Tenerife Places To Visit
Mount Teide
Without a doubt Tenerife’s most spectacular natural feature, Mount Teide dominates practically the whole of Tenerife’s centre and can be seen from virtually anywhere; its often snow-capped peak can even be seen from the beach!
The mountain’s peculiar name is derived from the Spanish version of its Guanche name Echeyde or Echeide, which essentially means hell in the indigenous Guanche language. Due understandably to Mount Teide’s volcanic nature, the Guanches thought Mount Teide to be one of the portals to the fiery underworld in which the evil spirit Guayota – destructor – lived. Maybe this is why it has been used as a location for the “Clash of the Titan” films.
Soaring at 3,718 meters tall it’s Spain’s highest peak, Mount Teide actually forms merely the northern ridge of the massive volcano credited with the creation of Tenerife millions of years ago. To give you just an idea of the sheer magnitude of the volcano (and evidently its eruptions), another indication of its colossal dimensions is “la caldera,” the crater measuring a jaw-dropping 17 kilometres across.
Mount Teide National Park
In 1954, Mount Teide and its vast unspoiled natural surroundings achieved National Park status for its ecological and volcanic importance. Today it is the oldest and (covering 18,990 hectares) largest of the Canary Islands’ National Parks. Beyond the extensive limits of the Mount Teide National Park, the area is further surrounded by the Corona Forestal Nature Park, whose 46,613 hectares make it the Canaries’ largest protected natural (not to be confused with national) park.
Contact the National Park Offices (922 29 01 29) to reserve a spot in the daily guided hiking tour (it’s free!) or to ask about the day’s most scenic Mount Teide hiking trails if you want to make a go of it on your own. Head to the visitors centres, coincidentally the starting points for the majority of the hiking routes, for maps and more information. Also keep in mind that should you want to venture to the very top of Mount Teide (an additional 163-meter hike), you’ll need a special permit granted by the National Park Offices; only a couple hundred permits are granted each day so plan a few days ahead!
Mount Teide Teleferico
For the most amazing views without the sore legs, cruise up those last 1,000 meters to Teide’s peak in the Teleferico cable car. Well, almost to Teide’s peak. Access to the very top and the crater is restricted as mentioned earlier. Regardless, the cable car heads up Mount Teide out of the La Rambleta viewpoint and covers nearly 2,200 meters in a mere eight to ten minutes.
The Guimar Pyramids
There are six of the town’s alleged original nine pyramids remaining. Thousands upon thousands of stones went into the construction of these step pyramids, meaning that they were built using several layers or “steps” of stone. While each of the six pyramids is of a different size, they share a similar rectangular ground plan.
Guimar pyramids were opened to the public in 1998 as an ethnological park. Along with the six pyramids, the park includes a leisure area and a museum. The museum, aimed at the spread of the ideas and culture of ancient times, opens the mind to Tenerife’s cultural heritage through the exploration of various theories, artefacts, replicas and models, results of Thor Heyerdahl’s research and models of similar step pyramids throughout the world
While Thor’s discoveries helped to unlock part of the pyramid’s’ secret, neither Thor nor other researchers have been able to determine the pyramids’ age nor their origins. Excavations around and beneath the pyramids have yielded Guanche artifacts. When 15th century Spanish conquerors arrived in Tenerife, they found the Guanche civilization, yet in Pliny the Elder’s writings back in 600 BC describing Hanno the Navigator’s voyage to the islands, he reported that the islands were at that point uninhabited but made mention of the existence of large constructions.
Another enigma of the Guimar pyramids is their undeniable resemblance to the pyramids of Peru, Mexico and ancient Mesopotamia (the region that is now Iraz and parts of Syria, Turkey and Iran)- places on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Along with Thor’s many theories, he brought up the possibility that the Canaries were actually an ancient shipping base between the Mediterranean and the Americas long before the America’s were “discovered” in the 15th century. In fact, in 1970 he proved that it could have been possible using ancient methods and technology when he sailed from northern Morocco to the Barbados Islands on a papyrus boat (you can see a replica in the park’s museum).
Los Gigantes
One of Tenerife’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders is Los Gigantes. Meaning “The Giants,” Los Gigantes cliffs are an absolute must-see located near the small port towns of Los Gigantes and Puerto de Santiago. Composing a chunk of Tenerife’s rugged north western coast, these cliffs are essentially a vertical wall shooting straight up out of the crystalline sea. In the highest parts of Los Gigantes the cliffs soar between a jaw-dropping 500 and 800 meters (roughly 1,640 to 2,625 feet)! Long ago, writers like Homer and Virgil referred wrote that Tenerife was the end of the world; get one glimpse of Los Gigantes and you’ll see why!
Back in the 18th century, habitants of the area launched stones off the cliffs – aiming at ships – to thwart British attempts at an invasion. Whether peering down over the edge from the top or gazing up from the bottom, you can see that it would have been a pretty formidable defence tactic!
They may be pretty daunting, but checking out Los Gigantes by foot is surprisingly not too tricky. Look for the red and white light house and parking lot at Punta de Teno. From there, follow the trail to Punta Diente de Ajo and finally to Los Gigantes.
The fairly easy trail follows the sea and will give you stunning views- watch your step though! Parts of the route come pretty close to the cliffs’ edge. By the time you’ve finished the 25-minute walk, you’re at the base where the cliffs meet the sea. Take a dip in the ocean and, while you swim, look up at the cliffs- it’s a humbling experience.
If you do then we can recommend eating at Scampi’s Tenerife. Compostela Beach, Las Amercias.
Scampis Tenerife is a family business and has been running for over 15 years, making it the longest established fish and chip shop in Tenerife. Along the way, they’ve discovered many things about our nation’s favourite food, such as only the freshest cod and the crispiest batter will make people keep coming back for more. And back they come.
Scampis Tenerife Fish and Chips have a loyal following of diners, both for the sit-in and the take-away service, so don’t be surprised if some nights you have to wait a few minutes for a table. Understandable when you consider the quality of the food and the fact that ice-cold beer is on sale at just €2 a pint. For more information click here
