327 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
327 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
sponsored
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travel
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spanish_tourist_board
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canaryislands
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7079200
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# Tenerife: an elegant land erupting with nature and history
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## Tenerife has a always been popular with visitors from the UK, but there
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are plenty of rarely visited hidden gems just waiting to be discovered.
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![Canary Islands: Tenerife - Mount Teide dominates the skyline][1]
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Image 1 of 5
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Canary Islands: Tenerife - Mount Teide dominates the skyline
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![Canary Islands: the hight life - the volcanic elevation of Tenerife][2]
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Image 1 of 5
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Canary Islands: the hight life - the volcanic elevation of Tenerife
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![Canary Islands: Tenerife][3]
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Image 1 of 5
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Canary Islands: Tenerife
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![Canary Islands: hang-gliding in Tenerife][4]
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Image 1 of 5
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Canary Islands: hang-gliding in Tenerife
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![Canary Islands: Tenerife band Caracoles singing near the Teide][5]
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Image 1 of 5
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Canary Islands: Tenerife band Caracoles singing near the Teide
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3:18PM GMT 26 Jan 2010
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Of all the Canary Islands, Tenerife has the longest and strongest connection
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with visitors from the UK. It may be true that the resorts, theme parks and
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tourist attractions that populate the southern end of the island are not to
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everyone's taste, but no one can ignore the majestic natural phenomenon that
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is Mount Teide. The volcano towers over the coastline from every direction and
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dominates the skyline from many of the neighbouring islands.
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Also waiting to be discovered are the rarely visited, but arguably most
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beautiful, areas of the island in the north-east and the northwest in the
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Anaga and Teno parks respectively.
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That's not forgetting one of the best preserved and most beautiful Spanish
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colonial towns in the world in La Laguna, another gem often overlooked by
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first-time visitors.
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Tenerife's complex geological history has resulted in the magnificent Teide,
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the third largest volcano in the world from its base and the highest mountain
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in Spain. A natural icon, the image constantly shifts depending on the time of
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day, the angle and distance of view and, perhaps most dramatic of all, the
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weather conditions.
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From the mantle of snow that usually cloaks its cone by early December to the
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girdle of fluffy clouds that regularly adorns its flanks, some of the best
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views of Teide are to be had from neighbouring islands such as La Gomera,
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where its peak can be seen silhouetted against the sun. Throw in a smouldering
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sunrise or flaming sunset and Mount Teide is the undisputed king of the
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picturepostcard view.
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## Related Articles
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* [Gran Canaria: an exotic blend of ancient and modern][6]
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28 Jan 2010
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* [La Palma: sitting pretty in starlight][7]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [El Hierro: stunning views, rare lizards and big green ideas][8]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [Fuerteventura: a little reserve amid all the action][9]
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28 Jan 2010
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* [Lanzarote: a blast from the past illuminates the present][10]
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28 Jan 2010
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* [La Gomera: a small corner of whistles and love][11]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [Canary Islands: sun, sea and truly stunning skylines][12]
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26 Jan 2010
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As well as the hike to the summit, Teide's flanks and the surrounding caldera
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contain some excellent walking options. The Corona Forestal nature park of
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Canary pine forest that skirts its flanks is well worth exploring,
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particularly around the town of Vilaflor on the southern slopes and La
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Esperanza in the east.
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It is Teide's height which attracts the rain-bearing cloud that has created
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the conditions for this pine forest to flourish and brings the horizontal rain
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that is so precious in an environment where fresh water is at a considerable
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premium. For a cultural change from raw nature, the old quarters of some of
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Tenerife's historic towns, such as La Orotava and La Laguna in the north-east
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and Icod de Los Vinos and Garachico in the north-west, have preserved their
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architecture, cobbled streets and palm-lined plazas and are often a revelation
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to visitors who are only aware of the resorts in the south.
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San Cristobal de La Laguna, only 10 minutes from Tenerife North Airport, has
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some of the best examples of Canarian colonial architecture. Its cobbled
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streets, renaissance churches, formal plazas with fountains and dragon trees
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and brightly painted houses with wooden balconies and shutters create a unique
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and seductive atmosphere.
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It also has historic significance as a model of town planning which was later
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imitated throughout Latin America. Honoured with the accolade of Unesco World
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Heritage Site in 1999, it was the island's capital until 1833. The town also
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has a very lively nightlife with some excellent restaurants.
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More understated but no less of an attraction are the towns of Icod and
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Garachico. The latter was the island's main port until an eruption from the
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Arenas Negras volcano consumed its harbour in 1706. Its centre has been well
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preserved and contains the pretty Santa Ana church, notable for its carved
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wooden ceilings, and one of the best hotels on the island, the Hotel La Quinta
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Roja, once a nobleman's house. In nearby Icod, the equally elegant but smaller
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centre is home to the world's oldest dragon tree, thought to be around 800
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years old.
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Garachico is also an excellent base for exploring the nearby mountains, which
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contain some of the most dramatic natural landscapes on the island in the form
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of sheer volcanic cliffs and ravines several hundred feet high. Some of the
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most awe-inspiring views are to be had on the route that winds its way out to
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the lighthouse at Punta de Teno.
