Being one with nature is a 'must do' for anyone on holiday in a new country. If your holiday with a child in Tenerife is more of a beach holiday, you'll need to switch to a different experience. For example, visit the Jardin Botanico in Tenerife.
This large, well-kept and green botanical garden is located in the eastern part of Puerto de la Cruz. The abundance of rare exotic plants will shock and impress your little travellers. They'll probably see shrubs and trees like this for the first time. The Jardin de Aclimatacion de la Orotava is one of the oldest in Europe, founded in 1788.
In a small area of 2.5 hectares, there are many species of flora. There are palms of every variety known worldwide, aroids, coffee and tulip trees, bromeliad herbaceous plants, wild figs, vines and many other flowers, shrubs and trees. In a small pond, snow-white lilies are very comfortable and relatively peaceful neighbours with... turtles.
Tenerife's botanical garden is also rich in very rare species. For example, there's a gigantic rubber tree (several metres wide!). The tree is as old as it is enormous: over 200 years old!
A rare specimen of modern flora is the traveller's tree, brought to Tenerife from Madagascar. It is much loved by tourists with children, as the clear water that accumulates in the recess of the trunk allows them to quench their thirst perfectly and marvel at yet another wonder of nature.
Incidentally, Loro Parque is another popular attraction for families with children, which is only 15 minutes from the garden. This is one of the island's most important and most visited zoos and a must-see.
