WHERE?

WHEN?

Mars 2021

TIPS:

There is an airport but if you already are in the Canary Islands, please consider the ferry. We took the ferry from Tenerife, with Armas, 100euros in and out, 2h30. Seat at the very front, zone A, and go on the right side from Tenerife to El Hierro, to see La Gomera, so beautiful.

Rent a car with Cicar, the local company. 100euros/week. Super easy. Full insurance and 2 drivers included. They are also always super nice.

What to pack: we went in March and I was happy to have a jacket, a scarf, and a bennie, for after the dives, for the evenings and when we were in altitude! Other than that, the usual “suitcase for a sunny and sporty destination” (don’t forget the hiking shoes and the snorkeling kit)

Where to stay: If you want to dive, definitely stay in La Restinga. It is a super cute, local, and chill village. I really loved it and already want to go back. You can rent an Airbnb, or some diving clubs offer packages with housing.

There are paragliding options on the island if you want. We did not have time but has to be amazing.

Enjoy the sunsets! So gorgeous there. A lot of places will be ideal to watch the sunset.

All the Ouest side.
In La Restinga you need to walk 10-15min along the water and on the lava to see it set on the water, beautiful path
Playa de Tacoron: great spot
There should be 2 restaurants but closed for covid

DIVING:

There are many clubs available, we dived with “Buceo El Bajón”. They have a 10 dives package.
Do a night dive! Super easy in the harbor
Make sure you go diving at the “El bajón” site
The “Cueva de arena” spot was nice too!

RESTAURANTS:

Mirador de La Peña. What a view! Book in advance. Super nice staff. Local beers.Prices ok. Local beers, local wine, local specialties. Veggie options: verduras de estacion, one dish with patates, eggs end cheese. Gofio cream for desert. Call to book!

kiosko El Charco. Great view over Charco Manso. Super simple and local food but good and efficient! They have a tomato salad and queso a la plancha as veggie options Maybe even book in advance if you are a group, it is super small

La Tafeña Restaurante, Valverde: Open on Sunday!! (super rare here). A LOT of veggie and vegan options, really good food, delicious desserts, nice staff
Restaurante La Vieja Pandorga, super local and good desert!
Amore Mio: good pizzeria, 2 veggie options! Big outside space, not on the harbor but a nice atmosphere at night Apparently the pasta are also good but I did not try
Bar Mar de Las Calmas: the one we went the most to because super nice on the harbor and local feeling. Some veggie options. Good “quest o a la plancha” y “papas”. Perfect for a drink or a coffee

EAT/DRINK LOCAL:

Try quesadillas, the specialty here!
Drink El vino La Frontera (I prefer the dry one)
Try local beers
Coffee: Letche letche, always
Desert: Polbito uruguayo!
And as usual in Canarias: papa arugadas, pimientos del padrón, tabla de queso, tortilla

EXPLORE

Remark: we mainly went there to dive, so we did not have that much time to explore the island and we could not do sports or hikes for diving reasons, so I do not have the best recommendations regarding hikes. BUT we saw so many paths, it looked amazing. I recommend checking All trails!

ITINERARY EXAMPLE - EXPLORE the WEST / SOUTHWEST part of the island

(We started from La Restinga)
The road from El Pinar to the West (HI-400) is GORGEOUS, must do

Mirador Julian: a quick stop

All the way to Virgen de los Reyes. A LOT of hikes from there
You can keep on by car (even if it’s a dirt road) until El Sabinar, the famous tree. Beautiful and the road is gorgeous

Back on the main road until Faro de Orchilla. The view from the Faro is gorgeous. There is a cave/lava tube, see GPS. It is really worth it! The view over the ocean at the very end of the tunnel is gorgeous. Easy access but you need lights (phone lights enough)

Direction Playa de arenas blancas. The road there is beautiful, especially when you go down and have a panoramic view of the volcanoes. Stop at Mirador de Lomo Negro and at this viewpoint.

Then you can stop at many “piques”, “puntas” y playas on the way, depending on how long you have

Nice view from playa arenas blancas
Stop at Pozo de la Salud, for the viewpoint on the ocean

Charco Azul: gorgeous. If you have time go there for a picnic and to chill. The way down by car is longer than I expected and stiffer but still easy access

Lunch at Mirador de la Pena.
Nice viewpoint on the ocean and the mountain at Punta Grande.

Roque del Pozo, piscinas de la Macete. Nice spot to chill even if a lot of wind. There is a restaurant too but check if it is open

Los Sargos, gorgeous caves and viewpoint. Must do!

All the way up via La Frontera. Cute church, Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, top of a mountain on the way. You can go to the top.

All the way up until Mirador de la Llania. There are a lot of hikes all around (we could not see anything because we were fully in the rain clouds so we did not stop)

Back to La Restinga via el Pinar, beautiful road too

ITINERARY EXAMPLE - EXPLORE the EAST part of the island

The road HI-1 is gorgeous once again
So many cute villages after Valverde
Pozo de las Calcosas: nice viewpoint, cool natural pools but check the Tide!

Charco Manso: great place to chill and to swim BUT check the tide before! We could not go in because the ocean was getting crazy.

Lunch Kiosko el Charco
Coffee and deserts at Restaurant la Tafeña, Valverde. Cute village but everything was closed on Sunday. Worse a shortstop or for lunch/coffee