The history of Tenerife

You might be surprised to learn that the history of Tenerife dates back to the legendary lost civilization of Atlantis. Historical evidence tells us that the first known inhabitants were the Guanches who dominated the island until the beginning of the 16th Century.

You can still see today, customs and traditions left over from the Guanche era. The Canarian language including many expressions, place names, and even Canarian wrestling to mention just a few. A number of excellent museums on Tenerife provide displays of the native lifestyle. These include the Museum of Nature and Mankind, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Archaeological Museum in Puerto de la Cruz.

The Kingdom of Spain fought the Guanches who were lead by their Kings and despite the huge difference in levels of technology and the great military potential of the Europeans, the conquest of Tenerife was far from easy.

Since these times, the island of Tenerife has become and remained a wealthy trading area which to this day continues to bring a mix of cultures and prosperity.

In more recent times, the Tinerfeños have made a great effort to refurbish and preserve their varied and valuable architectural heritage. In many of the towns on the island, most of the churches, civic buildings and houses of the greatest historical value have now been restored and are open to the public.

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The nature of Tenerife - About the natural flora and fauna which can be found on Tenerife

Traditional foods of Tenerife - Discover more about the foods, past and present