West Tenerife (Los Gigantes - Masca - Buenavista)
Discussion
My wife and I were diving here (in Los Gigantes) late last year, and discovered some genuinely stonking driving roads on a little foray into the countryside.
Being volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
Being volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
Dave200 said:
My wife and I were diving here (in Los Gigantes) late last year, and discovered some genuinely stonking driving roads on a little foray into the countryside.
Being volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
there are some cracking ones as well at the north east of the island TF-12 in the Anaga mountains. I remember hustling a rental Berlingo up those roads, that was a hoot on the two lane sectionsBeing volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
I love Tenerife, its a bit of a gem outside the coastal holiday strip which is pretty awful.
Edited by sparkyhx on Monday 17th March 20:11
sparkyhx said:
Dave200 said:
My wife and I were diving here (in Los Gigantes) late last year, and discovered some genuinely stonking driving roads on a little foray into the countryside.
Being volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
there are some cracking ones as well at the north east of the island TF-12 in the Anaga mountains. I remember hustling a rental Berlingo up those roads, that was a hoot on the two lane sectionsBeing volcanic, Tenerife rises up very steeply from the water to a peak in the middle of the island. This means that the roads tend to ribbon around through the landscape as they climb up from the coast, giving stunning views of the scenery, with lots of well-sighted hairpins and flowing bends. Road quality does vary quite substantially, but the vast majority is fine for good progress.
Potential peril comes in the flavours of tourist coaches (although few in number at the end of the island), small run-offs (into big drops) and low cloud around the peak. However, keeping a 1L VW Up! hire car on-song around these bends was among the most run driving experiences I've had.
If you happen to be in the area, and want to recreate the journey, have a quick look at the following route on Google Maps/Streetview:
- Leave Los Gigantes on the unnamed roads, and take the most direct route to Taimamo
- Join the TF-82 at Taimamo, and head up towards Santiago del Teide
- Turn left in the village, and aim for the TF-346 to Masca
- Going through Masca, on to Las Portelas and El Palmar
- You have the option to cut off and go very rural Westwards to Teno (the single-track roads are amazing, and empty - but expect to do the odd U-Turn when they turn into a mud track)
- Or continue on down the mountain into Buenavista
Heartily recommended.
I love Tenerife, its a bit of a gem outside the coastal holiday strip which is pretty awful.
Edited by sparkyhx on Monday 17th March 20:11
TF346 in the west is a fantastic seanic twisty road, but the most beautiful part of the island for me is the North East and the road to Benijo; where there is one of the finest seafood restaurants my wife I has ever eaten in (I don't eat seaford
) and sh'es eaten in alot. Its called Restaurante El Frontón, its basic, rustic and its literally at the end of a minor road that is fabulous to drive. The views from the restaurant are quite breath taking. https://plus.google.com/108053438038142373713/abou...
Edited by Wozy68 on Saturday 22 March 12:41
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