Tenerife: breathtaking scenery, blind bends and binge drinking
Beyond the mass tourism resorts where northern Europeans escape the winter, Spain's Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Gomera are full of character, with magnificent landscapes, winding roads and picture-postcard villages, writes Tim Pile
Brochures on display in the tourist office describe Los Cristianos as a former fishing village with a bustling, colourful harbour. Never trust a place that calls itself a "former fishing village". They're usually sprawling concrete resorts and the only boats still working are booze-cruise charters.
Fortunately, Los Cristianos is a departure point for ferries from Tenerife to the other Canary Islands. I've decided on a tour of neighbouring La Gomera, despite the efforts of a travel agent who does her best to put me off.
"You'll be stuck on the coach all day," she warns. "And the trip is very cheap so the lunch won't be great. Why don't you go independently? It'll give you more freedom." I book the tour, if only to see the expression on her face.
In truth, I have little choice. It's carnival time and hotels on La Gomera are busy, hire cars are hard to come by and rumours of public transport are greatly exaggerated. My plan is to use the excursion to see something of the island, then track down a room in the port town of San Sebastian and stay on for a few nights.
Situated a hop and a skip from Saharan Africa, Spain's seven Canary Islands have long been a winter bolthole for northern Europeans tired of bone-numbing cold, exorbitant heating bills and the daily car-defrosting ritual. Tenerife is the most popular; attracting five million tourists annually, a good enough reason to catch a ferry to somewhere else.