It may not be quite as big as the Tour de France, but to the competitors from Spain and particularly, the Canary Islands, the Vuelta A La Isla De Tenerife, is a very important event on the cycling calendar. The second stage took off from Adeje town on September 4 with a 1.30 pm start from Calle Grande.

Ahead of the cyclists there was a 93.5 km slog up the west coast to El Sauzal, just part of the total 321 kms. As the chain of riders headed off to Playa San Juan, Los Gigantes and up north to Santiago del Teide,and Icod before reaching El Sauzal, it became clear that the riders of Fuerteventura were mounting a serious assault on the race, grabbing the first 2 places. Antonio Olmo (pic) took the yellow jersey in a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 43 seconds, with his fellow islander Joaquin Ortega just 24 seconds behind him. With 2 days to go Antonio is in the overall lead as well.

It’s just one of many sporting challenges that can be seen in Costa Adeje, this May saw the first Adeje triathlon, not just cycling, but also swimming and running. That event is confined to a circuit in the La Caleta area and is to become a regular part of the annual sporting calendar.

It may be A Long And Winding Road to Tenerife but it looks like Paul McCartney may be making the journey to thrill the islands music fans on Saturday December 6 at Golf Costa Adeje. That may just be the start, the same sources are suggesting that guitar great Eric Clapton may be Wonderful Tonight, sometime in April 2009, at the same venue.

The precedent was set on January 24 when Elton John wowed a large audience in the natural amphitheatre of the driving range at the Costa Adeje golf course. There has been many a slip between intentions and delivery in Tenerife in the past, but Canarias Live Sun Festival were as good as their word in delivering the Rocket Man, and they are behind the 2 latest concerts.

Elton John was spot on musically, starting dead on time at 9pm and belting out all his hits in a two hour plus set, the only problems came with getting fans into the 20,000 makeshift stadium. this was the first ever concert at Golf Costa Adeje and with those teething problems uppermost in their minds, the organisers should be able to fine tune these future concerts.

The Paul McCartney gig is being confidently predicted on several international websites but the Eric Clapton concert is in its early stages. As a rough guide, the Elton John tickets were 120€ for V.I.P seats and 90€ and 35€ for standing room. The venue has proved itself, and these two international acts will appeal across the board to ex pat Brits, Canarians and many other nationalities. We will keep you informed as things develop.

One of the best things about Costa Adeje, is the way it has kept a balance between natural charm and modern development, and there is no better example of that than the 27 hole masterpiece that is Golf Costa Adeje.

The undulating and well planned course can be a challenge enough in itself but keeping your concentration could prove a tough test, as the scenery is stunning. Designed by Pepe Gancedo in 1998, it is built on former banana plantations and has kept the natural contours of the terraces that work their way down to the coast from the mountains that surround Costa Adeje. There are 5,000 metres of traditional old low stone walls on the course and the bunkers contain the dark sand that is native to Tenerife. An army of palm trees adds to the overall feel of the course and provides some welcome shade at certain points. As you stroll down the fairways, you will appreciate the looming figure of La Gomera out to sea, the nearest other Canary Island to Tenerife.

Many before you have admired the sheer scale and quality of the course, and enjoyed the practice bunker, 2 putting greens and a chipping green. Probably the most impressive part of the course is the 45,000 square metre driving range that covers three levels, all serviced by a lift that can take a full golf buggy. The clubhouse is always a great place to recount those golfing stories after an enjoyable days play, and the combination of these features have seen the course host the 2003 Spanish Open and the 2008 Tenerife Ladies Open .

Golf is booming in Tenerife, and as well as the Costa Adeje course, there are 8 more scattered across Tenerife, all with excellent facilities. Keeping track of all the golfing action going on in Tenerife these days, could put you in a whirl, but the website www.tenerifegolf.info pulls all the information together for you as well as all the contact points you might need. You have the weather, and the course, go on, get out there and play some golf.

