Castile eventually overcame the locals in 1495 with the aid of superior technology as well as disease. Immigrants from other parts of the Spanish Empire (Portugal, Germany, Flanders and Italy) settled on the island whilst many of the natives became slaves or died of disease. Much of the island was turned over to sugar cane at the expense of the pine forests. Over time wine, cochineal and bananas became important crops of the island.

Lord Nelson attacked Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the island in July 1797. It was the headquarters of the Captain General. The fighting was fierce and Nelson was badly wounded in his right arm trying to disembark, getting it amputated later. In September of the same year Nelson tried again, this time at Puerto de Santiago. The locals hurled rocks from the top of the cliffs known as Los Gigantes and again the British invasion was unsuccessful.

Tourists first starting arriving in the 1890’s, albeit primarily to the north in Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz. The Republican government posted Franco to Tenerife in 1936, but it was from the island that he plotted his coup that resulted in the Spanish Civil War. The misery that followed the war caused many of the island’s inhabitants to leave in the 1950’s.