Travel to Canary islands

Day 6 Puerto de la Cruz - Teide - Puerto de la Cruz (146 Km.)

(in 6 Km.) La Orotava: On the slopes of the valley, the set of the old town has been declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument and it emphasizes the architectural beauty of its buildings, quiet streets, squares and flowers and shaded patios and stresses the "Casa de los Balcones" (house of the balconies), made in wood, according to tradition the Canary Islands, and the parish church of Concepción (s, XVII), also a National Monument. In the streets of San Francisco, on a slope, there are several houses with wooden balconies. It has a garden of acclimatization, with some 3,000 different species from tropical and subtropical regions.

(in 43 Km.) Observatorio del Teide (Teide observatory): Astrophysics in the Canary islands began (in the early sixties) in this Observatory in the zone of Izaña (Tenerife), 2,400 m. altitude. Its geographical location (between the solar observatories at East and west), joined with the transparency and excellent astronomic quality of the sky, have contributed in that the Observatorio del Teide being reserved preferably to study the Sun, focusing on it the best European solar telescopes.

(in 23 Km.) Teide National Park: From La Orotava we ascend to the Park, which is located over 2,000 meters. The landscape that we see to reach the National Park is most surprising, volcanic, with lands, lapillus and rocks of various colors; Park extends over what was a huge crater and so striking are the unusual rock formations like the flora that grows there, especially at the time of flowering in this terrain, with low humidity, grow the broom of Teide, the red tajinaste, herb of Teide, the wallflower of the Glens, laburnum, the daisy of Teide, etc. and some specimens of canary cedars and pines.

The peak of Teide is still more than 1,700 meters above the crater of Las Cañadas. To ascend, there is a funicular that reaches almost to the top. Inside the park and close to Portillo, there is an Interpretation Centre, which provides information to learn the most picturesque places, as Los Roques, Llano de Ucanca, los Azulejos, etc.

(in 74 Km.) Puerto de la Cruz: The descent was performed by the ridge road that passes through La Esperanza, which offers magnificent views on both sides of the mountain chain that divides the two sides of the island, especially from the viewpoint of Pico de las Flores. The road leads us to La Laguna and from there we take the highway till Puerto de la Cruz.