Tenerife - The Nature and History of a Volcanic Island

TENERIFE – THE NATURE AND HISTORY OF A VOLCANIC ISLAND

Tenerife, the largest island in the Canaries archipelago, is a volcanic island with an unspoilt and dramatic interior and beautiful coastline. Perfectly preserved villages with colourful painted houses, pretty squares and churches, lunch sub-tropical gardens and dramatic mountain drives, all add up to a relaxing and fulfilling week in a temperate climate. The Canary Islands have been welcoming visitors for 300 years and although Tenerife has a reputation for mass tourism, this has been cleverly contained in areas not included in this itinerary.

15 NOVEMBER 2024
7 NIGHT HOLIDAY

3 nights from £2,860 per person (Single Supplement £469), based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room at the Hotel Botanico.

INCLUDES:

• Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner
• Return flights
• Three dinners and two lunches
• Services of the Kirker Tour Leader
• All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities as described

TO BOOK
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01442 879787

THE HOTEL

Situated in the harbour town of Puerto de la Cruz, within six acres of lush, landscaped gardens, the Botanico has a reputation for offering guests exemplary service and is the perfect place to relax and unwind away from the buzz of the south. The property was originally built in a rather uninspiring modern style, but the 252 rooms are beautifully furnished and all have balconies. There is an excellent spa complex offering a range of treatments and programs that are designed to achieve ‘maximum rejuvenation’! There are four restaurants, including an Asian fine dining experience. The hotel also has two swimming pools – one main outdoor swimming pool and one indoor swimming pool within the spa complex. There are also tennis courts and a large putting green.

MUSIC PROGRAMME

DAY 1

We fly to Tenerife and on arrival transfer to the 5* Hotel Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz. The long-established and very popular property is set within six acres of impeccably maintained gardens. There are spacious lounge, terraces, two swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor and a spa. All bedrooms have balconies and views of Mount Teide or the sea.

DAY 2

Today is devoted to a selection of the luxuriant gardens on the island. We follow a guided tour of the hotel’s splendid gardens with visits to the Botanical Gardens of Tenerife, the Sitio Litre Orchid Garden where more than 300 varieties of orchid can be seen and the Parque Taoro Water Garden.

DAY 3

We will visit Mount Teide National Park today, travelling to the 12,000 ft peak by cable car to enjoy spectacular views across the island and over to Gran Canaria. Afterwards, we drive down to Granadilla for an aperitif with Simon and Christopher Monckton, two of Kirker’s most popular tour leaders, and then to lunch in the tiny fishing village of Los Abrigos. One the way back to the hotel int he afternoon, we will visit the curious stepped pyramids at Guimar, restored by Thor Heyerdahl in the 1990’s.

DAY 4

Wines from the Canary Island were once very fashionable and sought-after – Shakespeare mentions them in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Twelfth Night – and this morning we will enjoy a tasting. Later we make our way to La Orotava, a lovely small town with 17th and 18th Century houses and churches, where a walking tour will be followed by lunch in a traditional Canarian restaurant.

DAY 5

This morning we drive along the spectacular north coast to Masca, a tiny village of pretty houses clinging to a steep ravine and swarfed by the most dramatic scenery on the island. We will then drive back to the charming old town of Garachico where we pause for an independent lunch and visit the 17th century Franciscan Convent. For 300 year this sleep village of cobbled streets, fisherman’s cottages and sun-baked cloisters was the most important port on the island.

DAY 6

We visit Santa Cruz today, the capital of the island and a handsome city of tree-lined streets, parks and art galleries. We will have a guided tour of the stunning concert hall, the Auditoria de Tenerife designed by Calatrava. There will be free time for shopping and an independent lunch before returning to the hotel.

DAY 7

Our final tour starts with a walking tour of the historic university town of La Laguna, the original capital, founded in 1496. After an independent t lunch, we continue to the wild Anaga Mountains where the ‘cloud forest’, like that of the neighbouring La Gomera, has survived undisturbed since the dinosaurs walked the earth.

TOUR LEADER – CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON

Christopher was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford where he developed a passion for both performing and teaching. This led to a life-long interest in history, music and art history. He has led countless tours all over the world covering many subjects and periods. He is equally at home in the ancient world as he is in major art galleries of Europe. Christopher Monckton is also a professional musician and distinguished organist.