Alcalá in Tenerife is developing into a Canary Islands resort

Alcalá has been a fishing village on the south-west coast of Tenerife but it is fast developing into a popular Canary Islands resort.

Alcalá is right between Playa de San Juan on the one side and Playa la Arena and Los Gigantes on the other. The town of Guía de Isora is above it up a road that snakes its way through banana plantations and farmland terraces.

If you were driving through Alcalá you might not think there was much worth stopping to see but you would be wrong. Behind the veneer of the main road’s shop fronts there are side streets that swiftly lead down to the sea where you will also find a promenade.

Between the main shopping street and the sea there is a square known as Plaza de Llano. It has restaurants, bars, a cake shop and an ice cream parlour all around it and this is where Alcalá’s weekly market is held every Monday morning.

Alcalá’s beach is very popular but at the same time a quiet place to relax and enjoy the sunshine. Strange rock formations tower over it making it very picturesque. The neighbouring Canary island of La Gomera can be viewed across the sea easily from here.

Fishing boats can be seen bobbing on the water or often or not are hauled out and are resting in the boatyard.

Because it is in the south of Tenerife the weather in Alcalá is usually warm and sunny.

You will find a well-kept walkway along the Alcalá seafront that leads right up to the other end of the village. Here you can’t miss seeing the Sol Meliá Hotel from the road that continues on up to the roundabout.

The side streets of Alcalá have plenty of Canary Islands charm to them with typical Spanish houses and a laid-back seaside village atmosphere.

There are plenty of restaurants that specialise in fresh fish as well as pizzas and pasta dishes. One of the restaurants caters for people who enjoy South American cuisine.

In the main shopping area there is a large range of shops, with boutiques, a hardware store, and a pet shop included. Alcalá’s church looks out over the main street of the village.

Alcalá has had a lot of money spent on it in recent years and it is fast-developing into a popular place for tourists as well as local people.

Regular bus services run through Alcalá with the TITSA bus number 493 from Guía de Isora to Los Gigantes, as well as the services 473 and 477 from Los Cristianos, and also going to Los Gigantes.

Alcalá is changing fast from its humble past as a fishing village but although a lot of it is being developed and modernised it nevertheless has not lost any of its charm.

Copyright © 2012 Steve Andrews. All Rights Reserved.