Vicky Lissaman
As the sun slowly sets, distant sailing boats are silhouetted against the vivid pinks streaking across the sky. I finish the last of my Aperol spritz, order another, then savour that golden spell of stillness as the colours of daytime fade into dusk.
The sofas on the elevated terrace bar at the five-star Riu Palace Tenerife hotel are the most soughtafter at this time of the day.
They come with panoramic views out to sea and all the way down to the shining lights of the hotels and spirited nightlife of Playa de las Americas.
Just a couple of miles up the coast here at Costa Adeje, however, there’s an entirely different vibe.
Centred around upscale properties, quality restaurants and bars and designer shopping, this is where to discover the swankier and more serene side of Tenerife.
The Riu Palace, our abode for the week, occupies a prime spot on the seafront, where there’s a promenade and a black sand beach, which has great novelty factor if you have kids.
A two-minute walk down the coast will bring you to the pale sand Blue Flag beach of Playa del Duque, where waves crash into the rocks down one end, and upmarket bars and cafes are dotted around.
But as temperatures are still in the high 20s in the winter months, why venture out in the heat when there is a beachfront infinity pool and Balinese beds in the hotel’s lush grounds?
After grazing through course after course at the Riu’s lavish breakfast buffet – smoked salmon and cava, a full English, coffee and croissants in that exact order most days – this was a lovely place to chill out, catch up with the papers and go for a dip.
There’s also the Body Love wellness centre should you fancy a bit of quality pampering, as well as a steam bath and gym.
We were staying halfboard and rarely bothered with lunch.
Days slipped peacefully by, and before we knew it, we were back up at the hotel bar, toasting another spectacular Canary Island sunset.
Some nights we’d sit on our balcony overlooking the resort’s illuminated pools and palm trees, enjoying the warm evenings with a glass of local red.
There’s a good variety of rooms here – our family room had a king
I savoured the golden spell of stillness as the colours of daytime fade into dusk