01
A week in northern Tenerife
Seven days from Icod, with what must be booked weeks ahead and what you decide in the morning depending on the weather. A real itinerary, not a wish list.
The island's other side
North Tenerife
Green, volcanic, and with towns where people actually live. The north is the part of Tenerife that does not appear in resort brochures, and from Icod everything is reachable: Garachico, Teno, Chinyero, Anaga and Teide by two different roads.
The west
Garachico, Teno and Chinyero
Minutes to the west lies Garachico, the island's wealthiest port until the 1706 eruption buried it, and which now lives off the natural pools that same lava left behind. Beyond it, Buenavista and the Teno massif, with Punta de Teno and Masca, both under regulated access. And above, Chinyero: Tenerife's last eruption, in 1909, its lava field still black.
The east
Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava and Anaga
Eastwards along the northern motorway lie Los Realejos with the Rambla de Castro trail, La Orotava with its pine-balconied old town, Puerto de la Cruz with the Botanical Garden and Playa Jardín, and at the island's far end the Anaga Rural Park, a Biosphere Reserve since 2015.
Above
Teide, from the good side
Driving up to the national park from the north has an advantage few mention: you pass through the sea of clouds. On a 'panza de burro' day you leave the house under grey sky and twenty minutes later you are above it, with Teide clear ahead.
Guide
Guides for this area
02
Tenerife without the crowds: where the queues are not
The island takes millions of visitors and still has places where nobody goes. Which ones, why they stay empty, and what time to arrive.
03
Walks near Icod
Five real walks within an hour of the house, with official distance, climb and grade. Which need a permit and which do not.
04
Chinyero: walking on the last eruption
In 1909 Tenerife erupted for the last time. A century on, the lava field is still black. Which PR-TF 43 variant to pick for the distance you want.
05
Rambla de Castro: the north's best walk
4.36 flat kilometres between palm grove and cliff, with a 17th-century manor and Tenerife's first steam engine. The most rewarding walk in the north.
06
Getting to Teide from Icod
The two possible routes from the north-west, which one to take and when, what happens with ice in winter, and why we do not quote an exact drive time.
07
Reaching the summit of Teide: the permit
Since January 2026 the Teide summit permit is no longer free for non-residents. How to book, when the quota opens, and which guides are still out of date.
08
Stargazing in Tenerife without paying for a tour
Teide and the summits renewed their Starlight certification in February 2026. How to go up on your own, when, and what to bring so you do not freeze.
09
Garachico, the town a volcano buried
Minutes from Icod: Tenerife's richest port until 1706, natural pools carved by the lava, and a listed historic quarter.
10
Punta de Teno and Masca: how access works now
Private cars are banned at Punta de Teno every day, and the Masca ravine needs a booking and a boat back. The current rules, from official sources.
11
Anaga in a day from the north
Laurel forest, isolated hamlets and black beaches at the far end of the island. What you can realistically do in a day from Icod, and what needs a permit.
12
North or south? Where to stay in Tenerife
An honest comparison, including the part that does not suit us. What the north wins, what the south wins, and who each is for.
All of this is a day or less from Finca Julia's front door.