Teide National Park (Tenerife) is considered one of the most popular travel destinations in the Canary Islands. Its area is almost 19 thousand hectares. In 2007, it was included in the list of UNESCO heritage sites. Of greatest interest here are local landscapes, various archeological monuments, which at one time played a very important role in the history of local aborigines, as well as the volcano of the same name.
Capital of Tenerife
The capital of the island is the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Its population is a little over 200 thousand inhabitants, so it is still far from the status of a metropolis. However, it is the largest on the island. The first mention of the settlement was recorded in 1492, and during the 16th century the former fishing village acquires the status of an important seaport.
Since 1783, the city has already become a significant administrative unit. However, even now all its sights can be explored on foot during the day. The most interesting of them are the churches of St. Francis(XVII century) and Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (XVI century), a memorial to those who died during the Civil War, as well as a wooden cross that was erected by the first Spanish settlers and which is now a symbol of all the Canary Islands.
It will be especially pleasant to visit Santa Cruz de Tenerife for lovers of relaxation in a mild climate who want to wean themselves from the noisy streets of big cities. Be that as it may, the natural attractions of the island have become the most popular among tourists, one of which is the Teide volcano along with the national park of the same name. More details about them and will be discussed later.
Some historical facts
Several thousand years ago, an aboriginal tribe, the Guanches, lived on the territory of the present reserve. The Teide volcano was their place of worship. This name is translated into Russian as "devil" or "hell". The natives believed that an evil spirit was imprisoned inside him by the Supreme God. This is the origin of the sinister name. Currently, Teide is a dormant volcano, but eruptions have occurred repeatedly in the past. The last one dates from 1909.
General description of the park
Teide National Park is located in the Las Cañadas del Teide caldera, which arose several million years ago. It should be noted that this is the largest protected area in Tenerife. It was founded in 1954 with the aim of preserving local animals, plants and the volcanic landscape, in connection with which it is considered a nature reserve. Almost immediately after openingthe Spanish authorities gave it the status of a national. Many viewing platforms for tourists have been built on the territory, from which unique landscapes of the island open up. Each of them has a special stand containing information about what the visitor sees, as well as a brief scientific and historical background in Spanish, German and English.
Flora and fauna
Teide National Park has a unique flora, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. There are 168 types of flowers on its territory. Each plant here is unusual and beautiful in its own way. On the slopes of the crater, as well as along the perimeter of the reserve, forests of Canary pine grow. Its amazing feature is the ability to independently recover from fires.
As for the fauna, it is not so diverse and rich. Its representatives are mainly small animals, as well as Canary canaries, long-eared owls, lizards, pigeons and crows. All of them are considered the indigenous inhabitants of the park. Bats are the only local aborigines among mammals. All other animals found here were once brought from the mainland.
Attractions
One of the main attractions of the reserve is the volcano of the same name. In this regard, it is not surprising that excursions on the Teide are particularly popular. Their cost is on average just over 100 euros per person, excluding the price of the funicular. In order to climb it, an adultyou need to pay 25 euros, and for a child - 12.5 euros. Despite this, many tourists argue that it is impossible to visit Tenerife without visiting the highest point in the entire Atlantic, located at around 3718 meters. From here you can enjoy unique views of the archipelago.
Another attraction that the Teide National Park boasts is the local rocks. They contain a large proportion of copper, so they have an original greenish tint. It should be noted that most of the local postcards and booklets depict one of these high cliffs with a volcano in the background.
Infrastructure and travel
On the territory of the park there is a hotel "Parador", in which many tourists stop before their further journey. Due to the large number of people wishing to book a room here, it is recommended to book in advance. There is an information center in the reserve, where you can watch a documentary film in different languages about the history of the reserve, its walking routes and sights. Among other things, one of the largest observatories on the planet is located here, research on which has been carried out for 40 years.
Teide National Park is open 24 hours a day and entry by car is free. You can also get here by taking a tour, or by buses that go to the reserve from several cities on the island.
