The Beatles on Holiday in Tenerife, Spain before they became World Famous, 1963

The Beatles spent a few weeks on Tenerife, Spain, in April 1963, just before Beatlemania. These were the last carefree days they would spend without being recognized. While they relaxed around San Telmo Lido and got tanned, John Lennon and manager Brian Epstein chose to holiday in fashionable Torremolinos. Their friend, artist Klaus Voormann, who they knew in Hamburg in 1960, joined them for the holiday as well.

Klaus, whose family owned a villa on the island, recalled:

I will never forget walking into the club and hearing their sound. I had not heard anything like it before. I went back every night and eventually plucked up courage to talk to them. We have been friends ever since. They were scruffy boys from Liverpool when I met them. My father had built a villa in the mountain and I was with him for seven months. Paul wrote me a letter and asked if they could visit. It was as simple as that.

#1 George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#2 Paul McCartney in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#3 George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#4 George Harrison and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#5 George Harrison and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#6 George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#7 George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#8 Paul McCartney and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#9 George Harrison and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#10 George Harrison and Astrid Kirchherr in Tenerife, April 1963.

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#11 George Harrison and Paul McCartney in pal’s Austin Healey Sprite

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#12 George Harrison and Paul McCartney.

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#13 The lads on the beach.

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