Anaga Mountains

The Anaga Mountains in the far northeast of Tenerife are the green counterbalance to the volcanic desert of Teide — and for many hikers, the most beautiful part of the island. Since 2015, the area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The densely forested ridges (up to 1,024 m) capture the moist trade winds and create a mystical laurel forest (Laurisilva) that seems straight out of a Tolkien novel: moss-covered, gnarled trees, ferns as large as umbrellas, and mist wafting through the ravines.

The Anaga Mountains are sparsely populated — only a few hundred people live in the scattered hamlets, some of which were only accessible on foot until the 1960s. This isolation has preserved a unique flora: over 120 endemic plant species grow here, found nowhere else in the world.

The best hikes:

• Sendero de los Sentidos (Path of the Senses) — 1.5 km loop through the laurel forest, barrier-free, perfect for families. Start at the Cruz del Carmen visitor center.
• Punta de Hidalgo to Chinamada — 8 km, 4 hours, challenging. Through deep barrancos to a village with cave dwellings, some of which are still inhabited.
• Chamorga to Roque Bermejo — 12 km, 5 hours. The royal hike through the most remote valley of Tenerife to the abandoned lighthouse at the northern tip.
• Cruz del Carmen to Punta del Hidalgo — 10 km, 4.5 hours, mostly downhill. From the misty forest down to the sea — spectacular views guaranteed.

Taganana: The most picturesque village of the Anaga Mountains clings to a steep mountainside high above the sea. The narrow access road with its hairpin bends is an adventure in itself. Down at the beach Playa de Benijo, the Atlantic waves break dramatically on the offshore rocks — one of the most photogenic places in Tenerife. In the small restaurants on the beach, there is fresh fish (Vieja, Cherne) from €12.