# Where to live on Tenerife?



## Machiavelli

OK, here's the deal. Looks like it's gonna be the Canary Islands. Reason: Warmest Islands in EU. Would like to be near the beach. I'm gonna work at home on the internet. But it would be nice if she got off her rear and found some work (she's an accountant, but not really certified yet.) Is Santa Cruz the best place for her to look for work in accounting and more general office work? Would like some place cheap because we want to stretch our funds until we get out bearings. So? Where is a good place to live on Tenerife? Santa Cruz looks like one big apartment block after another. What's the best/nice/cheap neighborhood in Santa Cruz? La Honda? But that's not too near the beach. Why do people live in those apartment blocks when the can live in a nice village? Proximity to work I suppose. Anybody got any good tips? I was thinking to maybe just live in San Andres. I'd be near the beach and she could take the bus if she ever finds work. Is that expensive? What would be the best real estate site to use for San Andres? (I want a place that has internet already hooked up I'm pretty sure.) Thanks in advance.


----------



## littleredrooster

Machiavelli said:


> OK, here's the deal. Looks like it's gonna be the Canary Islands. Reason: Warmest Islands in EU. Would like to be near the beach. I'm gonna work at home on the internet. But it would be nice if she got off her rear and found some work (she's an accountant, but not really certified yet.) Is Santa Cruz the best place for her to look for work in accounting and more general office work? Would like some place cheap because we want to stretch our funds until we get out bearings. So? Where is a good place to live on Tenerife? Santa Cruz looks like one big apartment block after another. What's the best/nice/cheap neighborhood in Santa Cruz? La Honda? But that's not too near the beach. Why do people live in those apartment blocks when the can live in a nice village? Proximity to work I suppose. Anybody got any good tips? I was thinking to maybe just live in San Andres. I'd be near the beach and she could take the bus if she ever finds work. Is that expensive? What would be the best real estate site to use for San Andres? (I want a place that has internet already hooked up I'm pretty sure.) Thanks in advance.


You really need to look around and do your own survey as regards what suits your own particular needs.
Work in that area for your good lady may not be so easy to find,even with qualifications,for a number of reasons,so you need to exercise caution and look around carefully before you leap.
However I would say your choice of Tenerife is probably a good one, as it is a very diverse island with something to suit almost everyone,once you get a good look around,and IMHO easily the pick of the Canaries.
Santa Cruz is very much a Spanish city, with not a great sign of expat activity at first sight, so I would say that fluent Spanish is fairly important.
You may be better advised to look on forums relating specifically to that island,one in particular is very good, with lots of users able to help with much more detailed local knowledge.


----------



## Machiavelli

Tyty. If I can make enough $, then I'm seriously tempted to just retreat to La Palma. Los Llanos seems to be what I really want. I wanted to check that other particular forum, but my browser warns me that it is virus infested. I'll try again. Any thoughts about La Palma?


----------



## littleredrooster

Machiavelli said:


> Tyty. If I can make enough $, then I'm seriously tempted to just retreat to La Palma. Los Llanos seems to be what I really want. I wanted to check that other particular forum, but my browser warns me that it is virus infested. I'll try again. Any thoughts about La Palma?


Its a very nice island,but I would have a few reservations about living there.
Travel connections to the UK were not good last time I was there and the two main tourist zones were mainly German occupied.
It has a much bigger reliance on agriculture, than the other islands, and I got the impression most of the natives wanted to keep it that way, and were possibly not as welcoming to outsiders as on the other islands.
I think social activities and other things of interest will also be very limited for long term stayers.
Its a while since I was there,so it may have changed a little by now,but overall I think Tenerife gives you far more options.


----------



## 90199

La Palma, la isla bonita, or that is how it is described on the local Television. Los Llanos de Aridane is so beautiful, I understand your choice.

There is however another well kept secret, La Isla de Meridiano, El Hierro. When you arrive in Tenerife look south west and give me a wave, I can see Mount Teide from my azotea.

I have a friend from Venezuela who has apartment(s) I think in La Salud if you wish I can give you his telephone number?


----------



## littleredrooster

Hepa said:


> La Palma, la isla bonita, or that is how it is described on the local Television. Los Llanos de Aridane is so beautiful, I understand your choice.
> 
> There is however another well kept secret, La Isla de Meridiano, El Hierro. When you arrive in Tenerife look south west and give me a wave, I can see Mount Teide from my azotea.
> 
> I have a friend from Venezuela who has apartment(s) I think in La Salud if you wish I can give you his telephone number?


HI there Hepa on El Hierro,
I've been over to your lovely,friendly little island quite a few times.
From my old apt.just above Los Cris.I could occasionally see across to Valverde.
I used to drive off the evening ferry to an apt.block in Valverde,never anyone there,so I used to choose a room and settle in for the night.
Next morning still the same,no one there as usual,,so I'd go into the nearby bar,inform the owner he had guests the night before and then pay him before going on my way.
It was said at that time that crime on the island was virtually unknown.
I recall seeing cars parked up,windows open,keys left in the ignition,seemed to be the normal thing to do.
Hope the island hasn't changed too much since then, as it seemed to have an atmosphere of total trust wherever I went,very rare in todays world.
Lovely little spot but I fear very limited regarding the first posters requirements.
Don't want to encourage visitors too much, or spoil that beautiful little piece of old world paradise.


