Itinerary
The Orotava Valley, from the old town to the sea
The Orotava Valley is the north's other great landscape, and from Icod it is half an hour away. Up top, a town of wooden balconies listed as a historic ensemble in 1976; below, Puerto de la Cruz and its fishing quarter. This day runs from one down to the other.
- 1Day
- 7Stops
- 30 minFurthest point
- YesCar needed
On the way
The El Lance viewpoint
24 min · 17,7 km from the old town
Taking the upper road, in Icod el Alto (TF-342, km 5). It looks out over the Orotava Valley, with Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava, and the bronze statue of the Guanche king Bentor. It belongs to Los Realejos, not Icod.
Morning
The La Orotava old town
27 min · 24,7 km from the old town
Cobbled streets, wooden balconies and manor houses: a first walk links the Concepción church, a benchmark of Canarian baroque, the Liceo de Taoro and the church of San Agustín. The Casa de los Balcones, on Calle San Francisco, is a craft centre and museum of Canarian customs, closed on the day of the Romería. Allow two to three hours.
Mid-morning
The Victoria Gardens and the Hijuela del Botánico
27 min · 24,9 km from the old town
Two free gardens in the old town. The Victoria Gardens, beside Plaza de la Constitución, climb in terraces to a marble mausoleum that was never used, with the whole town below. The Hijuela, behind the town hall, began in the late 19th century as a nursery for the Botanical Garden and holds exotic trees, a dragon tree among them.
If it rains
The Ibero-American Crafts Museum
27 min · 23,7 km from the old town
In the former Dominican convent of San Benito Abad, with its cloister and wooden ceilings. Ten rooms of Ibero-American and Canarian crafts, free entry. Open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00 and Saturdays 10:00–14:00; closed Sundays and public holidays.
Museo de Artesanía Iberoamericana de Tenerife (MAIT) →Directions ↗
Midday
The old quarter of Puerto de la Cruz
30 min · 24,8 km from the old town
Behind the hotel strip is an old quarter listed as a historic-artistic ensemble in 1985, around the Plaza del Charco. The Casa de la Real Aduana, from 1620, now houses the tourist office, beside the fishing pier and the old fishermen's quarter of La Ranilla.
Afternoon
The Botanical Garden
28 min · 26,5 km from the old town
Founded by royal order of Charles III in 1788 to acclimatise tropical plants, with trees notable for their size, age or rarity. Open daily 9:00–18:00, except 1 January, Good Friday and 25 December.
Heading back
The San Pedro viewpoint, along the coast
21 min · 17,2 km from the old town
Heading back on the TF-5, at km 41, the San Pedro viewpoint looks over the Rambla de Castro palm grove and the ruined La Gordejuela water lift. It has parking, and the Rambla de Castro trail passes here if there is light left for a short walk.
Good to know
The Ibero-American Crafts Museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays, and the Casa de los Balcones on the day of the La Orotava Romería. If you go on a Sunday, swap the museum for the Botanical Garden, which opens every day.
During the Corpus Christi octave, La Orotava's town-hall square is covered with a carpet of volcanic sands from Teide. If it falls within your dates, that is the day to do this route.
Other days
If this one does not fit
Three days based in Icod
Icod, Garachico and Teide in three days, with real drive times from the old town and without driving the same road twice.
What to do if it dawns raining
What you can do in and around Icod when the north does what the north does: a cave, a butterfly house, wineries and towns you can walk with an umbrella.
Finca Julia · Icod de los Vinos
And at the end of the day,
the terrace.
An old Canarian house on the hillside, with the Atlantic in front. Availability and price are on the official Airbnb listing.