While Tenerife‘s sandy beaches have captured the hearts of many, there’s a treasure trove of natural beauty that you can appreciate away from the sun lounger. There’s a formidable volcano, vast valleys and… well, a lot of other beautiful sites that you’ll have to read on to find out about!
Los Gigantes
The Acantilados de Los Gigantes tower over the North Atlantic like a giant fortress, almost overshadowing the body of water beneath them. At places, they ascend as high as 500 metres, so it’s no wonder that their name translated into English is Cliffs of the Giants. Needless to say, seeing them up close will make you feel pretty small. These jaw-dropping rock formations are one of the main reasons for the area’s popularity, the others being that it’s also home to some lovely beaches.
Teide National Park
The highest mountain in Spain and the area surrounding it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its highest point, Mount Teide is 3,135 metres above sea level. Its snow-dusted peak is best viewed from high up, and if you want to take this route up, the Teide Cable Car will transport you right to the top. Once you get there, you’ll gaze down at the bizarre scene below and realise why Tenerife’s lava-carved landscape looks like it’s been lifted straight from science fiction.
Corona Forestal Nature Park
Bordering Teide National Park is another area flaunting sublime scenery. The 50,000-hectare Corona Forestal Nature Park occupies the largest protected area of the island. Its most prominent feature is the abundance of Canary pine trees, but it’s also visited for its lava tubes, ravines and interesting birdlife.
Masca Valley
A popular eight-kilometre trail runs through this breathtaking gorge. Cacti and shrubs cover sections of the earthy ground of the ravine, and rocks shield others from the sun. On either side of its base, walls of craggy basalt and rock rise up endlessly. Even if hiking isn’t your thing, it’s a beautiful place to visit if you fancy a break from the beaches. If you don’t, still visit – the trail leads to the lovely Masca beach, where you can take a boat to Los Gigantes, and possibly see some dolphins along the way!
Pyramids of Guimar
Ok, so they aren’t natural wonders, and they don’t exactly rival Giza’s, but these pyramids are pretty impressive, especially knowing that they were built without the use of mortar to act as the glue to hold them together. So how, you might wonder, do they remain intact after 100s of years? And why were they built in the first place?
Theorists are stuck arguing about whether they were built for astronomical, aesthetic or navigational purposes. Unfortunately, we can’t add a hypothesis that would shed any light whatsoever onto this bewildering enigma, and so these mounds of lava stone remain shrouded in mystery.
Anaga Mountains
Making up the oldest part of the island, this mountain range is cloaked in lush, wild forests and located in the north. Just off the coast are two sections of rock called the Roques de Anaga that appear to have been ripped from it, and now remain stranded at sea.
As well as villages and miles of hiking trails, the area is the site of some interesting historical discoveries and myths. It turns out pyramids aren’t the only thing Tenerife has in common with ancient Egypt, because the Mummy of San Andres was found here. Perhaps even more interestingly, legend has it that an area called El Bailadero deep within the rocky landscape was home to a number witches in the 18th century, giving yet another reason to visit, even if it’s just out of morbid curiosity.