Christmas in Tenerife is characterised by the mild climate and the lively, festive street atmosphere in all corners of the island. Cities like La Laguna and Santa Cruz are decked out in colourful poinsettias and Christmas decorations, endowing the streets with a special flamboyance. A host of cultural activities are scheduled for the season, including concerts, exhibitions, theatre plays, traditional celebrations, crib displays, craft fairs, etc. Among the standout events is the Christmas concert on 25 December at Puerto de Santa Cruz, performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Tenerife. As is to be expected, the festive season also features a host of activities for the little ones, notably the Parque Infantil de Tenerife (Tenerife Children’s Park). To round off the experience, make a point of trying the traditional confectionery on sale at this time of year. Here are some of the features that make this season one of the year’s most engaging in Tenerife.

Activities for Children

Youngsters have a range of activities to choose from at Christmas time, but the one everyone waits for with baited breath is the PIT (Parque Infantil y Juvenil de Tenerife) (Tenerife Children’s and Juvenile Park), a genuine amusement park which is hosted in The Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses from mid-December until the beginning of January.

The PIT first opened in 1989 and has staged innovative and extremely entertaining activities ever since. It is usually divided into forty-five entertainment and game areas where a team of 200 people chaperone visitors every day. Dozens of activities are hosted in this park, all of them designed for children or youngsters, although families will also find places where they can have a great time.

Another of our proposals is located in Puerto de la Cruz, specifically in the church of Peña de Francia, where the Children’s and Juvenile Choral Assembly is organised by the Reyes Bartlet Choir around this time each year.

And, lastly, in the south of Tenerife, in one of Spain’s most cutting-edge buildings, the Magma Arte & Congresos on the Costa Adeje, you can have a great time on the skating rink – 720 square metres of a 5-star ice rink where you feel as if you were opposite the Rockefeller Center in New York, the Natural History Museum of London or the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. A unique attraction for all the family which you should make a point of visiting. Take note!

Customs and Traditions

Needless to say, Christmas in Tenerife is charged with customs and tradition, involving theatre plays, masses, parades, etc. Many of the events that are held here have been celebrated year after year for centuries.

The misas de la luz (light masses) are one of the most popular religious events in the Canary Islands. They date from 1768, according to the last will and testament of the nobleman, Alonso de Medina. Running from 16 to 25 December, they are held at various points in the archipelago. Hundreds of people in the congregation gather just before six in the morning, when mass is due to start, and sing Christmas carols at the church entrances. One of the most exciting moments occurs on 23 December, when the retinue files through the towns and villages and takes part in communal singing and dancing.

Another long-standing tradition on the island is Christmas crib-making. A profusion of highly original cribs are displayed in numerous public and private buildings around Tenerife. Among the most famous of them is the one in the headquarters of CajaCanarias, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, or the one hosted at El Cabildo, also in the island’s capital, in addition to those exhibited in town halls and other public buildings.

Christmas Confectionery

The islands boast a huge variety of sweets and at Christmas the vast array of confectionery focuses on more specialised offerings. Homemade Christmas candies can be savoured in numerous corners of the archipelago and the most popular ingredients are millo (corn), almonds, honey and fruit.

One of the most typical Christmas candies on the island are the so-called truchas, although they can be found all year around. They consist of patties filled with sweet potato, angel’s hair pumpkin and, sometimes, custard. Their preparation is straightforward and they are usually made in all homes.

Get going and enjoy a Christmas getaway to Tenerife – book your Vueling here.

Text and photos by Turismo Tenerife

It was a film that led me to Turin. I was stunned by a giant edifice topped by a spire which towered over the city. It was the Mole Antonelliana, a vivid name alluding to both its blunt presence and its designer, Alessandro Antonelli, who had initially conceived of it as a synagogue. I discovered it in a humble but significant independent film entitled Dopo Mezzanotte (After Midnight), by Davide Ferrario, who lives in the city and has shot many of his films there. It is a hymn to cinema, a passion triangle with the action set in the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, which has been housed in the Mole since 2000. With an area of 3,200 square metres, it is the largest in Europe dedicated to “the Seventh Art”. It is a highly original, spectacular exhibition, both for its location and the layout of its collections, including pre-cinematographic devices, magic lanterns, and both old and modern stage items – notably masks from Star Wars and Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, Superman’s cloak and Marilyn Monroe’s bodice. It is actually one of the most frequented museums in Italy, quite a feat in a country with such a rich history and art heritage. It is also the site of the Turin Film Festival, next slated for 20 to 28 November, which has featured such filmmakers as Nanni Moretti, Gianni Amelio and Paolo Virzi.