----------



## Machiavelli

Hepa said:


> La Palma, la isla bonita, or that is how it is described on the local Television. Los Llanos de Aridane is so beautiful, I understand your choice.
> 
> There is however another well kept secret, La Isla de Meridiano, El Hierro. When you arrive in Tenerife look south west and give me a wave, I can see Mount Teide from my azotea.
> 
> I have a friend from Venezuela who has apartment(s) I think in La Salud if you wish I can give you his telephone number?


Where is La Salud. I can't seem to find it. Unless you mean the resort on El Hierro.


----------



## 90199

Sorry my fault, it is "Salud Bajo" a suburb of Santa Cruz, he owns a bar called "El Botijo"


----------



## 90199

El Hierro, still the same, 75 miles and 75 years away from Tenerife


----------



## Machiavelli

El Hierro sounds very nice. Very tempting. 

I read somewhere that the ferries take 1-2 two hours but when I looked at the booking site it said 6ish hours. Which is it? Say Santa Cruz de la Palma to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.


----------



## 90199

Re ferries to El Hierro,

Fred Olsen, fast cats, Now from Los Cristianos to Estaca, El Hierro, normally 2 hours if direct, via La Gomera 2 1/2 hours. Armas, from Los Cristianos Just over 3 Hours. Armas also go from Santa Cruz, that takes anything up to 8 Hours,

H


----------



## Machiavelli

What is the fastest one from La Palma to Tenerife (SC preferably)?


----------



## 90199

Machiavelli said:


> What is the fastest one from La Palma to Tenerife (SC preferably)?


I think it will be Fred Olsen from Los Cristianos, try their web site, 

/www.fredolsen.es/PublicSite/FredOlsenExpress/H-Horarios.aspx?Trayecto=CRTVDE

If I was travelling from Tenerife, Santa Cruz, to La Palma, or Hierro, I would fly, Binter Inter Island, often the same price as the ferries, and only 30 to 40 minutes,

H


----------



## Machiavelli

Hepa said:


> I have a friend from Venezuela who has apartment(s) I think in La Salud if you wish I can give you his telephone number?


Nah thanks. That is too far from the beach! What I really want and this can be anywhere in the canaries is a town like Los Llanos de Aridane right next to a beach like Papagoyo and while we are at it you could throw in a nice little harbor. 

Puerto de la Cruz seems ok but maybe too busy too urban and the waves too rough?


----------



## 90199

Machiavelli said:


> Nah thanks. That is too far from the beach! What I really want and this can be anywhere in the canaries is a town like Los Llanos de Aridane right next to a beach like Papagoyo and while we are at it you could throw in a nice little harbor.
> 
> Puerto de la Cruz seems ok but maybe too busy too urban and the waves too rough?



That description can only be Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Somewhat larger than Los Llansos but you have a good beach and one of the most beautiful harbours in the world, plus you are not too far away from the airport,

H


----------



## Machiavelli

Hepa said:


> That description can only be Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
> 
> Somewhat larger than Los Llansos but you have a good beach and one of the most beautiful harbours in the world, plus you are not too far away from the airport,
> 
> H


Somewhat? It is 12 times bigger. I think I'd be miserable there. A nice suburb I'd look at. Thinking about San Andres. It seems like all the touristy places on these islands are REALLY touristy (Don't seem to be any nice towns on the south side of Tenerife for example. Just big blocks of tourist condos. Ugh) Thanks for the suggestion though. I looked at it a bit the other day and I just don't want to be near big apartment blocks.


----------



## 90199

Machiavelli said:


> Somewhat? It is 12 times bigger. I think I'd be miserable there. A nice suburb I'd look at. Thinking about San Andres. It seems like all the touristy places on these islands are REALLY touristy (Don't seem to be any nice towns on the south side of Tenerife for example. Just big blocks of tourist condos. Ugh)


One thing for sure, Hierro wouldn't suit you, we don't have any substantial beaches here. Have you looked at the coast between the Airport and the capital on Tenerife.

Or perhaps San Sebastian de La Gomera

H


----------



## Machiavelli

It may one day come to San Sebastian or a place like it, but that is a bit too small at 2000 folks. Los Llanos is 30000 which seems just right. 

As for the towns between SC and the airport(I assume you mean the south airport), no I haven't really looked at them. Which ones would you recommend?


----------



## 90199

Machiavelli said:


> It may one day come to San Sebastian or a place like it, but that is a bit too small at 2000 folks. Los Llanos is 30000 which seems just right.
> 
> As for the towns between SC and the airport(I assume you mean the south airport), no I haven't really looked at them. Which ones would you recommend?


I cannot recommend, because, with the exception of El Médano, I too am unfamiliar with that area. However others have told me there are some nice places. Yes you are right about the airport.

I never realised Los Llanos was so large, I wonder if the 30,000 includes the outlying area. We have only 10,500 here on Hierro we think there are now four English residents,
H


----------



## Machiavelli

How are the people doing on El Hierro? I was reading how the Canaries have lost 1.5 billion last year in lost tourism revenue. Has El Hierro done better than elsewhere because it is (I assume) less dependent on tourism? Maybe I'm wrong in that assumption?


----------



## 90199

Regarding tourism, it would be difficult to judge, because last year was the four yearly La Bajada. There were so many people here in the summer, that I thought the place would sink!

However this year has been noticeable quieter, less people in the bars. Not many foreigners arriving. There are more people here this week, because it is the run up to Easter. 

Private building projects have suddenly stopped, the housing market has ground to a halt. We seem to be exporting the pineapples and other fruit though. 

We get a far different type of tourist here, few young people, mainly walking, fishing or scuba diving parties, quite a few from Eire, and in the summer a lot arrive from the other islands and mainland Spain,

H


----------

