Carved wooden balconies, steep cobbled streets and a valley of vines and banana plants: La Orotava is one of the handsomest old towns in the north of Tenerife. Its hillsides are also dotted with guachinches, homely places serving good food and home-made wine.
The cooking follows the seasons, with meat, fish, local cheese and home-made desserts. It's a relaxed, family kind of place, where lunch with friends or relatives easily runs into the afternoon.
After a morning among the old mansions, a long meal at one of the town's best guachinches is the natural next step, and a proper taste of traditional Canarian cooking.