The City that Bewitched Risi, Tornatore and Argento

The fact that Turin was Italy’s first capital is evident in its cinema, from Neorealism to erotic comedies, with a profusion of such explicit detective films as Double Game, Black Turin and Torino, centrale del vizio. It was in Turin that the master of horror movies and self-confessed lover of the city, Dario Argento, shot several scenes from one of his first hits, The Cat o' Nine Tails. He went on to film in their entirety his latest works, Do You Like Hitchcock?, Sleepless (Non ho sonno) and Giallo.

The city of the Juventus and Torino football clubs, the annual contenders at the “Derby della Mole”, is also an obligatory stop on the journeys depicted in the perennial classics. Enrico Loverso emigrates from the poor south to the Turinese industrial north in The Way We Laughed (Così ridevano) by Gianni Amelio. In Everybody's Fine (Stanno tutti bene), by Giuseppe Tornatore, an elderly, splendid Marcello Mastroianni visits his adult children distributed across Italy and finds the last of them – of course – in Turin. And, the irascible blind captain played by Vittorio Gassman sets off from Turin station in Scent of a Woman, directed by Dino Risi (the remake, with Al Pacino, came years later). Risi also happened to make his cinema debut in the same Alpine city, when he was assistant director during the shoot of Piccolo mondo antico (Little Ancient World), and it was there, too, that he one night declared his eternal love to the stunning actress, Alida Valli, while they were sitting in a carriage in the rain, in the romantic, lush gardens of the Parco Valentino.

The Setting for Robberies and Spies in American Movies

In The Pink Panther 2, with Steve Martin, one of the city’s most prized treasures is stolen – no less than the Turin Shroud. However, the film that has probably set Turin most on the map is the 1969 cult movie, The Italian Job, by Peter Collinson (which has seen a recent remake). In it, Michael Caine flees with his loot from the carabinieri in his Mini Coopers, through the Palazzo Carignano, along the inner staircases of the Palazzo Madama and around the exterior of the Gran Madre di Dio Church, skidding through the glamorous Galleria San Federico shopping centre, and driving over the flared roof of the Palazzo a Vela, built for the Italia 61 Exhibition and refurbished as a sports centre for the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also drives up the heady oval test track on the old FIAT factory – the city’s veritable economic driving force for decades – housed in the Lingotto building, now a multidisciplinary space for trade fairs and festivals. In his final getaway, his Minis reach the nearby Alps, the formidable mountain range which acts as the backdrop for this stunning city, after having crossed the river Po.

And, opposite the Po stands the majestic Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which appears in The Bourne Ultimatum, a saga starring Matt Damon. However, the café where we later see the fired up secret agent sitting is actually in Madrid! The fact is that the film crew were back working in Spain when a change to the script forced them to repeat the shoot of the scene originally filmed in Turin. The magic of cinema always involves some hidden devices!

If you fancy seeing the city for yourself, secure your ticket here!

Text by Carlos G. Vela para ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Felipe Cadona Colombo, Jean-Pierre Dalbera, Luigi Giordano, Marco Coïsson, MarkusMark, Nicola Gambetti

The Cantabrian coast has historically been one of the most important seaways of the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. Numerous shipwrecks of different nationalities have ended up at the bottom of the sea at different times in history, due to storms, battles and misfortune. Galleons, merchant ships, battleships, fishing boats, schooners, steamers, passenger boats, a myriad of vessel types rest at the bottom of these waters, as many as unfortunate circumstances that led to each of these tragedies. The route we propose is just over an hour and a half’s drive from the airport of A Coruña, the shortest way being along the AG-55 and AC-552 main roads.

