A Sunny Escape to Costa Adeje, Tenerife

In the dreary depths of early spring, a healthy dose of Vitamin D was desperately needed. A tropical vacation was calling my name, and it would have been rude not to answer. In search of a sunny escape, I fled to Costa Adeje, Tenerife - a little piece of paradise in the Canary Islands. Not only was this beachy town the perfect place to defrost, but it was also the ideal spot to slow down and relax. 

However, I mustn't sugarcoat it all, for paradise still has its limits. I had zero guilt laying out by the beach and pool all day because quite frankly, there isn't much else to do in Costa Adeje. In fact, I deliberately tried to avoid most parts of town. While the landscape and beaches are sublime, the town itself lacks any genuine character. The boardwalk along the coast is littered with tacky restaurants serving overpriced meals, trashy shops selling junky souvenirs, and sunburnt tourists getting visibly sloshed at the chiringuitos, or beach bars. 

That said, it's entirely possible to successfully avoid the tourist traps and seek out authentic and memorable experiences in Costa Adeje. Here's how to find Costa Adeje's secret paradise and enjoy a relaxing stay in the south of Tenerife.

Relax at Playa del Duque

Amongst Costa Adeje's many beaches, Playa del Duque is by far the most picturesque and pristine. Surrounded by lush palm trees and crystal clear waters, this stunning stretch of sand is the perfect place to sunbathe, go swimming or take a mid-day siesta. Here you can find some of the island's nicest hotels, an elegant promenade to stroll along, and several darling terraces to enjoy some ice cream or a refreshing cocktail. Regarded as the classiest beach in Costa Adeje, Playa del Duque makes you feel as if you're on a private beach belonging a five star resort, minus the price tag.

Playa del Duque

Go Whale Watching

Nothing embodies paradise quite like lounging on a sailboat, sipping white wine and watching dolphins pass just inches away from your boat. Add in some snacks, sunbathing and pilot whales, and you've got a recipe for perfection. 

With Tenerife Sailing Charters, we spent several hours on the ocean being chased by dolphins and getting up close and personal with a large pod of pilot whales. Spotting the whales and watching them swim so close to our boat was a truly breathtaking experience. Afterwards, we sailed to a nearby cove for snacks, drinks and snorkeling. As we basked in the sun surrounded by serene waters and the island's striking landscape, all I could feel was pure bliss. Without a doubt, whale watching in Tenerife was one of the most magical moments of the trip.

Playa de Fañabé

Stay at an Airbnb with a View

I never had much experience with Airbnb before this trip to the Canary Islands, but now I'm hooked. Paolo's apartment in Costa Adeje was the perfect escape from the touristy hub of the city. Every morning I woke up to a gorgeous view of the sea and ate breakfast outside on the spacious terrace. Because the restaurants in town were notably substandard, we also chose to stay in and cook most evenings. The apartment complex, Malibu Park, also had a large upstairs lounge area with two swimming pools and a beach bar.

While I normally prefer hotels, staying at an Airbnb in Costa Adeje gave us the freedom to make our own food, avoid the touristy hot spots, and have a delightfully more authentic experience. 

Playa la Pinta

Along Costa Adeje's boardwalk

My Costa Adeje Picks:

Favorite Activity: Whale watching

Best Shopping: Centro Comercial Plaza del Duque

Where to Get Your Ice Cream Fix: Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque

Favorite Restaurant: Barracuda Barra y Mantel

Best Beach: Playa del Duque

Have you ever been to the Canary Islands?

Where's your favorite sunny escape?

Eating Gluten-Free in the Canary Islands

"I'll have the croquetas", I crooned with a grin, relishing each syllable as it bounced off my tongue. I hadn't been able to utter that phrase in over five years. As I savored each word, I could taste the creamy béchamel sauce, the crispy shell crumbling into pieces on my plate, and the tiny bits of tuna melting in my mouth. 

