Car Hire Tenerife Guide

When we first decided to set up the Car Hire Tenerife Guide site we decided to throw in some background information on the island for you folks. According to some stories the Canary Islands are the last remains of the lost continent of Atlantis.

The volcanic creation of the eastern islands started more than 20 Million years ago. The name ”Tenerife” means ”snow covered mountain”. The first travellers visiting the island between 1,100 and 800 BC were Phoenicians. In 1341 the island was visited by Portuguese.

Map of Tenerife

The history of the island is as firey as its volcanic past.

Approximately half a million years ago during the last stage of volcanic activity the Pico Viejo and the Pico del Teide were formed. The last volcanic eruption happened at Santiago del Teide in 1909.

The native inhabitants, the Guanches

The natives of the island were cave men. Their mummified remains were found in caves on the island leaving a historical trail of information about their society and culture. Only recently has the island begun to embrace the past history of the Guanches.  The Guanches were northwest African in origin, although the debate as to their exact origin still continues.

The Spanish conquest

Approximately five hundred years ago the Spanish conqueror Alonso Fernández de Lugo arrived at the bay of Añaza where harbour of Santa Cruz is situate.

La Matanza (the slaughter) as it is known happend on the 31 st of May of 1494. The Spanish were defeated by the natives.

On the 25th of December of 1495 and after plague had destoryed the Guanches population the Spanish finally overran the island. Alonso de Lugo conquered the island and the island was made a colony of Spain.

European Colonial Struggles.

In subsequent years Dutch, English and French tried unsuccessfully to conquer the islands. The island was seen as a last post for ships to ake on supplies and start the atlantic crossing. Admiral Horation Nelson lost his arm in an engagement off the island in 1797. The English were trying to capture the island. Nelson lost his right arm to a canon ball fired by the famous canon “El Tigre”. The actual canon is exhibited at the harbour of Santa Cruz. Despite the battle the two opposing comanding officers still exchanges barrels of wine as a sign of millitary courtesy.

Recent History

The first university in the Canary Islands was founded in La Laguna at the beginning of the 19th Century. In 1852 the Canary Islands were separated in the two separate provinces Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Subsequently, in 1927, the Canary Islands were split into western and eastern provinces.

Spanish dictator, Francseco Franco, Spent time on the canary islands prior to the commencement of the Spanish Civil War. Whilst on the island it is reported he was involved in the supression of much information relating to the struggle of the natives against the Spanish.

In recent times and towards the end of the 20th Century tourism boomed on the island. To the present day the island continues to be one of the leading tourist hot spots in the world. Car hire is big business on the island and accordingly high standards have developed in the local industry. When it comes to car hire Tenerife has many great companies to choose from. You will have a great chance to see all the historical hotspots the island has to offer.