Or, more commonly known as the flower of the Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus, which bears the fruit known as higos picos (prickly pears).
Photo By Jonathan Rubio
The First Battle of Acentejo was a battle that took place on the island of Tenerife between the Guanches and an alliance of Spaniards, other Europeans, and associated natives (mostly from other islands), on May 31, 1494, during the Spanish conquest of this island. It resulted in a victory for the Guanches of Tenerife.
Read more about The First Battle of Acentejo
Photo by colros
May 30th, is Día de Canarias or Canary Islands Day, which is a public holiday that celebrates "Canarianess" and remembers the anniversary of the first session of the autonomous Canary Islands Parliament, which took place on May 30th, 1983, when the Canary Islands gained greater powers of self-governance after the return to democracy in Spain.
Young diver’s body found in north Tenerife
"A young scuba diver from Buenavista has tragically lost his life while enjoying his favourite sport in Los Silos, in north Tenerife. "
Why a Blog Trip would be Perfect for Tenerife and Why it’s not Likely to Happen
"So why do I think a blog trip is unlikely ever to happen on Tenerife? Because any such publicity opportunity would be taken over by the politicians rather than focussing on local people interacting with the bloggers. Because in order to pull this off successfully you would have to have local and island-wide government working in seamless unity, something I have yet to witness on Tenerife. "
Spanish cucumbers identified as cause of European E-coli outbreak
"Canarian exporters are up in arms at the allegation, roundly denying that it could be due to vegetables from these islands. "
Classic Coastal Walking on Tenerife, to the Hidden Beaches
"There are plans to create a coastal path that links much of the north west coast of Tenerife but for the moment walkers can only experience individual sections. We’re fortunate enough to have one of the nicest outside our front door."
The Problem with Brit Bars Abroad
"They seem to have been stuck in a groove for quarter of a century and for the life of me I can’t get my head around why they are all following almost exactly the same outdated format."
Travel effects of ash cloud from Grimsvotn Icelandic volcano eruption | Janet Anscombe
"A total of 189 passengers are stuck in Tenerife as a result of the ash cloud from the eruption. Turismo de Tenerife says that these travellers are waiting for the sole flight currently affected, a Ryanair flight due from Prestwick-Glasgow. "
No Performing Animals & New Tourism Campaign in Tenerife News of the Week
"This week’s election results on Tenerife have taken up much of the news over the past few days, but the inexplicable nature of some voting patterns is just too extraordinary to be even begin to try to summarise. We’re still scratching our heads as to why some residents continue to vote for politicians whose motives are quite clearly dubious…but that’s democracy for you. Or is it? "
Vilaflor, There’s No Hiding The Beauty Of Tenerife’s Pine Country
"What a nice morning greeting In Vilaflor, the statue of Hermano Pedro gazing across the quiet entry junction and a cockerel crowing his little voice box out in the distance. Driving up from Los Cristianos the temperature had dropped about 6 degrees and the air was cool, perfect for walking. It’s about time I got my lazy bones moving and sampled the walking trails again so I had met up with one of the regular Saturday morning groups armed with a back pack of smelly sarnies, bottled water, and my camera."
Weather Forecast for Tenerife from 23rd May to 29th May
"It’s a bit of a mixed bag for Tenerife’s weather this week. There should be quite a lot of sunshine especially in the south and south west of the island with even the chance of light showers in north and north eastern parts."
El Cine Restaurant Review, Does Los Cristianos' Worst Kept Secret Serve the Best Fish on Tenerife?
"If you haven’t heard of El Cine in Los Cristianos then you haven’t been talking to the right people; it’s Los Cristianos’ worst kept gastronomic secret. Ask nearly anyone who knows Los Cristianos to recommend a good, traditional fish restaurant and the name that’s probably most likely to form on their lips is El Cine’s."
CD Tenerife's Bright Shoots For Next Season
"It’s never too late to show pride, CD Tenerife are finishing their relegation season with a flourish, even throwing in an away victory at Albacete by 2-1. "
Adeje And Arona Get The Summer Dance Beat
"DJ Tiesto, praised as the world’s best, heads in from Holland on Saturday 6 August to light the fuse at Golf Costa Adeje with his Club Life experience. With the music memories still reverberating, it’s followed up on Friday 12 August with 13 hours of music at the Arona Summer Festival at the Las Americas football stadium (below). This one features French house music DJ David Guetta and a host of top acts from around Europe."