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**Key Facts **
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* _Capital:_ Santa Cruz
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* _Size:_ 785 sq miles
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* _Population:_ 865,100
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* _Highest point:_ Mount Teide at 12,200ft,
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* _Protected nature reserves:_ 43
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* _Website:_** [www.webtenerife.com][13]**
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**Island Highlights**
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**_Parque Nacional Del Teide_**
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The Mount Teide volcano - at 12,200ft the highest point in Spain - is the
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crowning glory of Tenerife in particular and the Canaries in general. Its
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imposing height means it can be seen from all over the archipelago, often
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rising above a halo of clouds that covers the encircling pine forests. In
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winter it is frequently covered in snow.
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It is possible to walk up, but a cable car carries visitors to a viewing area
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between 9am and 4pm (arrive early to avoid queues). You need permission from
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the park office to make the 656ft onward climb to the summit and numbers are
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limited. Hiking in the area is also a treat, with extraordinary rock
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formations studded over what is essentially a complicated maze of overlapping
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and collapsed volcanoes.
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**_Whale and dolphin watching_**
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The waters between the west of Tenerife and neighbouring La Gomera are famous
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for spotting dolphins and whales, in particular short-finned pilot whales as
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well as sperm and beaked whales. There are worries that some whalewatching
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operators are breaking environmental rules, so pick your operator with care.
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**_Masca and Parque rural De Teno_**
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Along with the north-east, the north-western corner of Tenerife contains the
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island's most stunning scenery, with deep ravines and laurel forest between
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towering cliffs. In the past 10 years, the tiny village of Masca has become an
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established feature on many itineraries, but there's no denying the grandeur
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of the landscape with its vertiginous cliffs and winding mountain roads.
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It's also a great place for lunch, with a walk to the coast and a boat trip to
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the nearby Los Gigantes cliffs to round off a great day out.
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**_Taganana and Parque Rural de Anaga_**
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Despite being close to the capital, the north-eastern tip of the island is
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actually its most isolated region and also one of the most beautiful. Taganana
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is a traditional mountain village and the walks in the laurel forest of the
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Monte de las Mercedes have stupendous views over the coast. And don't miss the
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surfing beach at Playa de San Roque.
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**_Music_**
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An important part of the island's culture is modern music, and one of the best
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new bands is Caracoles. The group writes and performs its own songs, and the
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sun-drenched vibe of the Canaries shines through.**
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[www.myspace.com/loscaracolescomenflores][14]**
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[X][15] Share & bookmark
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][16]
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* Share: [Share][15] [ ][17] [ ][18]
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[Tweet][19]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryisland
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s/7079200/Tenerife-an-elegant-land-erupting-with-nature-and-history.html
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Telegraph
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## [Canary Islands][20]
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* ### [Sponsored »][21]
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* ### [Travel »][22]
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* ### [Spanish Tourist Board »][23]
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[X][15] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][16]
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Share:
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* [ ][15]
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* [ ][17]
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* [ ][18]
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* [Tweet][19]
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* [![Canary Islands holidays][24]][20]
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[1]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01567/CANARY_P4-6_RM_151_1
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567620c.jpg
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[2]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01567/CANARY_P4-6_RM_156_1
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567619c.jpg
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[3]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01567/CANARY_P4-6_RM_190_1
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567618c.jpg
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[4]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01567/RM_197_1567616c.jpg
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[5]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01567/CANARY_P4-6_CM_Car_1
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567621a.jpg
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[6]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7080193/Gran-
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Canaria-an-exotic-blend-of-ancient-and-modern.html
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[7]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079397/La-
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Palma-sitting-pretty-in-starlight.html
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[8]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079564/El-
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Hierro-stunning-views-rare-lizards-and-big-green-ideas.html
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[9]:
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/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7091725/Fuerteventura-a
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-little-reserve-amid-all-the-action.html
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[10]:
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/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7091935/Lanzarote-a
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-blast-from-the-past-illuminates-the-present.html
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[11]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079510/La-
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Gomera-a-small-corner-of-whistles-and-love.html
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[12]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079816/Canary-
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Islands-sun-sea-and-truly-stunning-skylines.html
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[13]: http://www.webtenerife.com
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[14]: http://www.myspace.com/ loscaracolescomenflores
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[15]: #
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[16]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4590190/Share-this-
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article-What-are-these.html
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[17]: mailto:?subject=A Telegraph reader thought you would be interested in
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this article&body=Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on
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the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such
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as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.
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%0A%0Ahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canary
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islands/7079200/Tenerife-an-elegant-land-erupting-with-nature-and-history.html
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%0A%0AFor the best content online, visit www.telegraph.co.uk
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[18]: javascript:print()
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[19]: http://twitter.com/share?via=Telegraph
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[20]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/can
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aryislands/
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[21]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/
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[22]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/
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[23]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/
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[24]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01569/sponsor_canaryisla_
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1569739a.jpg
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