Since being diagnosed as a Celiac, I had surrendered to the notion of forever giving up one of my favorite tapas, classic Spanish croquetas. Croquettes are tasty morsels typically made of meat and béchamel sauce, which are then fried in olive oil. Not only are they a dangerously addicting treat, but they're also a Celiac's worst nightmare. Sometimes just the smell of them sends me into a nostalgic frenzy of insatiable hunger and psychosomatic stomach pains.

Yet here I was at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, about to bite into my first gluten-free croqueta. If Celiac disease were a game, I was about to win. Victory was going to taste so sweet.

Grilled Canarian cheese with mojo sauce

Despite their distance from the mainland of Spain, the Canary Islands are exceptionally accommodating to food allergies. Several of the traditional Canarian dishes are naturally gluten-free, and many restaurants in Tenerife and Gran Canaria can easily alter meals to cater to the needs of gluten-intolerant folk. Much to my delight and surprise, eating gluten-free in the Canary Islands was a delicious and stress-free experience.

A tortilla de patatas with avocado and cheese

Traditional Dishes

Many classic Canarian dishes are already gluten-free friendly or can be easily altered to become sin gluten. The most ubiquitous plate is papas arrugadas con mojo, or wrinkled potatoes with a spicy mojo sauce. This dish is comprised of Canarian potatoes that are cooked in saltwater (which are usually sprinkled with a heavy dose of sea salt), served with a pungent sauce made of cumin, garlic, paprika, olive oil, vinegar and salt. The red mojo picón is made with dried red peppers, while the milder green mojo verde is made with parsley or cilantro.

Papas arrugadas with mojo picón

Another traditional dish worth ordering at every meal is grilled Canarian cheese drizzled with mojo or honey. The Canary Islands are home to a plethora of delectable goat's milk cheeses, and nothing delights the tastebuds quite like the combination of salty cheese and sweet honey. Be sure to also try the local palm honey from the island of La Gomera.

Stay away from things with gofio, which is a special type of wheat flour native to the Canary Islands. When it comes to avoiding gofio, be especially careful when ordering cheese dishes or desserts.

Grilled Canarian cheese with mojo picón, honey and mojo verde

Eating Gluten-Free in Tenerife

Wander slightly past the tourist traps of Plaza Charco in Puerto de la Cruz and you can find Casa Pache, a cozy escape from the mainstream restaurants guaranteed to serve you a subpar meal. Between the kitschy decorations, warmhearted service and quality comfort food, this authentic and decidedly offbeat eatery makes you feel like you're dining with family.

Casa Pache offers specially prepared, Celiac-friendly croquetas, calamares (squid) and chipirones (small squid). Many of their other dishes are naturally gluten-free, such as the pork ribs with corn, potatoes and green mojo sauce, the papas arrugadas con mojo, and the goat meat with sauce.

A delicious dish of goat at Casa Pache

Gluten-free tuna croquetas

Papas arrugadas with mojo

The cozy terrace of Casa Pache

Eating Gluten-Free in Gran Canaria

In the charming old town of Vegueta in Las Palmas, a hidden gastronomic heaven awaits. Head to La Hierba Luisa on Vegueta's main foodie drag, Calle Mendizábal, for unique Mediterranean meals. Not only do they serve gluten-free beer, but the staff at this hip-yet-unpretentious vegetarian restaurant are also incredibly knowledgable about accommodating food allergies. (Plus, the gluten-free falafel is out of this world!)

At Te Lo Dije Perez next to the cathedral in Las Palmas, every item that contains wheat or gluten is clearly marked on their special allergen menu. Though the selection was not particularly vast for non-seafood eaters, the papas arrugadas con mojo and grilled Canarian cheese were divine. Above all, the waiters do their part to ensure that your dining experience is safe and satisfying.

Though not technically a Spanish beer, you can still find gluten-free cerveza at La Hierba Luisa

Gluten-free falafel at La Hierba Luisa

If you're nervous about eating gluten-free in the Canary Islands because your Spanish is rusty, then print out a gluten-free restaurant card like this one to show to your waiters. If you ask if a dish is sin gluten or say "Soy Celiaca", most restaurants in the Canary Islands will know how to take care of you.