"Location: Golf Costa Adeje
Link out: Click here
Description: Arguably the best DJ in the world, originally from Holland Tiesto has toured the world and staged many mega concerts as well as producing music in the studio. Starts at 8 pm.
Date: 2011-08-06"
Attention bar and restaurant owners!
"It has been brought to our attention that in the Cabildo’s Tourism & Planning Department law regulating bars and restaurants, published as decree 90/2010 on July 22 2010, certain minimum conditions are stipulated, and failure to comply could lead to inspectors charging you an on-the-spot fine of up to €3,000.
The decree states quite clearly that you must have staff who speak Spanish. "
Tenerife beheading suspect 'treated in Welsh hospital'
"The man accused of beheading a British grandmother in Tenerife had been treated in a psychiatric unit in north Wales, it has emerged. Deyan Deyanov was reported to be visiting relatives when he was detained for his own safety at Glan Clwyd Hospital's Ablett Unit, Denbighshire. "
Arona’s III Ruta Gastronómica El Almácigo
"The III Ruta Gastronómica El Almácigo is now underway in Arona, and 15 establishments in Valle de San Lorenzo, La Camella, Chayofa, Cabo Blanco and Buzanada are participating to offer tapas and other typically Canarian foods at €3 accompanied by water, local wine or Canarian beer between 6 and 11pm each evening."
"As a mark of respect to the family of Jennifer Mills-Westley, Tenerife Magazine will not be publishing our usual round-up of the week’s news. We feel that the semi-flippant approach we take in this feature isn’t appropriate at this time."
Where on Tenerife is this? Photo Challenge #5 2011
"For this month we’ve opted for a real Tenerife secret; a place that we are sure not many people, relatively speaking, have actually set foot in."
Top Ten-erife Useful Spanish Phrases
"Although the ability to speak the lingo when holidaying, or indeed living, on Tenerife – particularly in the main resorts of the island – has never been a major handicap, nevertheless, a little Spanish can go a long way."
Jennifer Mills-Westley beheading suspect 'was wanted'
"An arrest warrant was issued for a Bulgarian man three days before he allegedly stabbed and beheaded a UK woman in a Tenerife shop."
CD Tenerife Relegated With A Bang, Not A Whimper
"King Canute couldn’t hold back the sea and CD Tenerife couldn’t keep postponing relegation from the Segunda Division, that wall was breached so many times throughout the season and the damage was done. "
Weather Forecast for Tenerife from 16th May to 22nd May
"It’s very easy to summarise Tenerife’s weather for the coming week – it’s going to be hot and sunny across the island for most of the week."
Man accused of beheading Briton in Tenerife remanded in custody
"Spanish court refuses bail for Deyan Valentinov Deyanov as questions are raised over island's mental health provision"
Video: Bulgarian Man Arrested After 'Stabbing And Decapitating' A British Woman In Tenerife
"Jennifer Mills-Westley who was stabbed and decapitated in a supermarket in Tenerife had earlier sought refuge from her killer, it has been claimed. "
Tenerife beheading: Family praise British grandmother Jennifer Mills-Westley
"The source added that Valentinov had a history of violent crimes and in February was released from a psychiatric hospital after a random attack in Los Cristianos.
He was well-known in the area. Residents said he would walk around the resort shouting: “I have been sent by God to carry out his justice on earth.”
Local reports said he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and sometimes could not afford to buy his medicine.
Valentinov had been living surrounded by rubbish and debris in a derelict house on Los Cristianos beach along with other squatters."
British woman beheaded in Tenerife
"Horrified witnesses reported seeing the killer run out of a supermarket in the Valdes shopping centre on Avenida Juan Carlos in Los Cristianos on the Spanish resort island, carrying Jennifer Mills-Westley's head and saying "God is on earth" before being tackled by security guards."
Beheading victim 'stalker terror'
"Detectives in Tenerife are facing a barrage of questions amid reports that a terrified British woman had begged for help just minutes before she was beheaded on the holiday island."
Beheaded UK woman Jennifer Mills-Westley 'sought help'
"The British woman stabbed and beheaded in a shop on the Spanish island of Tenerife had sought help minutes before the attack, reports suggest."