This journey reveals several wrecks sunk in the course of history in the waters of the Costa da Morte, between Finisterre and Porto do Son. It is a fascinating way to discover this underwater heritage, which is possibly the richest you can find anywhere in the world.

The Routes

There are two land routes running along the coast for enthusiasts searching for wreck sites. Both are ideal for the whole family. The first one lies in the north and is dedicated to galleons, such as those of the Flota de Padilla (Padilla’s  fleet) which sunk in the waters off Finisterre in the 16th century. The second route is centred on the stories of battleships that lie at the bottom of the Costa da Morte. Both itineraries are signposted with QR codes and fitted with NFC transmitters. They give detailed information of each shipwreck and help you get acquainted with the territory, provided you use a mobile device with an internet connection.

For those who are into scuba diving, shipwrecks of the 18th century can be explored first-hand by venturing into the depths of these Atlantic waters. You may also find the occasional steamer from the early 20th century. To embark on this adventure, look no further than the Buceo Finisterre and Mergullo Compostela diving centres, which both organise recreational dives led by qualified instructors. Diving in this part of the ocean is a real pleasure. In addition to discovering the history hidden in its depths, you will be mesmerised by the astounding biodiversity.

Flotsam – The Remains of Shipwrecks

From Capitana de la Saane, wrecked in 1543, to the frigate Ariete, which ran aground in 1966, the remains of wrecked ships can be visited at a dozen sites on land. The experience brings home an awareness of the wealth and heritage concealed along the Galician coast, after centuries of lying in the middle of major seaways.

Flotsam is the name given to the remains of a vessel that has been totally or partially wrecked. Here is a selection of the most renowned shipwrecks scattered along this coast:

1. Capitana de la Saane (wrecked on 25 July 1543). This French battleship is located in the proximity of Monte Louro, Ría de Muros. It belonged to the fleet of Alabardes, commanded by General De Saane. This was the flagship of the fleet. Its cargo consisted of munitions and possibly a stash of booty from ports plundered by the fleet (Laxe, Finisterre and Corcubión). The French general, Jean de Clamorgan, nobleman of La Saane, asked the inhabitants of Villa de Muros for a ransom of 12,000 ducats. It was then, on the feast of St James and in broad daylight, that the Spanish fleet led by Álvaro de Bazán the Elder reached the inlet. The Spanish sailor aimed the prow of his vessel at the French flagship, which sunk with all its crew and plunder, which is said to include a silver reliquary with St William’s arm inside.

2. Santa María La Anunciada (sunk on 28 October 1596). This sailing ship is located in Punta Restelos, Finisterre. It was wrecked in a storm that resulted in the loss of 243 lives. This vessel belonged to the Armada del Océano, commanded by Martín de Padilla Manrique. It was sailing from Portugal to Ferrol and was part of a fleet of another 100 ships. On board was a whole expeditionary force, in addition to weaponry and munitions.

3. Bayonnaise (sunk on 28 November 1803). A corvette with a copper-plated wooden hull, located on the beach of Langosteira, Finisterre.  It was built in 1794 in Bayonne with twenty-four 8-pound cannons on board, in addition to four ship-mounted cannons and two 32-pound carronades. The ship covered the route from Havana to Ferrol while being chased by the English vessel, HMS Ardent, with 64 cannons on board. The Bayonnaise was run aground by its own crew, who abandoned it after setting fire to it. The ship blew up at midnight.

These cultural itineraries are organised by Galician Seas Finisterre Shipwrecks, a project dedicated to promoting the underwater heritage of north-western Spain. Want to discover this exciting maritime history? Check out our flights to A Coruña here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Galician Seas Finisterre Shipwrecks, Amy Nelson, K. Kendall , Archeonauta SL

The Concurso de Tapas Picadillo is one of the most acclaimed in northern Spain. In A Coruña, the whole city gets involved, with a good many culinary establishments presenting their best creations. In some areas of the city, participants have come together in the form of group entries. Following is a rundown of some of the bites that surprised us most. As there were over 70 participants, we have made a selection of those located near the historic city centre. Although the contest is over, bear in mind you can still savour the tapas until 31 December, and you can look up this year’s winners on the competition website.