Do you have any food allergies? 

How do you survive them while traveling?

Playing Catch Up: April Updates

Relevant words & a reminder to sigue adelante

Happy spring, everyone! I don't know about you, but so far this season has flown by. These past couple of months have been filled with nonstop travel, chaotic days at work, wine nights with friends, exploring Spain extensively, and enjoying Madrid on a tight budget. Balancing teaching, blogging, travel and friend-time has been a bit of a challenge lately, but I'm working on catching up, getting organized and reprioritizing. 

Coming Soon

I've got so many backlogged posts and stories to share with you, especially about my spring break trip to the Canary Islands! My good friend Amy of Restless Fork and I had a magical time exploring Tenerife and Gran Canaria (and tasting our way through the islands, of course). Between Puerto de la Cruz, Costa Adeje and Las Palmas, I fell irreversibly in love with the Canaries - and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

But that's not all! Tomorrow I leave for Santiago de Compostela, a lush hidden gem in the north of Spain. This stunning city in Galicia has been calling my name for quite some time now, and I can't wait to have my friend Trevor of A Texan in Spain show me around. Stories to come soon!

I'm currently working on a guide to Eating Gluten-Free in Madrid, which I'm excited to share once I wrap up my "research". (Man, taste testing is such a chore... right?!) In the meantime, I may have to sprinkle another post or two about Barcelona in the mix. That city has seriously gotten under my skin!

Black sand beaches in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

So what's the plan for next year?

As some of you may remember from my quarter life crisis post, I couldn't decide whether to stay in Spain or go back home to the USA next year. Unfortunately, not much has changed since then. My heart still wants to stay in Madrid, but my brain is still telling me to go back home.

So, I'm leaving it up for the fates to decide. Out of the three teaching programs I've applied to in Madrid, at this point I'm only banking on one of them. If that program excepts me, I will stay in Spain for another year. If I'm rejected from the program, I'll move back to Seattle and figure out the next steps. (Which would probably entail grad school, a potential move to California, and lots of Chardonnay to cope with the inevitable Spain withdrawals.)

So, we'll see what the universe has in store! Since it's about a 50/50 chance either way, I'm trying to have an open mind and be content with both options. Advancing my career and reuniting with Kitty Purry, Whole Foods and my teal KitchenAid wouldn't be all too terrible, but the mere thought of leaving Madrid tears me up inside.

Time to take advantage of balcony picnic season in Madrid!

Adventures Ahead

A few days after I get back from Santiago de Compostela, I'll be headed to TBEX - Europe's largest travel blogging conference! This year TBEX is being held in Costa Brava, Spain - just a hop, skip and a jump away from Barcelona. Since it's so close to Madrid this year, I figured "why not?" and signed up on a whim.

Although my blog isn't big enough to compete with the mega-successful travel bloggers who regularly attend these conferences, I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to grow my blog and make new blogger friends! And thankfully, I'll have my dear friend Erica of The One with Wanderlust by my side to calm my anxieties! Seasoned veterans, have you got any advice for us first-timers?

Following TBEX, my dad is finally coming to visit Madrid (hooray!), followed by one of my old sorority sisters. After that I'll be headed to Oviedo in northern Spain, and then Copenhagen. My mom is coming to visit again at the end of June, so after school lets out we'll be venturing to Granada and Mallorca!

Between those confirmed trips, I'd like to squeeze in a beach weekend in Cádiz, eat my way through San Sebastián, and make the most out of life in Madrid. My "Madrid Bucket List" is still a mile long, and there's about a thousand restaurants and rooftop bars I'm still dying to try out.

So much to explore, so little time!

Stay Tuned!

Whether next year keeps me here in Madrid or brings me back home to the States, good things are a brewing on this here blog. You can follow along in real time on Instagram, or on my recently inaugurated Facebook page. (It's about time I finally caved!)

So what's new with you? Any updates?

In the future, is there anything you'd like to see more of on this blog?