This thistle-like yellow flower, safflower, a.k.a. "bastard saffron", is used in the Canary Islands instead of saffron as it’s much cheaper and more abundant.
Also known as Sea Lavender, Statice, or Marsh-rosemary, in the botanical garden in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife.
Photo by Rolf Engstrand
Woman beheaded in Tenerife had sought aid before attack
"It was initially believed the murder was a random incident. But a report on a British expat website said that Mills-Westley had reported Deyanov to a guard at the town's social security office for threatening behaviour."
Tenerife Murderer Recently Released from Pyschiatric Care
"How in hell was this creature ever let out to roam the streets like a wild animal? Valentinov was not someone who got along in regular society and then one day, suddenly went ballistic. This is a man who was a clear danger to himself and more particularly to others. Valentinov was a time-bomb. Was his release part of some government cost-cutting exercise? "
If that is the case, given the cuts, events such as this are probably far more likely to occur in the UK.
Tenerife: Inquiry into beheading of British woman
"The BBC's Maddy Savage said this kind of violence was extremely rare in the Canary Islands which attract more than 10 million tourists each year. "
Beheaded UK woman named as Jennifer Mills-Westley
"In a video posted on YouTube, Colin Kirby of Tenerifemagazine.com said security guards held down the suspect until the police arrived."
Beheaded British woman in Tenerife is named
"Colin Kirby, a reporter for Tenerife Magazine, explained what he had seen as he walked past the shop at around 10.30am."
The Spongebob Musical Comes to Tenerife
"the little yellow cubular-bottomed one will be in Tenerife in June with Patrick and the rest of his Bikini Bottom buddies performing a show based on the Sponge Bob movie – The Lost Episodes."
Killer parades with woman’s decapitated head through Los Cristianos streets
"The TV is reporting that the woman was actually decapitated, and that her killer carried her head along the street before throwing it into a garden area before being arrested."
Stunning Sand Carpets & Wrath of the Titans in Tenerife
"The incredible tapestry made from soil and sand from Las Cañadas del Teide traditionally features a religious theme but usually includes a contemporary slant which often delivers a surprisingly emotional impact. La Orotava council are applying to UNESCO for World Heritage status which, as anyone who has witnessed this very special celebration, is an accolade that is long overdue."
Clash of the Titans returns to Los Gigantes
"Once again Teide National Park, with pine forests and lava fields, Garachico, Guía de Isora and Icod de los Vinos will stand in for Ancient Greece, but it is our famous cliffs of Los Gigantes that will be the backdrop for many of the scenes, with a replica of an ancient Greek ship already berthed in the Marina"
Last Minute Win But Little Joy For CD Tenerife
"Fired up by the fans protests ringing in their ears the CD Tenerife players came out hungry to tear Recreativo apart, well that was the idea but it was another half hearted display in a dour midfield battle. A generous last minute penalty allowed Nino to grab the first win in 2 months and Sundays defeat for Nastic kept the gap to safety at 11 points with 5 games to go."
Armeñime surgery opens Monday to serve Callao Salvaje, Los Menores and surrounding areas
"It’s surely no coincidence given that elections are about to be held, but whatever the reason, residents in the Armeñime area will have cause to celebrate the opening this Monday of a local surgery which will serve the Mar Azul, Callao Salvaje, Playa Paraíso, Tijoco, La Concepción, Taucho, La Quinta, Los Menores, Las Rozas and Armeñime areas."
As Colin Kirby of Tenerife Magazine says, I thought I’d seen everything in Tenerife, but the murder which took place in Los Cristianos this morning is certainly one of those surreal events that makes the most dramatic fiction pale by comparison.
Earlier reports had suggested that the woman was Chinese, but it has later been established and reported that she was, in fact, of British nationality.
The 60 year old woman, who has not been named, was a customer in the Chinese supermarket in the lower level of the Valdés Center in Los Cristianos, which until recent changes, had been the location of the Arona district courts.
A 28 year old Bulgarian man, named as Deyan Valentinov D, has been detained in relation to the murder. It seems that this unemployed individual, who has been living in a semi-abandoned property, is well known to the authorities in the area, having previous convictions for violent crimes. The accused was only released from the psychiatric unit of the Candelaria hospital in Tenerife, where he had been held as a consequence of his previous violent episodes, in February of this year.
A local official has said the man appeared to choose his victim at random and although police were investigating to see if the victim and the killer knew one another, it is thought that they had no previous connection whatsoever.
