The roof of Tenerife, of the Canary Islands, of Spain...
The Teide Volcano is the highest mountain in Spain and it is also a volcano. But it’s much more than that! Is a geographical, natural, scenic, historical and cultural reference of the first order and of world rank.
An integral part of Tenerife’s (and Canarian’s) identity since the time of the Guanches, the volcanoof Teide is the epicentre of the island in many ways. When it wasdeclared a Natural Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO in 2007, it already had more than half a century of protection as a National Park due to the richness and peculiarity of its geomorphology and ecosystems.
The volcanism of Mount Teide has been complex, and the result has been unique.
Volcanoes are always special places, and Mount Teide does not escape the norm, but rather shows it off. On your identity document it appears as a Vesuvian type stratovolcano, inactive (since 1798) apart from the occasional fumarole. Its insular character has generated very peculiar ecosystems above the tree line: the summit broom and the peak ecosystem.
In addition, it treasures a rich history, from the Guanche legend that baptizes it as the prison of the evil Guayota (attested to by numerous archaeological sites) to the scientific evidence that considers it similar to Mars, through numerous traditional uses: shepherding, agriculture, snowfields, pumice extraction… The Teide volcano is the heart of Tenerife.
A place that is many
Mount Teide and the Park that protects it break all kinds of records. It is the highest peak in Spain and the Atlantic; the point with the most hours of sunshine and with the lowest average temperature in Spain; the third submerged volcano in the world; the most visited national park in Europe and the second volcanic tourist destination on the planet; are we still …?
When we talk about the Teide volcano we are actually referring to a very large and diverse space, which actually encompasses very diverse places: the Pico Viejo, the Llano Ucanca, the Siete Cañadas, the Roques de García, La Fortaleza, the Alto de Guajara, the Narices del Teide, the Boca de Tauce… Its eventful geological life has generated phenomena and manifestations that are very different from each other.
There are almost 20,000 hectares always above 1650 meters of altitude, around A large double boiler about 17 kilometres in diameter with Los Roques as a reference division. The colorful vegetation surprises strangers. Its great faunal richness is invertebrates, with more than 1400 species present, many of them endemic.
Among many other services (such as the popular cable car, various accesses, numerous viewpoints, three visitor centers and a mountain refuge), the park has two very interesting spaces: The Juan Acosta Garden of Native Flora and the Juan Évora Ethnographic Museum, where we can delve into the botany and cultural heritage of the territory.
One place, a hundred reasons to come
A visit to the Teide National Park is justified in itself, but the reasons to come are many and varied. You can be a great fan of hiking and nature sports, want to find unique landscapes and species or go on the hunt for the best astrophotography snapshots.
In the National Park it is possible to take numerous different routes and routes, both by motor vehicle and by bicycle or on foot. Although it can be crossed by car, its 41 routes and walking routes are the best way to approach the park. There are also places suitable for sport climbing.
The Teide volcano offers its charms to those who walk through it calmly: truly impressive geological formations (highly evolved basaltic flows, colourations that change depending on the light), a very characteristic flora (the endemic broom, the tajinastes, the pajonera…) and a unique fauna, especially in terms of arthropods (apart from some lizards and bats).
And at night… At night, Mount Teide reveals its true grandeur. Although the Canary Islands are one of the most reputable places in the world for astronomical observation, Mount Teide is one of the most privileged. Stargazers and photographers enjoy themselves to the fullest the clearest and closest skies imaginable…
“[…] because of the snow that usually silvers the highest summit of the sacred Mount Teide, sublime Atlantean, [...] the name worthy of Tenerife then they gave it"
Impossible to see it all
From the top of Mount Teide Tenerife it seems to unfold at your feet like a carpet of various colors and textures, partially covered by clouds and mists, sinking into the bright and deep sea that surrounds it. At that moment you understand the grandeur of the spectacle that overwhelms those who contemplate it…
This and many other experiences await the visitor who ventures into the paths of the Teide volcano. The immense palette of colors, the clean aroma of the mountain, the faint noises… here The senses are filled with unprecedented experiences, those that are always remembered, but it is not easy to live again.
Among the many and powerful attractions of Tenerife, the Teide volcano is rightly considered the king. Going from the gentle warmth of the beaches to the extreme aridity of the summit, from the green landscapes of the coast to the epic compositions of volcanic rocks is priceless.
Now you know, when you come to Tenerife, set aside a part of your time to go into the Teide National Park, to come face to face with a true world-class natural monument. You won’t regret it. And you will surely return to the island, and you will return to Mount Teide, whenever you can…