The Canary Islands are one of Spain's 17 autonomous regions and are integrated into the E.U. while enjoying a special status of a duty-free area.
Tenerife is the largest (2,034 km²) of the seven Canary Isles and enjoys a stable mild climate from which it gained one of it's names "The Island of Eternal Springtime"
Many visitors to the Canary Islands never leave the tourist areas and therefore do not see the rural parts of the islands where agriculture still plays a large part in everyday life.
In the North of the island the terrain varies from large flat areas in the North West, to mountainous areas in the North. It is this varied terrain that gives the various micro-climates to the island. During the winter it is possible to see snow above the pine forests on the peak of the distant Mount Teide (the highest in Spain) which reaches a height of 3,917m, whilst at the same time sun-bathing on one of the many beaches. It is this idyllic climate that gave the islands their early name of "Las Afortunadas" - The Lucky Islands.
Tenerife has spectacular flora & fauna; places worth a particular mention are the National Park of Las Cañadas, Masca, & the Dragon Tree in Icod de los Vinos.
 

The Tenerife Carnival is the second biggest in the world after Rio de Janeiro, a fantastic colourful sight with elaborate costumes & music. Away from the Carnival season there is a mix of local fiestas, shows, discotheques, and an enormous variety of bars & restaurants.
One of the main municipalities of the North is Icod de los Vinos which has a total area of 90 square kilometres. The climate varies, depending on altitude and location, from an annual average temperature of 22ºC with very little rainfall at sea level, to 18ºC with an annual rainfall of 70 litres per square metre in the mountains.
The town of Icod de los Vinos is situated in the north-west of Tenerife and it is bordered by the municipality of La Guancha to the east, the municipality and port of Garachico to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the north, and the foot of Mount Teide to the south. Icod is situated on a slope, which extends from the dense canarian pinewood to the sea, with almost 10 kilometres of coastline. There are more than 23.000 inhabitants living in the town.
The pine trees of Icod constitute the largest concentration of pine forest in the Canary Islands covering an area of 6·6 hectares. Icod de los Vinos dates back to the pre-Hispanic period at the beginning of the 16th century and it has many examples of architecture from that period. One feature in particular that has attracted visitors for more than a century is the Dragon Tree which is the oldest of it's kind in the world and is said to be more than a thousand years old.
For those who seek peace and quiet without isolation and a moderate sunny climate in an area where serious crime is virtually unknown, the North of Tenerife is well worth a visit.