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Los Realejos - town in the mountains of Tenerife north |
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Written by Steve Andrews
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The municipal borough and town of Los Realejos is situated in the foothills of Mt Tigaiga next to the La Orotava valley, on the border of San Juan de la Rambla in the north of Tenerife, and is worth a visit for a number of reasons. In actuality Los Realejos is made up of two towns – a high one (Realejo Alto) and a low (Realejo Bajo) but they merge into one.
Los Realejos takes its name from the royal encampment set up by Spanish conquistador Fernández de Lugo in 1496 after the Battle of Acentejo fought with the native Guanche people. The first parish church on Tenerife was built in Los Realejos as it then was and is known as the Church of Santiago Apóstol. It is said that Guanche menceyes (leaders) were baptised in this church.
 In Realejo Bajo visitors to Tenerife and this particular part can see the former town hall or Casa Consistorial, and also there is a quite spectacular fan-shaped dragon tree, known as El Drago de San Francisco. It can be seen from the road below and stands in a garden on a hilly bit of ground where there is also a pleasant grassy area where locals relax and walk their dogs.
 In the outskirts of Los Realejos is a splendid viewpoint called El Mirador del Lance, where there is a bronze statue of the Guanche mencey Bentor, son of Bencomo, who preferred to throw himself over a cliff than submit to the Spanish conquistadors.
Los Realejos has most things you would expect of a town with plenty of shops, businesses and bars and restaurants and it is also the home of the office of Tenerife News, a widely read newspaper for the island. There are several small parks, squares, and two more magnificent dragon trees as tall as the palms that accompany them where they grow near a church.
Looking down from Los Realejos you can easily see the coast and the beach El Socorro, which is very popular with surfers, is within easy reach. Further up the coast is the tiny resort of La Romántica before you get to Puerto de la Cruz.
 Los Realejos has several bus services running through it provided by the Titsa bus company of Tenerife, including the 347 from Los Realejos to La Orotava, the 352 and 353 which go to Puerto de la Cruz, the 354 from Puerto to Icod de los Vinos, the 107 from Buenavista to Santa Cruz and the 108 from Icod del los Vinos to Santa Cruz.
Los Realejos is a typical northern town of Tenerife in many ways, and lies between the real highlands of the Mt Teide national park and the coast below.
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Tenerife Island