Those who follow us on social media will surely know that just a few days ago we were touring the islands of Tenerife and La Gomera to learn about the crafts and traditions of the Canary Islands firsthand.
The great thing about traveling in a van is that I left feeling like I'd truly gotten to know it, because we walked and explored it like never before, in depth. Town by town, artisan by artisan.
In Tenerife, we were almost alone on the trails, which I think is a real luxury in these days of mass tourism. Here are our island essentials, in case you're planning a visit:
Anaga: the geologically oldest region on the island. A spectacle, even though the weather was incredibly bad, which seems to be normal in this area.
Icod de los Vinos: ancient dragon tree and butterfly garden.
Hiking through Teide National Park: We did two different routes. The first was the basic route up to Roque de García upon arrival. The second was more challenging, climbing to Pico Viejo, which presented quite a few challenges due to the altitude and because the path turned into sand, making it difficult to the point of being a bit dangerous .
La Laguna: We slept with the van in a very nice parking lot near the center. And we were woken up by the birds. It was a bit of a surprise, though. But we loved the city, full of terraces.
Discover the village of Masca.
Punta de Teno, in Buenavista del Norte: We took the bus because you can't go by car, and we watched the sunset there. If you take the bus, don't stand on the right side, unless you like thrills.
In Buenavista , we had a great sauna at the municipal pool and, of course, we took advantage of the opportunity to take a hot shower, which we didn't have much of in the van.
La Orotava: we ate amazing food at a great price.
El Médano: We spent several nights in a vacant lot next to the red mountain, where, if you're not used to the wind, it's best not to come. We were amazed. Plus, the weather is always good, so when the north winds got tough, we'd go down to El Médano beach to spend the day sailing.
Costa Adeje: the Caldera del Rey (King's Caldera). Similar to Malaga's Caminito del Rey, it's great to have an entrance fee to experience nature, but I personally prefer quieter trails, of which there are thousands in Tenerife.
From La Gomera , I leave you here my favorites.
A walk surrounded by laurel forest in the Garajonay National Park : we explored it by bike, which we rented in Valle Gran Rey, and then did three more routes with quite different landscapes.
Explore the colorful streets of San Sebastián de La Gomera ; the tropical wildlife of the spectacular Vallehermoso Valley; a seafood feast on Santiago Beach ; the terraces of Valle Gran Rey , which feel like you're in Bali; a boat trip to discover Los Organos , a super-cool rock formation;
Caleta beach , which we were afraid to reach with the van because it is quite narrow, but we can manage; a surprise black pebble beach,
Hermigua.
Banana plantations , one of the wettest areas on the island. And one of the most beautiful.
Columbus's stopover on La Gomera : Coming from Huelva, this is a Columbian pilgrimage site for me. Columbus stopped here for supplies after leaving Palos on his way to the Americas. Columbus left this island on September 6, the day on which the Columbus Festival of San Sebastián is now celebrated.
About food: I'm amazed by the almogrote of La Gomera . In Hermigua: Telémaco and Las Chacaras; in Agulo, the Old School; in Las Rosas, Cruz de Tierno; in Valle Gran Rey, El paraíso del mar, the Trasmallo restaurant, or El Puerto; in Alajerò, Mesón de Clemente; in Playa Santiago, La Cuentista, La Tasca Eyesque, and La Chalana; in San Sebastián de la Gomera, the Ambigú restaurant and La Tasca (this one on the Cristofer Clemente corridor).
And taking advantage of the trip, I'm coming back loaded with delicious cheeses and Canary Island striped fabrics , which I loved.
We've already uploaded them all to the store. If you'd like to see the full collection, click this link .
