Travel: The Canary Islands

AS she lovingly strokes her daughter's cheek, her caring touch almost seems human-like.Sylvia, the 27-year-old chimpanzee, is one of many species to have found refuge in Tenerife's Loro Parque alongside daughter Julie, who lies contentedly in her mother's arms.

The chimps appear oblivious to the scores of tourists whose eyes are fixed on their every move, and carry on grooming each other without so much as a glance towards the glass which separates them from the outside world.

The world-class animal attraction, which is home to more than 3000 parrots, is a must-see for holidaymakers in Tenerife.

Situated in Puerto de la Cruz in the north of the island - often visited by Oscar Wilde's late father Sir William Wilde in the 19th century - the park provides a home to thousands of animals including penguins, tigers, exotic birds, Orca whales and dolphins, among many others.

Loro Parque is just a five-minute drive from the luxurious Hotel Botanico & The Oriental Spa Garden in Puerto de la Cruz, where we spent three nights of our two-week holiday in Tenerife.

The stunning five-star hotel oozes luxury and is set amid more than six acres of magnificent landscaped gardens.

Walking through the grand entrance on arrival, we were impressed by a beautiful chandelier in the resplendent lobby, immaculate marble floors and stunning oriental decoration.

Within just a few minutes of arriving, it became clear why it was the first hotel in the Canaries to become a member of luxury hotel group, The Leading Hotels of the World.

The hotel's award-winning Oriental Spa Garden boasts indoor and outdoor pools and a whirlpool, as well as a thermal circuit featuring everything from a traditional Turkish sauna to aromatherapy rooms and relaxing waterbeds.

It was the perfect place to unwind and forget about life's little worries, with a particular favourite of ours proving to be the outdoor whirlpool, set within a small man-made cave.

Although the hotel offers four a la carte restaurants, we only sampled the breakfast menu, which couldn't be faulted and even offered a chocolate fountain for sweet-toothed guests.

During our stay in the north of the island, we took an exclusive tour with one of Tenerife's most experienced guides, Jos Ramn, who has been showing tourists around the island for more than a quarter of a century.

Our first stop was the traditional town of La Orotava on the north west coast, previously home to many of the island's wealthiest and noblest families who settled here after the Spanish conquest.

Even today the town is still Tenerife's most aristocratic. Renaissance mansions line the streets of the old town where there are also stunning churches and convents, independent shops, traditional restaurants and beautiful gardens, such as the Botanical Nursery and the Victorian Garden.

Of course, no tour of Tenerife – home to almost 900,000 people - would be complete without a visit to the Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Spain's highest peak, Mount Teide.

As our hire car climbed up the winding roads of the National Park, the devastation caused byheavy storms in February was clear to see.

Scores of Insignis pine trees have been completely destroyed by the storms and workers were busy planting replacements.

Hundreds of species of trees, flowers, insects, birds and other creatures inhabit the National Park itself, making it one of the most fascinating biological regions in the world. The majestic Mount Teide stands at 3718 metres high and the iconic peak is undoubtedly Tenerife's most spectacular natural feature.

Such is the central location of the active volcano, its peak can be seen from almost anywhere on the island.

It seemed surreal to be standing above the clouds in a volcanic setting, surrounded by peculiar rock formations left behind by lava flows – it was almost like stepping in to a pre-historic world.

It takes around four hours to walk to the top of Teide, where hikers even have the option of sleeping in an inn for just 20 Euros and watching the sunrise in the morning.

After a traditional Spanish lunch of soup and gofio – flour made from roasted grains – at nearby country house Don Leandro, we continued on our tour to Tenerife's capital Santa Cruz, situated on the north east coast, which is also home to one of the world's largest carnivals.

It is a bustling city and shipping port - one of the busiest in Spain and deepest in the world. Among the sights to see are the wing-shaped Opera House, where superstars such as Shakira have been presented with music awards, and the Mencey Hotel where a string of celebrities have stayed, including Enrique Iglesias.

The final stop on our day-trip was university town La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated just inland from Santa Cruz.

It is filled with outstanding architectural monuments, palaces and traditional houses of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Among the town's religious buildings, the most notable are the cathedral, the Santo Domingo church and the church of Nuestra Seora de la Concepcin.

Of huge contrast to the culture and tradition found in the north of the island, is the hustle and bustle of the tourist-filled south - where we spent most of our holiday.

The four-star Paradise Park Resort & Spa in Los Cristianos is an excellent choice of hotel, providing clean and spacious accommodation and a decent standard of food and entertainment.

The adult-only rooftop solarium, where we spent some of our time soaking up the rays, is like a little slice of heaven and offers tremendous views of the island.

We ventured into Las Americas on a couple of occasions, where the Veronica's strip offers a string of bars and nightclubs, easily making it the liveliest part of the island.

One of the main tourist attractions in the south is Siam Park in Costa Adeje, the largest aquatic theme park in Europe, which opened its doors in 2008.

Set against a backdrop of spectacular Thai architecture, with everything from meandering rivers to free-fall slides, Siam Park has already established itself as one of the best water parks in the world.

Whale and dolphin watching is another popular activity for tourists staying in the south of the island, with a variety of species to be found in a 25-mile stretch of the Atlantic, off the west coast of Tenerife.

Set within a subtropical climate zone, Tenerife - the third largest volcanic island in the world - boasts year-round spring temperatures and an annual average temperature of 23 degrees centigrade, although the north of the island does get more wind and rain than the sun-kissed south.

Diverse landscapes, charming villages, idyllic beaches and year-round sunshine make Tenerife an ideal holiday choice for five million tourists every year.

On our return to Edinburgh Airport after an enjoyable break in the sun, we were greeted by gale-force winds and heavy rain.

To think that just a few hours earlier we had been sunbathing seemed surreal. It was November, after all.

Laura Cummings was a guest of the Tenerife Tourism Corporation (www.webtenerife.com) and flew Ryanair into Tenerife South Airport.

Visit www.ryanair.com for prices.

Travel Republic offers seven nights bed and breakfast at the five-star Hotel Botanico, Tenerife, from 1-8 December, for 636.61* per person. Half-board price is 818.88* per person.

Call 0845-6121 747 or visit www.travelrepublic.co.uk for more details.

Hotels4u offers seven nights bed and breakfast at the four-star Paradise Park Resort & Spa, from 1-8 December, for 380.72* for two adults.

Call 0844 875 3455 or email [email protected]

The hire car was provided by Canaries.com.