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Beautiful Tenerife
Beautiful Tenerife

Beautiful Tenerife

This is the travel blog about beauty and diversity of the Tenerife Island nature

Hidden gems of Anaga Peninsula

Europe, Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Hidden gems of Anaga Peninsula

Anaga is the peninsula that form the North-East part of Tenerife and it's the wildest part of the island.

In the eastern edge of the island of Tenerife stands the all-natural spectacle of the Anaga peninsula. There was an intense activity of the volcanoes created thousands of years ago, a sharp geology that ended up falling down on high cliffs like those of Taganana. The hard gain access to has brought about this coast has been protected as one of one of the most undamaged of the island, where man has actually only had the ability to overcome some hillsides with scattered farmhouses as well as terraces that come down to the sea. The massif is furrowed by a plethora of paths that adhere to old grazing paths, cross laurel forests as well as reach perspectives such as El Bailadero, the very best to ponder a steep view of this steep coast.

Small fields - local still planting vegetables and fruits in Anaga.

This area of northeastern Tenerife is the site of several tales and also legends, such as the one where the name of the mountainous location referred to El Bailadero. It was called so, because it was allegedly place where witches were gathering and also hemmed a haw bonfire, for this reason it is assumed that the existing name of the location acquires. Furthermore, the supposed 'Playa de Las Brujas' lies in the area. It is likewise said that the pirate 'Dog's Head' hid a prize on the high cliffs near Igueste de San Andrés. According to the chronicles collected in the location of Taganana lived the Princess Cathaysa (indigenous princess of Guanches), which informs the legend that was marketed by the Spanyards as a slave in 1494.

From here in the past barrels with wine were loaded to trade ships.

On the photo above you can see the rocks nearby Almaciga village. The other interesteng fact connected with these rocks. In the past, a three to four centuries ago locals were planting mainly Malvasia grapes and producing famous Canary wine. It was extremely expensive and highly demanded product on European and British markets. Trade ships cannot dock by the shore that time as well as now, so locals built a cable way from the costa through the rocks to deliver barrels with wine almost directly to the ships anchored right after the rocks.

Wild Goat - the biggest wild animal in Tenerife.

Anaga peninsula also the home of the biggest wild native animal of Tenerife - goats. There are hundreds of them living in the less accessible or inaccessible parts of the peninsula. You can easily see them quite close taking a hike from the Chamorga village to the Faro de Anaga - Anaga Laighhouse, on the photo below.

Anaga Lighthouse - Faro de Anaga

This place also has a cryptozoological legend. It is called the Hairy Eel, which was a monstrous eel of great dimensions that inhabited a puddle of Punta de Anaga and that terrified the people of the place. This legend ended up giving the name to the puddle itself, the Charco de la Anguila in the Palmital Ravine.

The place in Anaga where the Monstrous Eel was living.

Along the hike you can experience also amazing view on very hardly accessible Nothernmost part of Tenerofe - Punta Baja de Las Palmas and two islets, Roque de Dentro and El Roque de Fuera what literally means Rock of Inside and The External Rock.

Standing on the Northernmost point of Tenerife.

Anaga Peninsula in the past was the poorest part of the island and it sometimes true even now. In the past in Spain anyone was able to take a free land and claim it as private property, but there was a strict condition - you must take care of the land, build there, farm there or live there. Many reach people after Spain took control over the island claimed big parts of Anaga as a private land. Because it was extremely hard to get there, most of them simply forgot about that and later the poorest people without a land came there and took different parts of Anaga for farming or simply living.

Taganana - the biggest village of Anaga.

That way created many settlements and villages in Anaga. Even now there are a few really remote villages that live quite simple life. The biggest one is Taganana village, on the photo above, and generally this is the most popular destination among the island visitors beside with neghbouring Almaciga village.

Dramatic view from Taborno - the heart of Anaga.

But there are a few really hidden gems like Taborno village on the photo above. This is a true heart of Anaga and I love coming here to get a meal with a cup of coffee in a small local restaurant and to hike around. The sunset here is simply incredible, but it takes time and you must be a really good driver to come there and enjoy it.

A view from Chinamada village in Anaga, Tenerife

If you go a bit down you will arrive to the Chinamada, another hidden gem of Tenerife. From here you can hike through the deep and steepy canyon down to finally reach a nice and usually absolutely empty beach with a nice view on the islet Baja de La Goleta.

No the last part of Anaga is the endemic jungle - a rainforest covering the top of Anaga Mountains, but it is already another story.

In the endemic Anaga jungle.

This is only a few of hidden gems of Anaga peninsula. I'm still exploring and will keep writing about other discovered places in Anaga.

author


Beautiful Tenerife

Hello. I'm John and I'm traveling to Tenerife Island my last 10 years. I love the island's nature and in here you can explore with me different corners of the island. That's amazing how different Tenerife is in every single part - it's a collection of different climates and micro-climate zones.