Visit Park Teide
Teide National Park is on the island of Tenerife in the Western Canary Islands. It is at the centre of the island and Mount Tiede dominates views of Tenerife for miles around. Park Teide was voted one of the 12 wonders of Spain in a national TV and radio competition in 2007.
Explore Teide National Park
Teide National park is an area of awesome, rugged beauty. Mount Teide is over 3,700m high and is the third highest Spanish peak. It reaches 7,500 m above sea level making it the third highest volcanic mountain in the world - you can imagine the views from the top are amazing. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its diversity of volcanic features and its spectacular setting.
Teide National Park covers 19,000 hectares. Originally there was an even bigger volcano here. This exploded millions of years ago forming the eerie landscape of Las Canadas, also in the park. The crater is 16km wide! Large, jagged, rocky structures line the rim.
Mount Teide is an active volcano and is listed as the 13th most dangerous volcano in the world as it is close to several large towns and the city of Puerto de la Cruz. It is, however, currently dormant and last erupted in 1909.
It is quite a drive to get to the National Park but certainly worth the effort. Once there you will find a parador and a cable car to the top. From there you get great views of the other islands of the Canaries, as well as the lunar landscape of the park. Mount Tiede is often covered in snow and the walk around the crater is sometimes closed due to snow and ice.
If you can spend a night in the Parador de Las Canadas del Teide to get the full benefit of a night in the park and the opportunity to see Park Teide at sunrise and sunset.
If you have no head for heights it is still worth driving to the park. A road crosses the park allowing you to see Las Canadas and gets to just 1km below the tip of Mont Tiede.
Near the Parador are the 'Los Roques de Garcia', see photo above, these incredible structures, reaching up to 150m high, have been sculpted naturally by the weather. One of these called the 'Cinchado' is a lot narrower at the base than the top making it look rather perilous. This rock with Mount Tiede in the background is one of the iconic photos of Tenerife.
As well as the rocks and the eerie volcanic landscape Park Teide is home to giant flowering plants called Echium wildpretti, more commonly known as Teide viper's bugloss. They have tall spikes of red flowers in May - June time and are quite a sight!
Photos kindly supplied by the Turismo de Tenerife
There are buses to Park Teide from Costa Adeje and Puerto de la Cruz.
Where to visit nearby?
Garachico is one of Tenerife's prettiest destinations and lies to the north of Teide National Park on the coast. La Orotava is another pretty town on the north of the island.
Masca is a beautiful mountain village and should be visited if possible during your stay at Tenerife. The road to Masca, though is rather hair-raising with all its hairpin bends.
You can find more local travel ideas in the Western Canary Islands guide.
Photos of Park Teide
Click any picture to start the gallery
Map of Park Teide and places to visit
Park Teide places to visit
Icod de los Vinos
Icod de los Vinos has an attractive main square and the oldest dragon tree of the Canary Islands.
Icod de los Vinos guide
Garachico
Garachico is a lovely jewel of a town, tiny but very elegant with colourful stucco buildings, elegant plazas, convents and mansions.
Garachico guide
Loro Park
Loro Park is one of the top attractions of Tenerife. It is a large zoo with a dolphin display and tree-tops jungle walkway.
Loro Park guide
La Orotava
La Orotava has wide streets, handsome squares and lovely churches and like Puerto de la Cruz is beautifully situated at the foot of Mount Teide.
La Orotava guide
Puerto de la Cruz
Puerto de la Cruz is a lovely little harbour town situated at the foot of Mount Teide. It has colourful stucco buildings and lots of attractions nearby.
Puerto de la Cruz guide
Masca
Masca is the most beautiful village on Tenerife. It is set in a stunning mountain location.
Masca guide...or see all our recommended places to visit in Western Canary Islands