La Orotava, Tenerife - The PRETTIEST town on the Canary Islands?

This is La Orotava. Touted as one of the prettiest towns in Tenerife, this was were I chose to stay during my recent visit to the island. Situated on the north of the island, this charming town is on the foothills of the sprawling Mount Teide. Let me show you around this beautiful town, and surely you’ll see why this place needs to be included on your itinerary during your holiday to Tenerife. Maybe, just like me, you’ll decide that this too needs to be your base whilst staying on the island. Having checked into our airbnb, a beautiful and spacious villa on the outskirts of town, it was time to explore the old town. With its location on the slopes of Mount Teide, there are views that sprawl across the town right down to the Atlantic. Founded in the early 1500’s shortly after the Spanish conquest, La Orotava is one of the oldest towns in the Canary Islands. That means that this town is home to some beautiful architecture, with its pastel buildings and cobbled streets being particularly pleasing on the eye. Make sure you spend some time wandering around these streets to soak in the ambience of the area. In La Orotava, you’ll also find some molino’s or mills - many of which date back to the 17th or 18th centuries. There’s plenty of cafe’s in town. And after a stop for breakfast at Dulce Orotava, it was time to head over to La Orotava’s big tourist atracción. We now entered into Casa de los Balcones, a beautiful mansion transformed into a museum. As you can see, the many balconies on display are what have given it its name. With its foundations dating back to 1632, this house showcases what life would have been like for the Canarians in the 19th Century. The Villa is beautiful, painstakingly restored to its former glory, with many local art and handiwork exhibits on display. It’s a great way to spend a bit of time whilst wandering through the town, and the entry fee is reasonable as well at 6 euros. After another walk taking in the sights of the Old Town, such as the impressive iglesia de la concepción, it was time to head for some food. There’s no better place to head to than a guachinche. Visiting a guachinche is a must do whilst in Tenerife. It’s where the locals hang out and you’ll find typical Canarian food here - such as the goat stew that I enjoyed. All in all, La Orotava is the perfect base when visiting Tenerife. #travel #spain #tenerife