Our free days are a pleasant surprise on the calendar and the best way to get the most out of them is to board a plane bound for some fresh, entertaining and getatable destination. That spot is Gran Canaria, a whirlwind of sensations, halfway between Europe, Africa and America.

Gran Canaria is just a two-hour flight from the Iberian Peninsula. So, getting there is really easy. A comfortable trip with no stopovers will convey you to that diverse land which emerged millions of years ago from submerged volcanoes in the depths of the Atlantic.

One of the perks offered by a Gran Canaria getaway is, of course, the winter sun. Temperatures on the island remain a constant 24 degrees all year around, enabling you to make the most of any outing to Las Canteras, Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés or Puerto de Mogán, some of the best known and famous beaches.

The Gran Canaria seaboard is the perfect setting for letting off steam by engaging in watersports, but, if what you’re after is making forays into the island’s interior, you should make a point of visiting the towns of Teror, Agüimes, Tejeda and Artenara, or such stunning spots as the Guayadeque Gorge, an ancient pre-Hispanic settlement which nowadays is noted for its striking, cosy cave houses.

Any trip to Gran Canaria should include a visit to the island’s summit, a central area in the Biosphere Reserve where the Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga outcrops stand. Oh, and remember to get your camera ready. There, you will literally feel like you have arrived in heaven when the weather phenomenon known as the “sea of clouds” spreads out at your feet, as if you were the main subject in a painting set against the memorable scenery of steep mountains and deep gorges.

The north coast of Gran Canaria features some must-see sites such as Puerto de Las Nieves and the Valle de Agaete, a lush garden with tropical fruit housing the only coffee plantation in Europe. Gáldar awaits you with the majesty of the Cueva Pintada (Painted Cave), the largest native Canarian archaeological site, while Arucas, for its part, is the headquarters of Arehucas Rum, a peerless drink which has livened up the festivities of many generations of Canary Islanders.

Well worth visiting is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a carefree capital with a wealth of cultural activities. Its Vegueta district is the city’s historic centre and you are urged to venture into the monumental area to see close-up the Cathedral of Santa Ana, Museo Canario, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno and Christopher Columbus House Museum, a beautiful enclave where the Genoese navigator stopped over on his way to discovering America and which highlights the relationship between the Canary Islands and the New World.

If you’re up for an intense day of shopping at more than reasonable prices, the Calle Mayor de Triana is the ideal spot for it. Large, national and international firms and prestigious brands have stores in this shopping area, and the latter is a pleasure on the eyes, as the district features picturesque buildings in various architectural styles.

Gran Canaria is a lively island, an urban travel destination where you can soak up the atmosphere of its street markets and craft stalls, as well as the various events held there during the year. The last quarter of 2016 will see such long-awaited events as the start of the ARC Transatlantic Race, the Underwater Photography Contest, the Bethlehem built of sand on Las Canteras beach or the Gran Canaria Walking Festival, a grand event for trekking enthusiasts which in this upcoming fifth edition will be including new routes and a night itinerary for star-gazing on the Cumbre de Tejeda.

All these offerings make Gran Canaria a unique destination for an exciting long weekend or warm autumn or winter holiday. Here, time flies by and the island has lots of travel plans to be savoured in advance.

Why wait to experience all this first-hand? Check out our flights here.

Images by Patronato Turismo Gran Canaria

The island of Gran Canaria offers all the rural leisure amenities you can imagine and more, including adventure sports and trekking.

From Sea to Sky

One breathtaking route stretches from the Gran Canaria coast to the top of the island’s highest peak, a secluded spot which is the closest you’ll ever get to a lunar landscape. In the municipality of Tejeda, some 44 km from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, you can easily find yourself trapped by a sea of clouds. Tejeda can be reached mainly by the Centro GC 15 main road, a somewhat winding route flanked by stunningly beautiful scenery which takes you through the towns of Santa Brígida and Vega de San Mateo. The most exciting part of the journey starts here, as you begin to climb so steeply that the clouds recede below you. The 44-km drive takes about an hour. It can also be reached by public transport from the Guaguas station in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

El Roque Bentayga and the Archaeology Park

Tejeda is a must-see if you come to Gran Canaria and more so if you’re interested in archaeology. Here you can find vestiges of burial caves, rock carvings, paintings and dwellings. The Roque Bentayga provides an excellent sampling of all this. This unique, natural rock precinct was sacred to the original inhabitants, as it was here that they prayed to their gods. The Parque Arqueológico del Bentayga is an ecomuseum built next to the Roque. It also serves as a venue for performances, both for the archaeological rock complex (Bentayga, Andén de Tabacalete, Cuevas del Rey and the Roquete) and its surroundings. It also affords wonderful views of the southern and western reaches of the island.

