Charming villages of Tenerife

I always say that the best way to know the charm of a place is to travel inside and get to know the villages and the people.

In the case of Tenerife, discovering its small white villages and talking to the few neighbours that live there is a wonderful way to get to know the true identity of the island.

They are ideal places to walk and spend a great day with your family in search of these places full of charm that tell us about the past of the island and its people.

These are our favorite villages of Tenerife, with them it was love at first sight:

San Juan de la Rambla

San Juan de la Rambla, a mandatory stop on the road towards the north-west region, is a village that bathes in La Laja and whose historic centre attests to a rich heritage as a Place of Cultural Interest centred around the church of San Juan Bautista, which dates from the 16th Century. Strolling along its cobbled streets like the Alhóndiga leading off the Rosario Oramas plaza is to enjoy one of the most beautiful town centres in Tenerife.

Hamlet of Masca

If you want to discover rural Tenerife, away from the tourist resorts, a visit to the hamlet of Masca is a must. You can’t leave the island without visiting it. Situated in Teno, Masca delights young and elder visitors with its beautifully maintained houses and its cobbled streets. It is such a special place that it has been declared Ethnographic Historic Place of Interest. Although one if its greatest attractions is the impressive display of sweeping hillsides and ravines, remember one of my previous posts about our adventure hiking down the Masca gorge, one of the most popular on the island.

El Sauzal

El Sauzal is full of charming nooks and crannies and impressive views. Located in the north of Tenerife, perched on a cliff, the whole village is an enormous viewing point from where visitors can admire a unique view of Teide, standing over the Orotava valley and all the Atlantic Ocean. It is a village full of peace and tranquility removed from the typical tourist trails where you can admire the plaza de San Pedro and its church, the park and viewing point of Los Lavaderos and one of the most amazing sunsets of Tenerife that you can enjoy on on the café terraces.

Teno Alto

In the north-east of Tenerife and following a winding road you arrive to the hamlet of Teno Alto in the heart of the Teno Rural Park, one of most isolated rural villages in Tenerife that keeps its rural traditions and tranquility while gladly welcoming visitors.
Teno Alto is a hamlet full of trails and landscapes where you can admire clay ovens and traditional rural houses with thick walls and red roofs. You can’t leave without trying the wonderful local goats cheese and if you want to enjoy peace and silence staying overnight in one of the rural houses is a captivating experience.

As you can see, Tenerife is full of charming villages and places to discover and enjoy.