There is so much to see in Costa Adeje, from the coast to the inland villages and mountains, the best way to really unlock all its charms, is to hire a car. Car hire is fairly inexpensive in Tenerife, and the roads are good, Costa Adeje is ideally placed to access the TF1 motorway to the west coast or back east beyond the airport and up north to the capital Santa Cruz.

At least you don’t have to search far for reliable car hire, try www.poulsauto.com or www.pgrentacar.com both can provide a range of cars to select from, to set you off on your island adventure. As you travel inland from the coast of Adeje, you will find the roads getting a little steep and some of the smaller more attractive villages, could test your walking skills to the limit.

The weather here makes for great picnic weather, what could be better than taking a packed hamper for all the family, as you head off to one of the many high vantage points that afford great views of Costa Adeje. Of course, you also have the freedom to break your journey and explore that tasty looking bar or restaurant that is just crying out to you. Respect the roads and Tenerife will reward you with hours of happy motoring.

Tenerife has come a long way since the early days of tourism, and Costa Adeje has blossomed into a diverse and select area for night entertainment. As you would expect from the area that brings you designer shopping and stylish 4 and 5 star hotels, the night scene caters for cocktails, chill out spaces, good music and vibrant bars and clubs.

The choice in terms of area and style is wide ranging, and you might appreciate a little nudge in the right direction. Thamks to the good people at Nu Arte, there is now a handy, glossy colour magazine that showcases the best thats on offer, after the sun has gone down. Costa Adeje Nights, is sponsored by the Ayuntamiento (local council) of Adeje, they have worked hard to raise the standards in their area and are pleased to ensure you have a good choice of places to have fun.

Bright and eye catching, just like the bars and clubs you can visit, Costa Adeje nights is FREE and widely available, so pick up a copy at the airport, or on your travels, or download your issue here. Some of the leading lights of the Costa Adeje scene have teamed up to give you a sneak preview of their premises, in the pages of the magazine. Monkey Bar, Acanto, El Faro and Amber Bar, are leading the way, they will become familiar names to you during your stay in Tenerife. Ok, If your looking good, time to start having some hot happening nights.

If you have been inspired by the gold medal winning Brits at the Olympic Games, you may like to take in one of the big road cycling events of the summer calender, as it passes through Costa Adeje.

The Tour de Tenerife starts on September 3, and this year will involve 14 teams all tackling some of the most diverse and challenging terrain in Tenerife, over 321 kms. Adeje gets its chance to host on Thursday September 4, with the second stage of 93.5 kms, setting off from Calle Grande at 1.30 pm.

The stage will lead out of Adeje and up the west coast to Playa San Juan, Playa del Arena, Los Gigantes, and then up north to Tamaimo, Santiago del Teide, Erjos, El Tanque, Icod and finishing at El Sauzal.

Most of the teams taking part are from mainland Spain, but Germany and Italy have entrants, and Tenerife is represented by several local clubs, including the Loro Parque team.

Even when you make the big move to live in Spain, the pull of family and friends back home is strong, that’s where a reliable, affordable phone and internet package can shrink those miles. Direct Telecom have grown by 20 % each year since their birth in 2000, demand is now so high, they are opening a new Tenerife branch in the El Galeon district of Adeje.

The current financial squeeze has made people look closely at their phone bills, and shocked by what they see, they are looking for better deals. There are many alternatives available now but Mike Broeckaert, Commercial Director of Direct Telecom explained how they can slash mobile phone bills by using the latest GlobalFone technology by Direct Telecom. International calls can be as cheap as 3.3 cents from your mobile, that’s a saving of around 50 cents per minute. “Additionally we have a VoIP system, included in our ADSL package, that basically uses the internet so that your call is charged at a discount local rate. Many people have heard of Skype, but you need all sorts of technical equipment before you can use it, and it is limited, Direct Telecom’s VoIP can handle multiple calls and still do your normal internet downloads without affecting call quality.”

There are 52 million mobile phones in Spain and all the users want a better service from them, again Direct Telecom can come to the rescue. “We are one of a very limited number of distributors for BT Mobile, they provide a strong reliable service with a track record of quality. GlobalFone allows cheap international calls to be made on your mobile from just 3.3 cents per minute, it’s easy to use and you aren’t tied to certain times of the day.”

