Saturday 25 April 2026
If you know that Tenerife (Ten-ah-Ree-fay) is one of the Canary Islands and is located off the southern coast of Morocco, you’re way ahead of where we were when we first booked this voyage. Since the itinerary showed us visiting here between visits to Dakar and Cadiz, we speculated that it may be somewhere near Gibraltar but we had to look it up on a map. Then something else surprised us today. We made a the transition from African to European culture. Tenerife has been a part of Spain since 1496 and a part of the EU since 1986. It’s the largest and most populous of the Canary Islands and was the last of the archipelago to be conquered.
For today’s adventure the two of us couldn’t resist a trip to a national park. Mount Tiede (TAY-dah) was our destination. It features an active stratovolcano and at 12,188 feet which is not only the highest point in Spain but the third highest volcano in the world when measured from the ocean floor. Named by the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the island, “Teide” translates loosely to “hell” or “home of the devil.” It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of Europe’s most visited national parks, and one of The Twelve Treasures of Spain.
The island is of volcanic origin and that seemed evident everywhere we looked as we peered out of the windows of the tour coach and listened to Reuben’s narration as Guillermo expertly navigated us along the narrow highway south through the center of the island. We traveled through forest recovering from a devastating fire in 2023. Then at our first scenic stop and opportunity to stretch our legs we marveled at the sea of clouds spread out below us but above the La Orotave Valley. We also spied the Tenerife Observatory in the distance and a paraglider floating above us. As we proceeded to our next stop it became evident that the road was not exactly designed for tour buses. At one point traffic came to a full stop. After we enjoyed a cup of tea, a comfort break, and some great views at Restaurants 7 Cañadas, we learned from friends aboard the bus in front of us the reason for the traffic delay. Apparently the a stone retaining way immediately beside the road jumped out and scraped said bus. The evidence was distinct on the right rear panel of the vehicle.
We deliberately chose a tour didn’t include the cable car ride to the peak of Teide, but we were able to spy it in the distance. Eventually we made it to Roques de Garcia, remnants of an ancient volcanic crater wall, they are spectacularly scenic. It’s easily accessible and perhaps the most popular destination within the park. We definitely didn’t have it all to ourselves, but it really was a memorable experience especially for such a short visit. Of note, official tourist counts to the island included only visitors who stay overnight so as cruise ship visitors, we’re no counts, but we’re grateful to have had this amazing opportunity. If we’re ever blessed with the chance to visit again we might just explore San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the other UNESCO site on the island, historically important because it was first non-fortified Spanish colonial town and built at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Americas in 1497.
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