Silogía
What to order: the black rice for two, or the cherne
geocalia
Day itinerary · 28.31° N · 16.84° W
Garachico and Masca: lava, pools and a hanging hamlet.
Garachico in the morning, a swim in the lava pools of El Caletón, lunch in a 1689 mansion and the afternoon in Masca on the TF-436, an hour from Santa Cruz.
Leaving from
Part of Teno and Masca
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car1 h each way
WalkingLittle: the old town and the hamlet
DrivingAbout 3 h in total, with bends on the TF-436
Cost€25–40 pp
Best timeMarch – May · September – October
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Santa Cruz de Tenerife 1 h by car
via the TF-5 to Icod de los Vinos and the TF-42; park at the old football ground, free
-
1
Garachico old town and San Miguel castle
Plaza de la Libertad, church of Santa Ana and castle of San Miguel
- 5 min on foot
-
2
El Caletón natural pools, in the 1706 lava
Only with a calm sea; bring water shoes
- 6 min on foot
- 3
- 30 min by car25,1 km
-
4
La Cruz de Hilda viewpoint, above Masca
via Buenavista and El Palmar, TF-436
- 5 min by car2,2 km
-
5
The hamlet of Masca, via the TF-436
Little parking; if it is full, settle for the view from the viewpoint
-
Back home
via Santiago del Teide and the TF-1 or the north; in Santa Cruz around 18:45
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Garachico old town and San Miguel castle
A Sunday in north-west Tenerife with no hard bookings: Garachico and its lava coast in the morning, an unhurried lunch in the square and the afternoon in Masca, on the road that crosses the Teno massif. The only thing to book is a table.
The day, hour by hour
8:45 · Set off. From Santa Cruz, on the TF-5 to Icod de los Vinos and the TF-42 to Garachico, under an hour. Park in the free car park of the old football ground, at the entrance to the old town.
9:45 · Old town of Garachico. The Plaza de la Libertad with the church of Santa Ana and the mansion of La Quinta Roja, the former convent of San Francisco and, going down towards the sea, the castle of San Miguel, from 1575. The town was rebuilt on the lava of the 1706 eruption.
11:15 · El Caletón pools. A swim in the pools left by that lava when it reached the sea, if the sea is calm. Water shoes and sun cream.
13:30 · Lunch at Silogía. In the mansion on the square, open on Sundays from 13:00 to 22:00. Canarian cooking with Mediterranean touches: the black rice for two or the wreckfish. Book by phone.
15:30 · La Cruz de Hilda viewpoint. Through Buenavista del Norte and El Palmar you climb the TF-436, narrow and with many bends. From the viewpoint, at kilometre 14, you see the whole of Masca on its ridges.
16:00 · Masca hamlet. The square, the chapel and the hamlet's viewpoint. If the car park is full, do not insist: you have already seen it from above.
17:15 · Head home. Continue on the TF-436 to Santiago del Teide and return by the TF-1 or by the north. In Santa Cruz around 18:45.
With children and with a dog
Garachico can be done with a pushchair and the inner pools at El Caletón, in a calm sea, are popular with children. The Masca road has many bends: make the viewpoint stop. Silogía accepts pets, and the stroll round the old town can be done with the dog on a lead; at the pools, ask first.
Time2 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
El Rebojo
What to order: the bites of the sea with their wines, or the A Marea Vacía menu if you have time; for dessert, the smoked cheesecake
Codeso
What to order: the local fish in a casserole with black potatoes, an arroz a la llauna or, on Sunday, the Sunday menu
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Teno and Masca
All year. Swimming at El Caletón depends on the sea: in a heavy northern swell, stay on the promenade. Before going up to Masca, check whether the TF-436 is open.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book Silogía
On Sundays at midday it fills up.
- 2Check the sea before going down to El Caletón
In a heavy swell, no swimming.
- 3Go up to Masca from the north and come down by the south
That way you do the whole TF-436 in a single direction.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Santa Cruz to Garachico?
Under an hour by car, about 60 km.
Where can you eat in Garachico on a Sunday?
Silogía opens on Sundays from 13:00 to 22:00, on the square.
Can you drive to Masca?
To the hamlet, yes, on the TF-436; parking is difficult. To walk down the gorge you need a booking and the 355 bus.
Can you do it without a car?
Garachico yes, with lines 108 and 363. Masca, with the 355 from Buenavista and few departures.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/canary-islands/teno-and-masca/itineraries/garachico-pools-and-viewpoints
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.