Far from the modern architecture and high-rise hotels of Tenerife’s bustling capital, in the shadow of the 12,200-foot Mount Teide, you will find historic Tenerife looking much as it did hundreds of years ago. In Orotava you will have superb views of the sparkling azure seas as you stroll along cobblestone streets lined with pastel-colored colonial architecture, including the beautiful House of Balconies built in the 1600s. Stop for coffee in Icod de los Vinos, founded in the early 1500s, and stand under the ancient dragon tree that has centuries of stories to tell. As you sip island wine and snack on local cheeses at a café that spills onto the narrow, cobbled streets of Garachico, you will find Canarian culture dating back to its founding in 1496 and flourishing in the absence of modern resorts and retail chains.
Historic Tenerife unfolds on a fascinating tour of some of its most charming colonial towns, where seemingly little has changed since the 16th century.