Mount Teide

Teide sits inside Las Cañadas, a huge caldera left when an older volcano collapsed. Its wall runs for about 25 km along the southern side of the park and reaches some 600 metres high at Guajara. Teide and its neighbour Pico Viejo grew inside it. The last eruption inside the park came in 1798 from the side of Pico Viejo, and its dark lava flow is easy to see from the Boca Tauce viewpoint.

The park's best-known rock formations are the Roques de García, a line of eroded towers close to the road. One of them, Roque Cinchado, narrows at the base and appeared on Spain's old 1,000-peseta note.

Teide National Park was listed by UNESCO in 2007. Its height, dry air and distance from big cities also make it one of the best places in Europe to look at the sky. The Teide Observatory, on the eastern edge of the park, studies the Sun, and the park holds Starlight certification for the quality of its night sky.

Most trips climb from the coast through pine forest before the trees thin out and the road crosses the caldera. Stops usually include the Roques de García, viewpoints over the lava fields and, on some days, the base station of the cable car.

The cable car is a separate, weather-dependent ride. It climbs from 2,356 metres to 3,555 metres in under eight minutes. At the top there is no café, and the air is thin and cold. Two marked paths lead to viewpoints over the north and south of the island. The final path to the summit crater, trail number 10, needs a free permit from the national park, booked online well ahead. Pregnant women, children under 3 and people with heart conditions are not allowed on the cable car because of the altitude.

Sunset tours reach a viewpoint as the light goes and the shadow of the mountain stretches over the clouds. After dark, guides use telescopes and laser pointers to show planets, star clusters and constellations. Some evenings include dinner or a picnic.

It is far colder on Teide than on the beach, especially at night. Bring a warm jacket, long trousers and closed shoes, even in summer.

Teide can be visited all year. The park often stays clear and sunny when the coast is cloudy. Winter brings snow and ice to the upper slopes, and the cable car and some roads can close in bad weather.

The cable car stops in strong wind, which happens often. Check that it is running on the day before you plan around it. Summit permits for trail 10 go fast in summer, so apply as soon as your dates are fixed.

For stargazing, nights without a bright Moon show the most stars. Mornings are best for clear views across the caldera, before afternoon cloud builds on the slopes. Spring and autumn bring mild days in the park, while July and August are hot by day and still cool after dark.