Following my previous holiday in Tenerife, the largest Canary Island, I decided to revisit it in February for a winter escape and to get some work done here. In the blog I wrote Tenerife – not just sun and sea, I gave you a few tips of things to do and where to dine. In this blog, I will cover a few more and I since I was asked by quite a few people to give a few tips on how to get here from Malta for Maltese travellers I will be covering that too.
Flights to Tenerife from Malta
So here are a few flight options from Malta to Tenerife. Because of the dates I wanted, I went for option no 5 to get to South Tenerife airport. This way, despite the two-flight trip, we avoided having to get an hour coach to our final destination but instead we got a 15 minute taxi to Los Cristianos centre. There is no luxury of a direct flight running regularly but nevertheless if you are travelling for 7 to 10 days, I think it’s well worth the commute.
1. Alitalia, Iberiavia Rome or Madrid
2. Vueling via Barcelona
3. Air Malta, British Airways via London
4. Swiss, British Airways via Zürich, London
5. Ryanair via Madrid
FOOD AND DRINK
Barraquito coffee
When you think of Tenerife, you must think about the weather, the sea and the friendly people. But as a coffee lover, one thing that I would like to ask you try is this coffee. You may be wondering, what exactly is a barraquito? I learnt that it is a sweet signature coffee drink that is found on Tenerife and Canary Islands menus only. It is served in a small tall transparent cup so that you can see the layers and it is made with coffee, condensed milk, whipped cream and Liquor 43. I only discovered this the second time I was here. You must try one and make sure you order it in the right places for a genuine one!
We had delicious ones at Stone Grill, Habibi Restaurant, La Costa (San Telmo Centre), Rubina to name but a few but there are loads of places that do good ones. Some of the best come served with a small piece of lemon zest and cinnamon on top. If however this coffee drink is a bit too strong for during the day, omit the liquor 43 and just have a plain Leche Leche as they call it.
As a major European holiday destination, Tenerife caters from travellers from across the globe and boasts a diversity of cuisine. From traditional Canarian cantinas to lavish eateries, Tenerife has something to satisfy for everyone’s tastes and budgets.
La Palapa Beach Club, Las Americas
This time I wanted to enjoy a good plate of pasta in a place where the sunset view is beautiful. So I headed to one of my favourite places La Palapa Beach Club. This time I really enjoyed one of their special dishes – the egg tagliatelle with king prawns and cream complemented with a white glass of Cava served with a strawberry on top. Bliss! Ten on ten for taste and pasta quality.
At this restaurant , which forms part of the Mare Nostrum Resort, on a previous outing, I have also enjoyed a plate of Spanish potatoes, a lighter snack-type meal together with some red sangria, served with red and green mojo. I must say that this place never disappoints and I will recommend it to anyone. Apart from its location being right at the point where the promenade stops at Los Cristianos and starts into Las Americas, the more elite tourist area, the staff are alert, friendly and helpful even when I went there with my little girl who kept running around trying to play “hide and seek”. I’ve watched beautiful sunsets here so try to get a seat close to the seafront side.
When it comes to choosing somewhere to eat in Los Cristianos, you must head to the little row of restaurants and bars known as San Telmo. With large dining terraces overlooking the Las Vistas beach, this eclectic row of eateries includes the ever popular Watermelon where I have had some wicked cocktails after a day at the beach.
Following my previous holiday, having enjoyed the grilled meat here so much, I wanted to try out their seafood paella. Yes, it is as good as it looks and the staff are always so friendly! I even was allowed in the kitchen to snap a photo while the chefs were cooking our paellas! Thank you for such a great experience every time. See you all again on our next trip out here.
Habibi Restaurant
Being a huge fan of Middle Eastern food, I have long wanted to try Habibi because I liked how it looked from the street side. Here I have enjoyed a mixed platter including a mix of their speciality appetisers and as main I ordered the lamb served with baked potatoes, vegetables and rice. All this in a terrific ambiance, with the Lebanese music in the background. Here too they had a high chair available for my little baby traveller as well as small blankets to place on our laps when it got a little chilly. This was a family outing and we certainly all had a lovely time including the Barraquito coffees at the end!
This holiday I was very fortunate to catch up with a friend called Esther who has lived on this Canary Island for over 15 years and as a very well-connected amiable person, she knows the best places to dine and have some good vino. So I was obviously super happy to meet up with her here at this Italian lounge bar and restaurant Biancoto catch up about her life here and to find out more importantly how the charity shop she kindly helps is doing.
At this trendy-looking venue decorated in modern white furniture and classy design touches everywhere, we ordered a melon and ham platter to share as a starter, which was lovely. Then as main I wanted to check out their steak with a peppered sauce on the side, because it came highly recommended by Esther. She was so spot on! I cannot really describe how good the meat tasted. It was grilled to perfection medium to rare, just how I love it. We also ordered a bottle of red Amarone della Valpolicella 2012. Trust me, it all went down a super treat. Thumbs up Bianco. I will be back!
What I learnt is that in this huge complex, apart from several designer shops to feast on for shopping, there are so many eateries to choose from including Italian, Asian, Thai and American grills, so I must return here again when I’m here next.
Live Arico Charity Shop
I was also excited to learn how dedicated Esther is to helping out at this Live Arico Charity Shop in which they sell second hand clothing to raise funds to help dogs that are unwanted or ill. She helps to organise events regularly to raise funds and she also gives her personal time to see that some of these dogs find a home. It’s so admirable. So to do my bit, I promised that next time I’m around, I will dedicate a blog just to this cause and take part in their fashion show if it is timed right. Looking forward to it! Well done to all who are involved in such a great cause, all for the love of dogs.
Please do visit their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/livearicogolfdelsur/
Photoshooting
Speaking of fashion shows, last but not least, I do have to mention that on this trip I have gladly collaborated with some retail outlets in Malta and Italy, to be able to offer you some fresh content for my blog www.graziellecamilleri.com/blog
The shoots were a success thanks to the Tenerife team that formed naturally. Here is just one of the photos. For the rest you will have to wait a little longer as some will also be shared in Maltese magazines before they go online! Yes, it’s getting a little more exciting!
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