Culture and Mysticism

The symbol of Gran Canaria is also to be found at Tejeda. This is the Roque Nublo, a huge basalt rock in the form of a monolith stretching 70 metres into the air. On its north-eastern side stands another monolithic rock known as El Fraile (the Friar), as it physically resembles a monk. While you’re here, take the chance to roam through the Inagua and Ojeda pine forests and, further north, that of los Pechos, for here you are bound to fall in love with the views.

Art and culture also make their presence felt in Tejeda. Here you can visit the Abraham Cárdenes Sculpture Museum, dedicated to this Canary Island sculptor, who hailed from here, and also the Ethnographic Museum, where you go on a journey of the town’s and the island’s history. Here, too, the Degollada de Becerra is another spot well worth visiting. It is situated on the main road between La Cruz de Tejeda and los Llanos de la Pez, and features a viewpoint affording spectacular scenery and, more importantly, a centre where you can learn about local ethnography. Lastly, the town boasts a Centro de Plantas Medicinales, where you are invited to discover the varieties of plants, herbs and flowers indigenous to Tejeda and the island and their varied use in medicine, religion and cosmetics.

Gastronomy

Establishments in Tejeda centre offer all types of craftwork and you can also find the typical sweets made here. You are also advised to stop at one of the bar terraces and restaurants located on the side of the Parador Nacional, a magnificent vantage point providing spectacular views of the whole island. 

Almonds play a major role in the cuisine of Tejeda, a town which has become one of the landmarks of Canary Island confectionery, noteworthy among which are the bienmesabes and marzipans. Both sweets are made using ground almond, the former also being one of the traditional accompaniments of local iced desserts. In Tejeda you can also sample any of the Canary Islands’ traditional dishes, the mainstay of which are beef and goat’s meat. Make sure to try such dishes as the caldos de papas (potato soup) and the potajes de berros y jaramagos (watercress and hedge mustard stews). If you’d like to sample good local cooking, a restaurant you should not miss is the Cueva de la Tea, where you can order a potaje de berros and their speciality, ropa vieja– chick peas, potato, hog’s head, chicken, tomatoes, peppers and onion. The average price per head is 12 euros and the helpings are generous. It also has the advantage of affording spectacular views.

What’s holding you back? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images byPatronato de Turismo de Gran Canaria

The trails criss-crossing Tenerife, which vary in their difficulty rating, pass through a rich variety of environments, climates and habitats. Trekking along them enables you to discover the island’s secrets, observe its stark beauty and learn the lifestyle of its inhabitants, including its original settlers, the Guanches. They were the first to open up routes through the dense laurisilva, a sub-tropical cloud forest or highland forest, characterised by huge trees, calami and lianas with leaves resembling laurel. They also prepared pastureland near Mt Teide.

The most outstanding trail in Tenerife is, of course, the one that climbs up Mt. Teide, to an altitude of 3,717 metres. With its high difficulty rating, a special permit is required to attempt the summit.

Apart from the National Park, the other two exciting and spectacular settings for hiking trails are the Anaga and Teno rural parks. Following is a rundown of a low-difficulty trail in each of these Parks. They can be negotiated leisurely, while soaking up the scenery, with friends or family.

The Fortress – the Teide National Park

With its gentle gradient, this route is ideal for observing the park’s characteristic fauna and flora – the shrike and pimelia darkling beetle abound here. From the start and up until Cañada de los Guancheros, the route snakes across hills of pumice derived mainly from the eruptions of Montaña Blanca, where broom and golden chain are prevalent.

The Cañada de los Guancheros is a sedimentary plain featuring such plant varieties as broom, golden chain, rosalillo de cumbre (Pterocephalus lasiospermus), tonálica and Teide straw. On the final stretch, the trail winds around the foot of the crags of La Fortaleza with vegetation characteristic of steep slopes. Most striking are the moralito (Rhamnus integrifolia) and Canary Island cedar, the latter often interspersed with Canary Island pine at the foot of this mountain. La Fortaleza is the sole surviving vestige of the former Edificio Cañadas, located in the north of the Park. This reddish colossus was formed by highly viscous phonolithic lava which accumulated and solidified around the lava vent itself.

