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Beautiful island just 4 hours from UK has palm-fringed beaches and 300 sunny days
Daily mirror | February 7, 2026 3:39 AM CST

If you’re feeling desperate about the state of the rainy and grey British weather, there’s a simple solution just four hours away.

Described as ‘Europe’s Ultimate Vitamin D Escape’, this Spanish island gets a staggering 300 days of sunshine a year and visitors can enjoy palm-fringed beaches, lush forests, impressive volcanos and awe-inspiring landscapes all in one getaway.

Tenerife is the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, located just off the coast of West Africa and is dominated by Mount Teide, a dormant volcano that is also Spain’s tallest peak. It has a multitude of beaches with sand colour that ranges from yellow to black and has lots of popular resort areas, including Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas and Costa Adeje.

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In the winter months, Tenerife is known as a spot of reliable sunshine, mild temperatures and with an outdoor way of life that makes people feel better and happier. The country lends itself to “simple, feel good-routines” such as morning light on a terrace, easy coastal walks, swimming and dining outdoors.

However, the country is much more than just a warm destination for cold Brits and still preserves beautiful historic quarters of great artistic value in its towns and municipalities. San Cristobal de la Laguna is a unique example of a colonial city with no walls which later inspired a number of cities in the American colonies. It has been crowned a World Heritage Site because it has maintained its original 15th century layout with barely any alterations.

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Further out of the town for those looking for more natural beauty, Teide National Park is Tenerife’s crowning jewel. Centred around Mount Teide – the third largest volcano in the world – it has over 30 hiking trails and is also known for its extremely clear skies with a premier spot for stargazing and as a home to some unique species of flora and fauna.

The beaches across the islands are also highly recommended with Playa el Duque in Costa Adeje the highest rated.

One reviewer wrote: “Perfect beach – golden sand, loads of cafes and restaurants, lovely mountains overlooking the beach and affordable sunbeds.”

Others that rated highly included Playa de las Teresitas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Playa de las Vistas in Los Cristianos and Playa de Fanabe in Costa Adeje.

Spring Hotels has six distinctive properties across Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos and is a great base for making the most of Tenerife’s abundance of offerings from the sun in its sky to the nature all around it.

Jo Robinson, Chief Sales Officer at Spring Hotels, said: “After weeks of dark mornings and being indoors, winter travellers value daylight, warmth and time outside. Tenerife delivers that reliably and it’s why our guests return again and again.”


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