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.

Tenerife's romería season lasts throughout summer. Romerías range from small affairs in hillside towns which rarely see visitors, to epic processions through packed streets in the bigger traditional towns. One of the popular local specialities thrown from the back of romería carts is gofio amasado – a dense mix of gofio, honey, almonds, sugar, and water with occasional other ingredients. For me it's an authentic taste of Tenerife's harvest fiestas. - [Read more about gofio amasado].