Canary Islands

The Teide National Park is the largest of all the Canary Islands and a must-see if you travel to Tenerife. It was founded in 1954 to preserve the volcanic and biological environment of Teide. With an extension of almost 19,000 hectares, this park has an impressive landscape full of craters, rivers of fossilized lava, chimneys, lava flows and volcanoes from which you will get the best panoramic view and from where you will see the imposing silhouette of the Teide volcano with an altitude of 3,718 meters, is the highest peak in Spain. This impressive environment declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, has easy access and different services among which are two visitor centers where you can learn some of the curiosities of Teide and volcanoes, a restaurant area, numerous viewpoints, and hiking trails and even accommodation. The added value that we find in the Teide National Park, is the caldera and the stratovolcano Teide-Pico Viejo, unique in the world from the geomorphological point of view, and its fauna and flora as there are many endemic Canarian species exclusive to the park. Within the park, you can also see Las Cañadas del Teide, a gigantic caldera of about 17 km in diameter over which rises the Pico del Teide, if you travel in spring, the red tajinaste will amaze you with its thousands of small bright red flowers and it's almost 3 meters high.To visit the Teide National Park, one of the best ways is by cable car. In 8 minutes you will have reached the top station where there is a viewpoint with amazing views. If you want to get to the top, you will have to ask for a special permit to go up a path on foot. Of course, the difficulty is high and it takes about 40 minutes walking. If you are one of the lucky few who reach the top and the sky is clear, from there you will be able to see four islands: Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera. If you are a fan of astronomy, the Teide is one of the best places in the world to observe the sky because it is free of pollution and its altitude makes it an ideal place to contemplate the stars, planets and galaxies. In addition, the whole island of Tenerife is certified as a Starlight destination precisely because of its clean sky, a stellar wonder not to be missed!

The Teide Observatory, also known as the Izaña Observatory, is located at an altitude of 2,390 meters, in the Izaña massif, on the island of Tenerife, in Spain. This observatory was founded in 1959, installing the first telescope in 1964. The Teide Observatory belongs to the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and is considered by the International Scientific Community as one of the most important observatories in the world. Although initially it was linked exclusively to the University of La Laguna, in 1979 it became international with the signing of cooperation treaties between various countries. The quality of the sky in the Canary Islands and especially in Tenerife, an island certified as a Starlight destination, makes the Teide Observatory one of the three best places in the world for astronomical observation and study of the Universe which, together with the fantastic weather conditions and altitude of the observatory, make it possible for neither light pollution nor clouds to cover the sky. In fact, it is the largest solar observatory in the world. Among its facilities, the Tenerife observatory has a visitor center for scientific dissemination and a residence area for scientific and technical staff. Among the telescopes to his credit are solar telescopes and night telescopes. Solar Vacuum Tower Telescopes (VTT), THEMIS and Gregor that allow studying the characteristics of the solar atmosphere, magnetism and solar instabilities; and night telescopes such as the IAC-80, the TCS infrared telescope, the Mons reflecting telescope, the OGS, the STARE or the robotic Bradford telescopes, STELLA I and STELLA II.

Los Gigantes are cliffs up to 600 meters high that are located in the Parque Rural del Teno, in the west of Tenerife (Canary Islands). The area in which they are found is totally virgin, so to be able to contemplate them you can only do it from the beach, the Mirador de Archipenque, in Puerto de Santiago or from the sea doing a boat or kayak excursion, the best way to enjoy Los Gigantes in its entirety since, in addition, bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales can be seen in this area. Los Gigantes is also an ideal place for diving and a must-see if you travel to Tenerife.

The Lago Martiánez is a leisure complex located in Puerto de la Cruz, in the north of the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). Located in front of the sea and with views of the Teide volcano, its facilities include a large artificial lake surrounded by swimming pools, gardens, terraces and restaurants. Declared a Site of Cultural Interest as a Historic Garden, Lago Martiánez was designed in the seventies by the famous Canarian architect, César Manrique, who was inspired by Canarian architecture and flora. The Lago Martiánez complex has four seawater swimming pools for adults and another three for children, a solarium with umbrellas and hammocks, and even a casino. Your access is paid although the price is more than reasonable. Its general schedule is from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm.

