As I spotted a man dressed in a huge pale blue beehive wig and a dress constructed entirely from flip flops, I realised my own attempt at fancy dress was not altogether impressive.

Displaying a bit of British reserve, I wasn't entirely convinced by the argument that most of Santa Cruz would be dressed up in cheap party gear. But after a lot of encouragement I purchased a red sparkly wig and pink feather boa.

I nervously stepped out of the hotel elevator into reception to discover my worst fears had been realised – there was nobody else in fancy dress.

However, I summoned a bit of inner courage, bumped into an Elvis-lookalike in the bar and felt immense relief.

I wasn't sure what to expect when they said come to the February carnival in Tenerife. Yet after spending a truly memorable night dancing in the streets of Santa Cruz with all manner of people dressed as bank robbers, cabaret dancers, clowns and members of the Village People, I would thoroughly recommend losing your inhibitions and joining in the fun.

From early evening until dawn there were thousands upon thousands of locals taking part in a parade to beat all parades, followed by a huge good-humoured street party in the centre of Santa Cruz.

Young and old take part dancing through the streets dressed as clowns and in other fancy dress costumes. Towards the end of the evening events do get a bit more risqué, but this is very much a community carnival.

The choosing of the Carnival Queen earlier in the week is such a major event that film stars Sophia Loren and Gerard Depardieu are among the judges.

The costumes are so spectacular and huge that the girls need wheels on the bottom of their outfits so they can manoeuvre themselves on to the stage in front of the judges. It is quite something to be crowned Carnival Queen and months and months of planning and hard work go into their intricate design.

Feathers and sequins are used in abundance on the elaborate designs which tower higher than the girls and feature giant serpents, exotic birds, illuminated lights and plenty of bling.

This year, the winner's costume was inspired by the film The Queen, starring Helen Mirren – although the design was more Elizabeth I then Elizabeth II.

I was staying in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife. It is an area sometimes overlooked by the tourists who often remain in the south of the island.

One of the highlights of my trip was visiting Calle La Noria, in Santa Cruz, made up of picturesque houses that were once lived in by fishermen and dockworkers.

Nowadays, some are used as rehearsal rooms by carnival music groups, while others have been turned into small restaurants. Securing a table at one of these and sampling a few local dishes is a lovely way to spend an evening or an afternoon. Santa Cruz and La Laguna are the places the locals choose to live, and both are great places to amble about in, strolling around their squares and courtyards away from the hustle and bustle.

La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was formerly the island's capital. It is full of architectural monuments, palaces and traditional houses. An hour or two exploring is highly recommended; if you get the chance, ask to take a peek behind closed doors as they can reveal impressive courtyard areas and gardens.

Tenerife produces its own wines, and we visited Bodega El Lomo. Local wines are widely available at bars and restaurants across the island.

The Teide National Park is a far cry – and several thousand feet in altitude – from the black sand beaches where hundreds of thousands of tourists spend their holidays baking in the sun. It's a strangely beautiful, seemingly barren world of rock, sand, sun and sky, dominated by the white-tipped peak of an ancient, but still living volcano. The park's enormous volcanic crater is 48km in circumference and out of it rises the spectacular Mount Teide.

To reach the summit (there is a cable car), visitors need to have acquired a permit beforehand.

Puerto de La Cruz, in the north of the island, is where the tourism industry began in Tenerife more than 100 years ago and still draws the visitors. It has a historic old town, perfect for strolling and shopping. After all the partying of the carnival, a visit to the spa at the five star Hotel Botanico, in Puerto del la Cruz, was a welcome chance to relax and unwind in its peaceful oriental gardens and spa area.

Afterwards, I got the chance to sample their low-calorie lunch in one of their restaurants, designed for guests who want to lose weight or improve "well-being".

The food was certainly tasty, but the crestfallen look on one of my fellow guest's face when it was revealed no alcohol would be served, spoke volumes.

Getting there
For more information on Tenerife, visit www.webtenerife.com
Joanne Ginley stayed at Hotel Contemporaneo in Santa Cruz. For reservations, call 0034 922 271571

Monarch offers year round flights to Tenerife from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, starting from £54.50 one way (£93.99 return).

The airline has a range of hot and cold meals onboard, extra legroom seats are available, online check-in is possible and regular travellers are rewarded with a range of benefits through the airline's loyalty scheme, Vantage Club.