El Médano facts for kids
El Médano (which means "The sand dune" in Spanish) is a cool town on the island of Tenerife. It's part of the Granadilla de Abona area, one of the amazing Canary Islands. This town is about 11 kilometers from Granadilla and sits about 75 meters above the sea.
El Médano is split into five smaller areas: El Médano, Arenas del Mar, El Cabezo, El Topo, and Ensenada Pelada.
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Awesome Winds and Beaches
El Médano is famous for its strong winds! This makes it a perfect spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Even though more hotels and apartment buildings have been built, it's still one of the best places in the world for these sports.
There are three main spots for windsurfing and kitesurfing:
- The Bay: This area has calm water or small waves. It's easy to get in and out here.
- The Harbour Wall: This spot is great for catching waves from the side.
- Cabezo Beach: Here, the waves come straight towards the shore.
The main bay has a special swimming area marked by buoys. There's also a part called "pigs bay" that you should avoid because it's not safe for swimming.
Montaña Roja and Natural Beauty
Close to El Médano, you'll find some of Tenerife's biggest natural beaches: Playa Grande and Playa La Tejita.
Between these two beaches is a cool volcanic cone called La Montaña Roja ("The Red Mountain"). It's a protected natural area. This mountain is about 1 kilometer wide and was formed by powerful volcanic explosions when hot lava met the sea.
Leocadio Machado Beach
In the town itself, there's a popular beach called Leocadio Machado, but most people just call it El Médano beach. It's about 750 meters long and 43 meters wide.
This beach even had a special European Blue Flag award from 2004 to 2016, which means it was very clean and well-kept. It has changing rooms and showers too.
A professor named Leocadio Machado was inspired by this beach to write a novel called "El loco de la playa" (The madman of the beach) in 1925. The story is about a doctor and his daughter who visit El Médano every summer. They hear about a mysterious man who talks to himself and shouts at the sea, making the few people living there feel a bit scared.
You can also find smaller coves nearby, like El Cabezo, El Salado, La Jaquita, De Pelada, and La Rajita.
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El Médano from the Montaña Roja
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Beach and Montaña Roja
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Kitesurfer in El Mèdano
Fun Things to Do and Places to See
El Médano has a big town square right in front of the main beach. Many local parties and events happen here, especially in the summer. There's also an amazing fireworks show across the bay once a year. You'll find lots of cafes and restaurants around this square.
A boardwalk starts from the square and goes all along the beach. It passes through rocky dunes formed by the wind and sea.
Town Services and Shops
The town has schools for younger kids and a high school. There are also town hall offices for visitors and residents, a community center for older people, and a House of Culture. You'll find a doctor's surgery, a shopping center, and a street market.
El Médano has a church called Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes de Roja, a post office, banks, and offices for Civil Protection and the Red Cross. There's also a pharmacy, a funeral home, and several gas stations. Plus, there are many apartments, cafes, restaurants, and small shops. Near the motorway, you can find the Granadilla Farmers' Market.
The Technological Institute of Renewable Energies (ITER) is also in El Médano. This institute works on new ways to create energy.
Holy Cave and Airport
The cave of Santo Hermano Pedro is located in the town. It's a special place where people go to visit a small shrine dedicated to a saint.
El Médano is just south of the Reina Sofia airport, which is in the south of Tenerife. Because of this, you might hear airplanes flying overhead quite often.
Who Lives Here?
Since the 1960s, when tourism started to grow, many people have moved to El Médano. This includes people from the bigger cities like Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna, as well as people from other parts of Granadilla. It has become a popular place for people to have a second home.
In 2013, about 41% of the people living in El Médano were from other countries. Many came from Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. Of the people from the Canary Islands, about half were from Granadilla de Abona, and the rest were from other towns on Tenerife.
Panorama
See also
In Spanish: El Médano para niños