Anaga Rural Park – Cabezo del Tejo

The trail starts at the Anaga Forestry Park and proceeds towards Roque de Chinobre. From here, it becomes a pleasant stroll through the laurel forest, affording magnificent panoramic views of the Cordillera de Anaga range and the Roque de Chinobre. The route continues past the Roque Anambro as far as Cabezo del Tejo, with a vantage point set 800 metres above sea level. The return journey starts at this point, the forest trail winding past Hoya de los Toneleros, Ujuana and the Mirador de la Chamuscada. This hike takes about two hours. An alternative to this route is one running from the Anaga Rural Park, up to Chinobre and then descending directly to Las Chamuscadas – and its viewpoint of the same name – and back to the Forestry Park. This route takes around one hour.

Upper Teno, Lower Teno – Teno Rural Park

The Teno Rural Park was declared a protected woodland in 1994 under the Canary Islands Nature Reserve Act, aimed at preserving its ecological values and heritage and boosting the standard of living of local towns. Situated in the north west of Tenerife, it contains one of the island’s oldest geological areas, the Macizo Volcánico de Teno (Teno Volcanic Massif). With an area of 8,064 hectares, it is a treasure trove of biodiversity, with endemic species exclusive to the area and an unusual landscape, the outcome of natural processes and the endeavours of local inhabitants to harness the agricultural resources of this rugged terrain to the full.

The route we recommend starts in the Caserío de Teno Alto, at a spot known as Los Bailaderos. It runs along the present-day track leading to Las Cuevas, along the south side of El Vallado mountain. The importance of this initial stretch lies in the numerous examples of vernacular architecture along the way, in addition to the old brick kilns. Once you reach Las Cuevas, the path dips down to Las Casas along an uneven surface which occasionally lays bare the original cobblestone. The enclave of Las Casas is located at the foot of the slopes of El Barranco de Las Casas and the start of the Teno peninsula. Remains of traditional Canary Island architecture can be seen here. This leads straight to the Punta de Teno, the north-western tip of Tenerife island, set within the Teno Rural Park and affording some spectacular views of the peninsula, the coastline and the lighthouse.

This, the most pristine part of the island awaits you all year around. Discover it by getting hold of your tickets here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Turismo de Tenerife

The wildest, most secluded corner in Tenerife, in the north-west tip of the island, is the perfect idyll for a few days’ enjoyment of revitalising contact with nature – cycling excursions on the slopes of Teide, hiking through the humid laurel forests, canoeing under the huge sea cliffs… all this without having to leave this remote and amazing kind of “island within an island”. It even has its own microclimate, in an area which was practically inaccessible until just a few years ago. Here, far from the bustle of everyday life, any outing along the over one hundred kilometres of signposted trails reawakens one’s appetite for the fruit and recipes of a rich, fertile land which treats visitors to fresh scenery at every turn.

Mountain Biking – Pedalling On the Slopes of Mt Teide

The Corona Forestal Nature Park which, as its name suggests, forms a complete ring around the Teide National Park, offers four approved mountain-bike routes. The longest trail is the Ruta Norte (North Route), which covers 85 km on the main track, with another 52 km along side tracks.

Our first cyclotouristic proposal takes in one of its stretches but, in order to get the most out of the experience, the best option is to hire a local guide who will provide you with latest-generation bikes and escort you along the whole route, while pointing out details of the peculiarities of the delicate ecosystems in this rugged, vertical mountain terrain of the Teno massif. He will pick you up at your hotel in a flashy van, driving you up to an altitude of 1,600 metres on the slopes of Mt Teide, so that most of the trail will be downhill.

Forests and Volcanoes

In the vicinity of Montaña del Cascajo – a volcano, needless to say – the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Hieratic fields of red lava are juxtaposed with lush forests of Canary Island pine, their rough bark bearing tell-tale signs of having suffered the scourges of the odd forest fire. According to Iván Méndez, our guide, these pines are “natural survivors”, as this indigenous variety is fire-resistant.

With hardly any effort we enter the Chinyero Special Nature Reserve, a volcano of black earth which last erupted in 1909, located alongside another volcano which two centuries earlier swept away most of the port of Garachico, a small town situated 8 kilometres away.

