We’ve watched sunrise from the summit of Mount Teide and bathed in midsummer waters at midnight; belted out This Sex is on Fire in bars in Las Américas and cried to Ave Maria at fishermen’s fiestas; downed mojitos in Cuban bars and shared vino del pais with caballeros in the mountains; slept in palatial hotels and under canvas in the pine forest; cross-dressed at carnaval and been spellbound at silent, religious parades; trekked to remote hamlets and followed tapas trails galore. Our Real Tenerife knowledge comes from experience and, as a result, all the photos accompanying articles have been taken by us.

There's a saying which goes along the lines of you should only eat sardines in months with no 'r'. Although the sardinadas take place in July in Tenerife, sardine season in southern parts of Europe start in earnest in June, so it's worth looking for some simply grilled sardines now. During the sardinada they tend to be served with a chunk of aniseed bread and a cup of wine or beer - [Sardines and salsa on Tenerife].