On Monday we were off to the Teide National Park a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain at 3718 metres. There are many trails in the park but Barbara found this one for us which introduced us to the landscape and lead to a crater and was not too strenuous. It was also on the quieter, less frequented side of the mountain.
The Samara Volcano, formed by a single eruption, is on the least visited side of the National Park. It has a unique pine forest and vegetation. The area is scattered with dark volcanic debris and there are spectacular panoramas including views of Mount Teide and other volcanic cones.
The Unique Pine Forest
The second Peak on the Right is Pico Viejo (3134m)
The Canary Pine has the largest needles of all conifers
The Volcanic Landscape
Great View of Mount Teide
Volcanic Debris
After our walk we headed to this parador for refreshments and to see another crater. If you look closely you can see the cable car that ascends Mount Teide
Las Cañadas Caldera Crater
‘The Cathedral’ formed 170,000 years ago
By the Roadside
Sunset that evening at Palm Mar
miladysboudoir 
Amazing landscape. A stark beauty to it, especially in the glorious sunshine.
Yes, Fran. I really grew to like it as the week went on and we viewed it from close up with all the shrubs and cacti etc.
Love those blue skies. And a fascinating landscape- a warmer version of Iceland? (Without active volcanoes)
Surprisingly, as you’ll have noticed on other posts, the sky didn’t stay blue the whole week, by any means. I’ve never been to Iceland but now you mention it, yes, I guess, very similar.
Again, eerily beautiful isn’t it? Such different variations on pines, cacti and others. Wonderful
[…] of La Laguna to give it its full name. Along with Mount Teide National Park La Laguna is the other designated UNESCO World Heritage site on Tenerife. It’s a beautiful historic city, small […]