News from Tenerife (#20) is published weekly as a brief news summary of the past week on your favorite website.
In this series, we publish a number of events and news facts from the past week. Each article in News from Tenerife is a synthesis of several facts, actions, and incidents that are too short to be published as a full-fledged article.
Repairs to the Paseo Marítimo of Las Galletas Completed
News from Tenerife #20/1
The municipality of Arona has announced the completion of repair work on the Paseo Marítimo of Las Galletas, a project that became necessary after erosion and storm damage 17 months ago.
The renovation, carried out by the Department of Environment of the municipality, aimed to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Damage to the access points posed a constant risk, and the delay in repairs led to complaints from both residents and political parties.
After nearly a year of waiting for approval from the Dirección General de Costas y Gestión del Espacio Marítimo Canario, the municipality began the works in September 2024. The work included restoring access points 1 and 4, repairing damaged seawalls, renovating the walkway with tactile tiles for visually impaired individuals, replacing a staircase at access point 4 with a new wheelchair-accessible ramp and removing unsafe access points 2 and 3.
The reconstruction of the seawall cost €253,000 and took two months to complete. Additional improvements, such as wider access points and new handrails, contribute to better accessibility and an enhanced appearance of the area. Furthermore, the structure has been reinforced to minimize future storm damage as much as possible.
Santa Cruz Closes First Weekend of Carnival with 250,000 Visitors Despite the Rain
News from Tenerife #20/2
The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2025 wrapped up its first weekend with more than 250,000 visitors over three days, despite the bad weather. From the Cabalgata parade on Friday to the Carnaval de Día on Sunday, revelers flooded the streets to celebrate.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez described it as a brilliant Carnival, emphasizing that the massive turnout reaffirms the strength of this festival. Although the rain slightly reduced attendance, he predicted an even larger crowd for the Piñata weekend. He also praised the safety of the event, with few incidents despite the large crowds.
Javier Caraballero, Councilor for Festivities, highlighted the positive atmosphere and the safe and festive experience, making the Santa Cruz Carnival stand out from others worldwide.
The Carnaval de Día on Sunday attracted visitors of all ages, with a strong focus on family-friendly activities. The main highlights included performances by Afilarmónica Ni Fu Ni Fa and Los Fregolinos at Plaza del Príncipe. Throughout the weekend, numerous concerts took place on the major stages, including Plaza del Príncipe, Plaza de La Candelaria, and Avenida Francisco La Roche. These featured mainly Canarian artists and orchestras, creating a vibrant atmosphere during the nighttime dance parties on Friday and Saturday.
With such a successful start, Santa Cruz now looks forward to a spectacular continuation of the Carnival.
Bad Weather Over the Canary Islands
News from Tenerife #20/3
The passage of a Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos (DANA) over the Canary Islands has transformed Teide and Roque de los Muchachos into a winter landscape, bringing a significant drop in temperatures and heavy rainfall. This weather phenomenon prompted the Canarian government to activate a pre-alert for snowfall at high altitudes, while Carnival-goers on Sunday faced a very wet day.
On Tenerife, Teide and Las Cañadas del Teide National Park were covered in snow. As a precautionary measure, the Cabildo of Tenerife closed access to the National Park and prohibited traffic on the TF-24 (La Esperanza) and TF-21 (La Orotava) due to icy roads. Later, TF-38 (Chío) and TF-21 (Las Lajas, Vilaflor) were also closed.
Sunday was marked by heavy rain across almost the entire archipelago. The AEMET (Spanish Meteorological Agency) activated a yellow alert level for El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria, with forecasts predicting up to 15 liters per square meter in one hour. Temperatures plummeted in Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma) and Izaña (Tenerife), reaching -0.5°C.
Forecasts indicate that this instability will continue until Tuesday, directly affecting the Carnival celebrations. The DANA has brought the Canary Islands back to winter conditions, with the start of the week characterized by cold temperatures, snow, and rain. However, the southern parts of the islands are experiencing slightly better weather.
Development of Los Pozos in Las Galletas
News from Tenerife #20/4
Luis García, former Councilor for Urban Planning of Arona, has once again advocated for the development of the Los Pozos area in Las Galletas. He presented an urgent proposal to obtain municipal council support for a request to the Canarian government to initiate the administrative process, as outlined in Article 168 of Law 4/2017 on Land and Natural Spaces of the Canary Islands. This step would lay the groundwork for the reorganization of the Los Pozos area, where private developers aim to carry out their projects.
García stated that the goal of the proposal was to secure political support in Arona for this restructuring, which would transform the southeastern coastline of Arona, including El Fraile, Las Galletas, and Ten Bel-Costa del Silencio. He recalled that the initiative already has backing from the Canarian government and the Cabildo of Tenerife.
The project includes the construction of 1,400 homes, of which 50% will be social housing, public services, such as a medical center, parking facilities, educational institutions and sports facilities.
This major urban development aims to enhance infrastructure and living conditions in the southeastern region of Arona.
Protest Against the Underwater Gardens Project
News from Tenerife #20/5
More than 4,000 people have already signed a petition to stop the Underwater Gardens project in southern Tenerife, a theme park promoted as a “regenerative” marine park. The infrastructure includes the construction of artificial reefs along the coast of Guía de Isora for diving, as well as a series of pools on land.
This project, promoted by the company Underwater Gardens Park Tenerife SL, has recently faced resistance from environmental and surfing communities, despite having been publicly supported since 2022. In that year, the Cabildo of Tenerife declared it a project of insular importance. Currently, the initiative is under review by the Environmental Evaluation Commission of Tenerife for the land-based infrastructure, while the marine section is being handled by coastal authorities.
While the project is under administrative review, various environmental organizations and the surf club Waves Legends have launched a petition on wemove.eu to halt the project.
The petition demands the immediate resignation of architect and project initiator Marc García-Durán, a public commitment from the Cabildo of Tenerife not to support tourist infrastructure that pretends to be sustainable and that the Cabildo prioritizes real marine conservation measures and the expansion of marine reserves over mega-tourism projects.
One of the key arguments in the petition concerns the waves in the area. The location is described as having unique natural conditions, home to one of the most iconic waves in the Canary Islands, which holds immense social and sporting value.
Opponents argue that the construction of artificial structures could disrupt ocean currents and alter the formation of the waves, potentially damaging the natural surf conditions that attract surfers from around the world.
These events and developments significantly impact life on Tenerife and illustrate the diversity of challenges, developments, and opportunities the island faces.
News from Tenerife continues to bring you the most relevant stories from the island.
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News from Tenerife #20 ©
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