Of course the other big phone problem for ex pats is getting to grips with the national provider Telefonica, even with a good grasp of Spanish, phone customers turn into quivering wrecks at the thought of having to deal with them. Direct Telecom have always offered multi lingual help and advice but from September, they will be able to take on all your billing and service enquiries from Telefonica.

As technology continues to evolve, Direct Telecom will keep ahead of the pack, providing clear guidance in a choice of languages and the best options for landlines, mobiles and the internet, now that’s something to call home about.

• Full name: Dial Direct Telecom S.L.
• CIF: B-38585204
• Address: Edificio Eden Nº 101, Los Cristianos, 38650 Tenerife, Spain
• Tel: 902 107 111
• UK Tel: 0844 550 1100 (if calling from the UK)
• Fax: 922 797 511
• E-Mail: info@direct-telecom.es
• Web Site: http://www.direct-telecom.es
• Blog Site: http://www.direct-telecom.info

The municipality of Adeje has a nice feel about it, full of traditional charm but with some modern new areas added in and a influx of ex pats from several countries that have been integrated into the mix without overwhelming the Canarian character.

There are plenty of facilities for the British community and this week a branch of Lloyds TSB bank opened in Avenida de Bruselas at the Centro Commercial Terrazas del Duque. This will help ex pats with commercial dealings between their branch in the UK and the new Tenerife branch, and also make their transition to Tenerife life much easier.

Services and products will be offered in English and there will be free money transfers between Uk and Tenerife accounts. English speaking staff will be on hand with help and advice and the usual advice, services and customer care will be just like in a UK bank. Gary Millar, regional director for Lloyds TSB Coast and Islands said “This new branch is perfectly positioned to support the local expat community in the area, and is one of four new offices planned to be opened by Lloyds TSB Spain this year.” 

Music of all types and nationalities can be heard in Costa Adeje, earlier this year, Elton John performed in an open air spectacular at Golf Costa Adeje. It’s the turn of latino music next as Juan Luis Guerra comes to town on Friday August 29.

Juan is from the Dominican Republic, and is a major world star, performing merengue, salsa and latino songs. Over recent years, he has won bucket loads of Latino Grammy Awards and he enjoys superstar status in Spain. The concert will take place outdoors at the big football stadium in Adeje town from 10 pm and tickets are a bargain 25 euros. Tickets can be bought at El Corte Ingles in Santa Cruz or on line at www.ticktackticket.com It should be a great night with plenty of dancing and fun, the whole of Costa Adeje will be swinging their hips for days.

There are plenty of fiestas all year round in Costa Adeje, it’s a busy and thriving community. Many Brits have settled in the area, lured by its character and charm, maybe you could be next, www.secondhometenerife.com has plenty of properties to tempt you.

Costa Adeje always has the ability to surprise, a trip along the coast to the west of Playa del Duque, will lead you to La Caleta, one of the loveliest villages in the south of Tenerife.

The village is quiet and sedate with a selection of small bars and shops, but the real beauty lies on the coast. A tight narrow walkway hugs the coastline and works it’s way around several points that jut out into the sea. Along here you will find some of the best fish restaurants in Tenerife, and as for fresh, well just look out and see the fishing boats bobbing up and down on the waves, and you can see where the catch comes from.

The series of small harbours are a wonderful place for individuals to fish with a rod and line or others chose to swim off the many metal ladders that lead into the waves. The sea has smoothed large slabs of rock and carved channels in them, a perfect place to lay out and catch the sun. Further to the west, a path leads over the headland to a remote area of coast that is protected as a site of scientific interest. due to the abundance of wild plants and insects.

La Caleta is a haven of peace and a draw for hikers and nature lovers to explore the coast and discover new colours and shapes. Just another example of the diversity of Costa Adeje, and a good reson to want to live there, check out some of the property offers on www.secondhometenerife.com .