A bit further down we enter the underworld of Macaronesic laurisilva, shrouded in a dense cloak of mist. We pedal through a gloomy, watery universe characterised by vegetation similar to what covered much of the earth 65 million years ago, which nowadays is found in but very few isolated spots.

After several forested kilometres we return to civilisation to refuel in a tavern with views where they serve up roast cheese with red mojo and palm syrup, codfish with sweet potato and roast goat meat… delicious!

We reach our hotel with a sweet tang on the palate and not at all tired. We have cycled just 42 km, with a drop of 1,800 metres and a climb of only 200 metres, yet feeling as if we had just discovered a piece of nature brimming with allure. Never before had we seen, felt and breathed in so many different landscapes and microclimates in so few kilometres.

Walking Expeditions – Endless Trails

Thanks to a vast network of signposted footpaths, the Teno Rural Park offers myriad itineraries of all ratings.

If you stay at Buenavista, for instance, there is a nearby access route to the spectacular, heady Bujamé Gorge, namely the PR-TF 58 Camino del Risco, which rises along an old path towards the green meadows of Teno Alto and the hamlet of Los Bailaderos, where you can taste one of the best craft cream cheeses in all of the Canary Islands. The route leads between Roque de Marrubio and Roque de la Cruz, and past the remains of an ancienttagoror,a meeting place for community leaders in the period of the Guanches. Oddly enough, this steep trail is known locally as “the descent of the dead” as, in bygone times and up until the 1970s, it was used to carry the deceased down to Buenavista from Teno Alto, where there is no cemetery. Another tell-tale sign is the Cueva de los Ataúdes (Cave of the Coffins), where you can still see two humble communal caskets – one for adults and another for children – once used for the arduous procession.

Owing to the rugged terrain of the Teno massif, virtually all routes are interconnected, so you can combine different stretches of them to create a personalised itinerary, depending on the time you have available or how far you care to hike. For instance, once in Los Bailaderos, you can continue eastwards along the PR-TF 57 Callejón de Teno as far as Cuevas del Palmar, or else westwards along the PR-TF 51 up to the Punta de Teno lighthouse. It is here, on the westernmost edge of the island, that you can witness an unforgettable sunset, with the cliffs known as Los Gigantes basking in the golden sun.

Canoeing Among Giants

In the time of the Guanches, these 600-metre-high basalt rock faces were known ominously as the “Muralla del Infierno” (Wall of Hell). Today they are called the “Acantilados de Los Gigantes” (Cliffs of the Giants) and the area is preserved as a veritable sanctuary on account of its inaccessibility. It is also the perfect spot for spending the day kayaking, as this stretch of water is permanently sheltered from the prevailing trade winds by the cliff faces, which provide a natural barrier, so that the sea is always calm.

The group outing starts in the Los Gigantes marina. It lasts for two hours and is guided by instructors, who comment on the peculiarities of this amazing spot. The excursion is suitable for people of all ages and no prior experience is required. What’s more, the party is escorted by a tracking boat which is always on hand to provide assistance in the event of any mishap. The kayaks are single- and two-seater beginner canoes which are totally stable and sit-on-top. Details and bookings: Teno Activo.

Trekking, Kayaking & Snorkeling in Crystal-Clear Water

El Eco bay is the ideal spot for swimming and exploring the seabed by skin diving in the crystal-clear water. At the foot of the cliffs, the maximum depth is just 30 metres. The same canoe or kayak excursion can start at Masca beach after walking the 5 kilometres down the gulley of the same name, then paddling back on the return journey as far as Los Gigantes after having visited Barranco Seco bay.

Whale Spotting

Dolphins and even whales can be spotted off the Los Gigantes coast, but in deeper waters. After the kayak outing, the best thing is to board a 36-seater boat which leaves from the same marina. The ride lasts two hours and, on the return trip, the boat weighs anchor for 15 minutes in Masca bay, allowing guests to have their last swim at the foot of the cliffs.

A Chill-out Hotel

The Melià Hacienda del Conde Resort Hotel is also located in this secluded enclave in the north-west of Tenerife. Affording splendid views over the ocean, it is the perfect base camp for spending an active and at once relaxing holiday in the Teno area. Their spacious rooms, swimming pools, spa, refined culinary offerings and adult-only status make this a favourite destination among visitors seeking peace and quiet.

Book your Vueling to Tenerife and venture out across the Teno volcanic massif.

Text by Sergio Fernández Tolosa of Con un par de ruedas

Photos by Sergio Fernández Tolosa and Teno Activo