Resort Report, Puerto de la Cruz
"Banana plants, palm trees, laurel, bougainvillea, frangipani, hibiscus… like Alice in Wonderland after a swig of the ‘Drink Me’ bottle, they all grow at an alarming rate in Puerto de la Cruz giving it a lush, tropical identity that separates it from the south of Tenerife by more than just distance."
Mainland Spain house prices to continue decline whilst islands prices improve?
"... areas such as Tenerife in the Canary Isles and the Balearics are bucking this trend and showing signs of improvement"
Annual Adeje Crafts Fair 14 and 15 May
"deje Crafts Fair will be held again in Calle Grande on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May, between 10am and 8pm. "
Tenerife Symphony Orchestra in Los Cristianos
"This Thursday offers a rare chance to get to hear the marvellous Tenerife Symphony Orchestra in south Tenerife. The orchestra will be in the new Infanta Leonor auditorium in Los Cristianos this Thursday, the 5th, at 8pm, performing Lutos Awski’s Funeral Music, Stravinski’s Pulcinella, and Prokofiev’s 5th Symphony."
Los Realejos International Paragliding and Free Flying Festival. Tenerife » Flypa 2011
"Due to the impossibility of coming to an agreement between the politic groups of Los Realejos Town Council, as regards the municipal budget, the tourism councillor has decided to cancel the sixth edition of the International Paragliding Festival of Los Realejos, FLYPA’11, that was going to take place from April 29th to May 3rd."
The Great Tenerife Tradition of Romerías
"Plan a holiday to Tenerife outside of its winter high season and you’ll find hotel prices considerably lower, golf course fees drastically reduced, endless sunny days where the temperatures hover around the 28°C mark and best of all, barely a week going by without some town or village holding its annual romería."
Titsa on your Mobile & Fiesta Time in Santa Cruz
"[as it] celebrates the founding of the city. The city’s May Fiestas programme is overflowing with a month long agenda of events that includes dancing, processions, street parties, parades, art exhibitions, floral displays, sporting competitions and much melodic music from traditional Canarian bands to rock and pop. There’s something taking place on the streets of the capital every day of the month, but weekends are the best time to visit. "
Weather Forecast for Tenerife from 2nd May to 8th May
"It turned out to be one of those weeks that illustrated perfectly why weather forecasts on Tenerife should at best be treated as ‘guidelines’. The mix of sun, cloud and rain arrived as predicted but also accompanied by some cool strong winds and even snow."
"The noose is tightening, a 2-1 defeat at Granada leaves CD Tenerife 14 points away from safety with just 6 games to go and 18 points to play for, and that’s assuming that our rivals don’t pick up any more points."
These pretty little white margaritas (daisies) bloom in great clumps (approx. 5 foot diameter) around the rural valleys of Tenerife in springtime.
A vibrant red hibiscus flower on a brilliant blue sky background in Tenerife.
Photo By Holger Zscheyge
Today, May 3rd, is Día de la Cruz (Day of the Cross), which is celebrated most fervently in Tenerife in Santa Cruz (in honour of the city’s founding), Puerto de la Cruz, Los Realejos (which, each year sees the annual firework battle: Europe's biggest firework display) and in Güímar with these beautiful floral crosses.
Photo By Mataparda
This image of Garachico was taken from the mirador, looking down between the lava flows. The first major lava flow of the 1706 eruption occurred on May 5th, 1706 and the second on May 13th, of that same year (shown in on this image).
You can download a copy of this image to use as desktop wallpaper, learn more about this and the fiestas upcoming in Tenerife in May, as well as seeing the weather averages for the coming month, see our page about Tenerife in May.
Pigging Out On A Busy Santa Cruz Calendar
"Snorting, grunting and oinking he stuck his head deep in the bucket and devoured every last morsel. Maybe I’m talking about my breakfast routine, maybe about the rare Canarian Black Pig at Agrocanarias in Santa Cruz, or maybe both! "
"Tourist figures for the first three months of this year show an increase to more than 1.258 million visitors, which is 8.8 per cent up on the same three months of 2010 year. Figures for April are expected to show an even bigger increase due to the Easter holidays."
