Tenerife travel attractions and Tenerife forum community? A visit to Garachico is like going back in time: this small town has a rather dark history, being destroyed 2 times by volcanic eruptions. Walk on its narrow streets, eat a great ice cream on the sea shore and swim in the rocky pools during those hot summer days. El Drago or the Dragon Tree is the island’s most popular tree. The best view is the one from the town square, so there’s no need to pay to see it up close. If you want more ideas for a holiday that doesn’t break the budget, read our article about free things to do in Tenerife. The town of San Cristobal de la Laguna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it deserves at least a few hours to walk around and see the beautiful buildings. If you’re with the kids you may want to visit the Museum of Science and the Cosmos and why not also the Museum of History and Anthropology. Find more details at Tenerife Forum Community.
Teide National Park is Europe’s most visited national park, with around three million visitors every year flocking to the UNESCO protected volcanic landscape in the centre of the island. The park’s crowning glory is ‘Papa Teide’, as the volcano is known by locals. Ride the cable car up to its peak, which is almost 12,000 ft above sea level. You’ll be rewarded with jaw-dropping landscapes that feel more like Texas than Tenerife. I’ve got an entire blog post all about where to eat in Tenerife, but rest assured that there’s a lot more to Tenerife’s gastronomy than the great British fry up. Some of the main local dishes are the aforementioned papas arrugadas with mojo verde and rojo mojo. You might also want to order conejo en salmorejo (rabbit in sauce), grouper, puchero (a hearty stew), and huevos estampido, which I can only describe as the best egg and chips you’ll ever taste. No, really.
Masca is one of the highest villages on Tenerife, and the rock behind it almost lends a ‘mini Macchu Picchu’ look to the village. The hike from the village to the bay will take between 3 and 5 hours, depending on how many photo breaks you work into the walk. This is a ravine hike, full of view points, flora and fauna and epic photo opportunities. This is a steady hike – bring walking shoes and plenty of water. You’ll need to catch a water taxi back to Los Gigantes, which adds to the experience. In the central north of Tenerife, you’ll find Tabaiba. This is an amazing place for scuba diving. The wreck was sunk deliberately in 2006 to build the marine life here, and attract more divers to the area. On a dive here you’ll find octopus, large schools of mackerel and barracudas.
The island’s volcanic landscape provides ample hiking opportunities for active travellers, and Anaga Rural Park has some of the best hiking trails in Tenerife. The park sprawls over the mountains of La Laguna and Santa Cruz and is easily accessible by car. Bring hiking boots though, because my guide was not impressed by my Converse. Start at Cruz del Carmen Visitors Centre and hike through the enchanted bay leaf scented forest of Laurisilva. Easy short hikes include the Route of the Traditions or the Path of the Senses, while there are also longer multiple day hikes. Keen riders can explore the rural park on horseback, and there’s also a wheelchair accessible route in the park.
The Museum of Nature and Man in Santa Cruz de Tenerife contains many important artefacts related to the history of the Canary Islands. It has a large collection of native tools and carvings, as well as well-preserved mummies from around the world. The conservation work done by the museum has now paid off, since visitors have a unique chance to discover the largest existing collection of the Guanche aboriginal culture of ancient Tenerife, before the arrival of the first European conquerors.
