Basking in year-round sunshine, family-friendly Tenerife offers good value summer holidays - whatever time of year you choose to take them. The Canary Islands are a cluster of volcanic outcrops set adrift just off the coast of Africa, and are like a continent in miniature. In Tenerife, towering, snow-capped mountains rise above arid, desert plains. Lush, green valleys roll down to wide, golden bays while, scattered around the coast, whitewashed villages and lively resorts offer excellent accommodation and fascinating glimpses of the island's colourful history.