Friday Night Out In Puerto de la Cruz
"Puerto has a reputation for being a staid old girl, perfectly suited to ‘more mature’ visitors who aren’t seeking a lively nocturnal scene…and whilst that isn’t exactly inaccurate, neither is it the whole picture."
"Into the last 6 games, will CD Tenerife be relegated by this point, will the promising B team youngsters be given a chance to stake a claim for next season, will the stadium cheese rolls be edible?"
Spanish government property roadshow to tempt European investors
"The Spanish government will embark on a Europe-wide roadshow to convince investors to come back to the nation’s property market, starting off with a press conference on the latest industry developments next week in London."
Walk this Way, Cruz del Carmen to Chinamada
"The Easter Bank Holiday weekend weather was something of a disappointment for Tenerife and just for once, we enviously watched the sun soaked UK from our rain sodden island. But all that refreshment has given the earth her spring shower, the sun has returned to warm her to the core and she has responded with an explosion of colour."
Amazing Mount Teide & Another Rockfall in Tenerife News of the Week
"One of the most awe inspiring videos on the internet in the last week was the timelapse video of Tenerife and Mount Teide taken by the Norwegian photographer Terje Sorgjerd. This incredible piece of work captured the imagination of internet users, attracting millions of views in only eleven days and was a priceless piece of promotion for Tenerife. If you haven’t seen it yet, sit back, hit the play button and prepare to be astounded."
British man arrested for domestic violence in Torviscas apartment
"Adeje Policía Local have arrested a 21-year-old British youth for an attack on his partner in Torviscas late last night, or rather very early this morning. "
Legality of El Marqués Centre in Playa Paraiso to be decided by highest court in Spain
"The legality of the little frontline El Marqués centre in Playa Paraiso is now to be judged by the Supreme Court for its many alleged irregularities, including that there are dwellings in a commercial centre and that it’s in breach of coastal law. The case has been rumbling on for years, since the construction licence itself was granted, and it has now reached the highest Court in Spain."
Weather Forecast for Tenerife from 25th April to 1st May
"Not good news for visitors to Tenerife this week, the Spanish Met Office are predicting more of the same with a mix of cloud sun and rain all week…except for Mount Teide where the sun should be shining. On the coasts, Puerto de la Cruz in the north and Santa Cruz and the east coast look like the best bets for escaping any rain at all on Tuesday with Thursday and Saturday predicted to have almost guaranteed rainfall everywhere."
Daily Mail Spreads Fear Over Judge Mostyn’s Holiday With Widow In Tenerife
According to the Daily Mail, Tenerife is still in the disconnected dark ages and Anorak question if this is,"Because the internet does not exist? Email does not exist? Mobile phones you can call directly do no exist? Files cannot be posted? Judges are all idiots?"
CD Tenerife Lose At Home – So What’s New!
"I couldn’t have felt sicker if I’d scoffed a bucket full of creme eggs, this was awful, thankfully just 7 more games before we start kicking players out of the club. "
Looking on the bright side, tourists will be able to go along to watch CD Tenerife away games against the local team, without even leaving Playa de las Americas next year. :)
"The trouble with Easter is that, compared to summer vacations, everyone is on holiday at the same time, which means crowds everywhere. Narrow Lake District roads are another place to avoid at this time of year. Gridlock – and usually gridlock accompanied by the slapping of windscreen wipers.
Basically, it’s the same here, but without the windscreen wipers. "
Losing Games And Fans The CD Tenerife Way
"How low is low? For CD Tenerife fans it seems that as soon as we think it can’t get any worse it does, this 1-0 home defeat to Villareal B drew just 8,600 fans, half of what we were getting a month ago. In the week leading up to the game there were calls for fans to boycott the first 10 minutes in protest but many didn’t show at all and another inept display left the rest of us wondering why we bothered."
Download and print this free calendar for May 2011, featuring one of our exclusive images from Tenerife.
Click here to download your May calendar (opens in new window).
To learn more about the image used on this month's calendar and to download the matching desktop wallpaper, see our page about Tenerife in May.
There you’ll also be able to read about the average weather conditions in Tenerife in May and what regular events take place on the island during the month.
We’ll be publishing another calendar page on the first of next month. To ensure you get your copy, please subscribe to our RSS feed or Email updates.
Get a real Tenerife calendar … featuring 12 of our exclusive images of the island, one for each month, printed on thick 100lb cover weight paper high gloss paper, wire-o bound. More …
