The area.

Where you stay

A mountain village at around 500 metres with about three thousand inhabitants. Worth seeing is the church of San Antonio de Padua in Tanque Bajo, rebuilt after the eruption of 1706. In Los Partidos, the Ecomuseo shows how grain used to be grown and threshed here.

15 minutes by car

Once the island’s main port, buried in 1706 by the lava flow that erupted above El Tanque. Today one of Tenerife’s loveliest old towns: Puerta de Tierra, Plaza de la Libertad, the Castillo de San Miguel fortress and, offshore, the Roque de Garachico.

15 minutes by car

Wine town with the Drago Milenario, the most famous dragon tree of the Canaries, in the Parque del Drago. You can also see it free of charge from the Plaza de la Pila.

Icod, 20 minutes

One of the longest lava tubes in Europe. Visits only on a guided tour booked online; sturdy shoes are required.

15 minutes by car

A quiet village in the Isla Baja valley with a lovely square. Farmers’ market on Sundays on the Plaza de la Luz; starting point for hikes to Cuevas Negras.

20 minutes by car

The westernmost town in the north and gateway to the Teno mountains, with a beach and good fish restaurants. The bus to Punta de Teno leaves from here.

Bus from Buenavista

Tenerife’s western tip, with a lighthouse and views of the Los Gigantes cliffs. Because of roadworks on the access road it can currently only be reached on bus 369 from Buenavista, not by car, on foot or by bike.

30 minutes on a winding mountain road

The famous mountain village at 600 metres between steep rocks. The road is narrow and sometimes closed and parking is scarce, so it pays to go early.

20 minutes by car

A town on the pass to the south. The compulsory shuttle to the Masca gorge and the path to the Chinyero volcano start here.

35 minutes by car

Cliffs up to 500 metres high above the sea, and a small harbour with boat trips to see dolphins and whales.

about 75 minutes by car

Spain’s highest mountain and a lunar landscape above 2,000 metres. Book the cable car online in advance; the path to the summit needs a separate permit, and some other trails also require a reservation. Dress warmly.

40 minutes by car

A lively resort with an old town, harbour and promenade in the Orotava valley.

Puerto de la Cruz, 40 minutes

Opened in 1972 as a parrot park, today a large zoo with orcas, dolphins, gorillas and the Planet Penguin house.

Puerto de la Cruz, 40 minutes

Laid out in 1788 by order of King Charles III so that plants from the Americas and Asia could acclimatise before being sent on to Madrid.

Anaga, about 75 minutes

Viewpoint in the Anaga mountains in the north-east of the island, easy to combine with the Hija Cambada trail.

50 minutes by car

The old capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with colourful colonial houses and plenty of bars; close to Tenerife North airport.

El Tanque

A small tasca in the village, just a few steps from the finca.

El Tanque

Italian restaurant and pizzeria with a cosy dining room; the pizza, pasta and lasagne are much praised.

El Tanque

Small pizzeria on the main road with thin, crispy pizzas and good desserts.

Garachico

Right by the El Caletón rock pools: fish and seafood, paella and octopus, with wines from Tenerife.

Garachico

Rice dishes on the seafront with a terrace facing the sea, such as rice with monkfish and prawns or with lobster.

Garachico

Tapas by the old harbour: octopus, papas arrugadas with mojo, seafood and goat’s cheese.

Garachico

In the old town palace of Hotel La Quinta Roja, with a courtyard: Canarian cooking with Mediterranean and Asian touches, awarded a Solete by the Guía Repsol.

Garachico

Restaurant in the old town of Garachico, one of our favourites.

Garachico

Pizza in a lovely courtyard in the old town, with vegan antipasti too.

Icod

Venezuelan arepas with meat, cheese, plantain or avocado – relaxed and good.

Masca

In Masca’s old village school: Canarian home cooking with views of the mountains and the village. Usually open during the day only.

Los Gigantes

Small restaurant by the harbour in Los Gigantes with modern, French-influenced cooking, fresh fish and good meat.

San Juan de la Rambla

Canarian food in guachinche style, in the middle of a banana plantation; try the plantain tortilla and the almogrote. Parking is limited.

Puerto de la Cruz

Venezuelan arepera since 1985, with arepas, cachapas and tequeños, also sweet with guava and cheese.

La Guancha · winery

Tours and tastings by appointment, explaining the grape varieties, growing and climate of the north.

All over the north

Typical of northern Tenerife: winegrowers serve their own wine with simple dishes such as chickpeas, goat or potatoes with mojo. They only open for a few months a year, usually from autumn to spring; call ahead or ask us.

Old mule track

Down the paved camino in zigzags across the 1706 lava to Garachico, always with a view of the town and the sea. Back by bus or taxi.

PR-TF 43.1 from San José de los Llanos

Through pine forest to the Chinyero volcano, which last erupted in 1909, with a loop around the crater. Starts in a part of El Tanque.

PR-TF 52 Erjos – Las Portelas

Through the laurel forest of the Teno nature park and down into the El Palmar valley. Often misty and magical.

Walk from Erjos

A short path to the Erjos ponds between fields and forest. The ponds are often empty in dry years, but the walk is lovely anyway.

PR-TF 53 Erjos – Los Silos

Almost entirely downhill through a deep ravine, past the abandoned hamlet of Cuevas Negras to Los Silos.

Loops from El Palmar or Teno Alto

The high plateau of the Teno mountains with pastures, goats and wide views over the west coast.

Reservation only

Tenerife’s best-known gorge, from Masca down to the sea and back by boat to Los Gigantes. Demanding; only with an online reservation, a helmet and hiking boots.

Coastal path near San Juan de la Rambla

From San Juan de la Rambla past the hamlet of Las Aguas to El Rosario, always by the sea. If you like, climb up through the Barranco de Ruiz.

Coastal path near Los Realejos

Through the Rambla de Castro protected landscape, past the Casona de Castro manor and the Fortín de San Fernando, down to the coves of Playa Castro and Playa de los Roques. Better for looking than for swimming.

Anaga, from Cruz del Carmen

Through the laurel forest of the Anaga mountains, with tunnels of trees and old trunks that have sprouted anew. Starts at the Cruz del Carmen car park on the TF-12.

Garachico

Natural pools in the 1706 lava, with steps and showers, free of charge. Swimming is forbidden during wave warnings or with a red flag.

Icod

A small, sheltered bay with black sand.

Buenavista

Black sand and pebbles on the open Atlantic, with a view of the Teno mountains.

La Guancha

Natural pools on the rocky coast, lovely for swimming when the sea is calm.

Los Silos

A small natural pool by the sea, quiet and little visited.

Garachico

Small cove of dark sand and pebbles beside the fishing harbour, sheltered by the breakwater.

Buenavista

Secluded cove of black sand and pebbles, about ten minutes on foot from Playa de Las Arenas. No lifeguards and often heavy surf: only swim when the sea is calm.

Puerto de la Cruz, 40 minutes

Black lava-sand beach of three sheltered bays, with gardens and a promenade designed after César Manrique.

La Orotava, 45 minutes

Dark-sand cove below cliffs among banana fields, reached only by a steep stepped path. Often waves and currents; the path has been closed at times because of rockfall.

Puerto de Santiago, 40 minutes

Black-sand beach with showers, sunbeds and lifeguards in season. The shore shelves steeply and the waves break hard.

Alcalá, 45 minutes

Small village beach next to the fishing harbour, with showers, bars and restaurants; seawater pools nearby.

Costa Adeje, about an hour

Light-sand beach in front of the Costa Adeje hotels, with sunbeds, showers and a promenade to other beaches.