Today our goal was to see the famed Mt Teide and boy did we see it and more. Our guide was Cristo Gonzalez, born and raised on Tenerife, with stints away to England and Spain for his education. His English was nearly perfect and he told us about his family and his business. His grandparents worked in the banana fields, and now his business supports them and his large family. This 34 yr old owns rental properties, rental cars and a guiding business. He sees the future of tourism for his island and wants to be a part of it. It was a real joy to be with him for the day and learn about his homeland.

Mt Teide is the third highest volcano in the world at 12,188 ft. It was formed over 170,000 years ago and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The volcano and its surroundings make up Teide National Park, which has an area of 47,000 acres with some 4 million visitors yearly. Teide Observatory, a major international astronomical observatory, is located on the slopes of the mountain.

We left sea level and climbed steadily through several different strata of ecosystems. About every two thousand feet, the landscape looked starkly different. When we reached the vantage point of 7500 feet, the landscape looked like something akin to Mars. It also resembled parts of volcanic Iceland, though the rocks and lava flows were much more colorful on Tenerife. We observed the multitudes of volcanic columns including the unique Roque Cinchado. There were abundant tajinaste plants, and though they bloom in June, even their dried remains were beautiful. We also saw the Canarian Pine which resists being burned, even during wildfires and lava flows. We enjoyed walking through the Visitor Center and learning about the history of the area.

Cristo then took us on a tour of the northern part of the Island and we visited his village of El Tanque. Like many of the rural villages, El Tanque hangs on the side of the mountain, with sweeping vistas to the ocean. At Restaurante Mirador de Garachico we enjoyed a wonderful charcuterie board of seasoned pork, local made cheeses and spreads. And of course, a glass of Tenerife wine. The view was fantastic!

Once back in Santa Cruz, we did some shopping and enjoyed a Pisco Sour. Of the million that live on Tenerife, 200,000 live in Santa Cruz. The city is modern and clean, with a central market area and it seemed relatively safe, though several passengers on the ship had their pockets picked. It has a bustling harbor area with fancy boats and a nice promenade that we enjoyed walking back to the ship. It was a great day!

Recommend: Tours by Locals
https://www.toursbylocals.com/tours/canary-islands/santa-cruz-de-tenerife/tour-details/teide-national-park–a-unesco-world-heritage-site-664d2313ebf20b1957477c8c