Many people tend to overlook Tenerife as simply a mass tourist destination. However, on my recent trip there I was shown the great variety of cultural and natural wonders to suit the interests of any discerning traveller.

Firstly Mount Teide and the surrounding national park are both essential visits when on the island. Lava and magma form unique, breath-taking landscapes whilst the volcano provides an impressive backdrop. I was amazed how quickly the environment would change in this area. By driving 10 minutes down the road the landscape entirely changes from vast stretches of obsidian covered landscapes, to towering mountains and then to green forests.

I was greatly surprised about the quality of wine on the island the passion that its inhabitants had for it. We visited several wineries which were all fantastic experiences, my favourite being Bodega El Lomo. Canary wine is not exported a very much and the opportunity to try a large variety of these was a great pleasure. Additionally, the local cuisine is equally excellent. We were well fed with fresh seafood and a variety of local cheeses, which were largely made using goats milk due to the lack of cows on the island.

We were accompanied by a guide, Dario, throughout the trip and the value of having him with us was invaluable. He had a wealth of knowledge about all areas of interest on the island. Any interesting plant we walked past he could speak about in great detail, and had fantastic knowledge of constellations whilst stargazing in the Teide National Park, which offers some of the best stargazing experiences in the world. Whilst walking around the small towns of Garachico and La Laguna, the addition of a guide made the whole experience so much more complete and fulfilling. Being a local to the island, the passion that he had for his home was very clearly showed in the way that he showed us around, and the excitement he had in each new location.

The whole trip was seamlessly connected with pick up from the airport and being transferred between each of our destinations around the island. We stayed in the Kirker favourite on the island, the Hotel Botanico, which is incredibly well run and has beautiful views of both the coastline and Mount Teide. The hotel spa has also received many prestigious awards.

Overall, Tenerife can provide a great experience for travellers with a multitude of interests and offers a wide range of cultural experiences. The pride that the locals have for their island is shown in all aspects of their society. I strongly believe that the island should be on everyone's bucket list and should not be overlooked as a potential holiday destination.