The Ciudad Vieja, Monte Alto, Zalaeta and Plaza de España Area

The earliest settlement in A Coruña is what is now known as Ciudad Vieja (Old City), an area which features monuments prior to the 19th century. This is the perfect place to stroll around, in the hushed atmosphere of its cobbled backstreets. The best place to start the route is hard by the San Carlos Gardens, at an establishment called A Boca do Lobo, where you can try the two special tapas that entered the competition. The first, creative offering is Galician octopus at 100°, seaweed coulis and liquid croquette with a pork crust. The other is the traditional roast Celtic pork dewlap and potatoes in their gravy. On the edge of the Ciudad Vieja lies the Plaza de María Pita, a complex of striking harmony arranged around a statue of a local heroine who fought against English corsairs. The square is surrounded by buildings with porticoes where some of the city’s main bars and restaurants are located. These include Breen’s Tavern, where you can enjoy a scrumptious cod-and-prawn brandade. Next door is El Ángel Café Bar (Plaza María Pita, 25) whose “Celtic pouches” were a surprising entry in the competition, while El Tequeño made a bold move with their creative, melgacho tapa based on small-spotted catshark tail.

The Barrera, La Marina, Galera, Estrella and Olmos Area

This is the nerve centre of A Coruña’s tapas bars, an area also known as La Pescadería, where the largest number of establishments is concentrated. The Calle Franxa, which runs from the Plaza de María Pita, is studded with seafood restaurants, Cuban and Turkish eateries, and a whole gamut of traditional tascas, beer gardens, jamonerías and wine cellars. The stretch leading from Ciudad Vieja to Los Cantones is another area crammed with bars and restaurants. However, the highest concentration of these is found along Calle Barrera, which boasts no less than thirteen contestants in the tapas competition. Like A Casa da Moura(Barrera, 9), with their delicious ovo da moura, or Alma Negra (Barrera, 13), with their creative mackerel taco, as well as a more traditional dish known as mar y montaña de tendones y callos de bacalao (“sea and mountains of tendons and cod tripe”). For us, however, pride of place goes to the stunning tartar de zamburiñas y aguacate sobre cama de brotes tiernos y brotes de col morada (“tartar of variegated scallop and avocado on a bed of tender bean sprouts and red cabbage shoots”), to be had at Tapa Negra. Calle Galera, which leads into Calle Olmos, is flanked by some of A Coruña’s classic tapas bars which have been handed down from one generation to the next.

The Alameda, Plaza de Galicia, Plaza de Vigo and Juan Flórez Area

Another large collection of tapas bars is grouped around the two aforementioned squares. This is the heart of the Ensanche quarter, an important shopping and business precinct, with a good many stores and offices, but also taverns and restaurants. It is part of the Picasso District, an area running from Juana de Vega to Plaza de Mina, named after the Malagan artist who lived and studied for a few years in this part of A Coruña. The streets Juan Flórez, Linares Rivas and Ramón de la Sagra also fall within its zone of influence.

We strolled through the area stretching from Los Cantones to the Parque de Santa Margarita; then along Juan Florez up to Avenida de Rubine, which leads to the Riazor football stadium. To start with, at Casa Martín, near the Plaza de Pontevedra, you should try the empanada de xoubas y grelos (pilchard and turnip top pie). Just one street away is El Huerto Los Cantones (Cantón Pequeño, 22) where, if you’re still feeling peckish – or you have just started out on the route – you will be well satisfied with the miniburguer de pez espada, tomate semiseco, espinaca fresca y salsa de almejas en pan de cereales (swordfish mini burger, semi-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach and clam sauce on wholemeal bread). Any better offer?

Don’t miss the chance to sink your teeth into the best, traditional-style, creative tapas currently to be had in A Coruña. Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Turismo A Coruña, Concurso de Tapas Picadillo