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The Twelve Treasures of Spain is a list chosen by listeners and viewers of two Spanish radio and TV stations. In six episodes, we will review these top choices. At the end of each part, we refer to one of the six choices we previously wrote about in this blog.
The Spanish mainland has many beautiful national parks. Yet the most popular one is found on the island of Tenerife. Teide National Park, with around three million visitors per year, is a huge attraction for a variety of reasons. The dominant feature in this unique and bizarre landscape in the heart of the island is Pico del Teide. At 3,718 meters, it is the highest mountain and volcano in the country. Pico Viejo, at 3,135 meters, comes close. These are the main protagonists in a spectacular volcanic massif stretching for kilometers. Eruptions of both “Picos” over countless years have shaped a landscape of rugged formations and flora and fauna found nowhere else but in this park.
Many visitors come to Teide to hike or climb. The park has no fewer than 38 routes. True adventurers can take the cable car up to the mountain station at 3,555 meters to then undertake the rest of the journey to the summit of Teide. But the imposing volcanoes are only the obvious highlights.
Equally impressive are the rugged landscapes formed by various eruptions.
The “Wall of Cañadas” is where the strange panorama of colors and bizarre geological creations caused by volcanic eruptions can be found. This 25-kilometer-long area, rising up to 600 meters, is an unearthly landscape where lava flows and erosion have left the most unusual traces.
Of all these peculiar structures, the Roque Cinchado is the most striking. This curious rock outcrop is the most photographed object in the park. With its strange shape (rather narrow at the bottom and widening at the top) and its wide variety of colors, it stands out magnificently against the backdrop of Mount Teide.
But there are other good reasons to visit the park. Nature lovers can enjoy the many unique plant species. For those who find exploring the area a bit too demanding, a visit to the information center is recommended. There, a botanical garden showcases 70 percent of the rare plant species. Others come to Teide to study the sky. The park is home to the largest solar observatory in the world. It is equipped with advanced telescopes that visitors can use to marvel at the extraordinary night sky.
Earlier in this blog we wrote about number 7 on the list, the Roman theater in Mérida. See here.
