A holiday cottage is just one of Finca Alternativa's attractions

If you are looking for a rural holiday getaway with a real difference then renting a traditional Canary Islands cottage on Finca Alternativa in the northwest of Tenerife might be what you are looking for. Finca Alternativa means Alternative Farm in Spanish, and this is a very apt description.

Finca Alternative is run by Roberto and Stefania and is situated in the village of Cueva del Viento (Cave of the Wind) above Icod de los Vinos and looks out over the mountains and forests and up to the majestic Mt Teide that towers above it all.

Besides offering the rental of a unique 200-year-old restored cottage on the grounds of the farm, the couple offer a wide range of services and products for sale, and would be only too happy to suggest and help organise all sorts of activities in the surrounding countryside such as fishing and diving on the coast nearby or enjoying mountain walks.

The cottage sleeps four people and has a fully equipped kitchen and furnished living space. There is one double sofa bed, as well as one bedroom with a double bed and one bathroom with shower.

In the bathroom of the cottage there are homemade soaps provided, as well as creams and other toiletries made by Stefania, who makes these natural products from the herbs, flowers and fruits grown on Finca Alternativa.

The cottage is available for short-term or longer rentals depending on your needs. Contact details to make a reservation are found on the website for Finca Alternativa given right at the bottom of this article.

Finca Alternativa is a great place for growing organic fruit and vegetables and these are of course available for the couple's guests. Stefania cooks all sorts of tasty meals that can be washed down with fruit juices or homemade beer and wine.

The couple have a small bar and restaurant area and also stage live entertainment from local musicians.

Stefania is schooled in Chinese medicine but she also offers acupuncture, massage and other alternative therapies, as well as being a yoga and meditation instructor.

Cueva del Viento is the name of a cave system said to be the biggest one of its kind in the world. The village the farm is on is named after this complex of caverns and volcanic tunnels and it is possible to book guided tours of Cueva del Viento caves.

If you are a lover of nature then the Cueva del Viento area is sure to delight you, and Monarch butterflies thrive and are often seen flying over the grounds of Finca Alternativa. Treefrogs breed in the farm's water tanks and you will also be able to see all sorts of wildlife in the surrounding countryside.

Finca Alternativa is an organic farm in the Tenerife mountains that offers many additional services besides the rental of a charming Canarian cottage, and it comes approved by the most beautiful of the island's butterflies.