Tenerife is only 50 miles wide but in the middle of it is a huge mountain, rising almost from the sea. This is Spain’s highest mountain and it is surrounded by an extraordinary moonscape of volcanic remains inside a 12-mile-wide crater. The weid shapes of contorted rock and colours of mineral deposits create a weird desert area that forms a memorable National Park and World Heritage Site.
Most holidaymakers take a coach excursion to visit the park and perhaps El Teide itself. You can of course see it from everywhere on the island although its pointed summit is often lost in the clouds. For much of the year there’s snow up there. And it’s staggering to think that experts have calculated that the original mountain was three times this size – this is just what’s left from a massive eruption three million years ago. Nevertheless this is still the third highest volcano in the world.
Make sure to pack in the best travel shoes as the park will be best experienced on foot to see all the beautiful and amazing places it has to offer.