Icod de los Vinos is a Spanish municipality located in the northwest of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. It has an area of approximately 90 km2 and its name is due to its economy based on the cultivation of vines and the production of wine, although fishing is another important sector of the economy of Icod de los Vinos. Its main tourist attraction is the famous Millennium Dragon Tree, the largest and longest-lived in the world, declared a National Monument in 1917 and believed to be 800 years old. Its gastronomy and its historical and artistic heritage of its old town are other strong points of this town.

The Anaga Rural Park is located a few kilometers from Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), in the northwest of the island. Declared a Biosphere Reserve, it has an area of approximately 14,500 hectares extending through the municipalities of La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Tegueste. Anaga is a massif of mountains and ravines covered in laurel forest, creating an amazing landscape that makes it a tourist attraction and an ideal destination for hiking, walking or excursions.

Las Teresitas is the most emblematic beach in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and is considered an artificial beach since two dams were built to avoid strong waves, two old beaches were converted into one and golden sand was brought from the Sahara to achieve a paradisiacal beach with calm waters. Thus, Las Teresitas beach is one of Tenerife's favorites for travelers and residents as it allows you to swim in complete tranquility, walk along the shore and enjoy bathing with the family. In addition, this beach has showers, a lifeguard, access for people with physical disabilities, beach bars and restaurants in the surroundings where you can taste the typical cuisine of the Canary Islands.

The beach of Los Roques de las Bodegas is located in the municipality of Taganana, north of Tenerife (Canary Islands) and at the foot of the Anaga Rural Park. Its black sand, its cliffs and its gravel landscape together with the absence of services such as showers or hammocks and umbrellas, make it an ideal quiet beach to get away from the crowds. The waves of the Roques de las Bodegas beach are usually gentler than those of the surrounding beaches, which is why it is a destination that invites families to spend the day. Next to the beach there is also a pier, farmhouses, bars and restaurants where you can try the typical food of the area that includes fresh fish and, of course, wrinkled potatoes with mojo sauce.

The Punta del Hidalgo lighthouse is a lighthouse located in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the edge of Punta del Hidalgo, on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands).  This lighthouse contrasts with the landscape due to its white modernist construction and the volcanic environment that surrounds it. The work began in 1992 under the responsibility of the engineer Ramiro Rodríguez-Borlado and was put into operation two years later. This lighthouse is 50 meters high, specifically designed so that sailors can see it 15 miles from the coast -as the regulations require-, with 246 steps and two machine rooms, since in the 1990s new technologies extinguished the profession of the lighthouse keepers making the construction of a house unnecessary. Despite the fact that its main function is to illuminate sailors, the Punta del Hidalgo lighthouse has become a tourist attraction due to its peculiarity and beauty of the landscape that make it a perfect place to enjoy of the sunset in Tenerife.

Playa de las Américas is located in the Arona area, in the south of Tenerife, Canary Islands archipelago. This golden sand beach is approximately 500 meters long and has a sunbed and umbrella rental service, showers, parking, access for the disabled, lifeguards and access by public transport. In addition, next to it there is a promenade full of shops, bars and restaurants as well as a wide range of hotels. All this makes Playa de las Américas one of the most frequented by Tenerife residents and tourists seeking sun, beach and a lively atmosphere.

The Playa de los Cristianos is an urban beach located in the municipality of Arona, next to Costa Adeje, in the south of Tenerife (Canary Islands). It has a length of 345 meters of golden sand, calm waves, a promenade full of shops and restaurants and a wide range of water activities, which makes it one of the most frequented beaches by tourists since the sixties. Their small boats anchored near the beach is perhaps the most representative photo of Los Cristianos. Its services include the rental of hammocks and umbrellas, parking, showers, access for the disabled and public transport that will take you to the beach.

The natural pools of El Caletón are located in the municipality of Garachico, in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the north of the island belonging to the Canary Islands archipelago. These pools or puddles are one of the tourist attractions of Tenerife due to their natural beauty next to the Atlantic Ocean and the calm of their refreshing turquoise waters, ideal for a family swim. Its location next to the castle of San Miguel (19th century) and its views of the rock and the cliffs of La Culata, make it an idyllic place and a must-see on your trip to Tenerife.